〃The sphere has changed！〃 Norman said。
The convoluted grooves of the doorway were definitely altered； the pattern more plex； and shifted farther up。 Norman felt sure it was changed。
〃I think you're right；〃 Beth said。 〃When did that happen？〃
〃We can run the tapes back later；〃 she said。 〃Right now we'd better take care of those two。〃
〃How？〃 Norman said。
〃Simple；〃 Beth said； bunching her fists again。 〃We have five explosive spearheads in B Cyl。 I'll go into B； get two of them； blow the guardian angels away。 You run in and jab Harry。〃
Her cold…blooded determination would have been chilling if she didn't look so beautiful。 There was a refined quality to her features now。 She seemed to grow more elegant by the minute。
〃The spear guns are in B？〃 Norman said。
〃Sure。 Look on video。〃 She pressed a button。 〃Hell。〃 In B Cyl the spearguns were missing。
〃I think the son of a bitch has covered his bases；〃 Norman said。 〃Good old Harry。〃
Beth looked at him thoughtfully。 〃Norman； are you feeling okay？〃
〃Sure； why？〃
〃There's a mirror in the first…aid kit。 Go look。〃
He opened the white box of the kit and looked at himself in the mirror。 He was shocked by what he saw。 Not that he expected to look good； he was accustomed to the pudgy contours of his own face； and the gray stubble of his beard when he didn't shave on weekends。
But the face staring back at him was lean； with a coarse； jet…black beard。 There were dark circles beneath smoldering； ＇＇288＇＇ bloodshot eyes。 His hair was lank and greasy； hanging over his forehead。 He looked like a dangerous man。
〃I look like Dr。 Jekyll；〃 he said。 〃Or； rather； Mr。 Hyde。〃
〃Yeah。 You do。〃
〃You're getting more beautiful；〃 he said to Beth。 〃But I'm the man who was mean to Jerry。 So I'm getting meaner。〃
〃You think Harry's doing this？〃
〃I think so；〃 Norman said。 Adding to himself： I hope so。 〃You feel different； Norman？〃
〃No； I feel exactly the same。 I just look like hell。〃
〃Yes。 You look a little frightening。〃
〃I'm sure I do。〃
〃You really feel fine？〃
〃Beth 。。。〃
〃Okay；〃 Beth said。 She turned； looked back at the monitors。 〃I have one last idea。 We both get to A Cyl； put on our suits； get into B Cyl； and shut down the oxygen in the rest of the habitat。 Make Harry unconscious。 His guards will disappear； we can go in and jab him。 What do you think？〃
〃Worth a try。〃
Norman put down the syringe。 They headed off toward A Cyl。
In C Cyl； they passed the two guards； who again snapped to attention。
〃Dr。 Halpern； sir！〃
〃Dr。 Johnson； sir！〃
〃Carry on； men；〃 Beth said。
〃Yes； sir！ May we ask where you are going； sir！〃
〃Routine inspection tour；〃 Beth said。
There was a pause。 〃Very good； sir！〃
They were allowed to pass。 They moved into B Cyl； with its array of pipes and machinery。 Norman glanced at it nervously； he didn't like screwing around with the life…support systems； but he didn't see what else they could do。
In A Cyl； there were three suits left。 Norman reached for his。 〃You know what you're doing？〃 he asked。
〃Yes；〃 Beth said。 〃Trust me。〃
She slipped her foot into her suit； and started zipping it up。
＇＇289＇＇ And then the alarms began to sound throughout the habitat； and the red lights flashed again。 Norman knew； without being told； that it was the peripheral alarms。
Another attack was beginning。
1520 HOURS
They ran back through the lateral connecting corridor directly from B Cyl into D。 Norman noticed in passing that the crewmen had gone。 In D； the alarms were clanging and the peripheral sensor screens glowed bright red。 Norman glanced at the video monitors。
I AM ING。
Beth quickly scanned the screens。
〃Inner thermals are activated。 He's ing； all right。〃
They felt a thump； and Norman turned to look out the porthole。 The green squid was already outside； the huge suckered arms coiling around the base of the habitat。 One great arm slapped flat against the porthole； the suckers distorted against the glass。
I AM HERE。
〃Harryyy！〃 Beth shouted。
There was a tentative jolt； as squid arms gripped the habitat。 The slow； agonizing creak of metal。
Harry came running into the room。 〃What is it？〃
〃You know what it is； Harry！〃 Beth shouted。
〃No； no； what is it？〃
〃It's the squid； Harry！〃
〃Oh my God； no；〃 Harry moaned。
The habitat shook powerfully。 The room lights flickered and went out。 There was only flashing red now； from the emergency lights。
＇＇290＇＇ Norman turned to him。 〃Stop it； Harry。〃
〃What are you talking about？〃 he cried plaintively。 〃You know what I'm talking about； Harry。〃
〃I don't！〃
〃Yes； you do； Harry。 It's you； Harry；〃 Norman said。 〃You're doing it。〃
〃No； you're wrong。 It's not me！ I swear it's not me！〃
