dk.solesurvivor-第51部分

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　story　is　of　importance　to　you　because　of　your　own　recent　experiences　with　people　who　eviscerate　themselves　and　set　themselves　afire…and　because　of　your　losses　in　Colorado。
　　By　the　time　he　is　forty…two　months　old；　SSW…89…58　possesses　the　language　skills　of　the　average　first…year　college　student　and　is　able　to　read　a　three…hundred…page　volume　in　one　to　three　hours；　depending　on　the　plexity　of　the　text。　Higher　math　es　to　him　as　easily　as　eating　ice　cream；　as　do　foreign　languages　from　French　to　Japanese。　His　physical　development　proceeds　at　an　accelerated　rate；　as　well；　and　by　the　time　he　is　four；　he　stands　as　tall　and　is　proportionately　developed　as　the　average　seven…year…old。　Paranormal　talents　are　anticipated；　but　researchers　are　surprised　by　89…58's　great　breadth　of　more　ordinary　genius…which　includes　the　ability　to　play　any　piece　of　piano　music　after　hearing　it　once　…and　by　his　physical　precocity；　for　which　no　genetic　selection　has　been　made。
　　When　89…58　begins　to　exhibit　paranormal　abilities；　he　proves　to　be　phenomenally　endowed。　His　first　startling　achievement　is　remote　viewing。　As　a　game；　he　describes　to　researchers　the　rooms　in　their　own　homes；　where　he　has　never　visited。　He　walks　them　through　tours　of　museums　to　which　he　has　never　been　admitted。　When　he　is　shown　a　photograph　of　a　Wyoming　mountain　in　which　is　buried　a　top…secret　Strategic　Air　mand　defence　centre；　he　describes　in　accurate　detail　the　missile…status　display　boards　in　the　war　room。　He　is　considered　an　espionage　asset　of　incalculable　value…until；　fortunately　by　degrees；　he　discovers　that　he　is　able　to　step　into　a　human　mind　as　easily　as　he　steps　into　distant　rooms。　He　takes　mental　control　of　his　primary　handler；　makes　the　man　undress；　and　sends　him　through　the　halls　of　the　orphanage；　crowing　like　a　rooster。　When　SSW…89…58　relinquishes　control　of　the　handler　and　it　is　discovered　what　he's　done；　he　is　punished　severely。　He　resents　the　punishment；　resents　it　deeply。　That　night　he　conducts　a　remote　viewing　of　the　handler's　home　and　enters　the　handler's　mind　at　a　distance　of　forty…six　miles。　Using　the　handler's　body；　he　brutally　murders　the　man's　wife　and　daughter；　and　then　he　walks　the　handler　through　suicide。
　　Subsequent　to　this　episode；　SSW…89…58　is　subdued　by　the　use　of　a　massive　dose　of　tranquillisers　administered　by　a　dart　gun。　Two　employees　of　Project　99　perish　in　this　process。
　　Thereafter；　for　a　period　of　eighteen　days；　he　is　maintained　in　a　drug…induced　a　while　a　team　of　scientists　designs　and　oversees　the　urgent　construction　of　a　suitable　habitat　for　their　prize…one　which　will　sustain　his　life　but　assure　that　he　remains　controlled。　A　faction　of　the　staff　suggests　immediate　termination　of　SSW…89…58；　but　this　advice　is　considered　and　rejected。　Every　endeavour　is　at　some　point　troubled　by　pessimists。
　　Here；　now；　e　into　the　security　room　in　the　southeast　corner　of　the　first　floor　of　the　orphanage。　In　this　place…if　you　were　an　employee…you　must　present　yourself　for　the　scrutiny　of　three　guards；　because　this　post　is　never　manned　by　fewer；　regardless　of　the　hour。　You　must　place　your　right　hand　on　a　scanner　that　will　identify　you　by　your　fingerprints。　You　must　peer　into　a　retina　scanner；　as　well；　which　will　pare　your　retinal　patterns　to　those　recorded　in　the　scan　taken　when　you　first　accepted　employment。
　　From　here　you　descend　in　an　elevator　past　five　subterranean　levels　where　much　of　the　work　of　Project　99　is　conducted。　You　are　interested；　however；　in　the　sixth　and　lowest　level；　where　you　walk　to　the　end　of　a　long　corridor　and　through　a　grey　metal　door。　You　stand　in　a　plain　room　with　simple　institutional　furnishings；　with　three　security　men；　none　of　whom　is　interested　in　you。　These　men　work　six…hour　shifts　to　ensure　that　they　remain　alert　not　only　to　what　is　happening　in　this　room　and　the　next　but　to　nuances　in　one　another's　behaviour。
