Page 160 - The Perpetrations of Captain Kaga

Breaking the Grapefruit Connection
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“Do you think he’s in there?” asked Kaga.
“No. I just saw him going the other way down by the refectory.”
“Then, quick! Let’s get inside.”
“Inside? Are you crazy? If he finds us, it’s back to the pulping
machine!”
“Come on, let’s chance it. If my plan works, it will be well worth
the risk.”
They made sure there were no onlookers, then darted into the
outer chamber. A table was littered with cards and electronic games.
“Where’s his private study, where he meditates?” asked Kaga.
“Through this door. I hope it’s not locked. No, it’s open.” Their
nostrils were assailed by incense as they entered the inner sanctum.
The lighting was dim; Kaga noted this with satisfaction. “Here,” he
said. “This must be where he does the exercise for teleportation.
There’s a metronome on the table, and a comfortable chair by it.
Now let’s find some hiding places. There’s only room for me behind
the table, and I’ve got to be there, so you’d better go in that closet.
Don’t come out until I call you.”
“Don’t worry about that!” retorted Luo, and went out of sight.
Kaga crouched down below the back of the table. It was covered
by a black velvet cloth which hung down over the back and sides, so
he could not be seen from the front.Once again he waited, keeping in
hand the objects he had brought from Lugo’s cell.
Abruptly he heard Pamplemousse outside the study giving orders in
a loud voice. Then the abbot was inside, closing the door. Kaga heard
him approach the table, and the metronome began a steady ticking
beat. Pamplemousse sat down. For a few minutes Kaga heard nothing
but deep nasal breathing.
Then Pamplemousse started chanting. It took Captain a minute to
understand what was being uttered, since the words were
synchronized with the ticks of the metronome. Finally he understood.
It was a countdown.
“Forty-seven…forty-six…forty- five…”
Kaga knew what this meant. It was an auto-suggestive means of
arriving at a point of maximum concentration; at its conclusion the
simultaneous image-forming would occur in Pamplemousse’s brain
and the light-wave boundaries would become an open channel for the
transfer. Kaga readied himself.
“Six… five…four…three…two…one…”
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