Read All Judgment Fled for Free Online Page B

mention

this to the colonel or Drew. At the proper time I may discuss it with

Walters and Berryman -- but they won't talk out of turn either. It's hard

to say exactly what we must do about it until the time comes, but when

it does, remember that we will be four against their two. And remember

this as well; the problem isn't yours alone any more -- three of your

friends will be helping you solve it. They may even, since they are not

so close to it as you are and may thus be able to consider the problem

more objectively, solve it for you. Think about this, won't you? Think

about it really hard."
     
     
McCullough paused for a moment, then went on, "You have already realized

that your condition is directly attributable to worry about this bomb --

anyone with an ounce of sensitivity in them would have reacted in much

the same fashion. But there is no necessity to worry now -- at least to

the extent where it affects you physically.
     
     
"You may be surprised how quickly this skin condition clears up,"

he continued, "and how comfortable you will begin to feel generally.

The colonel will be surprised, too, and for that reason I'll leave a supply

of medication to help the process along. Morrison will assume that the

salve and tablets are effecting a cure, but this is a necessary subterfuge

since you can't very well tell him the real cause of your improvement --

the fact that his secret is now common property. But in order to allay

his suspicions further, I will have to be very tough -- or appear to be

very tough -- on you."
     
     
McCullough was going to be very tough with Drew and the colonel as well.

He was going to insist that Morrison pad and bandage the patient's hands

so that he would be unable to scratch himself, giving his skin condition a

chance to heal, which meant that Hollis would have to be fed and generally

wet-nursed by the other two men. Drew would probably come in for most

of the work, but the application of salve and the checking of Hollis'

condition -- McCullough would insist on daily progress reports -- would be

a two-man job. In short, Hollis must no longer be treated as an outcast,

and Morrison and Drew would be made to realize that psychosomatic leprosy

was not catching.
     
     
Drew and the colonel might not be too gentle in their treatment of the

patient at first; it would be embarrassing for all concerned and the

atmosphere would be anything but warm and friendly. But at least they

would not be ignoring Hollis and that was an important first step. Later,

other steps would suggest themselves. McCullough was confident that it

would be only a matter of time before the physicist was back to normal

and the relationships inside P-One more -- harmonious.
     
     
At no time did McCullough consider the possibility of the colonel refusing

to cooperate. In the medical area Morrison was outranked and he was not

the type to disobey a lawful order.
     
     
Later, when they were all crammed into the control module, McCullough was

relieved and pleased at the reception given his suggestions for treating

Hollis. It was now apparent that the other two had felt a certain amount

of guilt over the way they had behaved toward the physicist and were very

anxious to make it up to him. It restored McCullough's faith in people,

especially in cold, withdrawn and not very friendly people like Morrison

and Drew. He would have liked a long, private talk with the two men as

well, if only to get their side of the business, but in the circumstances

that might not be possible without running the risk of having Hollis

think he had acquired another enemy instead of three friends . . .
     
     
He had a lot to think about on the way back, and this time he kept his

hands and feet in their cuffs and stirrups and his eyes wide open until

he saw P-Two again and Berryman and Walters were helping him out of his

suit and he was saying, in a tone much more serious than he had intended,

"It's nice to