Copyright 1992(c) 
 
                             CRUDDER 
                          By Duke Davis 
 
     The enchanting madness slid away from his eyes. A face  
swam into view. Jason felt slimy. His insides felt nasty. His brain
felt like an unflushed commode. The face was yammering at him, a
calliope of painful sound. His head was about to burst.  
     The last of the field died. His head still felt nasty inside,
but at least it didn't hurt. His vision cleared, Maggie was in 
front of him.  
     "...out of it, Jason. Snap out of it, can you hear me?"  
     "Yeah, yeah I hear you, just not so loud, Okay? Damn, this was
a rough one. That one was one bad dude. His mind was a pit, 
nastiest bastard yet."  
     "You're doing too damn many, you need some rest. Someone else
can take a few of these bastards. You don't have to scrap so many."
     "Damn, we don't have to get into that crap now, give it a 
break. Why don't you slip up to my place and talk about it 
tonight?"  
     "You won't be able to talk tonight," she laughed. "Let alone
anything else. What is it with you guys, everyone of you want to
get in my pants the minute you get back? Get your dumb ass over 
here and sit down."  
     "Maggie, Maggie you beautiful beast you, your very wish is my
command, why don't you come over here and sit in my lap?"  
     "Down boy. Just sit still and give the old lady your arm like
a good little boy. I don't know why I put up with you guys. I could
be working in some nice quiet rest home."  
     The injector hissed and a warm feeling spread up his  
arm. His head started to straighten out and the lingering bits of
the bastard disappeared. Maggie was suddenly in her mid-sixties,
and built like a barrel.  
     "The Crudder's gone, it's just me, Maggie, sorry. He was a 
bitch. You wouldn't have liked this one at all." Jason took the 
cup of coffee Maggie held out to him. "God, this is a bitch-kitty
of a job Maggie. Why the hell do I keep at it?"  
     "If you'll remember, I ask you that question every time you
get inside the head of one of these bastards. It beats the hell 
outa me why a nice young man like you does something like this for
a living."                                                  
     "Maggie, I keep wondering... do I have the right to do this? 
Should we be messing around with time the way we are?"           
     "You know I don't have the answer to that." Maggie let out a
long sigh and kept a close eye on the medical console readouts. 
"All I know is we are supposed to be making things better. At times
it doesn't seem to be working."  
     "Yeah, I'm sorry, lady. It's just the more of these Crudders
I stop, the more I worry if what I'm doing is right." Jason stared
at the coffee. "I guess I just get a bit depressed with all this
shit at times. You know, sometimes I wish I didn't have to kill the
Crudders, just stop what they are doing. I wish I didn't have to
kill any of them. The boss won't let me out of the termination 
squad. He says he can't replace me. I tried to get back to just 
changing little things but he says anybody can do that."  
     Maggie bustled around the lab reading dials, checking 
printouts. "Your Potassium level is way down, your blood looks like
something from the bottom of a cesspool. I'm going to put you on
restricted duty for a week."  
     "Aw Maggie, you know the boss isn't gonna let that pass,   
he'll have me back in here tomorrow. Hell's bells, all you have 
right now is Jimmy, Alice, Radow, and me. Boomer is in the 
hospital; he didn't get out of that last one in time. The Crudder
damn near took him with him. Alice is on the edge of a nervous 
breakdown. Radow is already a basket case. That leaves me and 
Jimmy. I can do two a day, so can Jimmy. Alice won't last another
month. Radow can't do more than three a week. Poor ole Boomer'll
never be back. I went to visit him last night when I left here. He
doesn't even know his own name. He still thinks he's the damn 
Crudder."  
     "I know all that and damnit, I'm still going to put you on 
restricted duty! You're the best mind chaser we have, you're better
than Jimmy ever thought about being. If we lose you, all of us may
cease to exist! Damn boy, take it easy. This time line has to keep
going. If we lose this one that's it. Line 33A5 disappeared this
morning. Jimmy won't be back. I wasn't gonna be the one to tell 
you, but I figure you need to know."  
     "Christ, not Jimmy!" He was trying to keep the Viet Nam thing
from going Nuke wasn't he?" Jason winced as Maggie hit him with 
another shot from the injector. Potassium this time.  
     "Yep that's where he went. He knew if he didn't stop that 
crazy Air Force Major from pushing the button it was over. Who is
this guy Arnson you were in this time?"  
     "A rapist, he was going to rape and kill the President's wife.
The Crudder was an aide to the President. If he had made it the 
Pres would have gone nuts and started another world war. The 
probability factor was so high it was almost a foregone conclusion. 
Look Maggie, I'm gonna go home and get some sleep, you do what you
have to do. I'll be back in the morning unless the boss calls me."
