Tycoonship was a status with which Everyone Who Mattered was always pleased.
Jason's next attempt on Lonnie had to wait until 2005 and was the result of two unconnected circumstances. The first was Physlab Nine's secretive genius, Moglaut, evolving another piece of equipment, a disarmer, which, subsequent to its first use, saved countless cops' lives. The second was the discovery in the Valley of Kings, of Amenhotep III's own personal official Uraeus. Positively identified beyond the shadow of doubt.
Jason, playing the hunch he'd built up about Lonnie, rushed a man, armed with the brand new disarmer, instantly to the scene.
The next morning, Amenhotep's Uraeus was gone and the corpse of Jason's man was found—part of it. The right hand, arm, shoulder, and most of the head were missing; burned away. And of the disarmer, only a fused hunk of mixed metals and silver helix remained.
And the analyzer reported zero data.
Lab Nine's taciturn and exasperating Moglaut failed to derive an explanation for either circumstance.
"I won't shut up," Jason said, standing on the carpet in front of his superior. "He did it. I don't know how, but he did."
Another spasm of frustration shook him and he slammed his fist down on the sacred desk. "I've known Lonnie all my life. I know he doesn't know phfut about anything scientific, and yet he makes a horse's—"
"Captain Jason, I insist that you stop referring to—"
"Makes a—" Jason raised his voice, "horse's—"