26
"Alex! This is preposterous," Usher protested.
"Is it? You're a man of science. You know that
science and technology can accomplish today what only a
few decades ago people believed was impossible. Who
knows what's being created in those top-secret military
labs? Can you be so sure I'm wrong? Would you be willing
to stake your life on it?"
Usher stared at Alex, a grim expression on his face.
Clearly, his patient's condition was far worse than he had
suspected. And his delusional ideation was growing, as was
the paranoia. Hell, the man was nearly psychotic in his
obsession.
"Alex," he began in a carefully modulated tone, "a
virus does not have a 'will of its own', or a mind or
consciousness of any sort. Mutations are genetically coded.
You're imbuing this hypothetical organism with properties
it could never have. Human beings have free will. Viruses
don't. It's that simple."
"Oh, really?” Alex countered. "Then how come
Something is exerting Its will over me? Why is it I'm
compelled to do things I don't want to do, that are against
my very nature, so that I'm forced to use every ounce of
strength to resist It?"
"What kind of things? " the doctor demanded, his
frown deepening.
Alex related the incident of the elderly pedestrian,
omitting no details. "And that's not the only time it's
happened. I've had other homicidal urges too, in other
situations, but this was the strongest yet. I narrowly
avoided hitting that woman today. And It was incensed
that I foiled Its intentions. It set all my nerve endings on