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Authors: Hilary Norman
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country.”
Schwartz sat down again. “I hate to say this,” he said, ‘but in some ways having two deaths may make things a little easier – ”
“Easier!” Hagen was appalled.
“Only in that soon we should at least have two sets of clues to feed into the computer, maybe narrow the problem – if it
is
our problem – down to a single production
batch.”
“Jesus, Fred,” Leary said, sarcastically, “maybe you’d like a whole string of explosions.”
“Take it easy, Howard.” Hagen focused back on Schwartz. “Do you really think there’s the remotest chance this might not be a production problem?”
“I
know
it can’t be,” Schwartz replied steadfastly. “There is simply nothing in the devices that could possibly cause anything like this to happen.”
“The batteries are combustible,” Leary said.
“And hermetically sealed – we’ve never had any trouble with them. Which is one of the reasons I’m not all that concerned about the danger of examining the master copies
– to myself or to anyone else on the premises.”
“You’ll still have to take precautions,” Hagen told him. “Protective clothing, goggles, gloves – ”
“Of course.”
For a moment or two, no one spoke.
“Okay,” Hagen said. “First things first. Aside from getting every ounce of available information, I’m going to do everything I can to persuade the people who already know
about this not to break this story wide open.” He paused. “I don’t have to tell any of you how crucial it is that no one else in the complex or outside gets to hear even a
whisper.”
“Of course not,” Ashcroft said.
“No one’ll hear it from me,” Leary confirmed. “You’ll have to be more careful than any of us,” he told Schwartz. “You’re the one at the sharp end
down there on the floor.”
Schwartz’s resentment was plain. “Don’t you think that I, of all people, can’t see the catastrophic consequences of a leak?”
“Come on, folks,” Hagen soothed. “Let’s all try to keep calm.”
“I’m calm,” Schwartz said.
“I’m so calm I scare myself,” Leary said, wryly.
Olivia Ashcroft rose. “I’m going home to change – unless there’s anything I can do for you right this minute, Fred. We all know you work better alone – ”
“I have to work alone, while we’re trying to maintain normality.”
“But if another head or pair of eyes would make a difference, behind the scenes – ?”
“I’ll let you know.” Schwartz smiled at her. “Thank you.”
Leary looked at Hagen. “Al, I need a quick word.” He glanced at the other two. “On a separate issue.”
“Sure,” Hagen said. “See you later, Olivia.” He nodded at Schwartz. “Good luck, Fred.”
Ashcroft and Schwartz left the room and Hagen sat down again.
“What’s up, Howard?”
Leary kept his voice low. “Are you sure he’s up to this?”
“You mean Schwartz? More than anyone else I know.”
Leary looked sceptical. “I know we’ve always thought he was a whiz, and nothing major has gone wrong since he’s been with us. But let’s face it, Al, most of our systems
were in place before Schwartz joined us. He’s never faced a real test before.”
Every muscle in Hagen’s face was tautly drawn. “Right this minute, Howard, I’d be lying if I told you I was sure of anything.” He paused. “But I do think I’ve
come to know Schwartz pretty well over the years, and there is just one thing I am certain of, and that’s that Hagen Pacing means everything to him.”
“I think that applies to all of us.” Leary shrugged. “Maybe I’m just frustrated at having to leave the detective work to him. Just a few years ago, I’d have been
the one working twenty-four hours a day with my eyes glued to a microscope. It isn’t easy leaving it to someone else.”
“Schwartz may not have your flair, Howard, or your qualifications,” Hagen said, gently, “but even you have to admit he’s the most conscientious
Schwartz sat down again. “I hate to say this,” he said, ‘but in some ways having two deaths may make things a little easier – ”
“Easier!” Hagen was appalled.
“Only in that soon we should at least have two sets of clues to feed into the computer, maybe narrow the problem – if it
is
our problem – down to a single production
batch.”
“Jesus, Fred,” Leary said, sarcastically, “maybe you’d like a whole string of explosions.”
“Take it easy, Howard.” Hagen focused back on Schwartz. “Do you really think there’s the remotest chance this might not be a production problem?”
“I
know
it can’t be,” Schwartz replied steadfastly. “There is simply nothing in the devices that could possibly cause anything like this to happen.”
“The batteries are combustible,” Leary said.
“And hermetically sealed – we’ve never had any trouble with them. Which is one of the reasons I’m not all that concerned about the danger of examining the master copies
– to myself or to anyone else on the premises.”
“You’ll still have to take precautions,” Hagen told him. “Protective clothing, goggles, gloves – ”
“Of course.”
For a moment or two, no one spoke.
“Okay,” Hagen said. “First things first. Aside from getting every ounce of available information, I’m going to do everything I can to persuade the people who already know
about this not to break this story wide open.” He paused. “I don’t have to tell any of you how crucial it is that no one else in the complex or outside gets to hear even a
whisper.”
“Of course not,” Ashcroft said.
“No one’ll hear it from me,” Leary confirmed. “You’ll have to be more careful than any of us,” he told Schwartz. “You’re the one at the sharp end
down there on the floor.”
Schwartz’s resentment was plain. “Don’t you think that I, of all people, can’t see the catastrophic consequences of a leak?”
“Come on, folks,” Hagen soothed. “Let’s all try to keep calm.”
“I’m calm,” Schwartz said.
“I’m so calm I scare myself,” Leary said, wryly.
Olivia Ashcroft rose. “I’m going home to change – unless there’s anything I can do for you right this minute, Fred. We all know you work better alone – ”
“I have to work alone, while we’re trying to maintain normality.”
“But if another head or pair of eyes would make a difference, behind the scenes – ?”
“I’ll let you know.” Schwartz smiled at her. “Thank you.”
Leary looked at Hagen. “Al, I need a quick word.” He glanced at the other two. “On a separate issue.”
“Sure,” Hagen said. “See you later, Olivia.” He nodded at Schwartz. “Good luck, Fred.”
Ashcroft and Schwartz left the room and Hagen sat down again.
“What’s up, Howard?”
Leary kept his voice low. “Are you sure he’s up to this?”
“You mean Schwartz? More than anyone else I know.”
Leary looked sceptical. “I know we’ve always thought he was a whiz, and nothing major has gone wrong since he’s been with us. But let’s face it, Al, most of our systems
were in place before Schwartz joined us. He’s never faced a real test before.”
Every muscle in Hagen’s face was tautly drawn. “Right this minute, Howard, I’d be lying if I told you I was sure of anything.” He paused. “But I do think I’ve
come to know Schwartz pretty well over the years, and there is just one thing I am certain of, and that’s that Hagen Pacing means everything to him.”
“I think that applies to all of us.” Leary shrugged. “Maybe I’m just frustrated at having to leave the detective work to him. Just a few years ago, I’d have been
the one working twenty-four hours a day with my eyes glued to a microscope. It isn’t easy leaving it to someone else.”
“Schwartz may not have your flair, Howard, or your qualifications,” Hagen said, gently, “but even you have to admit he’s the most conscientious
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