Gunther said, "Should I get in touch with Rykov? He's still over there."
Mayer hesitated. "No," he said. "We'll keep Nick informed but he ought to remain where he is. We'll still want our men in the basic positions of power after we've won."
"He might get hurt," Gunther scowled. "They might get him too, and we've only got six team members left now."
"Nonsense, Nick Rykov can take care of himself."
Jerry Kennedy was upset. "Are you sure about this war, chief? Isn't a conflict of this size apt to hold up our overall plans?"
"Of course not," Mayer scoffed. "Man makes his greatest progress under pressure. A major war will unite the nations of both the western continent and this one as nothing else could. Both will push their development to the utmost."
He added thoughtfully, "Which reminds me. It might be a good idea for us to begin accumulating interests in such industries as will be effected by a war economy."
Jerry Kennedy chuckled at him, "Merchant of death."
"What?"
"Nothing," Kennedy said. "Something I read about in a history book."