dk.nightchills-第14章
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would generate enough money and power to satisfy all three of them； but he had just begun to understand that greed could not be sated as easily as a hearty appetite or a demanding thirst。 If he had any defensive weapon at all； it was his intelligence； his lightning quick mind； but his intellect had been directed for so long into
narrow channels of specialized scientific inquiry that it now served him far less well in the mon matters of life than it did in the laboratory。
Be cautious； suspicious； and watchful； he reminded himself for the second time that day。 With men as aggressive as these； caution was a damned thin armor； but it was the only one he had。
He said； 〃For ten years the Brockert Institute has been fully devoted to a Pentagon study of subliminal advertising。 We haven't been interested in the technical； theoretical； or sociological aspects of it； that work is being done elsewhere。 We've been concerned solely with the biological mechanisms of subliminal perception。 From the start we have been trying to develop a drug that will 'prime' the brain for subception； a drug that will make a man obey without question every subliminal directive that's given to him。〃 Scientists at another CDA laboratory in northern California were trying to engineer a viral or bacterial agent for the same purpose。 But they were on the wrong track。 He knew that for a fact because he was on the right one。 〃Currently； it's possible to use subliminals to influence people who have no unshakable opinions about a particular subject or product。 But the Pentagon wants to be able to use subliminal messages to alter the fundamental attitudes of people who do have very strong； stubbornly held opinions。〃
〃Mind control；〃 Klinger said matter…of…factly。
Dawson took another sip from his brandy glass。
〃If such a drug can be synthesized；〃 Salsbury said； 〃it will change the course of history。 That's no exaggeration。 For one thing； there will never again be war； not in the traditional sense。 We will simply contaminate our enemies' water supplies with the drug； then inundate them； through their own。 media…television； radio； motion pictures； newspapers； and magazines… with a continuing series of carefully structured subliminals that will convince them to see things our way。 Gradually； subtly； we can transform our enemies into our allies…and let them think that the transformation was their own idea。〃
They were silent for perhaps a minute； thinking about it。
Klinger lit a cheroot。 Then he said； 〃There would also be a number of domestic uses for a drug like that。〃
〃Of course；〃 Salsbury said。
〃At long last；〃 Dawson said almost wistfully； 〃we could achieve national unity； put an end to all the bickering and protest and disagreement that's holding back this great country。〃
Ogden turned away from them and stared through the window。 Night had fully claimed the lake。 He could hear the water lapping at the boat dock pilings a few feet below him； just beyond the glass。 He listened and allowed the rhythmic sound to calm him。 He was certain now that Klinger would cooperate； and he saw the incredible future that lay before him； and he was so excited by the vision that he did not trust himself to speak。
To his back Klinger said； 〃You're primarily the director of research at Brockert。 But apparently you're not just a desk man。〃
〃There are certain lines of study I've reserved for myself；〃 Salsbury admitted。
〃And you've discovered a drug that works； a drug that primes the brain for subception。〃
〃Three months ago；〃 Ogden said to the glass。
〃Who knows about it？〃
〃The three of us。〃
〃No one at Brockert？〃
〃No one。〃
〃Even if you have； as you say； reserved some lines of study for yourself； you must have a lab assistant。〃
〃He's not all that bright；〃 Salsbury said。 〃That's why I chose him。 Six years ago。〃
Klinger said； 〃You were thinking about taking the discovery for yourself all that long ago？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃You've doctored your daily work record？ The forms that go to Washington at the end of every week？〃
〃I only had to falsify them for a few days。 As soon as I saw
what I had e upon； I stopped working on it at once and changed the entire direction of my research。〃
〃And your assistant didn't figure the switch？〃
〃He thought I'd given up on that avenue of research and was ready to try another。 I told you； he's not terribly clever。〃
Dawson said； 〃Ogden hasn't perfected this drug of his； Ernst。 There's still a great deal of work to be done。〃
〃How much work？〃 the general asked。
Turning from the window； Salsbury said； 〃I'm not absolutely certain。 Perhaps as little as six months…or as much as a year and a half。〃
〃He can't work on it at Brockert；〃 Dawson said。 〃He couldn't possibly get away with falsifying his records for such a length of time。 Therefore； I'm putting together a pletely equipped laboratory for him in my house in Greenwich； forty minutes from the Brockert Institute。〃
Raising his eyebrows； Klinger said； 〃You've got a house so big you can turn it into a lab？〃
〃Ogden doesn't need a great deal of room； really。 A thousand square feet。 Eleven hundred at the outside。 And most of that will be taken up with puters。 Hideously expensive puters； I might add。 I'm backing Ogden with nearly two million of my own money； Ernst。 That's an indication of the tremendous faith I have in him。〃
〃You really think he can develop； test； and perfect this drug in a jerry…built lab？〃
〃Two million is hardly jerry…built；〃 Dawson said。 〃And don't forget that billions of dollars' worth of preliminary research has already been paid for by the government。 I'm financing just the final stage。〃
〃How can you possibly maintain secrecy？〃
〃There are thousands of uses for the puter system。 We won't be incriminating ourselves just by purchasing it。 Furthermore； we'll arrange for it through one of Futurex's subsidiaries。 There won't be any record that it was sold to us。 There won't be any questions asked；〃 Dawson said。
〃You'll need lab technicians； assistants； clerks…〃
〃No；〃 Dawson said。 〃So long as Ogden has the puter… and a plete data file of his past research…he can handle everything himself。 For ten years he's had a full lab staff to do the drudgery； but most of that kind of work is behind him now。；'
〃If he quits at Brockert；〃 Klinger said； 〃there will be an exhaustive security investigation。 They'll want to know why he quit…and they'll find out。〃
They were talking about Salsbury as if he were somewhere else and unable to hear them； and he didn't like that。 He moved away from the window； took two steps toward the general and said； 〃I'm not leaving my position at Brockert。 I'll report for work as usual； five days a week； from nine to four。 While I'm there I'll labor diligently on a useless research project。〃
〃When will you find time to work at this lab Leonard's setting up for you？〃
〃In the evenings；〃 Salsbury said。 〃And on weekends。 Besides that； I've accumulated a lot of sick leave and vacation time。 I'll take most of it…but I'll spread it out evenly over the next year or so。〃
Klinger stood up and went to the elegant copper and glass bar cart that a servant had left a few feet from the easy chairs。 His thick and hairy arms made the crystal decanters look more delicate than they actually were。 As he poured another double shot of brandy for himself； he said； 〃And what role do you see me playing in all of this？〃
Salsbury said； 〃Leonard can get the puter system I need。 But he can't provide me with a magnetic tape file of all the research I've done for CDA or a set of master program tapes designed for my research。 I'll need both of those before Leonard's puters are worth a penny to me。 Now； given three or four weeks； I could make duplicates of those tapes at Brockert without much risk of being caught。 But once I've got eighty or ninety cumbersome mag tapes and five…hundred…yard print…outs； how do I get them out of Brockert？ There's just no way。 Security procedures； entering and leaving； are tight； too tight for my purpose。 Unless 。 。
〃I see；〃 Klinger said。 He returned to his chair and sipped at his brandy。
Sliding forward to the edge of his seat； Dawson said； 〃Ernst； you're the ultimate authority for s