     Jason stood and slowly walked out of the lab.  
                               *** 
     "Hey Maggie, how goes the shop?"  
     "Jason! You look good, that week off worked. You ready to go
save the world again?"  
     "Sure am love of my life. I could handle the entire Colombian
drug ring today, and that's before lunch."  
     "Well, sit down silly boy. From the schedule, I see you have
three trips today. Got some good news. Alice is going to make it.
She was messed up big time from that last job, but she'll be Ok. 
And I stopped off yesterday to see Boomer and he knew me!"  
     "Ok! I'll stop and see him this evening after I get finished. 
How about Radow? He still at it?"  
     "Radow went under early yesterday, he isn't back yet. I've 
tried to recall him twice and he doesn't respond. I'm worried about
him, he's been doing at least one a day while you were out."  
     "Damn, he must be in bad shape, all the monitors Ok?"  
     Jason walked over to the closed cylinder where Radow lay. The
man looked normal enough through the glass. The tracking monitor
displayed the information on the mission. The date was November 
22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas. Some guy called Oswald.  
     "Yes, he still shows good readings, but he isn't as strong as
you." Maggie opened the second cylinder in line.    
     Jason slipped out of his tunic and laid down. He slid the  
little keycard in the slot, the monitor began to glow.  
     "This is an easy one, lady. I won't take long at all on it. 
All I have to do is stop one wimpy little guy from shooting another
wimpy little guy. The man he is trying to kill is the one that 
creates an android. This one is a breeze." Jason quickly typed in
some codes on the keyboard.  
     Maggie hooked up the sensors to Jason's head."You always say
they're easy."  
     "Give me a little kiss for luck lady, and I'll be on my way." 
     Maggie leaned over and kissed Jason on the cheek. "You be 
careful, boy, I want you back, Ok?"  
     "I will, Maggie, I will. You know I have to come back to see
my favorite girl." Maggie lowered the cover of the mind twister,
as she called it. She pushed a few buttons, set a couple of 
indicators, and watched as Jason's eyes closed. "Please be careful,
Jason, please be careful," she whispered.  
                               *** 
     Jason eased his senses into Bower's optic and sensory centers. 
Vision, damn it helps to see. He hadn't tried to take control of
Bower yet. It would be foolish to take control of someone when you
didn't know what they were doing.    
     He couldn't let Bower know he was there. It would only make 
things harder. If you took over before you knew what was going on,
you might wind up doing something you didn't know how to do. The
one time he had taken control of a person before he had all the 
facts, he had been lucky. The lady had been asleep. She never woke
up. Had she been doing something like hang-gliding he would have
been in deep trouble. He didn't know how to fly.    
     Bower was sitting in an easy chair, his feet on an ottoman. 
He had a cold beer in his left hand and a pistol in his right. It
was a .45 caliber automatic. Looked like Army issue. The clip was
in the butt, but the safety was on and the hammer down. With Bower
still in total control, all he could look at was what Bower looked
at. Bower laid the gun down on the arm of the chair. He stood up. 
This was a bitch, Bower was only one hundred sixty cm tall. Jason
was over one hundred eighty two cm. It felt as if he was crawling
around on the floor.  
     Bower took a long pull at the beer can, set it down, and  
walked toward a door. It was a bathroom. He watched from his 
internal viewpoint as Bower unzipped his pants and used the john. 
He doesn't hold it the same way I do, thought Jason. Bower finished
up and went back into the living room.  
     Jason remembered the first time he had entered a woman's   
mind. She had been in bed with her lover and he had a hard time 
controlling himself. He didn't much care for the idea of being in
bed with another guy. That had been a mess. He took control of her
before he should have. Neither the lover, the woman, nor Jason had
enjoyed sex that time. He had kept her there in bed all night. She
missed the plane that crashed.  
     Bower picked up the beer. The can was nearly empty, he  
finished it and tossed the can on the floor. Slob, thought Jason. 
     Jason slowly eased his control into Bower's thought processes.
"Rotten bastard won't never screw wid me 'gin. I'll fix his ass. 
Shoot that mother so full a holes he'll look like a screen door. 
Dirty bitch of a wife called me a bastard, I'll shoot her too.  
Dirty bitch, screw that bastard all the time and laugh at me. I'll
shoot his ugly bitch kid, too. Fuck 'em."    
     Jason withdrew from the stream of conscious thought.  
     "God, another shit, and a drunk one at that. I knew this one 
would be nasty. I won't mind killing this bastard."  
     Bower stumbled into the kitchenette. The place was filthy. 
