Science fiction; Spy stories; Telepathy -- Fiction; United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation -- Fiction
"And," Dr. Dowson continued in a somewhat louder voice, "wanting to take
Mr. Logan away from us. Mr. Logan is a very sick man, Mr. Malone. He
should be properly cared for."
"I promise we'll take good care of him." Malone said earnestly. The
Elizabethan clothes were fine outdoors, but in a heated room one had a
tendency to sweat.
"I take leave to doubt that," Dr. Dowson said, eying their costumes
pointedly.
"Miss Wilson here," Malone volunteered, "is a trained psychiatric
nurse."
Barbara, in her gown, stepped forward. "Dr. Dowson," she said, "let me
assure you that these costumes have their purpose. We--"
"Not only that," Malone said. "There are a group of trained men from St.
Elizabeths Hospital in Washington who are going to take the best of care
of him." He said nothing whatever about Yucca Flats, or about telepathy.
Why spread around information unnecessarily?
"But I don't understand," Dr. Dowson said. "What interest could the FBI
have in an insane man?"
"That's none of your business," Malone said. He reached inside his
fur-trimmed robe and, again suppressing a tendency to bow deeply,
withdrew an impressive-looking legal document. "This," he said, "is a
court order, instructing you to hand over to us the person of one
William Logan, herein identified and described." He waved it at the
doctor. "That's your William Logan," he said, "only now he's ours."
* * * * *
Dr. Dowson took the papers and put in some time frowning at them. Then
he looked up again at Malone. "I assume that I have some discretion in
this matter," he said. "And I wonder if you realize just how ill Mr.
Logan is? We have his case histories here, and we have worked with him
for some time."
Barbara Wilson said: "But--"
"I might say that we are beginning to understand his illness," Dr.
Dowson said. "I honestly don't think it would be proper to transfer this
work to another group of therapists. It might set his illness
back--cause, as it were, a relapse. All our work could easily be
nullified."
"Please, doctor," Barbara Wilson began.
"I'm afraid the court order's got to stand," Malone said. Privately, he
felt sorry for Dr. Dowson, who was, obviously enough, a conscientious
man trying to do the best he could for his patient. But--
"I'm sorry, Dr. Dowson," he said. "We'll expect you to send all of your
data to the government psychiatrists--and, naturally, any concern for
the patient's welfare will be our concern also. The FBI isn't anxious
for its workers to get the reputation of careless men." He paused,
wondering what other bone he could throw the man. "I have no doubt that
the St. Elizabeths men will be happy to accept your co-operation," he
said at last. "But, I'm afraid that our duty is clear. William Logan
goes with us."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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