first taskwas to dispose of the two putrefying bodies. Working almost 24 hours aday, he hooked an inter-communications system to every room of theunderground lab and directly into his system. Even the telephone wasconnected to it so that, if necessary, he could answer it or make acall.
The day finally arrived when there was no more he could do. The entirelab was almost like a steel and concrete body, so thoroughly had itsevery function been integrated as part of his brain. The decision he hadbeen almost frantically avoiding could no longer be put aside. He hadapproximately a week in which to decide. It would be simple to call thepolice and in turn let them notify the various scientists as to hisposition.
He dreaded the thought of the circus that the lab would become.Erstwhile friends would troop in to look at him with morbid curiosity.Then when his potential became known, tasks would be assigned. There wasa definite possibility that he would be moved, even at the danger ofinjury to himself. Countless thousands would demand it and their willwould be obeyed unless the curtain of national security could be drawnacross him.
One day was spent in contacting the animals outside the lab andrevelling in flight for awhile. Then he sped through the countryside,first with a coyote, then with a deer. There was a possibility that ifthe scientists moved him, his new tank would be shielded so that itwould be impossible to enjoy himself as he now was. All in the name ofscience of course.
On the other hand, if it were possible to have all supplies delivered toa nearby point where he could pick them up, he could continue hispresent method of existence. His mind jumped eagerly from problem toproblem which he could undoubtedly solve for the benefit of mankind. Thepresent patents in the partnership's name would bring enough moneyindefinitely to pursue them since much could be done by pure thought.
There was the survival phase first. He would devise an electronicblanketing ray that would dampen all atomic explosions. Then he couldturn to the health of people all over the world, wipe out diseases. Allthis would depend, of course on his being able to remain undisturbed andthat might tax his powers to their utmost. He wondered if it would beworth the effort.
Finally he had less than three days left, which narrowed the safetymargin to the lowest point he cared to think about. He opened thetelephone circuit and heard the operator say, "Number please."
He hesitated briefly, then said,
"The Waring Chemical Supply House, please." His order was soon placedand, afterwards, he felt almost as free and elated as when, as a boy,school had let out for the summer. The manual dexterity of the metallicfingers he had constructed would enable him to write checks with his ownsignature. A faint idea had even tickled his curiosity and he feltcertain that he could grow cells within a couple of weeks. From there,he could work on a body for himself, one even more efficient than theold one Neil had destroyed.
A human in the lab at that moment would have been startled. As nearpossible as it was for any wheeled vehicle to do so, he had severalcarts almost doing a jig in the main office. His new life had justbegun.
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