Arthur Clarke - Richter 10

“Could you see it?” Gideon said, holding his own glass out to Sumi. “We announce, in advance, a major disaster … save millions of lives and billions in property. The Yo-Yu people wouldn’t have a chance.”

“Unfortunately, Mr. President, I fear that precisely the opposite might happen,” Li said, catching Sumi by the arm. “We announce a major disaster, evacuate, shut down factories, protect inventory, only to have it never happen.”

“Bite your tongue,” Gideon said.

“Those are the stakes,” Li said. He turned from the President to Crane, his sober expression changing chameleonlike to one of warm affability. “Is Sumi working out to your satisfaction, Dr. Crane?”

Crane and Sumi shared a smile. “Sumi Chan is the best overseer a project could ask for,” Crane replied. “He’s on site most of the time, understands the priorities, and writes the checks accordingly. A first-rate associate.”

“Excellent,” Li said, smiling broadly. He put an arm around Sumi. “Liang Int could use more men like Sumi. You know, doctor, I’m fascinated by your globe. I have one, too.”

“I’ve heard,” Crane said. “You’ll have to show me sometime.”

Li laughed. “I’m afraid that would be impossible. Regulations, you know.”

“Of course. Sumi, President Gideon seems to have emptied his glass.”

“We can’t have that,” Sumi said, bringing the bottle around to give Gideon a refill. “At the Foundation, no glasses are allowed to go empty.”

Gideon nodded happily. He seemed loose and comfortable, his bodyguards, too, at ease. He raised his glass. “To you, doctor.”

They all drank, then Gideon said, “What are the chances of getting a tour of your facility? I find it amazing. If someone’s free, I’ll—”

“No one knows this place like I do,” Crane said. “Come on. Anybody else interested?”

“You two get acquainted,” Li said. “I have some business to discuss with Mr. Chan.”

“Fair enough,” Crane said, leading Gideon off.

Li turned to Sumi. “How close are they really on this New Madrid thing?” he asked, sharp, the foxlike smile with which he’d gifted the others completely gone now.

Sumi shook her head. “I’m not sure. There’s a lot of information coming in. I know they’ve settled on it, but they’re still in the process of pinning it down. They might find it won’t happen for years.”

Li frowned. “I want them to find a quake that’s going to happen before the election.”

“They can only do what they can do.”

“No, Sumi. They can find a quake—if Crane’s theories are at all on the mark. But to do so, these people must apply themselves to getting what I want—not indulging themselves playing with their data and their toys—” he sneered “—their basic research. Speaking of research, how is yours on Dr. Newcombe? Is his little journey still on for tonight?”

Sumi nodded, feeling the net that had fallen over everyone at the Foundation was being tightened. “He’ll be traveling under the name Enos Mann. He’ll leave with the dark.”

“Hmm, gone all night then. The Masada Cloud is scheduled to run in around midnight.”

“Are your people in place?”

“Don’t worry about my people,” Li said, a frown settling on his face as Mui approached. “You take care of pushing these people to get me that prediction. Now I suggest you circulate so that we do not make people suspicious.”

Sumi bowed slightly, holding in the tension and the anger. She moved toward Newcombe, wishing there was something she could say, some subtle way she could get across to the man that he should stay at home tonight. Newcombe’s actions could doom Crane, the Foundation. Kate Masters, dressed in a bright red body stocking and trailing cape, was talking as Sumi arrived, champagne in hand.

“Oh, Sumi,” Masters said, her red hair in tight curls hanging to her shoulders. “You simply must give me the secret of this sometime.” She held out her glass.

“Old family recipe,” Sumi said, giving Masters the kind of leer she’d seen men do. “Good for your sex life.”

“Honey, I got no problems in that department, but fill me up anyway.” She held out her glass, and Sumi poured. In a lot of ways, she felt that Masters played a game of hide and seek similar to her own, a game designed for a man’s world. There was more, much more, to Masters than she revealed.

“Hey, save some of that for me,” Newcombe said, holding out his own glass.

“I want all of you to know,” Masters said, taking a long drink, “I think what you’re doing here is important. I know that Crane has to sell it to the powers that be and that by its selling it becomes cheapened. But not to me.”

“We appreciate that,” Lanie said, smiling at her. “We really only want to help people here, but it seems we always have to have an angle.”

“Nature of the game,” Newcombe said, frowning. “It’s a game I hate, but it’s the only one in town.”

“You scared me to death, you know, with your speech today,” Masters said.

“I hope so,” Newcombe said. “It’s got me scared to death.”

“For what it’s worth,” Masters said, taking another long drink, “we traded the Vogelman Procedure for backing the Crane Foundation, but had the administration declined, we would have backed you anyway. Some things are more important than politics. You people have class.”

“Hale fellows well met, huh?” Sumi said. “Good for you. I must go get another bottle now. Stay in the shade.”

Sumi left quickly, Lanie following him with her eyes. There was something terribly lonely, terribly sad about Sumi Chan. She didn’t trust him, but that didn’t stop her from feeling sorry for him. She looked at Masters. “What’s involved in the Vogelman?”

“You interested, honey?”

“No,” Newcombe answered for her. “We’ll just—”

“Yes, I am interested,” Lanie said, looking steadily at Newcombe. “I have a lot to do in the next couple of years and I don’t want to have to worry about children.”

“Single implant,” Masters said. “Outpatient stuff, over in fifteen minutes. It stays put forever and keeps you from ovulating—no cramps, no periods.” She looked at Newcombe. “A lot of women are having it done.”

“So much for the world’s population,” he said.

“You want to get preggie, you take a pill. No sweat. Mothers are having it done on their daughters at puberty. It takes care of one headache.”

“It’s unnatural,” Newcombe said.

Masters flashed her toothy smile. “Easy for you to say, buster. Nature is as nature does. There’s a couple of really good doctors in LA who do the procedure, Lanie. You want me to set something up for you?”

“Yes,” Lanie said.

“No,” Newcombe said.

Masters took a long breath, finished her glass of enhanced. “So … maybe you two had better talk it over, eh?”

“I’ll call you,” Lanie said, glaring at Newcombe. Why did he have to be so overbearing?

“I’d better mingle,” Masters said, theatrically tossing her long hair. “They don’t pay me to stand here and drink.”

“Like hell they don’t,” Newcombe said.

The woman shrugged. “So I know when to make a graceful exit, okay? Thanks again for the show today. I’ll have nightmares for a week.” She shook hands with Newcombe and gave Lanie a lingering hug.

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Lanie whispered. When Masters was well away, Lanie turned angrily to Dan. “I don’t know that I’ve ever been more embarrassed,” she said. “How could you do that?”

“How could I? Isn’t something like this a decision both of us should make?”

“Not from where I’m standing. It’s my body, my life. And next week I’m going to have the Procedure done whether you like it or not.”