Chapter III.XVI

There was a barely audible click and on the ceiling, right above Galbraith's head, a small panel opened slightly, from where a manipulator, ending in three silver claws, extended downwards. With the sound of servos, they began to slowly approach the head of the inspector, who involuntarily shivered in his chair.

- Relax, guest, - came a voice. - And close your eyes.

The policeman closed his eyes. He felt the manipulator's three fingers wrap around the back and sides of his head. Galbraith was not in pain, but the feeling was not pleasant - it seemed that his head was being squeezed in a vice, which was not far from the truth.

- Stop thinking, - said the announcer.

The inspector opened his eyes when he heard this. He wanted to ask how he should understand this request, but was horrified to discover that his tongue had stopped obeying him - apparently, some kind of paralyzing impulse had been sent through the manipulator rods. But fortunately for him, the invisible operator seemed to understand that the guest was demanding an explanation.

- This is necessary for, - the voice began to explain, - So that the flow of your thoughts does not interrupt the flow of information of electronic consciousness, because otherwise you risk not seeing anything. And yes, - the announcer remarked sternly. - Close your eyes, I asked you.

Galbraith thought that this was similar to how cinema advertisements encourage viewers not to wonder, but to simply watch what is shown on the screens. He closed his eyes as tightly as possible, simultaneously noticing that the room was drowned in darkness.

⁂

An hour passed, and the room was filled with fluorescent light again. The inspector felt someone's hands begin to remove the metal claws of the manipulator from his head. He hardly opened his eyes - both Okamura brothers were standing next to him. Shinoda freed Galbraith's head from the embrace of the car, then nodded to Ichinose and they helped the inspector get out of his chair.

- Tired? - Shinoda politely asked the guest. 

- I'm fine, - he wheezed. - Thanks for taking care of me. 

The policeman's legs could hardly support him - his whole body was so exhausted, as if he had run a cross-country race for several miles. If it weren't for these two Japanese, Galbraith would inevitably fall to the floor. The brothers grabbed the inspector under the arms and all three headed towards the exit. The guest raised his head - right on the threshold of which stood a specialist who looked at him with a smile.

- Can we go through? - Shinoda turned to him.

- Yes, yes, of course, - and the silver-haired man stepped aside.

When they found themselves in the corridor, the Japanese released Galbraith, and he leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. Impressions from the computer dream reading session filled his head. The inspector stood there for several minutes, then straightened his jacket and looked at the specialist and the Okamura brothers standing nearby. They seemed to be eagerly waiting for him to share with them his thoughts on their invention.

- Well, gentlemen, - Galbraith said slowly. - It was great, I'll tell you!

- How would you describe what you saw? - Shinoda asked automatically.

Ichinose's face shone with happiness - he, as Galbraith understood, was very pleased to hear praise for the work to which he had a hand.

- It can be compared to an action-packed movie, - the policeman honestly admitted.

- That is an interesting point! - the specialist exclaimed and raised his finger up.

- What? - Galbraith stared at the silver-haired man.

- If Adrian Montesi had not dropped out of the institute, he would not have failed to take advantage of your idea, - his interlocutor explained.

- Why do you think so? - the inspector did not understand these words.

- So that you know, - continued the silver-haired. - Montesi dreamed of directing movie pictures as a child, but his parents wanted to raise an engineer, so he reluctantly had to go against his desires.

- Curious, - the inspector scratched his moustache.

- I believe that Montesi still has the thought in his head that he should not have obeyed the will of his parents, - said the specialist.

- Hmm... - Galbraith lost in thought.

- Because this explains why he so easily transferred his project into the hands of the Japanese professor, - the silver-haired man finished his speech.

Yes, Galbraith thought, people are funny - the genius, the inventor of the eternal supercomputer, had such a trivial complex that ultimately forced its owner to renounce the invention. The policeman looked at the Okamura brothers - they stood silently and lowered their eyes.

- So, you think, - the inspector turned to the silver-haired man. - What this supercomputer of yours be used to create movies?

- Pourquoi pas? - the specialist exclaimed again in French. - It would be nice if we taught D.O.O.R. display his dreams on celluloid tape in the form of a series of images, then we will give this material to some film studio, which will record the voice acting and edit the film!

Ichinose Okamura joined the joke. Young Japanese assistant said, that their tape will be gladly accepted by some American studio, who is trying to save every cent on on making its motion pictures, than they always successfully foxed its viewers.

- I am sure that the film, shot by a supercomputer, will break records at many international film festivals, - the silver-haired man continued with a crazy gleam in his eyes.

- And when critics appreciate the film, it is possible that it will even be shown on cable television, - Shinoda said.

- Gentlemen, do you honestly believe this? - Galbraith couldn't believe his ears.

- No, we're just joking, - the specialist immediately took on a serious expression.