"Charles L. Harness-The New Reality" - читать интересную книгу автора (Harness Charles L)

The New Reality
by Charles L. Harness
This story copyright 1950 by Charles L. Harness.Reprinted by permission of Linn Prentiss.This copy
was created for Jean Hardy's personal use.All other rights are reserved. Thank you for honoring the
copyright.

Published by Seattle Book Company, www.seattlebook.com.




* * *


Chapter I
Raid for the Censor

* * *


Prentiss crawled into the car, drew the extension connector form his concealed throat mike from its
clip in his right sleeve, and plugged it into the ignition key socket.
In a moment he said curtly: "Get me the Censor."
The seconds passed as he heard the click of forming circuits. Then: "E speaking."
"Prentiss, honey."
"Call me 'E,' Prentiss. What news?"
"I've met five classes under Professor Luce. He has a private lab. Doesn't confide in his graduate
students. Evidently conducting secret experiments in comparative psychology. Rats and such. Nothing
overtly censurable."
"I see. What are your plans?"
"I'll have his lab searched tonight. If nothing turns up, I'll recommend a drop."
"I'd prefer that you search the lab yourself."
A. Prentiss Rogers concealed his surprise and annoyance. "Very well."
His ear button clicked a dismissal.
With puzzled irritation he snapped the plug from the dash socket, started the car, and eased it down
the drive into the boulevard bordering the university.
Didn't she realize that he was a busy Field Director with a couple of hundred men under him fully
capable of making a routine night search? Undoubtedly she knew just that, but nevertheless was requiring
that he do it himself. Why?
And why had she assigned Professor Luce to him personally, squandering so many of his precious
hours, when half a dozen of his bright young physical philosophers could have handled it? Nevertheless
E, from behind the august anonymity of her solitary initial, had been adamant. He'd never been able to
argue with such cool beauty, anyway.
A mile away he turned into a garage on a deserted side street and drew up alongside a Cadillac.
Crush sprang out of the big car and silently held the rear door open for him.
 Prentiss got in. "We have a job tonight."
His aide hesitated a fraction of a second before slamming the door behind him. Prentiss knew that the
squat, asthmatic little man was surprised and delighted.
As for Crush, he'd never got it through his head that the control of human knowledge was a grim and
hateful business, not a kind of cruel lark.