Him? Tanner felt a pang of jealousy. “I understand. Then tomorrow night we’ll—”
“No, I can’t tomorrow. Why don’t we make it Monday?”
She was going to spend the weekend with whoever it was. Tanner hung up, worried and frustrated.
MONDAY NIGHT, PRINCESS apologized. “I’m sorry about the weekend, darling. It’s just that this is an old friend who came to town to see me.”
Into Tanner’s mind flashed a picture of Princess’s beautiful apartment. There was no way she could afford that on a salary. “Who is he?”
“I’m sorry. I can’t tell you his name. He’s—he’s too well known and he doesn’t like publicity.”
“Are you in love with him?”
She took Tanner’s hand and said softly, “Tanner, I’m in love with you. And only you.”
“Is he in love with you?”
She hesitated. “Yes.”
Tanner thought: I have to find a way to give her everything she wants. I can’t lose her.
THE NEXT DAY, at 4:58 A.M., Andrew Kingsley was awakened by the sound of his ringing telephone.
“I have a call for you from Sweden. Hold on, please.”
A moment later, a voice with a slight Swedish accent said: “Congratulations, Mr. Kingsley. The Nobel Committee has chosen you to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics for this year, for your innovative work in nanotechnology…”
The Nobel Prize! When the conversation was over, Andrew hurriedly dressed and went straight to his office. The minute Tanner arrived, Andrew rushed to tell his brother the news.
Tanner threw his arms around him. “The Nobel! That’s wonderful, Andrew! Wonderful!”
And it was. Because now all of Tanner’s problems were about to be solved.
Five minutes later, Tanner was talking to Princess. “Do you see what this means, darling? Now that Kingsley Group has a Nobel Prize, we can get all the business we can handle. I’m talking about big government contracts and huge corporations. I’ll be able to give you the world.”
“That’s fabulous, darling.”
“Will you marry me?”
“Tanner, I want to marry you more than anything in the world.”
When Tanner replaced the receiver, he was euphoric. He hurried into his brother’s office. “Andrew, I’m getting married.”
Andrew looked up and said warmly, “That’s good news. When is the wedding?”
“We’ll set it up soon. The whole staff will be invited.”
WHEN TANNER WENT into his office the following morning, Andrew was waiting for him. He was wearing a boutonniere.
“What’s that for?”
Andrew grinned. “I’m getting ready for your wedding. I’m so happy for you.”
“Thank you, Andrew.”
The news spread quickly. Since the wedding had not been officially announced, no one said anything to Tanner, but there were knowing looks and smiles.
TANNER WENT INTO his brother’s office. “Andrew, with the Nobel, everybody will be coming to us. And with the prize money—”
Andrew interrupted. “With the prize money, we can afford to hire more people to send to Eritrea and Uganda.”
Tanner said slowly, “But you’re going to use this award to build up this business, aren’t you?”
Andrew shook his head. “We’re doing just what we set out to do, Tanner.”
Tanner looked at his brother a long moment. “It’s your company, Andrew.”
TANNER TELEPHONED HER as soon as he had made his decision. “Princess, I have to go to Washington on business. You may not hear from me for a day or two.”
She said teasingly, “No blondes, brunettes, or redheads.”
“No chance. You’re the only woman in the world I’m in love with.”
“And I’m in love with you.”
THE FOLLOWING MORNING, Tanner Kingsley was at the Pentagon, meeting with the army chief of staff, General Alan Barton.
“I thought your proposal was very interesting,” General Barton said. “We were discussing whom we were going to use for the test.”
“Your test involves micro-nanotechnology, and my brother just got a Nobel Prize for his work in it.”
“We are well aware of that.”
“He is so excited about this that he would like to do it pro bono.”
“We’re flattered, Mr. Kingsley. We don’t have many Nobel laureates offering their services.” He looked up to make sure the door was closed. “This is top secret. If it works, it’s going to be one of the most important components of our armament. Molecular nanotechnology can give us control of the physical world at the level of individual atoms. Until now, efforts to make chips even smaller than they are have been blocked by the electron interference called ‘cross talk,’ when electrons are uncontrolled. If this experiment is successful, it will give us significant new defense weapons and attack weapons.”
