"I might have guessed that." Harvey watched a while at the window, then turned back. "Okay, everybody, masks out of sight."
There was a pause; a sound on the outside step. Then into the doorway walked Carsing. His hand made a swift motion inside his coat and out again.
The squat, ugly barrel of an explosive scatter-gun glinted at them.
"Everybody back against the wall," Carsing said. "Colonel Baker doesn't want to be crowded."
Slowly, tensely, staring at each other, they moved to the wall opposite the doorway. Baker walked in. His eyes made a quick circuit of the room, stopped briefly at the box, then turned to them.
"What's the gun for?" Harvey said bitterly.
Baker smiled. "You didn't trust me, hence I didn't trust you. Mistrust begets mistrust. Now, gentlemen," he said briskly, "explain this invention you told me about."
"Before we do any explaining, we want you to know what we want."
"Go right ahead." Baker pulled a chair to the doorway and sat down. "Name your price."