"What do you mean?"
"Do all the affiliated men have verbal contracts like me, or are some inked in black-and-white?"
"Most of the research men have verbal agreements."
"How about Mitchison?"
Barchet turned to peer at Harker. Raymond frowned and said, "Why Mitchison?"
"I'll be blunt," Harker said. "I'd like to bounce him. He does not seem very capable and he's awfully trigger-happy about releasing data on the project. If it's okay with you, I'd like to bring in a couple of the boys who handled my gubernatorial campaign. They—"
Interrupting icily, Barchet said, "It seems to me we have more than enough people of radical political affiliation working for us now. Anyone who handled a Nat-Lib campaign would be no asset to our work."
Harker goggled. "I was a Nat-Lib Governor! You hired me, and you think that two press-agents—"
"I might as well tell you," Barchet said. "You were hired over my positive objections, Mr. Harker. Your party happens to be the one in power, but it definitely does not represent the main ideological current of American enterprise. And if we succeed in our aims, I like to think it will be despite your presence on our team, not because of it."
"Huh? Who the hell—"