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diff --git a/27797.txt b/27797.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..88f2aa0 --- /dev/null +++ b/27797.txt @@ -0,0 +1,823 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Vital Ingredient, by Gerald Vance + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Vital Ingredient + +Author: Gerald Vance + +Illustrator: Llewellyn + +Release Date: January 21, 2009 [EBook #27797] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VITAL INGREDIENT *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: Pop's lightning brain reacted. He sent in the haymaker.] + + + _Frankie was ready for the big test--Ten-Time Winner of the world + title. He was young and fit and able; also, he had Milt's cunning + brain to direct every feint and punch. This left only one thing in + doubt, the----_ + + +VITAL INGREDIENT + +By GERALD VANCE + + +"Champ, what's with ya lately?" Benny asked the question as they lay on +the beach. + +"Nothing," Frankie answered. "Just fight-nite miseries, I guess." + +"No it ain't, Frankie. It's something else. You losin' confidence in +Milt? That it? Can't you hold it one more time? You guys only need +tonite and you got it. One more to make Ten-Time Defenders--the first +in the game, Frankie." + +"We won the last two on points, Benny. Points--and I'm better than that. +I keep waiting, and waiting, for my heels to set; for Milt to send it up +my legs and back and let fly. But he won't do it, Benny." + +"Look, Champ, Milt knows what he's doing. He's sending you right. You +think maybe you know as much as Milt?" + +"Maybe I just do, Benny. Maybe I do." + +Benny didn't have the answer to this heresy. By law this was Frankie's +last fight--as a fighter. If he won this one and became a Ten-Time +Defender he would have his pick of the youngsters at the Boxing College, +just as Milt had chosen him fifteen years before. For fifteen years he'd +never thrown a punch of his own in a fight ring. + +Maybe because it was his last fight in the ring he felt the way he did +today. He understood, of course, why fighters were mentally controlled +by proved veterans. By the time a fighter had any real experience and +know-how in the old days, his body was shot. Now the best bodies and +the best brains were teamed by mental control. + +Benny had an answer now. "Champ, I think it's a good thing this is your +last fight. You know too much. After this one you'll have a good strong +boy of your own and you can try some of this stuff you've been learning. +Milt knows you're no kid anymore. That's why he has to be careful with +you." + +"I still have it, Benny. My speed, my punch, my timing--all good. There +were a dozen times in those last two fights I could have crossed a right +and gone home early." + +"Two times, Frankie. Just two times. And them late in the fight. Milt +didn't think you had it, and I don't think you did either." + + * * * * * + +Milt, Frankie's master control, came down to the beach and strolled over +to join them. Milt had been a Five-Time Defender in the Welter division +before his fights ran out. Now he was skinny and sixty. His was the mind +that had directed every punch Frankie had ever thrown. + +He studied the figure of Frankie lying on the sand. The +two-hundred-pound fighting machine was thirty years old. Milt winced +when he compared it to that of the twenty-two-year-old slugger they +would have to meet in a few hours. + +Benny said "Hi," and ambled off. + +"Well, boy, this one means a lot to both of us," Milt said. + +"Sure," was all Frankie could answer. + +"For you, the first Ten-Time Defender the heavyweight division has ever +produced. For me, The Hall of Boxing Fame." + +"You want that pretty bad, don't you, Milt?" + +"Yeah, I guess I do, Frankie, but not bad enough to win it the wrong +way." + +Frankie's head jerked up. "What do you mean, the wrong way?" + +Milt scowled and looked as though he wished he hadn't said that. He +turned his head and stared hard at his fighter. "There's something we +maybe ought to have talked about, Frankie." + +"What's that?" + +Milt struggled for words. "It's just--oh, hell! Forget it. Just forget I +said anything." + +"You figure we win tonight?" + +"I think maybe we will." + +"You don't seem very sure. On points, huh?" + +"Yeah, maybe on points." Milt turned his eyes back on Frankie's eager +face. "Frankie, boy--there's something about being a Ten-Time Defender +that's, well--different." + +Milt took a deep breath and was evidently