〃Yes； Harry；〃 Norman said。 〃And if you don't stop it； we'll all die。〃
The habitat shook again。 One of the ceiling heaters exploded； showering fragments of hot glass and wire。 〃e on； Harry。 。。。〃
〃No； no！〃
〃There's not much time。 You know you're doing it。〃
〃The habitat can't take much more； Norman；〃 Beth said。
〃It can't be me！〃
〃Yes； Harry。 Face it； Harry。 Face it now。〃
Even as he spoke； Norman was looking for the syringe。 He had left it somewhere in this room； but papers were sliding off the desktops； monitors crashing to the floor； chaos all around him。 。。。
The whole habitat rocked again； and there was a tremendous explosion from another cylinder。 New； rising alarms sounded； and a roaring vibration that Norman instantly recognized…water； under great pressure； rushing into the habitat。
〃Flooding in C！〃 Beth shouted； reading the consoles。 She ran down the corridor。 He heard the metal clang of bulkhead doors as she shut them。 The room was filled with salty mist。
Norman pushed Harry against the wall。 〃Harry！ Face it and stop it！〃
〃It can't be me； it can't be me；〃 Harry moaned。 Another jolting impact； staggering them。
〃It can't be me！〃 Harry cried。 〃It has nothing to do with me！〃
And then Harry screamed； and his body twisted； and Norman saw Beth withdraw the syringe from his shoulder； the needle tipped with blood。
＇＇291＇＇ 〃What are you doing？〃 Harry cried； but already his eyes were glassy and vacant。 He staggered at the next impact； fell drunkenly on his knees to the floor。 〃No；〃 he said softly。 〃No 。。。〃
And he collapsed； falling face…down on the carpet。 Immediately the wrenching of metal stopped。 The alarms stopped。 Everything became ominously silent； except for the soft gurgle of water from somewhere within the habitat。
Beth moved swiftly； reading one screen after another。
〃Inner off。 Peripherals off。 Everything off。 All right！ No readings！〃
Norman ran to the porthole。 The squid had disappeared。 The sea bottom outside was deserted。
〃Damage report！〃 Beth shouted。 〃Main power out！ E Cylinder out！ C Cylinder out！ B Cylinder 。。。〃
Norman spun； looked at her。 If B Cyl was gone； their life support would be gone； they would certainly die。 〃B Cylinder holding；〃 she said finally。 Her body sagged。 〃We're okay； Norman。〃
Norman collapsed on the carpet； exhausted； suddenly feeling the strain and tension in every part of his body。
It was over。 The crisis had passed。 They were going to be all right； after all。 Norman felt his body relax。
It was over。
1230 HOURS
The blood had stopped flowing from Harry's broken nose and now he seemed to be breathing more regularly； more easily。 Norman lifted the icepack to look at the swollen face； and adjusted the flow of the intravenous drip in Harry's arm。 Beth had started the intravenous line in Harry's hand after several unsuccessful attempts。 They were dripping an anesthetic mixture into him。 Harry's breath smelled sour； like tin。 But otherwise he was okay。 Out cold。
The radio crackled。 〃I'm at the submarine；〃 Beth said。 〃Going aboard now。〃
Norman glanced out the porthole at DH…7； saw Beth climbing up into the dome beside the sub。 She was going to press the 〃Delay〃 button； the last time such a trip would be necessary。 He turned back to Harry。
The puter didn't have any information about the effects of keeping a person asleep for twelve hours straight； but that was what they would have to do。 Either Harry would make it； or he wouldn't。
Same as the rest of us； Norman thought。 He glanced at the monitor clocks。 They showed 1230 hours； and counted backward。 He put a blanket over Harry and went over to the console。
The sphere was still there； with its changed pattern of grooves。 In all the excitement he had almost forgotten his initial fascination with the sphere； where it had e from； what it meant。 Although they understood now what it meant。 What had Beth called it？ A mental enzyme。 An enzyme was something that made chemical reactions possible without actually participating in them。 Our bodies needed to perform chemical reactions； but our body temperatures were too cold for most chemical reactions to proceed smoothly。 So we had enzymes to help the process along； speed it up。 The enzymes made it all possible。 And she had called the sphere a mental enzyme。
Very clever； he thought。 Clever woman。 Her impulsiveness ＇＇293＇＇ had turned out to be just what was needed。 With Harry unconscious； Beth still looked beautiful； but Norman was relieved to find that his own features had returned to pudgy normalcy。 He saw his own familiar reflection in the screen as he stared at the sphere on the monitor。
That sphere。
With Harry unconscious；