　　One　wall　of　this　room　features　a　large　window　that　looks　into　the　adjoining　chamber。　Frequently　you　will　see　Dr。　Louis　Blom　or　Dr。　Keith　Ramlock…or　both…at　work　beyond　this　glass；　for　they　are　the　designers　of　SSW…89…58　and　oversee　the　exploration　and　the　utilization　of　his　gifts。　When　neither　Dr。　Blom　nor　Dr。　Ramlock　is　present；　at　least　three　other　members　of　their　immediate　staff　are　in　attendance。
　　SSW…89…58　is　never　left　unsupervised。
　　
　　They　were　transitioning　from　Interstate　210　to　Interstate　10　when　Rose　interrupted　herself　to　say；　'Joe；　could　you　find　an　exit　with　a　service　station？　I　need　to　use　a　restroom。'
　　'What's　wrong？'
　　'Nothing。　I　just　need　。　。　。　a　restroom。　I　hate　to　waste　the　time。　I　want　to　get　to　Big　Bear　as　quick　as　we　can。　But　I　don't　want　to　wet　my　pants；　either。　No　hurry。　Just　somewhere　in　the　next　few　miles；　okay？'
　　'All　right。'
　　She　conducted　him；　once　more；　on　her　version　of　a　remote　viewing　of　Project　99　outside　Manassas。
　　
　　Onward；　please；　through　the　connecting　door　and　into　the　final　space；　where　stands　the　elaborate　containment　vessel　in　which　89…58　now　lives　and；　barring　any　unforeseen　and　calamitous　developments；　in　which　he　will　spend　the　rest　of　his　unnatural　life。　This　is　a　tank　that　somewhat　resembles　the　iron　lungs　which；　in　more　primitive　decades；　were　used　to　sustain　victims　of　poliomyelitis。　Nestled　like　a　pecan　in　its　shell；　89…58　is　entirely　enclosed；　pressed　between　the　mattress…soft　halves　of　a　lubricated　body　mould　that　restricts　all　movement；　including　even　the　movement　of　each　finger；　limiting　him　to　facial　expressions　and　twitches…which　no　one　can　see；　anyway。　He　is　supplied　with　bottled　air　directly　through　a　nose　clip　from　tanks　outside　of　the　containment　vessel。　Likewise；　he　is　pierced　by　redundant　intravenous…drip　lines；　one　in　each　arm　and　one　in　his　left　thigh；　through　which　he　receives　life…sustaining　nourishment；　a　balance　of　fluids；　and　a　variety　of　drugs　as　his　handlers　see　fit　to　administer　them。　He　is　permanently　catheterised　for　the　efficient　elimination　of　waste。　If　any　of　these　IV　drips　or　other　lifelines　works　loose　or　otherwise　fails；　an　insistent　alarm　immediately　alerts　the　handlers；　and　in　spite　of　the　existence　of　redundant　systems；　repairs　are　undertaken　without　delay。
　　The　researchers　and　their　assistants　conduct　conversations　as　necessary　with　89…58　through　a　speakerphone。　The　clamshell　body　mould　in　which　he　lies　inside　the　steel　tank　is　equipped　with　audio　feed　to　both　of　his　ears　and　a　microphone　over　his　mouth。　The　staff　is　able　to　reduce　89…58's　words　to　a　background　whisper　whenever　they　wish；　but　he　does　not　enjoy　an　equivalent　privilege　to　tune　them　out。　A　clever　video　feed　allows　images　to　be　transmitted　by　glass　fibre　to　a　pair　of　lenses　fitted　to　89…58's　sockets；　consequently；　he　can　be　shown　photographs…and　if　necessary　the　geographical　coordinates…of　buildings　and　places　in　which　he　is　required　to　conduct　remote　viewings。　Sometimes　he　is　shown　photographs　of　individuals　against　whom　it　is　desired　that　he　take　one　form　of　action　or　another。
　　During　a　remote　viewing；　89…58　describes　in　vivid　detail　what　he　sees　in　whatever　far　place　they　have　sent　him；　and　he　dutifully　answers　questions　that　his　handlers　put　to　him。　By　monitoring　his　heart　rate；　blood　pressure；　respiratory　rate；　brainwaves；　eyelid　movements；　and　changes　in　the　electrical　conductivity　of　his　skin；　they　are　able　to　detect　a　lie　with　better　than　ninety…nine…percent　accuracy。　Furthermore；　they　test　him　from　time　to　time　by　remoting　him　to　places　on　which　extensive；　reliable　intelligence　has　already　been　gathered；　his　answers　are　subsequently　pared　to　the　material　currently　in　file。
