"General," I said slowly, "I'm a research physicist and I certainly won't admit for a moment that it might have been an induced psionic manifestation. There's an answer in relativity, I'm sure. A logical answer. Right now I'm far aspace. I thought I knew anti-nucleonics but HOAGS has apparently spawned something research physicists haven't anticipated."
"Well, where is Elaine now? Where did she go?"
"I don't know," I answered dumbly. "But she didn't go, General; she was here and then wasn't. But let me try to find her, General. God knows I'll do my best!"
He surveyed my face carefully.
"I'm sure you will," he said. "Call me when you find her."
I nodded wordlessly and rang off.
Despite George Herrmann's admonitions re long distance calls, I immediately visifoned every AGS installation in the States.
The last call did it. I raised Al Benson in Phoenix, Arizona. He'd seen Elaine briefly. He'd been first in the control room at the Phoenix synchrotron and had just activated same when, bingo! she was there.
He had in fact been just about to call me. She'd been wearing the parka which had stayed when she "left". He'd found my name stencilled on the parka's left breast. Said she'd said the "nicest" man had lent it to her.