ready to tell Frankie exactly +what he meant. But Frankie broke in, his voice low and tense. "Milt--" + +"Yes?" + +"When I get in there tonight--turn me loose!" + +Milt was startled at the words. "Release _control_?" + +"Yeah--sure. I think I can take Nappy Gordon on my own!" + +"Nappy can stick his fist through a brick wall--all night long. And Pop +Monroe knows all there is to know and some he makes up himself. They'd +be a tough pair to beat. Our big ace is that they have to beat us. We +_got_ the Nine-Times." + +"I can take him, Milt!" + +There was a strange light in Milt's eyes. He did not speak and Frankie +went on. "Just one round, Milt! If I slip you can grab control again." + +"You just want a try at it, huh?" + +There seemed to be disappointment in Milt's voice; something Frankie +couldn't understand. Milt seemed suddenly nervous, ill-at-ease. But +Frankie was too eager to give it much attention. "How about it, +Milt--huh?" + +Milt had been squatting on the sand. He got to his feet and looked out +across the water. "All right. Maybe we'll try it." + +He seemed sad as he walked away. Frankie, occupied with his own elation, +didn't notice ... + + * * * * * + +In the studio dressing room, a few hours later Milt and Frankie were +warming up. Frankie in the practice ring and Milt perched on a high +chair just outside the ropes. + +Everything was just as it would be in the fight. Three minutes work, one +minute rest. Frankie noticed how slowly and carefully Milt was working +him, and how he watched the clock. + +Frankie had nothing to do now but watch, as a spectator would; watch as +Milt moved him around. Milt could control every muscle, every move and +every reflex of his body. It had taken them five years to perfect this +routine. That was the training period at the College of Boxing, and was +prescribed by law. + +In their first fight they had been at their peak. Frankie was Milt's +second boy and Milt knew boxing as only a Champion Welter with thirty +years of experience could know it. For fifteen years he had watched and +studied while a good veteran had directed his body. And for another +fifteen years he had been the guiding brain to a fine Middleweight. + +As a Welterweight, Milt had learned to depend on speed and quick hands. +In Frankie he had found the dream of every Welter--a punch. Frankie's +body could really deliver the power. At first, it had been the heavy +hitting that had won the fights; lately, Milt had relied more and more +on the speed and deception he had developed in Frankie. + + * * * * * + +Frankie felt the control ease out and knew the warm-up was over. He +slipped on his robe and he and Milt went to join the others in the TV +studio. + +There would be no crowd. Just the cameras, the crews and officials. The +fight would be televised in 3-D and filmed in slow motion. If a decision +were needed to determine the winner, it would be given only after a +careful study had been made of the films. + +There was little to be done in the studio and Milt had timed Frankie's +warm-up right to the minute. The fighters and their controllers took +their positions: the controllers seated in high chairs on opposite sides +of the ring; the fighters in opposite corners. + +As the warning buzzer sounded, Frankie felt Milt take control. This one +he would watch closely. + +At the bell Frankie rose and moved out slowly. He noticed how relaxed, +almost limp, Milt was keeping him. There was only a little more effort +used than in the pre-fight warm-up. His left hand had extra speed but +only enough power to command respect. The pattern was just about as he +had expected. As the fight went along the left would add up the points. +But his thoughts were centered on a single question. _How is it going to +be on my own?_ + +In the early rounds he was amazed at the extreme caution Milt was +employing. Nappy Gordon's face was beginning to redden from the +continual massage of Frankie's brisk left and occasional right. But +Frankie felt that his own face must be getting flushed with eagerness. +The glory of going in and trying to do it by himself; of beating Pop +Monroe without Milt's help. He wondered if Milt would have to clamp on +the controls again. He sure hoped not. But there wasn't anything to +really worry about. Milt could beat Pop Monroe and he wouldn't let +Frankie take a beating by himself. + +Frankie's attention was caught by some odd thoughts in Milt's mind. Milt +didn't seem to be sending them, yet they were clear and direct: _You +really think you've got it, boy? That vital ingredient?