George Chesbro: Shadow of a Broken Man

no, mongo, you didn't lead him here

It was Tal, reading my thoughts as easily as if they'd been spoken aloud.

Lippitt has had his own suspicions for some time

I felt a sudden chill as I realized that Tal hadn't spoken at all; the words?the thoughts -had simply appeared in my mind, clear, unmistakable. I looked at Tal in astonishment. He returned my gaze and slowly, deliberately … winked.

So now you know for certain, my friend I need your help with Lippitt, we have a real problem

"That door at the consulate was locked," Lippitt said. "It was bolted tight. I tried it. There's only one man who could have opened that door … Jesus , Rafferty! What the hell have you been up to for the past five years?"

"You know as well as anyone," Tal said easily. "I've never been out of the public eye, and I think my record speaks for itself. The Secretary General has made continued good use of the information I've supplied him with."

"That's a matter of opinion, Rafferty. Thaag's periodic revelations to the world press haven't always been in the best interests of your country. I believe I've mentioned that."

DON'T, Mongo he'll kill you

I'd been thinking of trying to jump Lippitt.

good… relax as you may have noticed, Mr. Lippitt does tend to get slightly hysterical where I'm concerned argue my case, if you will, but don't try to move on him he's very, very fast he's on his guard now and his will is very strong if you talk to him, distract him, we may get out of this yet trust me

"I have no country, Lippitt," Tal said. "You took that away from me. But that's immaterial. The point is that our work at the U.N. has been evenhanded and fair. People benefit from what I do."

Lippitt seemed to bow his head slightly. When he spoke, his voice was so low it could hardly be heard. "I… I've never had a chance to thank you for healing me."

"You showed your appreciation to Victor Rafferty by protecting his wife these past five years," Tal said. "You knew you would get no thanks from her, yet you risked your life to rescue her from the consulate. You're a man of loyalty and honor." He paused, smiled. " That's a source of torment even Victor Rafferty can't do anything about."

"What will you do now, Lippitt?" I said.

My voice was too loud, too anxious, but Lippitt didn't seem to notice. He nodded in Tal's direction. "He knows what has to be done."

Tal wearily shook his head. "No, that's not possible. I won't work for you. Besides, there are complications."

"What complications? Everyone thinks Victor Rafferty is dead."

"Except for Rolfe Thaag and Mongo."

Rolfe Thaag's voice rose out of the darkness at the far end of the boathouse, behind Lippitt. "Yes, Mr. Lippitt. That is a problem, isn't it? Will you now have to kill us both?"

Lippitt wheeled and crouched, gun in hand, as the Secretary General stepped out of the shadows. Thaag, like Tal, was dressed all in black. The submachine gun he carried was trained on Lippitt's stomach.

Lippitt was still in a crouch, his gun on Thaag, his eyes darting back and forth between Thaag, Tal, and me. Thaag kept coming, stopped a few yards from Lippitt.

do NOTHING, Mongo watch

"Well, Mr. Lippitt?" There was scorn, mockery in Thaag's voice. He casually tossed the heavy gun off to one side; it landed with a crash and skittered off into the darkness. Lippitt, looking thoroughly puzzled, slowly straightened up.

"Why did you do that?" Lippitt asked in a thick voice. "You could have killed me."

"There's been too much death already. You're so unimaginative, Lippitt, such a fool. God , if you only knew how tired I get of dealing with fools." The Secretary General's voice suddenly rose harshly. "Answer me! Do you intend to kill us? And after you kill us, how will you force Ronald to do your bidding? Will you kidnap his wife? Will you threaten to torture her?"

"Shut up!" Lippitt shouted. His voice abruptly dropped to a rasping whisper. "Damn it, Thaag, what choice do I have?" Lippitt suddenly made a gargling sound and stiffened. "Damn you!" The words were choked, squeezed through jaws that suddenly seemed to be locked tightly together. "Stop it! You … can't! I won't ..Let you!"

I looked at Tal. His eyes were closed in concentration; his head was thrust slightly forward, and the veins stood out in his neck and forehead. He began to tremble and grabbed at his head as blood spurted from both nostrils, staining the front of his clothing, spotting the boards at his feet. Still he maintained his concentration. Lippitt seemed caught in the grip of some terrible force. He was obviously struggling with all his strength and will, yet the hand holding the gun slowly, inexorably, came down. The fingers, bent into claws, stiffened, and the gun clattered to the floor.

Hearing about telekinesis and seeing it performed were two quite different things. This was the last and most terrifying demonstration I'd seen of Victor Rafferty's powers. Suddenly I understood Lippitt perfectly; I shared his fear. The remote-control assassination of a president could be nothing more than a minor exercise for Victor Rafferty. He could actually move men and objects with his mind: I suspected he would have less difficulty exploding a brain, as he'd already done on a hot August morning five years before.

"You miss the obvious alternative," Rolfe Thaag said quietly as he stepped forward and kicked Lippitt's gun away.

Tal relaxed his concentration. At the same moment Lippitt jerked spasmodically and just managed to keep himself from falling. He started after the gun.

"Don't!" Tal snapped. "Next time I'll have to hurt you! I assure you that's easier than what I just did."

Lippitt froze, then slowly turned back to face Tal.

"Ronald has never considered selling himself to the highest bidder," Thaag said. "I am only grateful that I was worthy of his trust five years ago. True, he has been invaluable in diplomatic negotiations… but he's also helped hundreds of people the same way he helped you, Mr. Lippitt, without their ever knowing. So, you see, the alternative is to remain silent. You know where he is, and you'll constantly be watching him. That's enough. Let him continue his work. Say nothing to anyone."

Lippitt shook his head. "How do I know-how do you know-he won't change? How can I know how he'll feel tomorrow… or ten years from now? He'll always be a threat."

"Take a chance , Lippitt," I heard myself saying. "For God's sake, take a chance!"

"You'll always know where to find me, Lippitt," Tal said as he wiped the blood from his face. "You'll have to trust me… as I'll have to trust you. My life is in the hands of the people in this room."

We stood for a long time in silence. Rolfe Thaag found Lippitt's gun, picked it up, and handed it to him. Lippitt snatched the gun, wheeled with lightning speed, and aimed it at Tal's heart. Tal stood calmly, a smile playing around the edges of his mouth. Then Lippitt abruptly shoved the gun into his coat pocket, turned, and looked at me with a question in his eyes.

Suddenly, for the first time, I felt the full, electric impact of the deadly secret we were being asked to share. Lippitt was emotionally separated from Tal, Thaag, and me; both Lippitt and I would be physically separated from each other, and from the other two. Yet there would be an invisible but steel-strong thread binding us all together for the rest of our lives, a thread spun at once of life and death, trust and suspicion. I was intrigued. And I was afraid.

"It's a good deal," I said to Lippitt. "Take it. I don't plan on saying anything. Not ever."