"I believe I will!"
Steinke's face appeared again on the screen. "Harper and Erickson are here, chief."
"I'm busy.
"They are pretty urgent about seeing you."
"Oh… all right," King said in a tired voice. "Show them in. It doesn't matter."
They breezed in, Harper in the van. He commenced talking at once, oblivious to the Superintendent's morose preoccupation. "We've got it, chief, we've got it — and it all checks out to the umpteenth decimal!"
"You've got what? Speak English."
Harper grinned. He was enjoying his moment of triumph, and was stretching it out to savor it. "Chief, do you remember a few weeks back when I asked for an additional allotment — a special one without specifying how I was going to spend it?"
"Yes. Come on — get to the point."
"You kicked at first, but finally granted it. Remember? Well, we've got something to show for it, all tied up in pink ribbon. It's the greatest advance in radioactivity since Hahn split the nucleus. Atomic fuel, chief, atomic fuel, safe, concentrated, and controllable. Suitable for rockets, for power plants, for any damn thing you care to use it for."