He was a small man with a big brief case. He spoke slowly, earnestly,
backing up his statements with reams of paper from the brief case. The
Defense Department had not contacted Johnny right away, he said, because
they wanted to compile all the facts. They had all the facts now.
Johnny Sloman could be the biggest single factor for peace the world had
ever known.
Item. In the event of aggression, he could so bog down the aggressor's
supply lines and troop movements with continuous rains and snowstorms
that it would be all but impossible for the aggressor to maintain
hostilities.
Item. In the event that such tactical weather-war failed, he could cause
a drought in the aggressor's food-producing regions, forcing the
aggressor to surrender or face starvation.
Item. He could always, conversely, see to it that the defensive force's
supply lines were never hampered by the weather and that the
precipitation over the defensive country's breadbasket was ideal.
Item. He could render aggressor communication difficult with heavy fog
and/or icy roads.
Item. He could cover defensive troop movements with low, dense clouds.
In short, concluded the Under-Secretary, Johnny Sloman could be a
one-man world police-force practically guaranteeing peace. He stopped
talking. He looked at Johnny. His eyes said, the call of duty is clear.
Harry Bettis said, "Well, thank you for your time, Mr. Secretary.
Naturally, we'll think about what you said."
"Think about it!" gasped the Under-Secretary. "Think about it!"
"My client is a busy man--the busiest man in his field," Harry Bettis
said.
The Under-Secretary smiled bleakly. "The only man in his field, you
mean. That's why we need him."
"We'll send you a report in a few weeks," Harry said indifferently,
"after we've had an opportunity to study the situation."
"But, Harry--" Johnny began.
"Johnny," Harry said. He did not have to finish the statement. It had
happened before--"Johnny, I've made you a tremendous success. I'm your
manager, aren't I? Let's leave it that way."
"If Johnny thinks he ought to help--" Jo-Anne said.
"Now, Jo-Anne," Harry Bettis scolded, and led the Under-Secretary to the
door.
* * * * *
Three days later, the assistant chief of the F.B.I. came to see them.
"We regret this, Sloman," he said.
"You regret what?" Harry Bettis asked.
"Defense allowed a report on its findings out. That was unwise. We'll
have to give you around-the-clock protection, Sloman."
"Protection from what?" Johnny wanted to know.
"Enemy agents. The enemy is desperate. At all costs, according to their
intelligence reports, they're out to get you."
"Get him?" said Harry Bettis. "You mean, kill him?"
"I mean, get him. Get him on their side. Because everything Johnny could
do for the forces of peace and democracy, he could be made to do for
the forces of aggression. You see?"
"Yes," said Johnny.
"No," said Harry Bettis. "This sounds like a government trick--to make
Johnny go to work. To make him think it's his patriotic duty--"
"Well," said Jo-Anne sharply, "isn't it?"
Harry Bettis smiled. "When he gets as big as Universal Motors, he can
become patriotic."
"Mr. Sloman," the assistant F.B.I. chief said, "they will either try to
kidnap you outright, or work on you through someone you love. Therefore,
our bodyguards--"
"Well, let them keep their distance, that's all," Bettis said. "Bad for
business. Nobody wants enemy agents hanging around."
"That's your final decision?" the F.B.I. man asked.
"Well--" began Johnny.
"Yes, it's our final decision," said Harry Bettis, showing the F.B.I.
man to the door.
"I don't think you should have done that," Johnny said after he had
gone.
"You just make the weather, Johnny-boy. I'll take care of business."
"Well--" said Johnny.
"Johnny!" cried Jo-Anne. "Oh, Johnny! Why don't you act like a man?" And
she ran from the room, slamming the door.
After that, Johnny didn't see her again.
She was gone.
Really gone, for certain, not simply walking off in a huff.
Two weeks later, Johnny got the letter--unofficial--from the Enemy.
* * * * *
The F.B.I. was sympathetic, but the Chief said, "You can understand, Mr.
Sloman, how our hands are tied. It is not an official letter. We can't
prove anything. We don't doubt it for a minute, of course. The cold war
enemy has kidnapped your fiancee and taken her to their motherland.
But--we can't prove it. Not being able to prove it, we can't do a thing
about it. You're aware, of course, of how readily the rest of the world
condemns our actions. Not that they wouldn't be on our side if we could
prove that this kidnap letter was the real thing, but you realize we
won't be able to prove it at all."
"Oh," said Johnny. He went home. He saw Harry Bettis, who said he was
shocked. The note read:
Mr. Johnny Sloman:
We have Miss Jo-Anne Davis here in the motherland. The only way she
can live a normal life here is if you join her and work for us. We
believe you know what the other kind of life is like here.