The Power

During a high-level committee meeting, Hallson declares that one member may possess a mind far beyond normal human limits. He explains that the tests are designed to identify survivability under extreme conditions and to uncover latent powers. The room reacts with skepticism as he hints at abilities that could bend others to will.

Hallson orders all members to focus simultaneously on a simple psi wheel, insisting the true subject will not reveal himself alone. As the minds concentrate, the wheel suddenly starts to spin on its own. The demonstration confirms that hidden psychic capabilities may exist among them.

That same night, Hallson is found murdered in the laboratory's centrifuge room, with a note reading 'Adam Hart' nearby. Sally Hallson explains that Adam Hart was the name of her husband's childhood friend, intensifying the suspicions. The investigators begin to sense a connection between Hallson's theories and the killer on the loose.

As investigators press the case, Jim Tanner becomes the prime suspect when it is revealed his past credentials have been erased and his records show tampering. The mystery deepens as his background is called into question and he is drawn into the investigation. He begins to suspect a hidden element within the committee.

Tanner endures disturbing hallucinations that seem to be induced by the unseen force connected to Hallson's theory. He barely survives a psychic attack that targets his mind, leaving him shaken and more determined to uncover the truth. The experience convinces him there is real danger among the committee.

Driven by urgent questions, Tanner travels to Hallson's hometown to uncover the man behind the name 'Adam Hart.' There he discovers that Hart is a superhuman figure, described variably by witnesses and capable of issuing commands that others still remember. The realization ties the murder to a larger struggle for power among extraordinary individuals.

Tanner and Margery Lansing broaden their investigation to track down the other committee members. They uncover fragmented testimonies and conflicting accounts that hint at how a hidden power broker moved behind the scenes. The search heightens the sense of paranoia surrounding the project.

The pressure escalates as Dr. Carl Melnicker becomes the next victim, killed by unknown means before investigators can intervene. The murder confirms that the conspiracy extends to the heart of Hallson's panel. The team loses another ally just as they close in on the truth.

Arthur Nordlund endures a second psychic attack from Hart, seemingly surviving to fight another day. The attack confirms Hart's ability to control minds and to strike at will from within the organization. The police grow more determined to stop Hart and his influence.

Dr. Norman Van Zandt is exposed as an ally of Hart, yet he is murdered in the wake of his betrayal. The revelation shakes the committee and demonstrates the reach of Hart's influence. Tanner realizes the danger is broader than any one person’s ambitions.

Tanner returns to the research center to confront Talbot Scott, who suspects he is the superhuman and pleads for his life. Panic seizes Scott, and law enforcement intervenes, shooting him before he can act. The confrontation intensifies the sense that the threat is close to home.

In a dramatic twist, Nordlund is revealed to be Adam Hart, having faked his own attack. Hart unleashes one last psychic assault on Tanner, who unexpectedly counters with awakened psychic power and defeats him. The battle confirms Hart's identity as the real threat and the police close in.

With Hart dead, Tanner realizes he himself is the superhuman uncovered by Hallson's tests. He understands that Hart's aim was to eliminate any competition, and that the true danger lay within their own ranks. The revelation reframes the entire investigation and Tanner's purpose within it.