The committee overseeing Psychic Warfare Research had already been scheduled to meet for a full hearing to inquire into the cause of the previous deaths of two psychics. Now they had a third death on their hands. Understandably, the atmosphere was extremely tense. Viktor did his best to appear in command of himself (although a certain amount of nervousness was expected as a matter of respect) when he was called at last into the small conference room down the hall from the laboratory. It was a closed hearing, with only the four Russian Army officers present—two generals and two colonels— as judge and jury. So secret was the subject matter that not even a stenographer was included. The officers made their own notes as the hearing progressed, and, of course, it was all recorded on audiocassettes.