"And you will grant us an extension?"
"I'm not sure. There is nothing, at the moment, that justifies one." Rex pondered. "Yet there are strong indications—"
The President waited. Rex gave his decision. "I will withhold judgment for five years. At the end of that time, I will contact you again. My judgment will then rest on what progress you have made in the interim."
"But I am only one man!"
"A powerful man. And I am very much afraid the fate of the planet lies with you and your nation."
The President arose from his chair. Rex did likewise. The President said, "I will go personally to the United Nations—all together the heads of all the nations—"
Rex shook his head. "I'm sorry. I can allow no such deviation from the channel of your present efforts. Telling your world of this meeting would put it in the nature of a threat. Thus, any results achieved would come through fear of punishment and would not be permanent."
"There is one more point. Mine is an elective office. I may not be in the President's chair five years from now."
Rex considered gravely. "I see. In that case, one of two things will happen, depending upon the man in your present office and the sincerity of his efforts."
"And they are—?"