　　He　has　been　known　to　be　a　bad　boy。　He　is　not　trusted。
　　When　89…58　is　instructed　to　enter　the　mind　of　a　specific　person　and　either　eliminate　that　individual　or　use　him　to　eliminate　another…which　is　most　often　a　foreign　national…the　assignment　is　referred　to　as　a　'wet　mission。'　This　term　is　used　partly　because　blood　is　spilled　but　largely　because　89…58　is　plunged　not　into　the　parative　dryness　of　faraway　rooms　but　into　the　murky　depths　of　a　human　mind。　As　he　conducts　a　wet　mission；　89…58　describes　it　to　Dr。　Blom　or　Dr。　Ramlock；　at　least　one　of　whom　is　always　present　during　the　event。　After　numerous　such　missions；　Blom　and　Ramlock　and　their　associates　are　adept　at　identifying　deception　even　before　the　polygraph　signals　trouble。
　　For　his　handlers；　video　displays　of　electrical　activity　in　89…58's　brain　clearly　define　the　activity　in　which　he　is　engaged　at　every　moment。　When　he　is　only　remote　viewing；　the　patterns　are　radically　different　from　those　that　arise　when　he　is　engaged　in　wet　work。　If　he　is　assigned　only　to　observe　some　distant　place　and；　while　viewing；　disobediently　occupies　the　mind　of　someone　in　that　remote　location；　either　as　an　act　of　rebellion　or　sheerly　for　sport；　this　is　known　at　once　to　his　handlers。
　　If　SSW…89…58　refuses　an　instruction；　exceeds　the　parameters　of　an　assignment；　or　exhibits　any　other　signs　of　rebellion；　he　can　be　punished　in　numerous　ways。　Electrical　contacts　in　the　body　mould…and　in　his　catheter…can　be　activated　to　deliver　painful　shocks　to　selected　tender　points　head　to　foot　or　over　his　entire　skin　surface。　Piercing　electronic　squeals　at　excruciating　volume　may　be　blasted　into　his　ears。　Disgusting　odours　are　easily　introduced　with　his　air　supply。　A　variety　of　drugs　are　available　to　precipitate　painful　and　terrifying　physiological　symptoms…such　as　violent　muscle　spasms　and　inflamed　nerve　sheaths…which　pose　no　danger　to　the　life　of　this　valuable　asset。　Inducing　claustrophobic　panic　by　cutting　off　his　air　supply　is　also　a　simple　but　effective　disciplinary　technique。
　　If　he　is　obedient；　89…58　can　be　rewarded　in　one　of　five　ways。　Although　he　receives　his　primary　nutrients…carbohydrates；　proteins；　vitamins；　minerals…through　IV　drips；　a　feeding　tube　can　be　extruded　from　the　body　mould　and　between　his　lips；　to　allow　him　to　enjoy　tasty　liquids　from　Coca　Cola　to　apple　juice　to　chocolate　milk。　Second；　because　he　is　a　piano　prodigy　and　takes　great　pleasure　from　music；　he　can　be　rewarded　with　anything　from　the　Beatles　to　Beethoven。　Third；　entire　movies　can　be　transmitted　to　the　lenses　over　his　eyes…and　from　such　an　intimate　perspective；　he　seems　to　be　virtually　in　the　middle　of　the　cinematic　experience。　Fourth；　he　can　receive　mood…elevating　drugs　that　make　him　as　happy；　in　some　ways；　as　any　boy　in　the　world。　Fifth；　and　best　of　all；　he　is　sometimes　allowed　to　go　remote　viewing　in　places　that　he　would　like　to　experience；　and　during　these　glorious　expeditions；　guided　by　his　own　interests；　he　knows　freedom…or　as　much　of　it　as　he　can　imagine。
　　Routinely；　no　fewer　than　three　staff　monitor　the　containment　vessel　and　its　occupant；　because　89…58　can　control　only　one　mind　at　a　time。　If　any　of　the　three　were　to　turn　suddenly　violent　or　exhibit　any　unusual　behaviour；　either　of　the　other　two　could；　with　the　flip　of　a　switch；　administer　sufficient　sedatives　through　the　intravenous　feeds　to　drop　89…58　into　a　virtually　instant；　deep；　and　powerless　sleep。　In　the　unlikely　event　that　this　should　fail；　a　doomsday　button　follows　the　sedative　with　a　lethal　dose　of　nerve　toxin　that　kills　in　three　to　five　seconds。
　　The　three　guards　on　the　other　side　of　the　observation　window　have　similar　buttons　available　for　use　at　their　discretion