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Authors: Steve Stroble
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crazy
science fiction magazines and comic books. Next, you’ll be telling
me you believe that movie George saw about dangerous rays.”
“The Invisible
Ray ? It was okay. I gave it three stars out
of five. Hollywood is so hit and miss these days. They did a much
better job with all of their takes on Frankenstein, the Wolfman,
the Mummy, and Dracula. And now that the war’s finally over with
I’m hoping they will do some more science fiction. Lord only knows
how much subject matter we’re handing them on a silver platter by
successfully giving the world the Gadget.”
Feeling like when his car’s rear tires became
anchored in mud or snow, the boss reverted to a stiff formal
posture, his desk now a barricade against what he thought to be the
Three Stooges, Marx Brothers, and Laurel and Hardy all combined
into one of his subordinates. “That will be all.” He scribbled a
concise summary and then asked his secretary to place a call to
Washington, D.C. to his person of last resort.
“Hello, Tony? This is Joe down at Los Alamos in New
Mexico…Just fine, thanks. Listen, I need you to send one of your
boys down here…No, I already tried that. That’s why I need your
help…He can? Great. Listen, the hunting is fantastic down here. Can
you get away sometime in the fall…? Great. I’ll see you then. I
need a break from this loony bin…I don’t mean to complain but I
think mine is loonier than yours, I’m afraid.”
9
“So what do you think of our asylum? Are the inmates
running it?”
Arkhip shrugged. “I can’t complain. At least I’m
sheltered and fed and surrounded by some of the world’s best minds.
What more could I wish for?”
“Freedom?”
Typical German. Always wanting what
he can’t have. “Yes, Comrade Franz. Freedom
would be very nice.”
“Please don’t be so formal. After
all these months, can I not be Wilhelm and you, Arkhip? All of that
saying comrade in
front of our names is a joke.”
“As you wish, Wilhelm.” He had earned at least that
much; the number tattooed on his arm was his reminder for life of
his days spent at Treblinka. One of the few survivors by the time
Russian troops entered the camp, Wilhelm had been sent eastward
once his background became known. After all, such German scientists
were spoils of war. If he were allowed to return to his native
Germany then the Allies would surely snatch him and send him to
America. Being a Jew, maybe he would someday relate to Herr Marx
and Herr Lenin, Jews who had birthed their versions of the
socialist utopia that controlled Mother Russia. But he had proven a
disappointment. Having refused to work on Germany’s program to
develop an atomic bomb, he now provided the bare minimum of effort
to the USSR’s efforts to join the nuclear club. Such an ingrate.
Had not Russian troops fought and died to liberate him from the
Nazi death camp? Typical hardheaded, cold-hearted kraut, Arkhip had
concluded. But a good source of information, nonetheless. “Have you
heard anything new?”
“Evidently, Russia’s spies are providing bits and
pieces of data for us. I suspect it won’t be too long before we’re
shipped off to build the bomb. Can’t be doing it here, so close to
the Kremlin.” He pointed toward Moscow, twenty miles to the south.
“Something might go wrong. Uncle Joe wouldn’t like having Moscow
getting radiated. Just the blast and cloud would make him wet his
pants.”
Arkhip could not stifle a laugh as she pictured the
most powerful dictator on Earth with wet pants. “So true. We’ll
have to test it where it won’t harm anyone, at least no
Russians.”
“The Americans tested their first bomb in the desert.
The rumor I’m hearing is their next test will be in the South
Pacific.”
“How do you hear the rumors before anyone else?”
“First I must swear you to secrecy. Repeat after me.
I, Arkhip Yankhov swear on my mother’s grave not to reveal
Wilhelm’s top secret.”
She took the oath. “Okay, I swore. Now
science fiction magazines and comic books. Next, you’ll be telling
me you believe that movie George saw about dangerous rays.”
“The Invisible
Ray ? It was okay. I gave it three stars out
of five. Hollywood is so hit and miss these days. They did a much
better job with all of their takes on Frankenstein, the Wolfman,
the Mummy, and Dracula. And now that the war’s finally over with
I’m hoping they will do some more science fiction. Lord only knows
how much subject matter we’re handing them on a silver platter by
successfully giving the world the Gadget.”
Feeling like when his car’s rear tires became
anchored in mud or snow, the boss reverted to a stiff formal
posture, his desk now a barricade against what he thought to be the
Three Stooges, Marx Brothers, and Laurel and Hardy all combined
into one of his subordinates. “That will be all.” He scribbled a
concise summary and then asked his secretary to place a call to
Washington, D.C. to his person of last resort.
“Hello, Tony? This is Joe down at Los Alamos in New
Mexico…Just fine, thanks. Listen, I need you to send one of your
boys down here…No, I already tried that. That’s why I need your
help…He can? Great. Listen, the hunting is fantastic down here. Can
you get away sometime in the fall…? Great. I’ll see you then. I
need a break from this loony bin…I don’t mean to complain but I
think mine is loonier than yours, I’m afraid.”
9
“So what do you think of our asylum? Are the inmates
running it?”
Arkhip shrugged. “I can’t complain. At least I’m
sheltered and fed and surrounded by some of the world’s best minds.
What more could I wish for?”
“Freedom?”
Typical German. Always wanting what
he can’t have. “Yes, Comrade Franz. Freedom
would be very nice.”
“Please don’t be so formal. After
all these months, can I not be Wilhelm and you, Arkhip? All of that
saying comrade in
front of our names is a joke.”
“As you wish, Wilhelm.” He had earned at least that
much; the number tattooed on his arm was his reminder for life of
his days spent at Treblinka. One of the few survivors by the time
Russian troops entered the camp, Wilhelm had been sent eastward
once his background became known. After all, such German scientists
were spoils of war. If he were allowed to return to his native
Germany then the Allies would surely snatch him and send him to
America. Being a Jew, maybe he would someday relate to Herr Marx
and Herr Lenin, Jews who had birthed their versions of the
socialist utopia that controlled Mother Russia. But he had proven a
disappointment. Having refused to work on Germany’s program to
develop an atomic bomb, he now provided the bare minimum of effort
to the USSR’s efforts to join the nuclear club. Such an ingrate.
Had not Russian troops fought and died to liberate him from the
Nazi death camp? Typical hardheaded, cold-hearted kraut, Arkhip had
concluded. But a good source of information, nonetheless. “Have you
heard anything new?”
“Evidently, Russia’s spies are providing bits and
pieces of data for us. I suspect it won’t be too long before we’re
shipped off to build the bomb. Can’t be doing it here, so close to
the Kremlin.” He pointed toward Moscow, twenty miles to the south.
“Something might go wrong. Uncle Joe wouldn’t like having Moscow
getting radiated. Just the blast and cloud would make him wet his
pants.”
Arkhip could not stifle a laugh as she pictured the
most powerful dictator on Earth with wet pants. “So true. We’ll
have to test it where it won’t harm anyone, at least no
Russians.”
“The Americans tested their first bomb in the desert.
The rumor I’m hearing is their next test will be in the South
Pacific.”
“How do you hear the rumors before anyone else?”
“First I must swear you to secrecy. Repeat after me.
I, Arkhip Yankhov swear on my mother’s grave not to reveal
Wilhelm’s top secret.”
She took the oath. “Okay, I swore. Now
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