"Not so useful," Walton said. "I was on to him. If you hadn't killed him, I would have had to handle the job myself. You saved me the trouble."
"My, my! Getting ruthless, aren't we!"
"When the occasion demands," Walton said.
"Fair enough. We'll play the same way." Fred's eyes narrowed. "You recall our conversation in the Bronze Room the other day, Roy?"
"Vividly."
"I've called to ask for your decision," Fred said. "One way or the other."
Walton was caught off guard. "But you said I had a week's grace!"
"The period has been halved," Fred said. "We now see it's necessary to accelerate things."
"Tell me what you want me to do. Then I'll give you my answer."
"It's simple enough. You're to resign in my favor. If it's not done by nightfall tomorrow, we'll find it necessary to release the Lamarre serum. Those are our terms, and don't try to bargain with me."