Mangler flexed his hands. "You can't play that game with us," he
snarled. "What do you want--more money?"
"I want my machine. It has just occurred to me that I know how to
exploit it for myself, in safety from my countrymen."
"Well, you can't back out of a contract that easily."
* * * * *
"This is a matter of business," Newton said softly, as he waved Mangler
aside. "Which comes under my jurisdiction. I'll handle it."
"All right, but don't let him get away with that machine."
"Business is business," smiled Newton. Then to Velikof, he said:
"Business is one of the things we Americans specialize in, you know."
"I see," said Velikof; "you want a profit."
"We want the machine!"
"This is my job, Howard." Newton nodded at Velikof. "Make me an offer."
"You have your original fifty thousand; I'll buy the machine back for
ten thousand."
"No."
"Twenty."
"No."
"Twenty-five."
"Hmm."
"Look, Newton, this is worth a lot more than that."
"Thirty."
"Make it fifty."
"Done!"
"Cash!"
Velikof went to the dresser drawer and took out a sheaf of bills. He
counted off fifty of them and handed them to Newton. "Now get out!" he
snapped.
"Oh, come now, let's be friends."
"So that he can see my machine and copy it? No!"
"Come on, Mangler. Let's go."
Newton led Mangler from the room. The elevator that came for them also
dropped six policemen who hurried up the hall. They were rapping on the
door as the elevator door closed.
"You're an imbecile," snapped Mangler. "I know what you're thinking;
that I could reproduce that machine. But I can't. I can't. And you've
sold it back for a measly fifty thousand. You're an imbecile. It's
worth millions."
"No, just fifty thousand," said Newton, waving his envelope.
"But Velikof will make millions--"
"He may have," chuckled Newton, "but not any more; the gentlemen in
uniform will see to that."
"What do you mean?"
"Mangler, I bow to your knowledge in matters scientific, but the
Commission put me in charge of business because you are incredibly
naive. A few years ago they were selling little doohickeys that printed
dollar bills. Ten days after Hiroshima, there were advertisements for
everything from atomic permanent waves to atomic patent pills. Develop
something new, and there will be ten sharpers making sucker-money out
of it."
"But what happened?"
Newton chuckled. "First, Velikof, who is a charlatan of the first
water, demonstrated a machine to me. I, a simple business man, was duly
impressed by the wonders of science. I agreed to buy this fabulous
gadget for fifty grand.
"Then," he continued cheerfully, "I mentioned it to you. You jeered,
and then finally went along with the gag so that you'd have the
splendid opportunity of watching me get clipped.
"And then again," he went on even more cheerfully, "the man who
knew it wouldn't work in the first place was convinced by a bit of
sleight-of-hand. There, Mangler, you did a fine job for me."