Nuclear Reaction by Don Pendleton

Author:Don Pendleton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Worldwide Library
Published: 2013-12-26T16:00:00+00:00

14

Colonel Dalal was standing at his desk when Gazsi stepped into his office, following the officer who served as Dalal’s secretary and receptionist. The colonel offered nothing in the way of salutation, simply waved his aide out of the room and waited for the door to close behind him as he left. Gazsi felt like an insect in a jar, being examined by a captor who had not decided whether he should be dissected or released.

“You’ve come at a bad time,” Dalal said finally.

“I understand, sir. My request to see you was commanded by Deputy Minister Shabou and Dr. Jamsheed Mehran. If you would prefer that I not stay—”

“Sit down!” the colonel ordered gruffly. “I have no time at the moment for dramatics or for backroom politics.”

As Gazsi settled on a straight, uncomfortable chair, Dalal asked him, “You’ve heard about the latest incident?”

“Yes, sir. A tragedy. For you to lose so many men—”

“Men and equipment,” Dalal said, correcting him. “So far, seventy-nine men, three jeeps and two trucks damaged or destroyed. It’s curious about the weapons, though, I grant you.”

“Curious in what sense, sir?”

“That they were left behind, of course.” Dalal dropped back into his seat behind the desk, glaring. “You said you knew about these incidents.”

“In general, that is. I mean to say—”

“Bandits or rebels should have made off with the guns and ammunition,” Dalal said, forging ahead. “Would they leave nearly eighty rifles on the field, with handguns and a heavy machine gun? Ridiculous!”

“If I may ask, sir, in that case…what is your theory?”

“Theory?” The very word appeared to irritate Dalal. “I’m not employed to theorize. I deal in facts. My men were killed, their weapons left behind. Therefore, the men who killed them have no need of weapons. They are well prepared.”

“Perhaps a small group,” Gazsi offered. “Very small, in fact, with no real growth potential.”

“Small? How small?” Dalal demanded.

“I would just be theorizing, Colonel.”

“Then, by all means, do so!”

“As you’re well aware, there is apparently a small but dedicated group of individuals committed to disrupting Dr. Mehran’s project.”

“Ohm?” Dalal replied. “The academics?”

“I believe—and, may I add, Deputy Minister Shabou appears to share my feelings in this matter—that we may have underestimated their potential for disruption. Since the woman was discovered—”

“In your laboratory,” Dalal said. “Under your very nose.”

“Since then, I have been forced to reconsider my original judgment of Ohm and its members. This Darius Pahlavi, for example—”

“Oh, you want to talk about Pahlavi?” Dalal interrupted. “The last group of soldiers I lost were assigned to retrieve him. Or, rather, to frighten his friends and relatives until they betrayed him. The captain, it seems, was a negligent fool. I may have to award him a medal, to whitewash his failure.”

“Colonel—”

“And now, I suppose, you want more of my soldiers to help do your job for you?”

“Sir, I am here, as I said—”

“On the orders of others. I know.” Dalal sneered. “If it weren’t for those others, you’d never get past the front gate. May I tell you something, in confidence? Just between us?”

Stiffly, Gazsi replied, “Of course, Colonel.

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