Tanner said, “There’s no danger to this experiment, is there? I don’t want anything to happen to my brother.”
“You need not worry. We will send over all the equipment you need, including the safe suits and two of our scientists to work with your brother.”
“Then we have a go-ahead?”
“You have a go-ahead.”
On his way back to New York, Tanner thought, Now all I have to do is convince Andrew.
Chapter 17
ANDREW WAS IN his office, looking at a colorful booklet that the Nobel Committee had sent him, along with a note: “We’re looking forward to your arrival.” There were pictures of the huge Stockholm concert hall, with the audience applauding a Nobel laureate as he walked across the stage to receive his award from King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden. And soon I’ll be up there, Andrew thought.
The door opened and Tanner walked in. “We have to talk.”
Andrew set the booklet aside. “Yes, Tanner?”
Tanner took a deep breath. “I’ve just committed Kingsley Group to assist the army in an experiment they’re conducting.”
“You what?”
“The test involves cryogenics. They need your help.”
Andrew shook his head. “No. I can’t get involved in that, Tanner. This isn’t the sort of thing we’re doing here.”
“This isn’t about money, Andrew. This is about the defense of the United States of America. It’s very important to the army. You’d be doing this for your country. Pro bono. They need you.”
Tanner spent another hour persuading him. Finally, Andrew gave in. “All right. But this is the last time we get off the track, Tanner. Agreed?”
Tanner smiled. “Agreed. I can’t tell you how proud I am of you.”
HE CALLED PRINCESS and left a message on her voice mail. “I’m back, darling. We have a very important experiment coming up. I’ll call you when it’s over. I love you.”
TWO ARMY TECHNICIANS arrived to brief Andrew on the progress they had made so far. Andrew had been reluctant at first, but as they discussed the project, Andrew became more and more excited. If the problems could be solved, it would be a major breakthrough.
An hour later, Andrew watched as an army truck drove through the gates of Kingsley Group, escorted by two army staff cars, carrying armed soldiers. He went out to meet the colonel in charge of the cadre.
“Here it is, Mr. Kingsley. What do we do with it?”
“I’ll handle it from here,” Andrew said. “Just unload it and we’ll take over.”
“Yes, sir.” The colonel turned to two soldiers standing at the rear of the truck. “Let’s unload it. And be careful. I mean very careful.”
The men reached inside the truck and gingerly brought out a small, heavy-duty metallic carrying case.
Within minutes, two staff assistants were carrying the case into a laboratory, under Andrew’s supervision.
“On that table,” he said, “very gently.” He watched as they set it down. “Fine.”
“One of us could have carried it. It’s very light.”
“You wouldn’t believe how heavy it is,” Andrew told them.
The two assistants looked at him, puzzled. “What?”
Andrew shook his head. “Never mind.”
Two expert chemists, Perry Stanford and Harvey Walker, had been selected to work on the project with Andrew.
The two men had already donned the heavy protective suits that were required for the experiment.
“I’ll get suited up,” Andrew said. “Be right back.”
He walked down the corridor to a closed door and opened it. Inside were racks holding full chemical gear resembling space suits, along with gas masks, goggles, special shoes, and heavy gloves.
Andrew walked into the room to put on his suit, and Tanner was there to wish him luck.
WHEN ANDREW RETURNED to the laboratory, Stanford and Walker were waiting. The three men meticulously sealed the room so that it was airtight, then carefully secured the door. They could all feel the excitement in the air.
“All set?”
Stanford nodded. “Ready.”
Walker said, “Ready.”
“Masks.”
They donned their protective gas masks.
“Let’s begin,” Andrew said. He cautiously lifted the lid from the metallic box. Inside were six small vials fitted snugly into protective cushions. “Be careful,” he warned. “These genies are two hundred twenty-two degrees below zero.” His voice was muffled by the gas mask.
Stanford and Walker watched as Andrew gently lifted the first vial and opened it. It began hissing, and steam rising from the vial turned into a freezing cloud that seemed to saturate the room.