He opened the refrigerator, took out another beer and pressed the
top. The beer hissed opened, Bower took a sip. He slammed the refer
door and stumbled back into the living room and fell into the 
chair. Bower turned the beer up and started chugging it. He set 
the half-empty can down, let out a loud belch and farted at the 
same time.  
     I've had enough of this guy, thought Jason. He eased into the
control center of Bower's mind. It was as sloppy as the rest of the
man. Jason slowly took control of the motor reflexes, Bower sat 
unmoving. This was the dangerous part. If Bower tried to fight him
off, it could turn into a battle royal. Luckily, Bower was drunk
enough that it wasn't a problem. Just to be a shit, Jason had Bower
pick up the beer from the chair arm. He slowly turned it upside 
down and let it spill into his lap. Bower never jumped. Damn, this
is gonna be an easy one after all, thought Jason.  
     Jason had full control. He reached for the pistol, dropped the
safety and jacked the slide back. A round went home. He slowly 
turned the weapon around till the barrel was pointed at him. He 
moved it closer, close enough that the end of the barrel stuck into
Bower's/his open mouth. Jason paused for a second. This had to be
timed just right, so that Bower died and he got out before the 
death. Taking a deep breath Jason steadied his nerves. There was
no room for error, he had to make his escape at the same instant
Bower pulled the trigger. He didn't want to wind up like Boomer. 
     Jason/Bower tightened his grip on the weapon, his finger  
pulled back on the trigger. As the .45 went off Jason released his
mental grip on Bower.  
                               *** 
     "Jason... Jason are you Ok?"  
     "Um... uh... yeah, fine as frog hair, Maggie. This one was a
breeze. If they were all this simple, ole Radow could do all of 
em." Jason looked at the first cylinder in the row. "Anything new
on him?"  
     "No change. In about an hour the autocycle will kick in and
bring him back. I hope he makes it in one piece." Her eyes looked
as if she had been crying.  
     "Hey Maggie, he'll be Ok. Remember last spring I was in that
one for a day and a half. The guy was in jail, nothing I could do. 
He wouldn't go to sleep, just paced the floor. When he finally did
lay down I stopped his heart. I wish there was a way to do that 
when they were awake." Jason glanced at the monitor. "Only seven
minutes! That may be a record!"  
     Maggie ran the Mediscan. "You're looking good, you can go for
the next one as soon as you're ready." She bustled around the 
control panel doing a reset. "At this rate, you'll do all three by
lunch."     
     He pulled the control panel down and started pushing keys. 
"This one won't be so fast. I have to stop a bomb from being put
on a plane that is carrying a lady to see her lover. The bomb is
intended for an Israeli Government official, however, she's on the
same plane. If she gets there, she'll convince her lover that he
should spend the night with her. If not, he hits another lady with
his car. She's carrying a baby that will grow up to discover cures
for several diseases."  Jason sighed. "My mother died from cancer.
Maybe she'll be here when I get back from this one."  
     "Jason, what if we left time alone, how would things be now?" 
     "I don't know Maggie. The smart guys say we're making the 
world a better place to live. I sometimes think we may be making
a big complicated mess of everything. I can remember when things
were better than they are now. It's too late to stop now though.
Imagine trying to undo all the things we've done to history."  
     Jason finished pushing buttons and shoved the panel to the 
side. Maggie leaned over, kissed his cheek and said "Hurry back,
I'll have some coffee waiting."  
                               *** 
     Jason slowly eased into the optic center. A hand was fastening
a wire to a battery. There were a lot of electronic parts packed
into a small case. One side of the case was filled with what looked
like putty. Must be the explosives, he thought. The hand finished
with the wire and pushed a small button. A series of lights blinked
on and off. The circuit was working.  
     Jason watched the hands fit some insulation around the  
explosive device. They carefully packed the stuff into every nook
and cranny. The guy obviously didn't want this to go off early. 
From all the electronics, it had to be controlled by a radio 
transmitter. The top went on next. Several small screws held it in
place. Next, the case was placed into a large cardboard box. The
box was sealed. A label applied to the side of the box.  
     Jason eased into the conscious thought line.  
     "...the truck will pick this shipment up in the morning." The
man turned his head. There was a second man in the room, Arabic,
as was Jason's host. "It will be delivered to Heathrow and be put
on the flight to Paris. Russaid will pick up the transmitter in an
hour. He is driving over through the tunnel. He will detonate the
bomb when the plane is in sight of the French coast."  
     Jason shivered, almost cut this one too close. I have to 
destroy the bomb and kill this guy somehow. If the other guy will
leave, then I can take control of this dude and take the damn  
thing back out of the box. It'll be easy to set off. If not, I'll
have to kill the other guy and then take it out.  
     "Mohammed," said the second Arab, "we have been over this 
before, I know my part. I have to help the driver load up the box. 
