The Beasts Of Valhalla

'You asked me to tell you what happened.'

'Yeah; sorry. Go ahead. What was I doing in this New York clinic?'

'The clinic was for people like you and me with congenital birth defects. They did the same things there as they do here at Ramdor.'

'Jesus Christ, Hugo, you think Ramdor is a clinic?'

'It is a clinic. The research Dr. Loge does is incredibly important.'

'Research. Tell me, Hugo, are tests like this run on you people, too?'

'Of course. All the time.'

'Shit,' I mumbled to myself. 'Loge is trying to bring Lot Fifty-Seven in through the back door.'

'What?'

'Nothing. What's Garth's congenital birth defect?'

'He doesn't have one. He became accidentally infected when he tried to help you inject yourself with the experimental serum you'd stolen.'

'The experimental serum I'd stolen. Oh, yeah.'

'I'm surprised at you, Mongo. You were told that the serum wasn't anywhere near ready for human experimentation, and you were warned that it could have very dangerous side effects. But you got impatient-as if being a dwarf is any worse than the defects the rest of us suffer from. You stole the serum and, with your brother's help, tried to treat yourself. Now it turns out that the condition you and your brother are in may be contagious. That's why we have to run these tests, even against your will. We can't run the risk that you and your brother will infect innocent people.'

'Aren't you and the others here afraid that you'll catch something?'

It was some time before Hugo answered. When he spoke, his bass voice was soft, sad. 'For most of us here, our lives were over the moment we were born. Suffering in hospitals, or being forced to earn a living by allowing ourselves to be gawked at in freak shows and roadside carnivals, can't really be called living. We have nothing to lose. The least we can do is make sure that innocent children don't end up like us because of something you and your brother are carrying.'

'Hugo, my friend, it's all bullshit; everything you and the others here have been told is bullshit. The truth has been turned on its head, and you're all looking down the ass end. The truth is that the Loges are trying to make the whole world into one big freak show.'

'Dr. Loge said you'd lie.'

Blood tests. Ouch.

'Hugo, are you still a religious man?'

'Yes,' the giant replied, apparently puzzled by the question. 'Why shouldn't I be?'

'You used to be a Catholic.'

'I'm still a Catholic.'

'You are?'

'Of course.'

'You used to believe in the Trinity-Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.'

'Right,' Hugo replied impatiently. 'What are you getting at, Mongo? Why do you want to argue about religion?'

'I don't want to argue about your religion,' I said, wincing as the technician, a fat lady who'd give Hugo a run for his money on the scales, slipped a needle into a vein for what seemed the fiftieth time; I had to be running out of blood. 'I want to find out more about it. I want to know when the Trinity became a Quadrangle. There are two Fathers now, right?'

Hugo's eyes glinted dangerously. 'You've changed, Mongo. You never used to make fun of people's religion.'

'Siegmund Loge: don't you believe he's a god, or a new messiah?'

'Who's Siegmund Loge?'

PET-positron emission test-scan. Whirrrr.

'How long have you been here, Hugo?'

'A little over two years.'

'Don't you ever read a newspaper, or watch the news on television?' 'I'm not interested in what goes on in the rest of the world.'

'What goes on here?'

'Research that, one day, will eliminate giantism, dwarfism, mental retardation, and dozens of other genetic defects. You know that, Mongo. You're just trying to fool with me.'

'You ever see a tall, elderly guy with long, wavy white hair walking around here?'

'No.'

'That's Siegmund Loge-this Loge's father, the grandfather of the kid.'

Hugo's response was a disinterested shrug.

'What about Siegfried Loge? Do you think he's some kind of god or messiah?'

Hugo snorted; it was a most impressive sound. 'Of course not. That would be ridiculous-and blasphemous.'

'Hugo, what if I told you that Garth and I just came from a religious commune where they worship Siegmund Loge as God?'

'I'm not sure I'd believe you. Even if it's true, what difference would it make? Dr. Loge can't be responsible for what his father does, or for what some people believe about him.'

'They have a solution for congenital defects, too. They believe Siegmund Loge is going to wipe out everyone in the world who isn't genetically perfect. Oh, and while he's at it, he's also going to eliminate everyone who isn't white and fundamentalist Christian.'

'So what? They're obviously crazy; there are a lot of crazy people in the world. That's their problem.'

'No, my friend, it's also our problem; your problem. There's a direct link between that commune and Ramdor. It was guarded by a man wearing the same kind of uniform as the guards around this place. Stryder London is their commander; they're called Warriors of Father. London answers to Siegmund Loge-and only to Siegmund Loge.'

That got me an even louder snort. 'Stop it, Mongo. You think I'm stupid? Stryder is just the head of security at Ramdor.'

'Why does a clinic need armed security guards?'

'To discourage people from coming around and gawking at us. Also, there's a lot of expensive equipment here. That machine you've got your head in is worth more than a million dollars.'

'Where does the money come from to buy the equipment?'

'Who cares? I'm just glad they have the equipment.'

'What they're doing here is developing a biochemical weapon such as the world has never seen, Hugo. What's happening to Garth and me is what Siegfried Loge wants to happen to other people who are targeted. You're helping him and his father find out why it works so well in us, without turning us into instant jelly. International covenants are being broken, Hugo. This kind of research, this kind of weapon, is banned in this country, and in every civilized nation in the world. That's what you're involved in, my friend, and that's as simple as I can put it.'

Hugo leaned forward. His face was flushed as he waggled a huge finger in my face. 'I'm tired of this, Mongo. I don't want to hear any more.'

'I'll tell you another connection between the commune and this place, Hugo. The members bring in items- some of them extremely valuable-to contribute to Siegfried Loge, who must have quite a collection of loot by now. They think they're bringing offerings to Siegmund Loge, and they view it as a kind of religious rite. Garth and I got the address for this place off a big poster taped to a wall in a room where they pack and ship the stuff here. Did you know that?'

'It's a lie!'

'It's the truth! Look around you, Hugo. Look at this place; look at you and the others around here! He's using you for genetic research, but you and the surroundings also keep him and his kid highly amused; you feed their obsessions. Ramdor is right out of Wagner or