The Beholder

Frank peaked through the chink in the curtains at the busy street, trying to get as panoramic a view as possible without twitching the cloth. He'd give it another few minutes to be safe then he'd have to run to Chadwick's and hope Harry was still there.

After a ransacking of every pocket in the apartment he managed to raise a few shillings, enough to buy Harry a meal to butter him up but not enough to stretch to a cab. Luckily he was still relatively young and healthy and decided he could probably make the mile or so into town in 10 minutes at a brisk trot. After putting on his old Derby and wrapping a scarf around the lower part of his face he took a final glance through the chink and set off.

The air was cold and his breath puffed out infront of him like a steam train as his legs pistoned along the narrow path. Using one of the handsome cabs as a pacemaker he made good time. Harry was still there at his usual table, reading The Chronicle. He grabbed himself a whisky bracer at the bar then joined him.

“What are you having? The beef looks good, are you having the beef?”

“Probably.” Harry yawned. “I'll get this, I'm presuming you're skint. Are you ducking The Kaiser again?”

“What?” said Frank, turning back as if he hadn't heard.

“One doesn't have to be Sherlock Holmes. The nervous glancing towards the door, the throwing back of whisky, the meeting me for lunch. It all points to trouble at the mill.”

“It's a fair cop!” he said putting his hands up, “It's not that I don't want to have lunch with you anyway you understand..”

“Frank. I don't mind helping my oldest friend, but I'm not exactly made of money myself you know.”

“Oh, I thought you were doing well for yourself.” he replied, shoots of alarm creeping up inside his legs.

“We're not doing bad, but with Marjory being pregnant...”

“Oh, yes, congratulations!”

“Thankyou...And that dashed Spanish Flu really knocked us for six. We're down 30%!”

“That's not so bad. It could be worse, you could have old Kaiser Kenton hanging around outside your house with his goons. His house that he can kick you out of and lord knows what else?”

“How much is it this time?”

Frank took a deep breath “£22 to call him off, £33 to put me in the clear.”

Harry let out a low whistle. “Jesus Frank! You've got to reign in those urges of yours, the house always wins, as they say. You used to have such mighty discipline.”

He summoned the waiter, “We'll have the beef please. And two scotches.”

“Since when did you drink scotch, am I that testing?” laughed Frank weakly.

“They're for you.”

Frank chewed his lip self consciously. Harry had always looked up to him at school but how the tables were turned now.

“I think I'm almost on the brink of cracking it with the formula, it's just that missing variable, I can't quite...” he trailed off.

“Frank, you're driving yourself potty with this stuff. There's no denying your brilliance but it's all just chance old thing, there's no equation for luck. Surely you could put your talents to better use!”

“No no, you don't understand, I'm definitely on to something, the numbers don't lie! I'll see you right, don't you worry!”

“That's very nice of you Frank but I can't keep pulling you out if you're going to keep jumping in! I've got a family to support. Marjory's been bending my ear about how much you owe us already.”

“You're right, I can't go on like this but I'm so close. I'm just missing something and I don't know what!”

“I think it may be your marbles at this rate.”

The scotches arrived and one placed infront of each of them. Frank stared at the tempting amber liquid.

“So you can't help me then?” he said, without taking his eyes of the glass.

“I didn't say that Frank.” Harry reached inside his jacket and produced his wallet. He flopped it open and delved inside.

Frank glanced up and could see the wad of notes stuffed into the front compartment. Harry had more money in that wallet than he had in the world he thought. Little Harry, who'd followed him round at school like a lost lamb. It suddenly struck him that he'd always needed Harry more than the other way round, needed the admiration more than Harry had needed to admire. He emptied the whisky into his mouth ice and all.

Harry pulled a piece of folded paper from the large, soft leather wallet and placed it down infront of Frank, tapping it twice with his forefinger. At first Frank thought it was one of the many IOUs he'd written to Harry, most of which he had yet to make good on and a flush of embarrassment coloured his cheeks.

“An associate of mine is involved, it could be just what your looking for.” said Harry sitting back and replacing the wallet in his jacket.

Frank watched the wallet disappear and looked down at the folded paper. He could see what looked like professional printing showing through the back. He slapped back the pang of selfish disappointment and reached for the quarter folded billet and opened it up. It was a printed leaflet for something called Enigma Experimentals. They were apparently conducting cutting edge research and were calling for volunteers to help them with experiments.

“Medical experiments? It sounds like they're looking for lab rats rather than mathematicians!”

“Keep reading.” replied Harry earnestly.

His eyes returned to the leaflet, 'The current project has come about due to a fascinating and unusual discovery of unknown origin which has so far defied our attempts to unravel the mystery of the phenomena and discover its applications for the common good. To volunteer use the contact details below.'

