dk.nightchills-第17章
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morning。 That's the crucial period。〃 He handed it to Dawson。 〃Yesterday； I showed Kingman two more films。 That pleted the program。 Last night…he died in bed。〃
The general joined Dawson and Salsbury in the oval of light at the autopsy table and began to read the two…yard…long sheet of puter paper。
PARTIAL RECAPITULATION
MEDICAL MONITORING PROGRAM：
BK/OB REP 14
RECORDED： 6/10/76
THIS PRINT： 6/1O/76
HOURS MIN SEC READING
0100 00 00 EEGSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0100 01 00 EEGSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0100 02 00 EEGSTAGE 4 SLEEP
0100 03 00 EEGSTAGE 4 SLEEP
0100 04 00 EEGSTAGE 4 SLEEP
Klinger said； 〃You had Kingman hooked up to a lot of machines while he slept？〃
〃Nearly every night he was here； right from the beginning；〃 Salsbury said。 〃The first few times there really wasn't any reason for it。 But by the time it was necessary for me to keep a close watch on him； he was accustomed to the machines and had learned to sleep tangled up with all those wires。〃
Indicating the print…out； the general said； 〃I'm not quite sure what I'm reading here。〃
〃Likewise；〃 Dawson said。
Salsbury suppressed a smile。 Months ago he had decided that his best defense against these two sharks was his highly specialized education。 He never missed an opportunity to display it for them…and to impress them with the fact that； if they should dispose of him； neither of them could carry on his research and development or deal with an unexpected scientific crisis after the research and development was finished。
Pointing to the first several lines of the print…out； he said； 〃The fourth stage of sleep is the deepest。 It tends to occur early in the night。 Kingman went to bed at midnight and fell asleep at twenty minutes of one。 As you can see here； he achieved the fourth level twenty…two minutes later。〃
〃What's the importance of that？〃 Dawson asked。
〃The fourth level is more like a a than any other stage of sleep；〃 Salsbury said。 〃The electroencephalogram shows irregular large waves of just a few cycles per second。 There is no bodily movement on the part of the sleeper。 It's in stage four； with the outer mind virtually atose and with all sensory input shut down tight； that the inner mind bees the only truly operative part of the mind。 Remember； unlike the conscious mind； it never sleeps。 But because there isn't any sensory input； the subconscious can't do anything during stage four sleep except play with itself。 Now； Kingman's subconscious had something unique to play with。〃
The general said； 〃The key…lock program you implanted in him yesterday and the day before。〃
〃That's right；〃 Salsbury said。 〃And look here； farther down the print…out。〃
0100 08 00 EEGSTAGE 4 SLEEP
0100 09 00 EEGSTAGE 4 SLEEP
0100 10 00 EEGSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0100 11 00 EEGSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
〃All night long；〃 Salsbury said； 〃we rise and fall and rise and fall through the stages of sleep。 Almost without exception； we descend into deep sleep in Steps and ascend from it in steps as well； spending some time at each level along the way。 In this case； however； Kingman soared straight up from deep sleep to light sleep…as if a noise in the bedroom had startled him。〃
〃Was there a noise？〃 Dawson asked。
〃What's this REM？〃 Klinger asked。
Salsbury said； 〃That means rapid eye movement is taking place under the eyelids…which is a highly reliable indication that Kingman was dreaming in stage one。〃
〃Dreaming？〃 Dawson asked。 〃About what？〃
〃There's no way of telling。〃
The general scratched the shadow of a beard that shaded his blunt chin even when he was freshly shaved。 〃But you think that the dream was caused by his subconscious playing around with the key…lock implant。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And that the dream might have been about the subliminals。〃
〃Yes。 I can't e up with an explanation that makes more sense。 Something about the key…lock program so shocked his subconscious that he was propelled straight up into a dream。〃
〃A nightmare？〃
〃At this point； just a dream。 But over the next two hours his sleep patterns became increasingly unusual； erratic。〃
0100 12 00 EEGSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0100 13 00 EEGALPHA WAVES
