On Monday morning Swift Enterprises hummed with excitement. A throng of newsmen, press photographers, and television cameramen crowded the stand as Tom displayed the gleaming, new, scarlet atomicar and explained its operation.
“Sorry that I can’t reveal the details of my atomic power plant,” Tom told them. “However, it provides a smooth flow of power to a small electric motor at each wheel, without any need for a bulky or complicated transmission.”
Tom proceeded to describe each feature of his amazing new vehicle. The name of the present model, he concluded, was the Silent Streak.
Next came a test run of the atomicar. This included a breath-taking demonstration of its flying and hedgehopping abilities. Tom wound up by skimming the roof of the Administration Building in full view of his audience, as the stand
76 TRIPHIBIAN ATOMICAR
rocked with cheers and applause. Several of the newsmen, chosen by lot, were then allowed to try out the Silent Streak themselves.
“And now,” Tom announced over his public-address microphone, “I’d like to show you a new repelatron anticrash device, which will be standard equipment on all atomicars.
“The Silent Streak and a heavy truck,” he went on, “both operated by remote control, will be driven head-on toward each other at top speed.”
In the atomicar was a robot steering device for the test. One young reporter, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, broke into a loud guffaw. “Looks as if you don’t have much faith in your own invention, Swift!”
“What makes you think so?” Tom said.
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