Infield looked up and saw the lightning reflected on the blade of a
thin knife. Infield reached toward it more in fascination than fear. He
managed to get all his fingers around two of Reggie's. He jerked and
the knife fell into Infield's palm. The psychiatrist pulled himself
erect by holding to Reggie's arm. Staggering to his feet, he remembered
what he must do and slashed at the waiter's head. A gash streaked
across the man's brow and blood poured into his eyes. He screamed. "I
can't see the words!"
It was his problem. Infield usually solved other people's problems, but
now he ran away--he couldn't even solve his own.
Infield realized that he had gone mad as he held the thin blade high
overhead, but he did need some kind of lightning rod. Price (who was
right behind him, gaining) had been right. No one could discard a Cure.
He watched the lightning play its light on the blade of his Cure and he
knew that Price was going to kill him in the next moment.
He was wrong.
The lightning hit him first.
* * * * *
Reggie squinted under the bandage at the lettering on the door that
said INFIELD & MORGAN and opened the door. He ran across the room to
the man sitting at the desk, reading by the swivel light.
"Mr. Morgan, your partner, Mr. Infield, he--"
"Just a moment." Morgan switched on the room lights. "What were you
saying?"
"Mr. Infield went out without his Cure in a storm and was struck by
lightning. We took him to the morgue. He must have been crazy to go
out without his Cure."
Morgan stared into his bright desk light without blinking. "This is
quite a shock to me. Would you mind leaving? I'll come over to your
place and you can tell me about it later."
Reggie went out. "Yes, sir. He was struck by lightning, struck dead. He
must have been crazy to leave his Cure...." The door closed.
Morgan exhaled. Poor Infield. But it wasn't the lightning that killed
him, of course. Morgan adjusted the soundproofing plugs in his ears,
thinking that you did have to have quite a bit of light to read lips.
The thunder, naturally, was what had killed Infield. Loud noise--any
noise--that would do it every time. Too bad Infield had never really
stopped being one of the Incompletes. Dangerous people. He would have
to deal with them.