Dr. Albie came out of his office, an eyebrow raised questioningly.
"The work's all lined up," Benton explained. "Nothing to do but inspect, when they finish. Thought I'd relieve the monotony by looking at the puppet show."
He snapped on the set, and wasn't surprised to see the familiar face of a news commentator who wasn't due for several hours.
... there can be no doubt of it, he was saying, and it is certainly proof of the efficiency of the now non-existent Iron Curtain. No inkling of this action has reached the western world in spite of the fact that it must have been months in the making. Here Benton heard the eerie chuckle bubbling in his brain. The only mystery lies in the fact that the retired premier allowed the stratagem of rigging the Italian elections to go through, since he had intended to turn over the reins of government to the men now running the Eastern Alliance. Such a thing can only be accounted for by the rigid adherence which the retired premier gave to the plans for conquest laid down by his predecessor. He evidently expected the new government to continue with the same line; we can be thankful it didn't. Peace is now assured.
Dr. Albie's eyes were wide, and so was his mouth. For the moment, at least, he had forgotten his philosophy. Benton was intently watching the face on the screen, his own revealing nothing.
But whatever the reasons, the voice continued, it is too late to change policy back to what it has been. The acclaim of the peoples of the Eastern Alliance has been too great for any reversal to take place. They have shown their approval of the new elections to be held in Italy next week, but most of all they have rejoiced at the removal of the Iron Curtain and all it implies. It will now be possible for a subject of the Alliance to travel as he wishes, read what he wishes and listen to western broadcasts without having his set seized by the police and his life placed in jeopardy. Folks, we are entering a new era....
Dr. Albie came completely out of his shell. "Man!" he shouted. "This is history! If nothing happens to spoil it we'll have a world government in a matter of a few years.... Where are you going?"
Benton stopped and forced a smile which wasn't hard coming. "I just thought of something I forgot to tell the men. Be back shortly. This will require some talking over, but right now there's a job to be done."
The master physicist watched him leave the control room, his jaw slack. "And I thought I was the reserved one," he muttered.