0100 14 00 EEGALPHA WAVES
〃The alpha waves mean Kingman was awake here for two minutes；〃 Salsbury said。 〃Not wide awake。 His eyes were probably still closed。 He was hovering on the edge of the first level of sleep。〃
〃The dream woke him；〃 Klinger said。
〃Probably。〃
0100 15 00 EEGSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0100 16 00 EEGSTAGE 1 SLEEP
0100 17 00 EECSTAGE 1 SLEEP
0100 18 00 EEGSTAGE 2 SLEEP
0100 19 00 EEGSTAGE 2 SLEEP
0100 20 00 EEGSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0100 21 00 EEGSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0100 22 00 EEGSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0100 23 00 EECSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0100 24 00 EECSTAGE 4 SLEEP
0100 25 00 EECSTAGE 4 SLEEP
0100 26 00 EECSTAGE 4 SLEEP
0100 27 00 EEGSTAGE 4 SLEEP
0100 28 00 EECSTAGE 4 SLEEP
0100 29 00 EECSTAGE 4 SLEEP
0100 30 00 EECSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
〃The first time he entered deep sleep；〃 Salsbury said； 〃he stayed there for eight minutes。 This time it lasted only six minutes。 That's the start of an interesting pattern。〃
0100 31 00 EECSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0100 32 00 EECSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0100 33 00 EEGSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0100 34 00 EEGALPHA WAVES
0100 35 00 EECSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0100 36 00 EEGSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0100 37 00 EEGSTAGE 2 SLEEP
0100 38 00 EECSTAGE 2 SLEEP
0100 39 00 EECSTAGE 2 SLEEP
0100 40 00 EECSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0100 41 00 EECSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0100 42 00 EECSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0100 43 00 EECSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0100 44 00 EECSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0100 45 00 EEGSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0100 46 00 EECSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0100 47 00 EECSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0100 48 00 EECSTAGE 4 SLEEP
0100 49 00 EECSTAGE 4 SLEEP
0100 50 00 EECSTAGE 4 SLEEP
0100 51 00 EECSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
〃He was only in deep sleep three minutes that time；〃 Klinger said。 〃The cycle is accelerating； at least on the down side。〃
Dawson said； 〃But why？ Ernst apparently understands； but I'm not sure I do。〃
〃Something's happening in his subconscious mind during deep sleep；〃 Salsbury said。 〃Something so unsettling that it causes him to leap up into stage one sleep and dream。 That subconscious experience； whatever it may be； is getting ever more intense…or； if it isn't getting mere intense； then his ability to withstand it is dwindling。 Perhaps both。 On each occasion； he's able to tolerate it for a shorter period of time than he did before。〃
〃You mean he's in pain in stage four？〃 Dawson asked。
〃Pain is a condition of the flesh；〃 Salsbury said。 〃It's not the right word for this situation。〃
〃What is the right word。〃
〃Anxiety； perhaps。 Or fear。〃
0100 52 00 EECSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0100 53 00 EECSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0100 54 00 EECSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0100 55 00 EECALPHA WAVES
0100 56 00EECALPHA WAVES
0100 57 00 EECSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0100 58 00 EEGSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0100 59 00 EECSTAGE 2 SLEEP/REM
0200 00 00 EEGSTAGE 2 SLEEP
0200 01 00 EECSTAGE 2 SLEEP
0200 02 00 EECSTAGE 2 SLEEP
0200 03 00 EECSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0200 04 00 EECSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0200 05 00 EEGSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0200 06 00 EECSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0200 07 00 EEGSTAGE 4 SLEEP
0200 08 00 EEGSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
〃One minute that time；〃 Klinger said。
〃By now he's extremely agitated；〃 Salsbury said； speaking of the dead man as if he were still alive。 〃The pattern bees increasingly unusual and erratic。 At two twenty he gets back to the third level。 Look what happens to him after that：〃