“Phenomena?” said Frank shaking his head in puzzlement. “What's that supposed to mean?”

“Not sure, it's all very hush hush, but my associate says they're paying volunteers £318! That ought to set you straight with old Kenton.”

“Wow, that would sort me for over a year, nearly two!” he looked over the leaflet again with more interest then frowned. “Why so much? Is it risky? Is it drug trials?”

“All I know is, it's not drugs. Worth looking into I'd say. Let me know, I might have a go myself.” Harry reached over and swapped the empty glass for his untouched one. “Sorry I can't help you more old sport.”

They had then changed the subject, eaten and gone their separate ways.

Frank called the number on the leaflet and arranged to meet with them. They wouldn't give him any information over the phone and invited him down to their labs that afternoon.

It was a large building on the outskirts of town. Frank strolled up to the security booth and announced himself, the guard consulted a list.

“Entrance D, follow the red line.”

The line led him to a stark reception room. There was an efficient looking clerk sat behind a window looking like they were just waiting for him to arrive.

“Mr Stapleton?”

Frank nodded. “That's me.”

“Take a seat Mr Stapleton, Dr Rebus will be with you shortly.”

Frank sat feeling a little nervous. The clerk was still gazing impassively through their window with the attitude of someone waiting for it to stop raining before they went out.

“Busy?” asked Frank smiling.

“Very.” was the only reply.

Just as he was trying to think of something else, part of the wall opened and a tall, lab-coated official emerged carrying a clipboard.

“Good afternoon I am Dr Rebus.”

Frank stood and they shook hands.

“Down to business. Please sign here and we will proceed.”

Frank skimmed over the short contract and signed the bottom with a flourish.

“Excellent, follow me please.”

Through the doorway was an observation area and a small adjoining room lit by a single spotlight over what looked like an electric chair. The hair stood up on the back of his neck.

“All we'd like you to do is look through a book and report to us anything you can about your thoughts and feelings.” said Dr Rebus as if repeating the phrase for the umpteenth time.

Frank entered the room and saw the chair had a metallic helmet suspended above it with hundreds of wires emerging from the top and leading up through the ceiling.

“We will be monitoring your brainwave patterns throughout. Take a seat please.”

Frank sat nervously and Dr Rebus put the helmet onto his head. The doctor then swung a tray round infront of him with a small black notebook on it.

“Please wait for the signal before you begin.” With that the doctor left the room and closed the door. Frank heard a bolt slide into place. After a few moments a small speaker above the door crackled into life.

“Please begin.” came a tinny voice.

He pulled the small book towards him and opened it gingerly. It appeared to be a notebook full of symbols and writing in some foreign language he didn't recognise.

“Please read the text.” crackled the voice.

“I can't, I don't understand it.”

“Look at it as if you are reading. See how far you can get.”

Puzzled, Frank began to skim his eyes along the lines of text. As he read, the black print began to look like it was turning slightly red and growing luminous. He blinked and rubbed his eyes.

“Is the text changing colour?” asked the voice.

Frank nodded without taking his eyes off the page. He continued to read and started to feel a tingling sensation within his skull and almost thought he caught a flash of meaning from what he saw. He noticed a humming noise in his ears and it seemed as if all the light in the room was coming out of the book. He was aware of being surrounded by a glowing golden cloud, as if he was submerged in amber liquid with shafts of light rippling around him but couldn't take his eyes from the page, which was now very bright. The humming sounded like an orchestra tuning up, then the noise converged like every instrument was holding the same sustained note. His eye flitted along faster and faster, then he realised it wasn't a language, it was an equation! Not being sure of how he knew, but he knew it was the equation. He was aware that something was coming together in the back of his mind almost outside of his awareness like an instinct or a dream. Then in a flash it all made sense, he knew what he had been looking for. He knew what he must do. Then he felt himself falling and blackness engulfed him.

When he awoke he was laying flat on a padded table with an orderly standing over him smiling. “Welcome back Mr Stapleton, how are you feeling?”

He took a deep breath and sat up. “I feel marvellous!”

“Good. If you're ready to leave, your payment awaits you at the front desk.”

“What was that book? It made me think of something I've been trying to fathom for a long time but then it was like I already knew.”

“You've helped us enormously. Dr Rebus will be in touch.”

Frank collected his payment and emerged into the chilly dusk although inside he felt warm and thrilled. Now he could test his theory and prove himself, he thought. By the end of the week he had managed to turn the £318 into £20,000. The next time he saw Kenton and Harry, they would have respect for him and this was just the beginning, he thought.