But his mood was changing to match Karin's. His lean, firm-jawed features were turning serious. Tension tightened his powerful body.
"It must be important, Case," Karin said. "They're using your code call. They wouldn't do that unless it was urgent."
He listened to the tick of the machine. Unless you knew, it sounded only like the regular ticking that told the machine was in operation. But there were little breaks here and there. It was for him.
Three long strides took him to the machine. His deft fingers flicked switches, brought a glow to the video tubes.
"Case Damon," he said softly. "Come in, Washington."
It was Cranly's face that filled the screen. But a Cranly Case barely recognized. The man had aged ten years in the last three days. His voice was desperate.
"Good grief, man! Where've you been? Get down here fast. But fast!"
"Listen, Cranly. I'm on my honeymoon. Or have you forgotten? Remember three days ago you were best man at a wedding? Well, the fellow at the altar was Case Damon."
That should have gotten a smile out of Cranly. But it didn't. He was even a little angry now.
"This is an order, Case! I'm giving you the honor of being the first non-official person to know about it. Supreme Emergency Mobilization and Evacuation Order. New York was blasted out of existence an hour ago!"