0200 20 00 EEGSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0200 21 00 EECSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0200 22 00 EEGSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0200 23 00 EECSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0200 24 00 EEGSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0200 25 00 EECSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
Klinger was as fascinated by the print…out of Brian Kingman's disintegration as he possibly could have been by the sight of the real event。 〃He didn't even reach the fourth level that time before he popped up to stage one again。〃
〃He's having an acute subconscious anxiety attack；〃 Salsbury said。
Dawson said； 〃Is there such a thing？〃
〃There is now。 His mind is wildly turbulent at this point… yet in such a way that it doesn't wake him up altogether。 And it gets worse。〃
0200 26 00 EECSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0200 27 00 EECSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0200 28 00 EECALPHA WAVES
0200 29 00 EEGSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0200 30 00 EEGALPHA WAVES
0200 31 00 EECSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0200 32 00 EECSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0200 33 00 EEGSTAGE 2 SLEEP
0200 34 00 EECSTAGE 2 SLEEP
0200 35 00 EEGSTAGE 2 SLEEP
0200 36 00 EECSTAGE 3 SLEEP
0200 37 00 EEGALPHA WAVES
〃He was frightened awake at two thirty…seven； wasn't he？〃 Dawson asked。
Salsbury said； 〃That's right。 Not wide awake。 But beyond the first level of sleep； into alpha wave territory。 You're learning to read it now。〃
0200 38 00 EECSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0200 39 00 EEGSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0200 40 00 EEGSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0200 41 00 EECALPHA WAVES
0200 42 00 EECSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0200 43 00 EEGALPHA WAVES
0200 44 00 EEGSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0200 45 00 EEGSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0200 46 00 EEGSTAGE 2 SLEEP
0200 47 00 EECSTAGE 2 SLEEP
0200 46 00 EEGSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0200 49 00 EEGALPHA WAVES
0200 50 00 EEGSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0200 51 00 EECSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0200 52 00 EECALPHA WAVES
0200 53 00 EECSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0200 54 00EEGSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0200 55 00EEGALPHA WAVES
0200 56 00 EEGSTAGE 1 SLEEP/REM
0200 5？ 00 EECALPHA WAVES
0200 55 00 EECALPHA WAVES
0200 59 00 EECALPHA WAVES
0300 00 00 EEGALPHA WAVES
0300 01 00 EECALPHA WAVES
0300 02 00 EEGNO READING
0300 03 00 EECNO READING
0300 04 00 EECNO READING
0300 05 00 EECNO READING
LIFE SIGNS NEGATIVE
LIFE SIGNS NEGATIVE
LIFE SIGNS NEGATIVE
PATIENT DECEASED
END PRINT
END PROGRAM ：：STOP：：
Dawson let out his breath somewhat explosively； as if he had been holding it for the past minute。 〃He was a good man。 May he rest in peace。〃
〃There at the end；〃 the general said； 〃there were five consecutive alpha wave readings。 Does that mean he was fully awake for five minutes before he died？〃
〃Fully awake；〃 Salsbury said。 〃But not rational。〃
〃I thought you said he died in his sleep。〃
〃No。 I said he died in bed。〃
〃What happened in those five minutes？〃
〃I'll show you；〃 Salsbury said。 He went to the nearest puter console and briefly used the keyboard。
All but two of the overhead scanners went dark。 One of these was an ordinary television screen controlled by the puter on
a closed…circuit arrangement。 The other was a cathode…ray readout tube。
Getting up from the keyboard； Salsbury said； 〃The screen on the right will run a videotape of the last six minutes of King…man's life。 The screen on the left will provide a synchronized read…out of some of his vital life signs； updating them every thirty seconds。〃
Dawson and Klinger moved closer。
The right…hand screen flickered。 A sharply focused black…and…white picture appeared on it： Brian Kingman lying atop his covers； on his back； twelve data…gathering patches cemented to his head and torso； wires trailing from the patches to two machines at the side of the bed。 A sphygmomanometer was attached to his right arm and wired directly to the smaller of the machines。 Kingman glistened with perspiration。 He was trembling。 Every few seconds one of his a
