thedestroyer.deathcheck-第15部分

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o　his　mission；　Remo　lied。　It　took　over　an　hour。
　Remo　found　he　was　in　the　fourth　day　of　his　emotional　cycle；　18th　day　of　his　intellectual　cycle　and　15th　day　of　his　physical　cycle。　〃That　explains　yesterday；〃　Boyle　said。　〃It　was　a　day　of　physical　crisis　for　you。　Mid…cycle。　You　were　passing　from　an　up　period　to　a　down　and　were　edgy。
　
　If　the　whole　thing　had　happened　tomorrow；　you　would　have　turned　your　back　and　walked　away。　Unfortunate　for　those　poor　hooligans。〃
　〃For　them？　I　might　have　been　hurt。〃
　〃I　rather　doubt　it；〃　Boyle　said。
　Walking　out　into　the　courtyard　from…　Boyle's　cottage　office；　Remo　was　puzzled。　So　they　were　studying　violence　at　the　Forum。　Big　deal。　Maybe　Brewster's　little　plan　to　conquer　the　world　involved　talking　your　enemy　to　death。　They　sure　as　hell　weren't　going　to　figure　out　everybody's　cycle　and　only　fight　when　the　rhythms　were　on　our　side。
　And　the　pornographic　pictures。　That　was　another　riddle。　Boyle's　blue　eyes　hadn't　wavered　when　Remo　mentioned　blackmail　or　dirty　photos。　Remo　was　convinced　Boyle　knew　nothing　about　the　pictures。　Yet　he　had　obviously　posed　for　them。　Really　posed；　because　the　pictures　were　professionally　lighted　and　shot　from　a　number　of　different　angles。　And　now　he　knew　nothing　about　it。
　If　the　word　came；　Boyle　would　have　to　be　killed　one…on…one。　By　hand。　He　had　no　repetitious　habits；　few　hobbies；　rarely　left　his　cottage。　It　would　have　to　be　an　accident　in　the　house。　Something　with　an　electric　cord　perhaps。　If　the　word　came。　Remo　hoped　it　wouldn't。
　
　CHAPTER　TWELVE
　
　When　Remo　was　a　boy；　he　had　a　fantasy　of　growing　up　to　bee　the　great　white　hunter。　Whatever　was　left　of　the　fantasy　vanished　when　the　rhinoceros　charged　and　crushed　the　chained　jackal　under　his　3；000　pounds　of　weight。　The　jackal　left　hardly　a　smear。
　Remo　continued　to　watch　the　film　in　fascination　as　the　camera　lens　was　changed　and　the　rhino　receded　in　the　distance。　Then；　stepping　into　the　film　came　Dr。　Abram　Schulter；　his　long；　sparse　black　hair　stringing　down　from　a　pith　helmet。　He　carried　a　small　black　box；　but　it　looked　large　in　his　birdlike　hands。
　He　began　to　walk　toward　the　rhino；　shouting　as　he　went。　Occasionally　he　stopped　and　waved　his　helmet　to　try　to　attract　the　near…sighted　beast's　attention。　When　he　was　no　more　than　thirty　yards　away；　he　stopped　and　began　yelling　again。
　Finally；　the　rhinoceros　charged。　His　hooves　made　the　ground　beneath　the　camera　vibrate　as　he　thundered　from　the　right　side　of　the　screen　toward　the　puny　figure　of　Schulter　standing　defenseless　on　the　left　side　of　the　screen。　Schulter　looked　up；　seemed　to　watch　the　rhino　for　a　split　second；　then　flicked　a　switch　on　top　of　the　box。　The　rhino　stopped　as　if　he'd　run　into　an　invisible　wall。
　He　stopped　dead　and　stood　there；　ten　yards　away　from　Schulter。　Not　moving。　The　film　faded；　the　next　frames　showed　the　rhino　lying　down　eating　grass　and　Schulter　sitting　on　its　back。　The　beast　couldn't　have　cared　less。
　Remo　was　impressed；　but　he　couldn't　resist　a　grin　and　the　thought；　this　screwball　will　mount　anything；　toy　giraffes；　rhinoceroses；　anything。　Mothers　in　the　neighborhood　should　lock　up　their　rubber　duckies。
　The　lights　came　on。　Wearing　a　doctor's　gown；　Abram　Schulter；　M。D。；　Ph。　D。；　Fellow　of；　Diplomate　of；　pioneer　of　this　and　that　and　everything　else；　came　paddling　toward　Remo　on　ripple…soled　shoes　and　began　lifting　the　blinds　to　let　sunlight　into　the　darkened　office。
　〃And　so　that's　what　we　do；〃　he　said；　as　if　the　film　explained　everything。
　〃You　mean；　you're　a　rhinoceros　trainer？〃
　〃A　rhinoceros　trainer？　No；　why　should　I　be？　Oh　yes；　I　see。　A　little　joke。　Yes；　yes。　Very　good。　Very　good　indeed。〃
　He　went　on：　〃No；　no。　Electronic　brain　stimulation。　The　box　in　my　hand　was　a　radio。　It　sent　a　signal　that　stimulated　alpha　waves　in　the　brain　of　the　rhino。　Such　a　brain　as　it　has；　that　is。　Alpha　rhythms　bring　inner　peace。　Don't　suppose　you'd　be　interested？〃
　Schulter　walked　from　the　window　and　sat　down　on　the　other　side　of　the　coffee　table　facing　Remo。　He　took。　a　cigarette　from　a　wooden　box　on　the　table　and　lit　it。　His　hands　were　deeply　nicotine　stained；　and　like　all　pulsive　smokers；　he　didn't　offer　Remo　one。
