Operation Chaos

XXXIV

That was nothing like the outbound trip. We were headed back where we belonged. The cosmic forces didn’t buck us, they worked for us. We knew a moment of whirling, and were there.

Barney’s gang waited in the lab. They sprang back with a cry, a sob, a prayer of thanks as we whoofed into sight under the bell jar. It turned out that we’d only been absent a couple of hours from this continuum. And maybe no more in hell? We couldn’t be sure, our watches having stopped during the first transition. It felt like centuries. I looked upon Valeria and Ginny, and it felt like no time.

The child was blinking those big heaven-colored eyes around in astonishment. It struck me that the terrible things she’d witnessed might have scarred her for life. Shakily, I bent over her. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”

“Ooh, Daddy,” she beamed. “ ‘At was fun. Do it again?”

Ginny set her down. I bent and swept the little one to me. She was restless. “I’m hungry,” she complained.

I’d let the prisoner go. After the bell jar was raised, it tried to creep off. But it couldn’t leave the pentacle, and Barney had laid the spell I asked for that prevented it from returning to the Low Continuum without our leave. Shining Knife had gotten his warrant. He waited too, with a number of his men. He strode in among us and lifted the demon by its sound leg. The grotesque figure sprattled in his grasp. “Boss, gimme a break, boss,” it begged. “I’ll squeal.”

We found out later that the diabolic mass exchanged for us was a heap of rocks, dirt, and similar material. It happened to include a considerable amount of elemental sulfur, pitch, and light hydrocarbons. Hardy and Griswold had passed some time rearranging this into an explosive-incendiary configuration. Following my request, they mixed in some earthly stuff as well. It had to be safe for us, in case little or none of it got swapped (and in fact, as you see, only a few pounds did). The team scurried around collecting bottles of strong acid, shotgun shells, razor blades, and whatnot. Barney then rigged a photocell-controlled gizmo that would ignite the whole mess the exact instant that it left our universe. I don’t suppose that whatever part of hell it materialized in was done any good.

The changeling, of course, vanished from the juvenile home when Valeria was restored. Poor flesh, I hope it was allowed to die.

I didn’t think of these matters immediately. Being sure our daughter was well, Ginny and I sought each other. What broke our kiss was a Joy greater yet, a happiness whose echo will never stop chiming in us: “Free! O Father!” And when we could look at this world again, Svartalf was only Svartalf.

The gracious presence within me said: Yes, for this deed Janos Bolyai is made a saint and admitted to the nearness of God. How glad I am. And how glad you won your cause, dear friends, and Valeria Stevenovna is safe and the enemies of the Highest confounded!

(Shyly) I have a selfish reason for additional pleasure, be it confessed. What I observed on this journey has given me some fascinating new ideas. A rigorous theoretical treatment—

I sensed the wish that Lobachevsky could not bring himself to think overtly, and uttered it for him: You’d like to stick around awhile?

—Frankly, yes. A few days, after which I must indeed return. It would be marvelous to explore these discoveries, not as a soul, but once again as a mortal. It is like a game, Steven Pavlovitch. One would like to see how far it is possible to go within the constraints of humanity. (In haste) But I beg you, esteemed friend, do not consider this a request. Your lady and yourself have endured perils, hardships, and fear of losing more than your lives. You wish to celebrate your triumph. Believe me, I would never be so indelicate as to—

I looked fondly, a trifle wistfully at Ginny and thought back: I know what you mean, Nick, and I’ve every intention of celebrating with her, at frequent intervals, till we reach an implausibly ripe old age. But you’ve forgotten that the flesh has physical as well as mental limits. She needs a good rest. I need a better one. You might as well stay for a bit. Besides, I want to see that what you write goes to the proper journals. It’ll be quite a boost for our side.

And this is how it happened that, although Bolyai led our expedition, Lobachevsky published first.