Interrogation

"What are you two doing here, anyway?" Grandma snapped. "Who's minding the store? Just Scott and Virgil? What if an emergency came up?"

"We had to come, especially once we knew it was Bekkah who had been attacked." John told his grandmother.

When Gordon had left the lounge, he had dressed quickly and found John. They didn't return to the lounge at all but went directly to the hangar and took the fastest jet available. They could hear Scott shouting after them over their telecomm watches, but they paid him no heed. Scott did do them the favor of confirming the attack once he had the information from their father. But he also let his father know what they had done. They were both looking at a big argument from their father when they got home and probably some consequences as well. But they both agreed that Bekkah needed them right then.

At the police station, Jeff and Brains were surprised to hear that Virenov had not yet decided to press charges against Brains. The police lieutenant, however, did want a statement from Brains on what had happened and set Brains up in a room with a stenographer. A lawyer, called for by Jeff, was also present. Jeff waited in the hall.

"What happened last night?" the lieutenant asked simply.

"I was walking down the hall to get some ice when I passed Dr. Barnes's room. I heard a scream of 'Help!' and a loud thud, as if something had been slammed against the wall. I put my ear to the door and didn't hear anything more except loud breathing and moans. Then I heard Dr. Barnes muttering. It sounded as if she was saying, 'No, no, no' over and over. It seemed to me that she was in trouble, so I ran back to my room and fetched my pistol. Then I went back and pounded on the door, calling her name. I heard another scream of 'Help me!' which was cut off and muffled. I shot the door mechanism to open it and saw Ivan Viranov laying on top of Dr. Barnes. Her blouse was ripped open and her skirt was pulled down. She was trying to scratch him and claw him, so I knew this was not something she wanted to have happen.

"I warned Virenov to get off of her. He taunted me, saying 'You pathetic weakling. You won't shoot me. You don't have the guts.' So I aimed at his leg and fired. Dr. Barnes was able to push him off of her at that point and rolled off the bed onto the floor. Virenov tried to grab her again, so I shot him in the shoulder to keep him away from her. Security came. Virenov said he was making love to Dr. Barnes when I burst in and shot him, but I suspected he was raping her, and she confirmed it. I turned my gun over to Security and went to help Dr. Barnes."

"So basically what you did was stop a rape?" the officer asked.

"Yes. He assaulted her, but I was able keep him from having intercourse with her."

"You are sure she did not want him to have sex with her? How well do you know Dr. Barnes?"

"I'm very sure. I've known Dr. Barnes for seven or eight years. We have been co-workers since May of this year. She is a good friend." Brains paused and then added to his account. "You might be interested to learn that Dr. Virenov had an angry confrontation with Dr. Barnes after her presentation yesterday. He told her that she should not have taken her job at Tracy Industries but should have signed on with his own firm. He was very angry and upset and held on tightly to Dr. Barnes' arms, bruising at least one of them. I was not the only witness to this; Sir James Masters and Miss Tin-Tin Kyrano also witnessed it."

"Thank you, Mr. Hackenbacker, for your cooperation. I will check your story about the confrontation with the people you have named." The lieutenant rose from his chair. "Please wait until we have copies of your statement prepared for you to sign. Go over it very carefully before you do so. Will you be staying for the rest of the conference?"

"That depends on my employer, Mr. Tracy. He may decide he wants me back at work sooner than planned."

"You are free to go. We will contact you if we have any more questions."

Brains signed his statement, and with Jeff in tow, left the police station. They shook hands with the lawyer and made their way down to the hired car and driver. "To the hospital." Jeff said.

Brains and Jeff went to the second floor, where Virenov was being treated. A police officer stood outside his door. Brains had gotten a note from the lieutenant granting him permission to see Virenov, and he showed this to the officer.

"I'll wait out here, Brains," Jeff said. "He'll talk more freely if he's not faced with his biggest business rival." Brains nodded.

Virenov looked pale. His shoulder was bandaged and immobilized, as was his right thigh. He didn't look at Brains as he spoke.

"Hello, Hackenbacker. I knew you would come."

"Hello, Ivan. I came to ask you a question." Brains approached the bed warily.

"How is Bekkah?" Virenov asked, a sob catching in his throat.

"She is... coping."

"I do not know what came over me. I could never hurt her. It was like I was a different person."

"Are you saying that you have no idea why you attacked Bekkah?"

"I just wanted to talk to her. But suddenly I became enraged. I wanted to show her who was in command. I wanted her to submit to me." Ivan finally looked at Brains. "Thank you for stopping me. I don't think I could have lived with myself if I had gone through with what I started. I do care about her, you know."

"You have absolutely no idea what set you off?" Brains queried.

"No. I haven't. But Dr. Mohenu took blood samples to see if I was under the influence of...something. Do you think that this is a physical problem?" Ivan looked hopeful. He knew that if it was a physical problem, he would be absolved of guilt in the minds of most people.

"I don't know," Brains answered. "I know that this behavior is not like you, Ivan. Bekkah does, too. But it will not make her recovery any easier."

"I know. Perhaps we should ask the doctor for results now." Virenov signaled for the nurse. When she came, he asked for his doctor.

Dr. Evodie Mohenu walked in, carrying Virenov's chart. "If you wanted to know what the blood tests showed, Dr. Virenov, I can tell you now," she said. She looked at Brains. "This is between Dr. Virenov and myself, sir. You will have to leave."

"No, Doctor Mohenu," Ivan said. "I want him to hear this. If there was a physical reason for my behavior, I want him to tell the lady I attacked. Maybe she will find it easier to forgive me if I were not in control of myself."

"As you wish, Dr. Virenov." She consulted the chart in her hand. "Your blood tests show an elevated level of testosterone. Elevated enough that it would cause you to be aggressive. I do not know why this might be, but I would like to find out. I have scheduled further tests for later today. They may give us some answers."

"You see, Hackenbacker, I was not in control of myself. Please tell Bekkah that," Ivan pleaded.

"I will consider it." Brains began to leave. "Thank you for not pressing charges against me Goodbye, Ivan."

Virenov waved a languid hand as Brains left.

Brains met up with Jeff in the hall. "As usual, Virenov finds something else to blame for his behavior," Brains explained with a sigh. "He had elevated levels of testosterone in his blood. He thinks this is what caused him to attack Bekkah." Brains shook his head. "I should have known he would try to abrogate responsibility."

Jeff nodded. "Let's get back to the hotel and see how Bekkah and Tin-Tin are."