Time Patrol 05 - Time Patrol by Anderson Poul

Author:Anderson, Poul [Anderson, Poul]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science fiction
ISBN: 9781416509356
Publisher: Baen Pub. Enterprises
Published: 2009-04-30T17:51:32+00:00

XII

Koskinen returned the following afternoon from a violent game of handball with Lean-he dared not show himself outside the residence, but it included a gymnasium-to be informed by a servant of a conference at 1600. They changed clothes and went to the study at that hour. Vivienne and Trembecki had already joined Abrams there.

The executive gave his daughter an unhappy look. "Not you, my dear," he said.

"Don't be silly, Dad," she protected. "I'm in this as much as anybody."

"Yes, and I wish you weren't. We're not playing tiddlywinks."

"I found out the hard way in Europe," Trembecki added, "that the fewer people who have complete knowledge of an operation like this, the better."

"I wouldn't blab," she said indignantly.

"Of course not. But there are such things as PI drugs."

"Do you mean somebody might kidnap me?"

"No. It's sufficient if they arrest you, just as they did Dave."

"Oh." She bit her lip. "Yes. What can I do, then, to help?"

"The hardest thing of all: sit tight."

"Well-" She squared her shoulders. "I'll be seeing you, Pete. I mean that." Her hand lingered in his for a moment before she went out. The door slid to behind her like a closing mouth.

"For the same reason," Trembecki said, "I think we'd better leave that bomb around your neck."

Vivienne stirred uneasily in her chair. One hand went to a small purse clipped on her belt. Slowly she relaxed again. "Maybe," she said, flat-voiced.

"You're the logical person to keep the detonator," Trembecki said to her. "You don't know how to make a shield unit yourself, do you?"

"No. We didn't finish drawing the plans in the Crater, and without a background of theory, what circuits I can remember are just so much junk."

"That leaves you the only person who does know, Pete." Abrams's regard of Koskinen was troubled. "Do you agree-if worst comes to worst, Vivienne should be able to silence you? Life as a permanent prisoner wouldn't be fun anyway."

"I guess so," Koskinen dragged out of himself.

"Not that I expect any such outcome," Abrams said less glumly. "In fact, things are looking up for us. Sit down and let's talk over our next move." He placed himself behind his desk, bridged his fingers, and considered for a space before he started:

"Our problem, as I see it, is this. We've got to keep the shield from falling into the wrong hands, yet use it as a bargaining counter to get our friends released and, if possible, to get Marcus out of office. The best way to work is through the President. If he can be convinced of the truth, and I think he can, he will act. After all, once the United States armed forces have shields-most especially, once our cities and other vulnerable points do-then the Protectorate won't need very tight controls over the rest of the world. If MS can't actually be abolished, it can at least be sharply reduced hi size and function. That will please the libertarians and the economy-minded hi Congress, without offending too much those who make a fetish of national security.

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