The Dream Ender by Dorien Grey Page A

pretty short. But I know of someone who might have been deliberately spreading it for several months and is still alive and apparently healthy.”
    He sighed. “Yes, that’s possible. There’s so much we don’t know yet, and until we can test for it reliably—and we’re very close now—we can’t really be sure of anything. As you said, the time between infection and death can be a matter of months, if that. But apparently some people are carriers without knowing it or becoming ill, or somehow manage to hold the symptoms at bay. I have a patient right now who has had Karposi’s sarcoma for at least four months without its spreading, or without falling prey to the other opportunistic diseases so common in AIDS patients.
    “You have no idea how frustrating this is for everyone in the medical establishment. The only thing we’re certain of is that we can’t be certain of anything. We’re learning, but about all we can do is work as hard as we can to deal with each opportunistic disease as it arises then wait for the next one to show up and deal with that one.”
    I wanted to ask him about Jake but couldn’t bring myself to do it. Maybe if we just ignored it, it would go away.
    Suddenly, I found myself thinking of a link between the stories the now-dead Bart and Jesse had told—the guy’s insistence on the lights being out before they had sex. And the lights being turned out at the Male Call. Of course!
    “Stan, I know you can’t give out any information on your patients, but I have one question I hope to God you can answer for me. The guy with Karposi’s—can I ask what part of his body is involved?”
    There was a long pause. “That’s an odd question. Why would you ask it?”
    “Because the guy I was telling you about won’t let his partners see him without a towel around his waist and always insists on having the lights out during sex. If you don’t want to be specific, could you at least tell me if I’d be right in guessing that it’s somewhere on his lower torso or upper legs?”
    “I don’t know, Dick. I…”
    “Look, Stan, I understand your situation. I do. But if I’m right, maybe we can find a way to keep him from giving AIDS to anybody else. It would sure as hell make your job easier.”
    He sighed again. “Well, I”m afraid getting one carrier off the streets is like trying to lower a lake by taking out a cup of water. But the answer to your question is yes.”
    “Thank you!” I said, and I’d never meant anything more sincerely.
    “You’re welcome,” he said. “I wish you luck. Oh, and I’d just as soon you didn’t mention this call to Jake.”
    “Of course,” I replied, though the fact he had said it sent a chill up my spine.

Chapter 9
    I woke up Friday morning thinking. I hate that, especially when I hadn’t slept all that well, probably because I’d been trying to sleep and think at the same time. Not easy.
    I was still thinking as I waited for Jonathan to get out of the shower. Okay. Dilemma time. I was now as certain as I could be without pulling his pants down for a visual check that Cal Hysong had Karposi’s. Maybe I could sneak up behind him…
    Jeezus, Hardesty! a mind-voice snapped. How can you joke about something like that? Hysong may be a total asshole, but he’s still a human being!
    It was right, of course. But I’d just gotten out of bed and somehow found it difficult to feel charitable toward someone who was deliberately trying to kill guys.
    Anyway, back to the dilemma. Since Carl Brewer had paid me to find out if there was any truth to the rumors, I was obliged to tell him what I had discovered. It wasn’t a comfortable position to be in. And there was still the outside chance it wasn’t Hysong. I’ve fallen flat on my face more than once jumping to conclusions. I didn’t want to do it again, especially when the stakes were so high.
    I decided I’d just lay it all out for Brewer and leave it to him. I remember him saying that if he ever found