He pushed in, slapping a rolled newspaper in his palm. "Action, Professor."
"The district attorney has indicted you?" I asked hopefully.
"He's not even indicted you, Venetti. No, I got a feeler on this plant in the Times."
I shook my head. "The government will take over the invention, no matter what the public wants."
"The public? Who cares about the public? The Arcivox corporation wants this machine of yours. They have their agents tracing the plant now. They will go from the columnist to his legman to my man and finally to you. Won't be long before they get here. An hour maybe."
"Arcivox makes radios and TV sets. What do they want with the Expendables?"
"Opening up a new appliance line with real innovations. I hear they got a new refrigerator. All open. Just shelves—no doors or sides. They want a revolutionary garbage disposal too."
"Do you own stock in the company? Is that how you know?"
"I own stock in a competitor. That's how I know," Carmen informed me. "Listen, Professor, you can sell to Arcivox and still keep control of the patents through a separate corporation. And I'll give you 49% of its stock."
This was Carmen's idea of a magnanimous offer for my invention. It was a pretty good offer—49% and my good health.