The Sex War by Merwin Sam Jr

Author:Merwin, Sam Jr. [Merwin, Sam Jr.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction
Publisher: Beacon
Published: 1953-07-15T04:00:00+00:00

10

LARRY’S DRIVE back to the city that afternoon with Dan Bright was as silent as the drive out had been—but this time he was silent not because of his chauffeur’s ill humor but out of his own bewilderment. For the first time since Mayne Cornaman had stepped in and taken charge of his affairs he was actually frightened.

The great scientist, after announcing Larry was “it” had gone on to explain, as much to his colleagues as to Larry, “In some way this young man has stumbled into a soft spot, something close to the heart of this conspiracy we are trying to lick.”

Dean Whittaker had then put in, “But Mayne, I don’t see how this thesis of his could so upset them. After all, it’s hardly likely to get much publicity or even credence where it counts—outside of ourselves. The newspaper publicity attendant upon the Arlene Crady murder has forestalled that.”

“A good point, Phil,” Leon Brett had said quietly.

But Mayne Cornaman had smugly out-smiled their protests, had said finally, “I have a pretty solid hunch as to why they’re afraid of Larry—I’m not sure enough to tell even you but I’ll lay you any odds you want he’s closer to the core of this conspiracy than any of us. He’s the boy who’s going to find that headquarters.”

“But why me?” Larry had asked. “And how am I to do it?”

He had spent the rest of his stay at Dean Whittaker’s Long Island estate seeking the answers to those two questions—including a two-hour time-out while Mayne Cornaman devoured two lobsters stuffed with paté de foie gras, a huge tureen of petite marmite, an entire turkey complete with stuffing, and a quadruple baked Alaska for dessert.

Now, riding back to town, he had not the slightest idea whether in the course of his long briefing he had been given the answers or not. At one point in the proceeding he had, with some reluctance, confessed his call to Ned Tolman’s hotel. And Mayne Cornaman had simply beamed and nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world, had in fact seemed pleased.

“You must remember,” had been his parting admonition, “that you are the only one of us outside of myself —and that was years ago—who has actually driven our opponents to violent action. We have agreed that the material in your thesis is not a factor—or at any rate not the main factor—in causing this violence.

“Therefore, Larry, it must be something more personal. You are or have been operating close to the viscera of this conspiracy. As I have implied, I think I know in a general way where this soft spot lies. But I’m not sure —I don’t see the actual connection.”

“What do you want me to do again?” Larry had asked helplessly.

“Don’t go looking for them—and don’t avoid them,” the fat man had told him. “Be available, that’s all. And be careful, young man. You’re just about our only hope of a quick solution. Above all, keep your eyes open every waking minute, I have an idea the rest will take care of itself.

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