Psychic ability -- Fiction; Science fiction; Short stories; Sports stories
"There may be no grounds from your point of view and theirs." Grant
gestured at the crowd struggling through the exits. "But there are from
mine. If I'm to remain Honorary President of the Association, Slag has
got to go. That's final!"
Woods said, "Lane, you could stop this another way. If you don't, and
you put Slag out, they will think...." But Grant was already hurrying
over to Bee Anthony.
More people joined the group and talk died away as uniformed men bent
down to the prone figure. Bee sobbed in Grant's arms. Her mind was
withdrawn, grieving, and he patted her awkwardly while he thought of
how much these young twins had come to mean to him in the years since
he began his research in metaphysics. Just children, they had seemed at
first. He had been young. Doctor Lane, graduate of '52 on fellowship,
and they were the kids he had worked with, who had shown remarkable
powers of the mind.
Tony and himself--they had formulated the methods which still governed
the cultivation of telekinesis. Grant had discovered--the principles,
but it was the successful results of the Anthony boy's training
which paved the way for others to learn. Yet Bee was different. No
amount of tutoring could help her influence an object with her mind.
Different, but not inferior, for Bee was a telepath. With intimates
her conversation was most strange--much of it understood, yet left
unspoken.
Grant was one of the intimates. Her silent sorrow would have found him
at any distance, but now he tried to evade it, because Tony was gone
and Woods had come over to face the reporters--and Slag.
"Mister Woods," began one of the men, but the Commissioner raised a
hand and turned to the giant player.
"You have had my personal warning, Slag. Do you think I will allow you
to carry on your ugly career? Why, man, you're lucky the courts have
not ruled you a murderer!"
"It's not my fault," Slag said. "I didn't _try_ to smash him, honest. I
don't know my own strength, I guess."
Bee's reddened eyes stared at the man, and Grant whispered, "Darling,
can you tell?"
"You know their minds are closed to me. I just feel ... something
_evil_. I must get out of here. Please, Grant, take me away."
Behind Slag the little blond man Teagle, manager and second of the
professional, spoke up. "Like Slag says, Commissioner, it isn't his
fault. These fast-thinking players match him, get him all excited in
the court, and then wonder why they get knocked down. They just don't
have the stuff to match a champ."
"Slag is the only man ever warned to pull his shots," agreed a
reporter who was taking notes.
"Gentlemen!" Woods turned to Grant. "All of us here respect the opinion
of Dr. Lane, who brought this sport into being and who is, in my
estimation, its greatest exponent. I have consulted with him. If he is
to retain any connection whatever with the game, he informs me, Slag
must get out."
There was silence. The men stared first at the florid-faced
Commissioner, then at Grant.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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