Alan E. Nourse - The Bladerunner Read Online Free PDF Page A

thrown out."
    "You mean the mandatory sterilization requirements?"
    "Exactly. And that's where they get a lot of their support. Lots more people than just the Naturists are balking at the sterilization laws these days." Doc smiled wearily. "As we well know. You all set for tonight?"
    Billy pointed to the bulging flight bag. "I got everything Molly told me to. Where is she, by the way?"
    "She was called back on duty for a late case, a gall bladder or something. They were just closing up when I left, so she'll be along pretty soon. Meanwhile, I'm starved."
    Doc picked up a menu card, punched it for a steak and coffee and dropped it down the slot. Two minutes later he opened the service unit to take out the freshly delivered order. For a few moments he ate in silence. Then he said, "Okay, now tell me about this bug."
    "Better have some privacy first," Billy cautioned.
    "You're really nervous, huh?" Doc fished out a coin and dropped it into a slot to activate the booth's electronic muffler. Immediately the blaring juke-box noise died to a whisper and the rattling of dishes and other sounds around them vanished. "Now, then," Doc said.
    Billy told him about his discovery of the bug, his call to Molly and his talk with Parrot. Doc listened to the story intently, nodding once or twice but saying nothing. "Anyway, I was in a bind about contacting you," Billy finished. "Until I knew for sure what was going on I didn't dare try to make a direct contact, so I called Molly instead."
    Doc nodded. "That was fine, under the circumstances. She got word to me right away. But that's not going to help us tomorrow or the next day if that bug stays there."
    "Well, why do you think it's there?" Billy demanded.
    Doc chewed his lip. "I wish I knew. Of course, it could be a random screening sweep, but that seems pretty doubtful to me. I've seen how these Health Control snoopers work, and they don't do much of anything without a solid reason behind it. If they're watching you all of a sudden, that means they've got a toe in the door of our operation, somehow, whatever may have tipped them off. If there's a new policy of increased screening sweeps, there must be some reason for that, too, and if they're doing it without making arrests, then it isn't by accident, it's by intent, whatever the purpose may be. But I wonder if maybe we're looking too far afield."
    Billy looked up sharply. "What do you mean?"
    "I mean that I could be the one that's tipped them off to something funny. I've been monitored on every one of my Hospital cases this week and most of last week too. All of a sudden they're watching what I'm doing there very, very closely—and I'm not sure why."
    "Have you been having trouble with your cases?" Billy asked.
    Doc looked at him. "Trouble? No . . . not exactly. I've been doing more or less routine transplants, and I have a better record on them than anybody else at Number Seven Hospital. But lately I've also had to take some risks. It's the only way I can figure to outfox the pantograph and computers, and a couple of times lately I've had some narrow squeaks as a result." Doc chuckled. "It's hard enough to do heart surgery at all, without deliberately trying to do things the wrong way. And I'm afraid the monitors are getting suspicious at the number of things I seem to be doing wrong."
    Billy whistled. "Doc, you're going to start having bodies in the laboratory if you don't watch out. Can't you just settle for doing midnight cases and let the Clinic work slide off your back?
    "Not as long as the Hospital has a neuropantograph picking my brain during surgery, I can't," Doc said fiercely. "Doing the work is one thing; being forced to teach a robot to do it is something else. Look, don't get confused, I'm not letting anything bad happen to my patients. I couldn't do that, pantograph or no pantograph. It's just that the computer has to count on consistencies in order to program a robot, and I'm throwing in as many inconsistencies as I can,