Then at two PM I call the radio station and claim this victory for
the Jihad. I know all of this. I have heard nothing but this for
the last week. Please, enough! I am not a goat that does not 
remember. I am Islamic. I will remember!"  
     "Allah be praised, you are not an infidel either. You will 
remember, because if you don't you will see Allah sooner than you
want." Mohammed threw the screw driver at the other man. "Now get
out of here and leave me in peace!"  
     The second Arab left the room. Now was the time to move in on
this guy, thought Jason. He eased into the motor control section. 
Let's see if I can make him scratch his nose, he thought. Jason 
sent an impulse down a couple of neurons. Mohammed jerked his right
hand up to his head.  
     Slow boy slow, don't mess up. Easy on the power here. This guy
is really jumpy.   
     Jason could feel the bewilderment wash over Mohammed as he 
pulled his hand back from his face and looked at it. Mohammed 
turned his hand back and forth as if he had never seen it before.
     "Allah is mysterious" said Mohammed and shrugged his shoulders
as he dropped his hand. "The Israeli will pay for some of the 
suffering of the people," Mohammed murmured. "All Islam will  
celebrate."  
     Jeez, from a drunk to a religious fanatic. What a day, thought
Jason. There, on the workbench, was a small transmitter. Maybe I
can get him to pick up the transmitter and set the damn thing off
now. That will end this one quick enough. My luck is running great. 
This will be as easy as the last one.  
     Jason reached back into the Motor control section of 
Mohammed's brain. Easy now. Gently, pick up the transmitter and 
examine it. Mohammed pulled the little transmitter to him. He 
opened a little cover on the front. Three buttons nestled together. 
One was labeled TEST, another ARM, and the last TRANSMIT.  
Jason/Mohammed moved a finger to the test button and pressed it. 
A light flashed three times.  
     Success, thought Jason.  
     Why did I do that, thought Mohammed.  
     Don't get careless, thought Jason. This guy is too alert. Be
damn easy to make a mistake here. Jason let his control go.  
     Mohammed put the transmitter down. He looked at his watch. 
Russaid would be here soon to get the transmitter.  
     Jason decided it was time to try. If he took it easy, he could
get the button pushed and get out of here. Slipping back into 
control, Jason/Mohammed reached for the transmitter. The finger 
flipped open the cover again. It moved to the ARM switch, it 
depressed the button. A red light began to flash on the unit.  
Jason pushed, and the finger moved to the transmit button. Jason
pushed harder, the finger didn't move.  
     "Allah, d-do you wish me to end my miserable life now? Are 
you trying to tell me something?" Mohammed stammered.  
     Like a flash Jason jumped on the chance. "Yes Mohammed, for 
the glory of the Jihad, push the button!" Jason forced the thought
to the surface of the Arab's mind. The finger trembled, moved down
to the button. Jason pushed with all his might. The finger touched
the button. The resistance increased. The finger slowly withdrew
from the Transmit button. Jason fought with all his skill, and the
finger slowly moved over to the Arm button, depressed it, and 
turned the transmitter off.  
     You must not do this. I have more power than you. Stop this
madness or I will end you, came a thought out of nowhere.  
     What the hell!  Jason jumped, and Mohammed dropped the 
transmitter, let his hand lay limply on the table.  
     That thought had been in Jason's mind, and not one of his  
making.  
     Who are you?  
     I am from your future. My task is to undo all the wrong you
and your teams have done to the fabric of time. You must release
control and withdraw.  
     Jason slacked his power a bit, his mind reeling. From my 
future, huh? If you are from my future then you know that I'm doing
what is right. I've made a lot of changes in our past. I have to
make this one. I'll save several hundred lives by stopping this 
bastard. Besides, I don't think you can stop me."                
     I am stronger than you, Jason LaFran. I know how to stop you. 
If you do not release control now, you will be trapped in this mind
forever. William Radow would not cooperate, and he is trapped in
the Oswald man. Oswald will die, as will William Radow. This 
Mohammed must live. The diseases you worry about will be cured soon
without this action. If this bomb does not destroy the plane, the
Israeli will build a device that can destroy all life. You must 
release control now."  
     Jason started pushing again, he had to set off the bomb. A 
wave of fear rolled through his mind. Visions of a dead earth 
filled his eyes. Jason struggled, the power increased. He fought.
tricks he had learned over the years failed, one after another. 
His power slipped, his strength was fading.  
     Jason collapsed. I surrender, he thought.  
     You will withdraw all control.  
     Jason relaxed his grip on the mind of Mohammed. A force 
slammed into him. He couldn't move. Mohammed closed the cover on
the transmitter.  
     Who are you? Jason asked again.  
     You would know me as Jason.  
                               END