V - The Original Miniseries by Kenneth Johnson Page B

automatically. "Did he thank you for saving his life? He ought to, seeing how mean he was acting."
     
William nodded. "He has been talking to me, since this morning. He shooked my hand." "Well, that's more like it!" Harmy turned to her lunch wagon. "You want a burger or something? It's lunchtime."
    He shook his head. She peered at him intently. "Say, don't you guys ever eat?" He nodded, feeling uncomfortable, wondering how to change the subject. "Sometimes." She took a bite of a sandwich, chewed thoughtfully. "You ever go to movies?"
"No, I do not . . ." William said, wondering what "movies" were. Like television, he thought he remembered, only larger. He smiled shyly at her. ". . . Yet."
     
She chuckled, and after a second, he found himself echoing her. It was his first laugh.
     
JULIET PARRISH WAS FEEDING THE MICE WHEN THE ANNOUNCEMENT came on the television. "We interrupt this program to bring our listeners an urgent- special report."
     
What now? she thought. Aloud she called, "Ben? Doctor Metz? There's a bulletin on the television ..."
    She listened to Howard K. Smith explain that this story was being brought by satellite from Belgium. A picture of a distinguished-looking man came on, facing a steel bouquet of microphones. Doctor Metz exclaimed, "That's Leopold Jankowski! What is going on here?"
"He's with the Brussels Biomedical Institute, isn't he?" asked Ben. Metz nodded tensely as the man began to speak.
    "I have called this press conference today to reveal a shocking discovery. There exists, in this world, an organized conspiracy of some of our best scientific minds. The aim of this conspiracy is to harmpossibly destroy-the Visitors."
    Juliet and Ben gasped, their reactions mirrored by the hubbub of reporters' voices in the crowded room. Doctor Metz stared incredulously. "Impossible!" he muttered. "That's insane-has Leopold lost his mind?"
    Jankowski was speaking again. "This organized effort to harm the Visitors came to my attention first approximately two weeks ago, when Doctor Rudolph Metz in California called me and asked to speak with me on what he called 'urgent and confidential matters.'"
    "What?!" Juliet grabbed Ben Taylor's arm. "I did no such thing!" Doctor Metz said indignantly. "I haven't spoken to Jankowski since-"
    "Others of my colleagues here in Belgium have also been approached by scientists," Jankowski continued. "Primarily those scientists in the fields of biomedical studies or anthropology seem to be involved. But we cannot be sure of how far this insidious contagion among some of our best minds has spread."
"How can he say this?" Doctor Metz was shaking with rage and hurt. "Jankowski was a good man-I have known him for years. What is he talking about?"
     
Juliet patted his arm. "Take it easy, Doctor. Maybe you'd better sit-" "Scientists of many nations are apparently part of this insidious conspiracy. Their plan, quite simply, is to seize control of several of the Visitors' Mother Ships ..."
     
Cries of "Why?", "To what purpose?" rang out from the assembled reporters.
    Jankowski shook his head gravely. "They tried to convince me that it was to protect the human race and keep the military from learning advanced Visitor technology secrets. However, I am sure that their true motivation was far more personal than their avowed purpose."
    Jankowski ceremoniously lifted a piece of paper. "On this statement I have listed the events exactly as they transpired, and the names of all those who tried to enlist my help in this dreadful conspiracy against those who had proved themselves our friends. I now authenticate this statement with my signature. Copies will be released to the appropriate authorities that they may deal with each of the scientists on this list according to their local laws."
Jankowski solemnly signed the statement. Ben, Juliet, and Doctor Metz looked at each other speechlessly.
    WITHIN HOURS, SCORES OF OTHER SCIENTISTS FROM AROUND THE world had come forward, admitting that they had