Doctor Who_ Warlock - Andrew Cartmel [49]
‘Which is where Sean has proved so useful. Making contacts in the pubs and pretending he wants to help break into the labs and so on. Thus every few months we can expect a certain cull.’ He took a sip of his coffee. ‘That’s you guys.’
Shell was sobbing again and Jack looked pale and sick.
‘Your profile is perfect in another way, also,’ said Dieter. ‘You may have read about the tests that the US military and intelligence services conducted with psychedelic drugs after the world war.’ No one replied to Dieter but his eyes were shining happily, caught up in the energy of his own argument. ‘They involved giving brush‐cut volunteers LSD and so on. They were conducted in clinical conditions in big institutional places that make the most impersonal hospital seem friendly by comparison. Of course, the corn‐fed cadets dropped acid and found themselves in a mental world that even nineteen years growing up in Iowa couldn’t possibly prepare them for. The drug transported them into mental terrain where they couldn’t cope. They were terrified. What did they know of altered states of consciousness? A few too many beers on Saturday night in some windy small‐town nowhere. They were not equipped to deal with the hallucinatory shimmer of psychedelic drugs. When dark gods rose from stormy seas dripping with jewels, no amount of high school algebra could help them out. They had bad trips. Of course they did. They were the wrong sort of volunteers. But you – you people are perfect.’
Jack suddenly spoke up. He bobbed his head, nodding at Ace. ‘Look, she only joined us at the last minute. She isn’t a member of the cause. And I think she’ll be missed by the people she left behind. You really ought to let her go.’
Dieter just shook his head. ‘Sorry. We have our research needs.’ He helped himself to another one of the almond pastries. ‘But this is one piece of scientific research you ought to approve of. Because we aren’t going to use animals for it.’
‘People are animals, too,’ said Jack.
‘Well, in any case, perhaps you remember those blood samples we took from you? They have now been tested. And the results indicate that two of you are heavy users of illegal drugs. Whereas your result is remarkably clean.’ Dieter nodded at Ace like an approving teacher. ‘You are perhaps drinking somewhat to excess, however, and you should watch those fatty foods. Congratulations nonetheless on a very healthy lifestyle. Which is more than I can say for your friends here.’ He indicated Jack and Shell. ‘These two have been imbibing listed drugs for most of their adult lives.’
‘That’s pretty judgemental coming from someone who sells drugs for a living.’
‘Well, of course, there are two obvious objections to that absurd assertion. Firstly I am a research scientist. I conduct tests for pharmaceutical companies, yes, but I’m not directly involved with the selling of their products.’
‘Sounds pretty tenuous to me, Dieter. You work for the drugs companies. They sell drugs. You’re one of them.’
‘And secondly,’ said Dieter, ignoring Jack, ‘secondly, the drugs manufactured by my employers are legal. There is no question of my being involved in any form of criminal enterprise.’
‘Except maybe for kidnapping and murder.’
‘No one intends to murder you.’
‘What were those guns for, then? What would you have done if we ran?’
‘As to kidnapping, you trespassed on our property with the intention of causing extensive damage. Instead of prosecuting you, we have been kind enough to forget about the matter. Providing you volunteer to do a drugs trial for us.’
‘Who’s volunteering?’
‘Would you rather we turned you over to the police and pressed charges?’
‘Are you offering us that option?’
Dieter gestured impatiently, waving his hands in the air as though Jack’s arguments were smoke. ‘One thing you are right about, however,’ he said. ‘There is increasingly a blurred