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〃Yet it can convert energy to matter。〃
Leavitt scratched his head。 He thought back to the city analogy； and the brain…cell analogy。 The molecule was simple in its building blocks。 It possessed no remarkable powers； taken as single units。 Yet collectively； it had great powers。
〃Perhaps there is a critical level；〃 he suggested。 〃A structural plexity that makes possible what is not possible in a similar but simple structure。〃
〃The old chimp…brain argument；〃 Stone said。
＇GRAPHIC＇ （Caption： Electron…density mapping of Andromeda structure as derived from micrographic studies。 It was this mapping which disclosed activity variations within an otherwise uniform structure。 Photo courtesy Project Wildfire）
Leavitt nodded。 As nearly as anyone could determine； the chimp brain was as plex as the human brain。 There were minor differences in structure； but the major difference was size the human brain was larger； with more cells； more interconnections。
And that； in some subtle way； made the human brain different。 （Thomas Waldren； the neurophysiologist； once jokingly noted that the major difference between the chimp and human brain was that 〃we can use the chimp as an experimental animal； and not the reverse。〃）
Stone and Leavitt puzzled over the problem for several minutes until they came to the Fourier electron…density scans。 Here； the probability of finding electrons was mapped for the structure on a chart that resembled a topological map。
They noticed something odd。 The structure was present but the Fourier mapping was inconstant。
〃It almost looks；〃 Stone said； 〃as if part of the structure is switched off in some way。〃
〃It's not uniform after all；〃 Leavitt said。
Stone sighed； looking at the map。 〃I wish to hell；〃 he said； 〃that we'd brought a physical chemist along on the team。〃
Unspoken was the added ment； 〃instead of Hall。〃
***
Tired； Hall rubbed his eyes and sipped the coffee； wishing he could have sugar。 He was alone in the cafeteria； which was silent except for the muted ticking of the teleprinter in the corner。
After a time he got up and went over to the teleprinter； examining the rolls of paper that had e from it。 Most of the information was meaningless to him。
But then he saw one item which had e from the DEATHMATCH Program。 DEATHMATCH was a news…scanning puter program that recorded all significant deaths according to whatever criterion the puter was fed。 In this case； the puter was alerted to pick up all deaths in the Arizona…Nevada…California area； and to print them back。
The item he read might have gone unnoticed； were it not for Hall's conversation with Jackson。 At the time； it had seemed like a pointless conversation to Hall； productive of little and consuming a great deal of time。
But now； he wondered。
PRINT PROGRAM
DEATHWATCH DEATHMATCH/998
SCALE 7；Y；O。 X；4；0 PRINT AS
ITEM FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS VERBATIM 778778
BRUSH RIDGE； ARIZ。 An Arizona highway patrol officer was allegedly involved in the death today of five persons in a highway diner。 Miss Sally Conover； waitress at the Dine…eze diner on Route 15； ten miles south of Flagstaff； was the sole survivor of the incident。
Miss Conover told investigators that at 2：40 a。m。； Officer Martin Willis entered the diner and ordered coffee and donut。 Officer Willis had frequently visited the diner in the past。 After eating； he stated that he had a severe headache and that 〃his ulcer was acting up。〃 Miss Conover gave him two aspirin and a tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda。 According to her statement； Officer Willis then looked suspiciously at the other people in the diner and whispered； 〃They're after me。〃
Before the waitress could reply； Willis took out his revolver and shot the other customers in the diner； moving methodically from one to the next； shooting each in the forehead。 Then； he allegedly turned to Miss Conover and； smiling； said 〃I love you； Shirley Temple；〃 placed the barrel in his mouth； and fired the last bullet。
Miss Conover was released by police after questioning。 The names of the deceased customers are not known at this time。
END ITEM VERBATIM END PRINT END PROGRAM
TERMINATE
Hall remembered that Officer Willis had gone through Piedmont earlier in the evening just a few minutes before the disease broke out。 He had gone through without stopping。
And had gone mad later on。
Connection？
He wondered。 There might be。 Certainly； he could see many similarities： Willis had an ulcer； had taken aspirin； and had； eventually； mitted suicide。
That didn't prove anything； of course。 It might be a wholly unrelated series of events。 But it was certainly worth checking。
He punched a button on the puter console。 The TV screen lighted and a girl at a switchboard； with a headset pressing down her hair； smiled at him。
〃I want the chief medical officer for the Arizona highway patrol。 The western sector； if there is one。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 she said briskly。
A few moments later； the screen came back on。 It was the operator。 〃We have a Dr。 Smithson who is the medical officer for the Arizona highway patrol west of Flagstaff。 He has no television monitor but you can speak to him on audio。〃
〃Fine；〃 Hall said。
There was a crackling； and a mechanical hum。 Hall watched the screen； but the girl had shut down her own audio and was busy answering another call from elsewhere in the Wildfire station。 While he watched her； he heard a deep； drawling voice ask tentatively； 〃Anyone there？〃
〃Hello； Doctor；〃 Hall said。 〃This is Dr。 Mark Hall； in。。。Phoenix。 I'm calling for some information about one of your patrolmen； Officer Willis。〃
〃The girl said it was some government thing；〃 Smithson drawled。 〃That right？〃
〃That is correct。 We require〃
〃Dr。 Hall；〃 Smithson said； still drawling； 〃perhaps you'd identify yourself and your agency。〃
It occurred to Hall that there was probably a legal problem involved in Officer Willis' death。 Smithson might be worried about that。
Hall said； 〃I am not at liberty to tell you exactly what it is〃
〃Well； look here； Doctor。 I don't give out information over the phone； and especially I don't when the feller at the other end won't tell me what it's all about。〃
Hall took a deep breath。 〃Dr。 Smithson； I must ask you〃
〃Ask all you want。 I'm sorry； I simply won't〃
At that moment； a bell sounded on the line； and a flat mechanical voice said：
〃Attention please。 This is a recording。 puter monitors have analyzed cable properties of this munication and have determined that the munication is being recorded by the outside party。 All parties should be informed that the penalty for outside recording of a classified government munication is a minimum of five years' prison sentence。 If the recording is continued this connection will automatically be broken。 This is a recording。 Thank you。〃
There was a long silence。 Hall could imagine the surprise Smithson was feeling； he felt it himself。