_ + +_What you talking about?_ + +_Huh? Me? Oh, nothing. Take it easy._ But Milt's thoughts were troubled. + +_When you going to let me go?_ + +_I said, take it easy. We'll see._ + + * * * * * + +The sixth round came and Frankie felt no weariness. Milt was working him +like he was made of fragile glass. Nor was Nappy tiring so far as he +could notice. Pop Monroe was trying for just one solid blow to slow down +the Champ. So far nothing even jarring had come close to landing. + +In the seventh Frankie noticed a little desperation in Monroe's tactics. +To win now Monroe and Gordon needed a knockout. Frankie had only to +stay on his feet to be home safe. But when was Milt going to let him go? +Milt had turned in a masterpiece of defensive fighting. The left had +deadly accuracy and now the openings were truck-sized as Monroe had come +to ignore the light tattoo of the Champ's punches. + +Milt withdrew the control in the middle of the seventh round. It hit +Frankie like a dash of cold water, the exultation of being on his own! +He looked over at Milt, perched rope-high in his control chair at +ringside. Milt was looking at him, his face tight and grim; almost +hostile. + +Frankie circled warily, a touch of panic coming unbidden. What to do? He +hadn't known it would be quite like this. He tried to remember how it +was--how it felt to move in the various ways Milt always sent him. Funny +how you could forget such things. The left hook--that jab--how did they +go? + +A pile driver came from somewhere and almost tore his head off his +shoulders ... + +He was looking up at the ceiling. He rolled his eyes and saw Pop +Monroe's face--smiling a little, but also puzzled. Even with his brain +groggy, Frankie knew why. He'd stepped wide open in Nappy's looping +right and Pop couldn't figure Milt doing a thing like that. + +Pop looked over at Milt. Frankie followed Pop's eyes and saw the look +Milt returned. Then the spark of understanding that passed between them. +Odd, Frankie thought. What understanding could there be? + +He was aware of the word seven filling the studio as the loud speaker +blared the count. He was up at nine. + +Nappy swarmed in now. Frankie felt the pain of hard, solid blows on his +body as he tried to tie up this dynamo Poppy Monroe was releasing on +him. He couldn't stop it, dodge it, or hide from it. + +But he finally got away from it--staggering. Nappy came at him fast and +the left jab Frankie sent out to put him off balance didn't even slow +the fury a bit. Frankie took to the ropes to make Nappy shorten his +punches. It helped some, but not enough. No man could take the jolting +effect of those ripping punches and keep his feet under him. Frankie +didn't--he was down when the bell ended round nine. + + * * * * * + +In his corner the seconds worked quickly. He looked at Milt and saw a +dead-pan expression. Milt wasn't sending him anything. Punishing him of +course. Frankie took it meekly; ashamed of himself. Milt would take over +again when the bell sounded. Frankie knew that he couldn't stay away +from Nappy for another round. Nobody could. Monroe smelled a knockout +and Frankie was never fast enough to run away from the burst of +viciousness that would come at him in the form of Nappy Gordon. No, Milt +would take over. + +At the bell, Frankie moved out fast, waiting for the familiar feel of +Milt expertly manipulating his arms and legs and body; sending out the +jabs and punches; weaving him in and out. + +But Milt didn't take over and Pop sent Nappy in with a pile-driver right +that smashed Frankie to the floor. Frankie rolled over on his knees and +shook his head groggily, trying to understand. Why hadn't Milt taken +over? What was Milt trying to do to him? + +Milt's cold face waved into focus before Frankie's blinking eyes. _What +was Milt trying to do?