A wire couldn't have jerked him erect any quicker. "Power!" he repeated. "Sixteen thousand...." A gleam entered his blood-shot eyes. "By the Lord Harry! And for what, may I ask?"
I could feel my pulse racing and a hot flush sweep over me, but outwardly I knew I appeared cool.
"If your Research Bureau here believes there is no cure for the plague, the Council has different ideas," I said. "We're going to try an experiment. Sixteen thousand graphlos of polarated power at each of the seven cities discharged along a common beam with a step-up transformer between each city. Gargan—he's the new light-ray man in the Council—believes the radiation from such a charge will completely nullify the potency of the plague bacillus."
The Commissioner moved to the edge of his chair. He poured himself a glass of the lavender-colored liquor, drank it and wiped his mouth. "By the Lord Harry," he said, "you're no inspector. Who the hell are you?"
"You have my papers."
He picked them up again and re-read them carefully. I watched him. I could feel something cold move up and down my spine. And then with a wave of relief I saw the first signs of credulity.
"I believe you mean it," he said. "Tell me, do you really think there's a chance, an escape from this double-damned plague?"
"There's a possibility, but of course it's remote and only in the embryonic stage. Of course you understand all this is confidential. Now—where is your power switchboard?"
He touched a bell, said something into a microphone. Then he got up and extended his hand. "Follow the corridor, Mr. Dulfay. And may Providence go with you."
Outside the office, reaction seized me, and for a moment I swayed there, aware of the terrific strain I had been under. The first barrier was passed. From now on, although there still would be plenty of danger, my actions for the most part would be routine. I threw away my cheroot and headed down the corridor.