"Good morning, Jim." "The man you're looking at is Karl Vandaam, the European tycoon whose overextended industrial empire is on the verge of financial collapse." "In order to raise ready cash," "Vandaam has masterminded the theft of enough plutonium-240 to manufacture a hydrogen bomb, which he intends to sell to the highest bidder." "If an aggressive small nation should purchase and use this weapon, it could lead to World War III." "Your mission, Jim, should you decide to accept it, is to recover the plutonium and put Vandaam out of business." "As always, should you or any of your IM Force be caught or killed, the secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions." "This tape will self-destruct in five seconds." "Good luck, Jim." "These are the men who will be bidding for the bomb." "Ervil Kura." "His bodyguard, Marko." "General Wo Lien Te and his associate, Dr. Liu." "And this is General Castillo, whose place you'll be taking, Rollin." "Any chance of the real Castillo showing up?" "No, his airplane will develop engine trouble." "Then for some reason, his radio will go out, and the people he'll encounter will be quite stubborn about his leaving." "Any possibility of help from the government of Vandaam's country?" "No, we can't take a chance, Willy." "They don't have nuclear weapons." "We don't know what they might do if they get possession of a hydrogen bomb." "Now, are you set, Barney?" "Yes, I am, Jim." "But I'll need all the time I can get." "Both of those elevator shafts are coated with grease, and the light beam alarm system around the bomb means I'll have to work very slowly." "Yes, I know." "Rollin, Cinnamon, you'll have to make certain that the bidding is active and prolonged." "We'll stall all we can, Barney." "All right, Barney, here's your appointment with Vandaam Industries to show them your new invention." "Morning." "I have an appointment with Patent Purchasing." "Open the case, please." "What's all this?" "You'll find out if and after Vandaam Industries buys the patents on it." "Seventh Floor." "Room 706." "Thank you." "And there is your receipt for a $3 million deposit." "Thank you, Mr. Helm." "Thank you, Mr. Collins." "And if there is any service the Helm Bank can perform, be sure..." "Yes, as a matter of fact, there is." "Early this morning, a Mr. Ervil Kura made a very large deposit here." "In cash, correct?" "You know, a banker can not divulge this sort of information without permission, Mr. Collins." "Yes, of course, but you can use the good offices of the bank to arrange a meeting between Mr. Kura and me." "Yes, yes." "Will Mr. Kura know your name?" "I don't think he'll care." "You have my permission to tell him that I represent a company that just deposited $3 million, in cash." "To keep Vandaam Industries solvent, I must clear at least 4 million." "That is a great deal of money for a product that costs less than $600,000." "Thorgen, anybody can make the workings of a thermonuclear device." "Newsstand science magazines have carried the basic schematic for a hydrogen bomb." "But small nations cannot afford the billions it costs to produce a fissionable isotope." "The plutonium is what they are buying and I am the only supplier." "I'm Mr. Collins." "I believe the bank called about me." "Mr. Collins, Ervil Kura." "Mr. Kura." "Mr. Collins." "And what company do you represent?" "I represent a company willing to put $3 million at your disposal." "Dr. Elizabeth Norris." " How do you do?" " Doctor." "Ph. D. I'm a physicist." "And Mr. Davis, my associate." "And what is your business with me?" "Frankly, Mr. Kura, my company would like to see your country get the bomb." "What bomb?" "The one we calculate that you could buy for $6 million." "Your 3 million plus our 3 million." "My company has excellent intelligence." "Yes." "But why should your company be so generous to us?" "Generosity isn't involved." "We own certain very valuable oil rights in your country as well as in some countries bordering yours." "In case there's a war in your part of the world, we wanna be sure who is the winner." "We would, of course, expect certain guarantees." "That is reasonable." "And the young lady, where does she fit in?" "Her expertise will protect our investment." "The bidding will be closed." "That is, you will submit sealed written bids, in American dollars." "As understood, the raises, no smaller than 100,000." "Payment to be in cash." "Paid at the conclusion of the sale." "Transportation to be supplied by the buyer." "Any questions?" "May we see the item now?" "Of course." "This way." "This way, please." "As you can see, the fuselage is a very fine magnesium alloy." "Why not U-238 in the fuselage?" "Weight." "You mean expense." "A U-238 isotope is the most efficient means of producing radioactivity after fission." "Doctor, many consider a clean bomb preferable to a dirty one." "Nonsense." "You're quite right, my dear lady." "What we are buying here is death." "This instrument should provide the greatest amount of it." "When I lift out the casing, you need not fear radioactivity." "For purposes of easy disassembly and shipment, we have constructed the implosion casing so it would act as a radiation shield." "I suppose you're prepared to demonstrate" " that there is plutonium in there." " Of course." "Excuse me." "We initiate fission in the conventional manner." "The plutonium sphere is hollow." "When the weapon is detonated, the implosion compresses the sphere to form the critical mass." "You are now looking at the highest grade military plutonium in the world." "So we have been led to believe." "Thorgen." " How many megatons?" " Only two." "Still it's 100 times the power of Hiroshima." " What about fusing?" " Your choice." "Proximity, infrared, time, impact, whatever you wish." "All in all, admirable." "I suggest we get on with our business." "Very well." "Doctor." "If you are ready, gentlemen, your bids please." "This time the high bid stands at 3-and-a-quarter million dollars." "The bid was made by General Wo Lien Te." "Take a moment for discussion, then I will accept further bids." "Mr. Kura." "The capability of the device is all that was represented." "It's an excellent piece of hardware." "I can recommend that you go all the way." "High bid