“Right. If Vortex and this serum you’re talking about were such terrific scientific advances, why were the Bluestone labs, including Vortex, shut down?”

Spode exhaled slowly. “My father explained that there were problems, hurdles to be overcome, just as there are at the start of any world-changing technology. Unfortunately, there was a lack of vision at the time when it was most needed.”

“Tell me about this lack of vision.”

“It’s easier to start with the people who actually had the vision. Aurora Winston was a research scientist at Vortex. She worked with her husband, Alexander Winston, to develop a method for unleashing the full potential of latent psychic talent. Alexander Winston died in a lab accident, but Aurora carried on. I won’t waste time on the details. All you need to know is that she solved the last major problem and came up with an enhancement technique that works. My father was living proof. So am I.”

“You’re telling me this Aurora Winston figured out how to create monsters?”

Fury sparked again in Spode’s eyes. It vanished in an instant, but the shiver of it iced the atmosphere in the small space.

“Those who are capable of surviving the process become psychically enhanced human beings, not monsters,” he said.

She thought he sounded as if he was trying to convince himself but resisted the urge to ask him that question. It didn’t seem to be a smart time to pick a fight with an unstable killer.

“Whatever,” she said. “How does this treatment work?”

“There are two basic steps in the process,” Spode said in a voice that was unnaturally even. “First, Aurora Winston’s serum is administered to a suitable subject.”

“Define ‘suitable subject.’ ”

“Someone with a measurable amount of natural talent. If the serum is successful, the subject is then exposed to certain wavelengths of paranormal radiation for a period of time. Once that has been done, the subject’s talent is enhanced and strengthened to a remarkable degree. In a particularly strong subject, a second powerful talent sometimes appears.”

“What sort of talents are we talking about?”

“It depends on the individual.” Spode began to pace the cell. “I’m sure you’re aware that no two talents are precisely the same. Bluestone was a government project, so you won’t be surprised to learn that the goal of the Vortex lab was to create psychics whose talents would be useful to the military and to the nation’s intelligence operations. The enhancement treatments were fine-tuned to optimize that objective.”

“In other words, they were designed to create killers with paranormal talents.”