　Remo　leaned　forward　and　took　one　anyway；　even　though　it　was　a　violation　of　his　rules　at　peak。　He　lit　it　with　a　lighter　on　the　table；　and　then　put　the　lighter　and　the　box　back　on　Schulter's　side　of　the　table。　He　inhaled　deeply；　careful　not　to　let　the　smoke　change　his　breathing　rhythm；　exhaled　for　exactly　two　beats；　and　then　looked　at　Schulter。
　〃I'm　no　rhinoceros。　I'm　not　even　a　toy　giraffe。　What　do　you　want　with　me？〃
　〃Well；　you　know。　I　saw　you　in　the　yard　with　those　silly…looking　putzes。　I　mean。　Such　violence。　I　thought　you　might　like　to　find　inner　peace。　Would　you？〃
　〃Could　I？〃
　〃Certainly。　All　I　would　need　to　do　is　plant　electrodes　inside　your…skull。　Very　simple　really。〃
　〃Has　anyone　ever　offered　to　plant　his　foot　up　your　ass？〃
　Schulter　sighed。　〃Very　mon　response。　Not　unusual　at　all。〃　He　puffed　rapidly　on　his　cigarette；　then　leaned　forward；　picked　up　the　cigarette　box；　turned　it　in　his　hand　as　if　examining　it　and　then　replaced　it　precisely　in　the　center　of　the　table。　He　did　the　s…ame　with　the　lighter。
　〃Well；　at　any　rate；〃　he　said。　〃I　just　thought　I'd　ask。　What　I'd　really　like　is　to　get　the　flow　of　your　brain　waves　under　stimulation。　Very　simple　really。〃
　〃What　kind　of　stimulation？；〃　Remo　asked。
　〃Just　photos　flashed　on　a　screen；〃　Schulter　said。
　〃Why　me？〃　Remo　asked。
　〃Why　not？　You're　new　here。　I've　done　everybody　else。〃　Schulter　vanished　into　a　large　cabinet　at　the　other　end　of　the　room；　and　came　out　bearing　a　metal　half…helmet　and　a　film　cartridge　that　he　placed　in　the　movie　projector。
　The　metal　helmet　had　a　long　cord　attached　to　it；　which　Schulter　plugged　into　a　console　panel　on　the　other　side　of　the　room。
　He　flicked　two　switches　and　the　round　eye　of　an　oscilloscope　lit　up　with　a　hum　at　the　top　of　the　console。
　〃Helmet's　an　induction　microphone　really；〃　Schulter　said；　handing　it　to　Remo。　〃Instead　of　sound；　it　picks　up　tiny　electrical　impulses　from　your　brain。　They're　visible　on　the　scope；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　the　console；　〃and　also　on　a　paper　tape。　For　record　keeping。〃
　Remo　felt　the　helmet。　He　had　seen　one　like　it　before。　It　had　been　lowered　over　his　head　when　he　was　strapped　into　the　electric　chair　at　the　New　Jersey　State　Prison。
　Schulter　was　still　explaining。　〃You　put　the　helmet　on　and　watch　the　screen。　Pictures　appear；　at　prescribed　intervals；　and　the　tape　records　the　change　in　brain　pattern　from　the　stimulus。　Quite　harmless。〃
　Remo　shrugged　and　sat　in　the　chair。　Gingerly；　he　lowered　the　helmet　over　his　head　and　looked　up　at　the　screen。　Flashing　through　his　mind　was　a　ritual　of　Chiun's。　Chiun　would　sit　in　the　lotus　position　and　hum；　a　single　steady　low　pitched　note；　that　he　claimed　drained　the　brain　and　body　of　tension。　Remo　suspected　that　it　stimulated　the　frequency　of　brain…calming　alpha　waves；　perhaps　through　the　direct　vibration　of　the　jawbone　against　the　brain　cavity；　forcing　the　brain　into　producing　them。
　Schulter　sat　down　at　the　console　with　his　back　to　Remo。　The　oscilloscope　was　fully　warmed　now　and　its　hum　echoed　through　the　room。　Schulter　flicked　another　switch　and　the　film　engaged。　Remo　cleared　his　brain　of　distractions　and；　tried　to　emulate　the　low；　humming　note　that　he　had　heard　Chiun　emit　many　times。
　A　picture　lit　up　the　screen。　A　field　of　flowers　gentled　by　the　breeze；　birds　flying　overhead　in　the　sky。　A　control　film　probably　to　get　a　typical　rested　reaction　from　the　subject　against　which　the　others　could　be　pared。
　Remo　hummed；　his　sound　masked　by　the　oscilloscope。
　After　twenty　seconds；　the　flower　scene　gave　way　to　a　splash　of　red。　The　camera　faded　back　and　the　red　turned　out　to　be　a　blotch　of　blood　on　the　white…shirted　chest　of　a　dead　man；　his　eyes　open；　his　face　grinning　idiotically。
　Remo　hummed。
　The　next　picture　showed　munist　Chinese　methodically　gunning　down　Korean　villagers　standing　against　a　wall。
　Remo　hummed。
　The　fourth　scene　showed　a　child　cringing　and　then　a　burly　man　slapping　the　little　child；　hard；　hard　enough　to　make　the　child's　head　snap　back　and　forth。
　Remo　hummed。
　Schulter　flipped　a　switch　and　the　proj