Damned If You Don't Page 10

be no repercussionson an economic level. The danger lies, not in the Converter's replacingexisting power equipment, but in the danger of its replacing them tooquickly. But with care and control, the adjustment can be made slowly.The process will take about ten years, but you will receive a lump sum,plus a monthly payment, as an advance against future royalties."

  "I see," said Bending slowly. "That sounds all right to me. What aboutyou, Jim? What do you think?"

  Jim Luckman was smiling again. "Sounds fine to me, Sam. We'll have towork out the terms of the contract, of course, but I think Mr. Olcottand I can see eye to eye."

  Olcott seemed to wince a little. He knew he was over a barrel.

  "I suppose I'll have to be sworn to secrecy, eh?" Bending asked. He wasbeginning to recover his poise.

  Condley nodded. "You will." He made his characteristic pause, lookingdown at the gold pen and back up. "Mr. Bending, don't think that this isthe first time this has happened. Yours is not the first dangerousinvention that has come up. It just so happens that it's the mostdangerous so far. We don't like to have to work this way, but we must.There was simply nothing else to do."

  Sam Bending leaned back in his chair. "That's all right. To be perfectlyhonest, there are a lot of details that I still don't understand. But Irecognize the fact that I'm simply not an economist; I can see the broadoutlines plainly enough."

  Dr. Artomonov smiled widely. "I do not understand the details of yourmachine, either, Mr. Bending, but I understand the broad outlines of itsoperations well enough to be frightened when I think of what it could doto world economy if it were to be dumped on the market at this time. Iam happy to see that America, as well as Mother Russia, can producepatriots of a high order."

  Sam gave him a smile. "Thanks." He didn't know quite what else to say toa statement like that. "But Jim, here, is going to spend the nextseveral days trotting out facts and figures for me. I want to see justwhat would take place, if I can wrestle with that kind of data."

  "Oh, brother!" said Jim Luckman softly. "Well, I'll try."

  "I'll have the reports from the computers sent to you," Condley offered."They show the whole collapse, step by step."

  Artomonov cast a speculative glance in Condley's direction, but he saidnothing.

  "There's one other thing," Sam said flatly. "The Converter is my baby,and I want to go on working on it. I think Power Utilities might put meon as a permanent consultant, so that I could earn some of the moneythat's coming in over the next ten years. That way, my royalties won'tsuffer so much from the advance payments."

  Jim Luckman grinned, and Richard Olcott said: "I thought you said youwere no businessman, Mr. Bending."

  "I may be ignorant," said Sam, "but I'm not stupid. What about it?"

  Olcott glanced at Dr. Larchmont. The little scientist was beaming.

  "Definitely," he said. "I want Mr. Bending to show me how he managed todope that thing out. And, to be perfectly frank, there are a couple ofthings in there that I don't get at all."

  "That's understandable," said Dr. Vanderlin. "We only had a few hours tolook at the thing. Still, I must admit it's a lulu."

  "That's not what I meant," Larchmont said. "There are some things inthere that would take a long time to figure out without an explanation.I'll admit that--"

  "Wait a minute," Bending interrupted. "You said 'a few hours', Dr.Vanderlin. You mean only since this morning?" He grinned. "What happenedto the one you got Friday night? Did my fusing device work the firsttime?"

  Vanderlin looked puzzledly at Larchmont. Larchmont said wonderingly:"Friday? You mean you had _two_ pilot models?"

  Olcott said: "Where was the other? We checked your power drain and sawyou weren't using any at your house, so--"

  "I had three models," Bending said. "I've got one left in my car; youtook one from my house, and the third was taken from my lab sometimeFriday night. Somebody has it ..."

  Condley said: "Dr. Artomonov, do you know anything about this?"

  The Russian shook his head. "Nothing." He looked plainly frightened. "Iassure you, my government knew nothing of this."

  Condley leaped to his feet, said: "Where are those FBI men?" and ran outthe door.

  "The black market," said Bending softly. "They found out somehow."

  "And they've had three days to study it," Larchmont said. "It's too latenow. That thing is probably somewhere in South America by this time."

  Artomonov stood up, his face oddly pale. "You must excuse me, gentlemen.I must get in touch with Moscow immediately." He strode out of the room.

  The four men remaining in the room just stared at each other for a longmoment. There wasn't much else they could do.

  THE END