now stands at 4-and-a-half million dollars." "From General Castillo." "Gentlemen, I assume you are prepared to continue." "You will pardon us for a moment, please." "We have reached our set limit." "However, I would like to propose a recess so that we can consult our government." " Well..." " Absolutely not." "If they cannot bid, let them drop out." "Correct." "The ground rules have been agreed upon." "Can you give us any assurance that you will top the general's bid?" "May I see your specifications again?" "Of course." "My clipboard." "I must have left it downstairs." "Excuse me." "I will be back in just a minute." "Just a moment." "We've all seen the bomb." "Why are we worried about specifications again?" "We're talking about a great deal of money, general." "Yes, I know." "Money which you don't seem to have." "Mr. Vandaam, are we or are we not entitled to see those specifications?" "Get them, Thorgen." "If there is any further delay, I will withdraw my bid." "Mr. Kura?" "My bid stands." "It's only courtesy, general." "Get the specifications, Thorgen." "Security, this is Thorgen." "Close down the building." "Let no one in or out." "Understand?" "No one." "Of course, Thorgen." "I'll be right down." "If you'll excuse me for only a moment." "Mr. Vandaam, there's been enough delay." "Whatever this is can wait." "I'm sorry, it'll only be a moment." "I'll be right back." "Mr. Vandaam." "You were right." "Somebody got into the conduit through the elevator shaft." "There are signs he got out the same way." "That's a long climb." "He must still be in the building somewhere." "Security, Vandaam here." "A floor-by-floor search." "But quietly." "That's absolutely essential." " Put it back into the bomb." " But it is useless." " I know." "Put it back!" " But if they find out?" "The casings are identical, aren't they?" " As far as I can tell, yes." " All right, then." "Catch the thief." "Get the plutonium." "But I can't take a chance on losing that money." "Useless or not, Thorgen, we are going to sell this bomb." " Collins here." " Jim, trouble." "I've got the core but they know it's gone." "They've closed the building and I'm quite sure they've started searching." "I can't move now." "I have to get to the bank according to plan." "Now, listen, Barney, I'm gonna call Cinnamon." " Where are you now?" " Empty office, 704." "704." "All right, here's what you do." "Go back to the tower elevator shaft." "Then..." "Again, I am sorry." "We may now resume." " Here are the specifications, doctor." " Thank you." "Have you two gentlemen decided?" "We are prepared to make one more bid." "Very good." "Gentlemen." "Here." "This name." "He never arrived at Patent Purchasing." "High bid now stands at four and one half million dollars from General Castillo." "Search the offices." "Vandaam here." "One moment." "For you, Dr. Norris." "Yes." "Yes, Mr. Collins." "Yes, we're still bidding." "Yes, I have a moment." "Look on top of that car." "You, search that shaft." "High bid now stands at $6 million submitted by Mr. Kura." "Do you care to submit a further bid, General Castillo?" "No." "Enjoy it." "You may take delivery as soon as I have the cash." "There you are, Mr. Collins, $3 million." "Thank you, Mr. Helm." "Come in." "Hello, Mr. Marko." "Very good." "You know Mr. Davis." "Well, let me congratulate you on your success." "Thank you for meeting me so promptly, Mr. Collins." "Not at all." "I have your money right here." "Thank you." "Are you ready for me, Mr. Helm?" "We were ready as soon as you called." "Send in Mr. Kura's money." "Thorgen, make arrangements for the transfer." "Yes, Mr. Vandaam." "Just one moment please, Mr. Thorgen." "We should check the bomb again." "Is it necessary?" "No, Dr. Norris." "You've seen it." "You've paid for it." "Now take it." "Is there some reason that I shouldn't see it again?" " Of course not." " Then I'd like to see it, if I may." "You're welcome, of course." "But I can assure you it's a complete waste of time." " Mr. Kura, I..." " Yes, yes, of course, Mr. Vandaam." "But now I would like to see it again." "As you wish." "Excuse me, I've left my bag." "What specifically did you want to see, doctor?" "Everything." "The implosion casing." "Remove it, please." "I do not understand." "Mr. Thorgen, you know that is the only thing of value in this entire mechanism." " Yes, but..." " What is the problem?" "No problem, but she has examined it before." "And she wishes to examine it again." "As do I." "May I, Mr. Thorgen?" "Is anything wrong, Dr. Norris?" "Yes." "I don't think this is the same casing." "That's nonsense, doctor." "I would like to reconfirm the presence of plutonium." " Doctor, you're wasting time." " Am I?" "With $6 million at stake?" "I would advise you to reconfirm the plutonium before taking delivery." " Test it." " I'd be happy to, but it's unnecessary." "Test it." "I will, Mr. Kura." "All right, then." "Never mind." "There is no plutonium in there." "It's been stolen." "By whom?" "What thief could possibly break through this alarm system?" "There's a conduit up here." "He came through the elevator shaft, then down from the fixture." " When did you find this out?" " From Thorgen." "When he came back for his clipboard." "And called you down." "And then you came back and allowed us to continue bidding." "The plutonium." "I don't have it." "Just give us a little time." "The thief's still in the building." "It's only a matter of minutes until we get him." "That is fine." "In the meantime, I would like to have the $6 million in my possession." "What Mr. Vandaam is telling you is the truth." "Let me call security." "You will call no one." "Open the safe." "If you'll just wait, I'll deliver both the plutonium and the bomb." "The money, Mr. Vandaam." "Where is the money?" "I don't understand." "I believe you do, Mr. Vandaam." "I believe that this was a swindle from the very beginning." "Now, I want the money." "I tell you, I don't have it." "We've searched the whole building." "Let me see that." " Mr. Vandaam's been shot." " Where is he?" " In his office." " Stay here." "No one leaves." "That includes her." "Come on." " I feel very weak." " Come and sit down." "I'm terribly sorry." "That's all right." "You'll feel better in a minute." "Thank you."