Dracula Unbound Read Free Page A

Washington and himself. It annoyed him to think that Larry was getting married at all. Marriage was so old-fashioned, yet now, at the turn of the century, it was coming back into fashion.
    Bodenland and his senior research scientist, Waldgrave, were waiting in the reception area to welcome Ms. Schatzman when she arrived with her entourage. She was paraded through the technical floor, where everyone had been instructed to continue working as usual, to the laboratory with the sign in gilt on its glass door, INERTIAL RESEARCH .
    Schatzman’s questions indicated she had been properly briefed. He liked that, and her slightly plump fortyish figure in a tailored suit which signaled to him that human nature survived under the official exterior.
    Various important figures were gathered in the lab for the demonstration, including a backer from the Bull-Brunswick Bank. Bodenland introduced Schatzman to some of them while technicians made everything finally ready. As she was shaking hands with the Bank, one of Bodenland’s aides came up and spoke softly in Bodenland’s ear.
    â€œThere’s an urgent call for you from Utah, Joe. Bernard Clift, the archeologist. Says he has made an important discovery.”
    â€œOkay, Mike. Tell Bernard I’ll call him back when possible.”
    In the center of the lab stood a glass cabinet much resembling a shower enclosure. Cables ran into it from computers and other machines, near which two assistants stood by a switchboard. The hum of power filled the air, lending extra tension to the meeting.
    â€œYou have all the technical specifications of the inertial disposal principle in our press and video pack, Ms. Schatzman,” Bodenland said. “If you have no questions there, we’ll move straight into the demonstration.”
    As he spoke, he gave a sign, and an assistant in a lab coat dragged forward a black plastic bag large enough to contain a man.
    Waldgrave explained, “The bag is full of sand, nothing more. It represents a consignment of nuclear or toxic waste.”
    The bag was shut in the cabinet, remaining in full view through the glass as computers briefly chattered their calculations.
    â€œEnergy-consumption rates are high at present. This is just a prototype, you appreciate. We hope to lower tolerances in the next part of the program, when we have the okay from your department,” Bodenland said. “Obviously energy input is related to mass of substance being disposed of.”
    â€œAnd I see you’re using solar energy in part,” Schatzman said.
    â€œThe corporation has its own satellite, which beams down the energy to our dishes here in Dallas.”
    Waldgrave got the nod from his boss. He signaled to the controls technician, who pressed the TRANSMIT pad.
    The interior of the cabinet began to glow with a blue-mauve light.
    Two large analog-type clocks with sweep hands were visible, one inside the cabinet, one on a jury rig outside, facing the first one. The sweep hand of the clock in the cabinet stopped at 10:16. At the same time, the clock itself began to disappear. So did the black plastic bag. In a moment it was gone. The cabinet appeared to be empty.
    A brief burst of applause filled the room. Bodenland appeared noticeably less grim.
    The party went to have drinks in a nearby boardroom, all tan leather upholstery and dracaena plants in bronze pots. There was a jubilation in the air which even the formality of the occasion did not kill.
    As she sipped a glass of Perrier, Schatzman said, “Well, Mr. Bodenland, you appear to have invented the long-awaited time machine, no less.”
    He looked down into his vodka. So the woman was a fool after all. He had hoped for better. This woman was going to have to present his case before her committee in Washington; if she could reach such a basic misunderstanding after studying all the documentation already sent to her over the computer line, the chances for government approval of his