_ Frankie heard the tolling count--six, seven, +eight. Milt wasn't even going to help him up. Sick and bewildered, +Frankie struggled to his feet. Nappy came driving in. Frankie +back-pedalled and took the vicious right cross while rolling away. Thus +he avoided being knocked out and was only floored for another +eight-count. + +_Milt--Milt--for God's sake--_ + +The round was over. Frankie staggered, sick, to his corner and slumped +down. The handlers worked over him. He looked at Milt. But Milt neither +sent nor returned his gaze. Milt sat looking grimly off into space and +seemed older and wearier than time itself. + +Then Frankie knew. Milt had sold him out! + +The shocking truth stunned him even more than Nappy's punches. Milt had +sold him out! There had been rare cases of such things. When money meant +more than honor to a veteran. But Milt! + +Numbed, Frankie pondered the ghastly thought. After all, Milt was old. +Old men needed money for their later years. But how could he? How could +he do it? + +Suddenly Frankie hated. He hated Nappy and Pop and every one of the +millions of people looking silently on around the world. But most of +all, he hated Milt. It was a weird, sickening thing, that hatred. But +only a mentally sickening thing. Physically, it seemed to make Frankie +stronger, because when the bell rang and he got up and walked into a +straight right, it didn't hurt at all. + +He realized he was on the floor; the gong was sounding; he was getting +up, moving in again. There was blood, a ringing in his head. + +But above all, a rage to kill. To kill. + + * * * * * + +He remembered going down several times and getting up. Not caring how he +had swung under Milt's control--only wanting to use his fists--to kill +the thing weaving in front of him. + +Nappy. A grinning, weaving, lethal ghost. + +He felt a pain in his right fist and saw Nappy go down. He saw Pop's +face go gray as though the old man himself had felt the force of the +blow. Saw Nappy climb erect slowly. He grinned through blood. +Frankie--ghost-catcher. He had to get him. + +He was happy; happy with a new fierceness he had never before known. The +lust of battle was strong within him and when Pop weaved Nappy +desperately, Frankie laughed, waited, measured Nappy. + +And smashed him down with a single jarring right. + +The bell tolled ten. Pop got wearily off his stool and walked away. +Frankie strode grimly to his corner, ignored Milt, moved on into the +dressing room. + +He knew Milt would come and he waited for him, sitting there coldly on +the edge of the table. Milt walked in the door and stood quietly. + +"You sold me out," Frankie said. + +There was open pride in Milt's eyes. "Sure--you had to think that." + +"What do you mean, think? You didn't pick me up when Pop flattened me. I +saw the look between you and Pop." + +"Sure." Milt's eyes were still proud. "You had to know. That's how I +wanted it." + +"Milt--why did you do it?" + +"I didn't do it. I just had to make you think I did." + +"In God's name--why?" + +"Because I'm sentimental, maybe, but I've always had my own ideas about +the kind of fighter who should be a Ten-Time winner. All my life I've +kept remembering the old greats--Dempsey, Sullivan, Corbett--the men who +did it on their own, and I wanted you to get it right--on your own--like +a real champion." + +Frankie was confused. "I wanted to go on my own. Why didn't you tell me +then?" + +"Then you'd have lost. You'd have gone down whimpering and moaning. You +see, Frankie, all those old fighters had a vital ingredient--the thing +it takes to make a champion--courage." + +"And you didn't think I had it?" + +"Sure I did. But the killer instinct is dead in fighters today and it +has to be ignited. It needs a trigger, so that was what I gave you--a +trigger." + +Frankie understood. "You wanted me to get mad!" + +"To do it, you had to get mad--at me. You're not conditioned to get mad +at Nappy or Pop. It's not the way we fight now. It had to be me. I had +to make you hate me." + +Frankie marveled. "So when Pop looked at you--" + +"He knew." + +Frankie was off the table, his arms around Milt. "I'm--I'm so ashamed." + +Milt grinned. "No, you're not. You're happier than you ever were in your +life. You're a real champion. Great feeling, isn't it? Now you know how +_they_ felt--in the old days." + +Frankie was crying. "You are damn right! Thanks." + +Milt looked years younger. "Don't mention it--_champ_." + + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _Amazing Stories_ September 1956. + Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. + copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and + typographical errors have been corrected without note. Informal + spellings remain as printed. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Vital Ingredient, by Gerald Vance + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VITAL INGREDIENT *** + +***** This file should be named 27797.txt or 27797.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/7/7/9/27797/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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