"Yes. He's been doing some research for the Inter-Planetary Mining Syndicate. We've assigned a special wave band and are in constant communication. Here, I'll introduce you."
Wargan set the dials on the visi-communicator that occupied one corner of his desk; then looked up at the screen on the wall. A blurred rectangle of light flickered and then coalesced into sharpness—and Roger Kay involuntarily drew a deep breath. The girl looking out from the visi-screen was the most beautiful he'd ever seen.
"Is your father making progress, Miss North?" asked Wargan.
The girl in the screen shook her head. "I'm afraid not, Mr. Wargan. He's in the lab now, working, and won't let me disturb him except to bring in coffee and sandwiches. I've been trying to get him to sleep."
"This is Roger Kay, Miss North," said the S.B.I. chief. "One of my assistants. I'm sending him out to your place to see if he can help."
Ann North frowned slightly. "We're doing everything we possibly can already."
"I'm sure of that. But Mr. Kay is rather outstanding as a scientist himself, Miss North. He'll be able to help—at least in some of the detail work, to save time."
Roger Kay grinned. "He means, Miss North, that I can clean the test tubes and solder the wires and let your father save his energy for the brain-work."
His smile was infectious, and the scientist's daughter capitulated. Wargan flicked the switch and threw the screen into blankness.
"I'll give you an order for the fastest helio we have," he said. "You'll be there in three hours. And that means there will be a little less than three days left!"