"We would like to have them, of course," I replied. "But it is not worth the risk for them alone since there will not be time now for our people to set up production facilities." "You ask a lot of me," he said heatedly. "I could easily betray you and stay in the factory. You could not remain here indefinitely." I threw a trump card. "What makes you think the factory is going to stay here indefinitely?" His face seemed to sicken as I watched. "This means atomic warfare," he said, "and the end of the world." "If we have to die, you are going to die too. You have about two weeks." I was exaggerating, actually it was two months. "If we don't report success to our headquarters by that time, an atomic submarine, armed with a Polaris missile with atom bomb warhead, has orders to obliterate this whole area." "No," he shook his head. "No--this is too much. I have had enough of this killing. I will not betray you." "I didn't think you would," I said drily. "But I must come with you," he said. "I am afraid the Commissar is becoming suspicious. Yesterday we were warned by intelligence to expect parachuting American raiders and the political commissar was asking me about my botanical excursions. He doesn't like me anyway because I am a Pole, and he may have put someone to watch me and report on my movements." I looked at Blackie and he raised his eyebrows. Was this a shrewd guess on the part of the Russian G-2 people or had some of our rangers been picked up? "Poor devils," I thought. "They're probably being brainwashed right now. Time is running out on us, for sure. We must get moving right away." Anders was saying, "What do I have to do for you?" I told him my plan, slowly and carefully. "One thing more," I said, as he started to go out the door. "Don't forget to bring samples of the viruses and vaccines with you ... and anything else you may think important." "I will do that," he promised. "Goodbye and good luck, Colonel." When the sound of his steps had faded, Blackie spoke again. "You're taking quite a chance, Colonel. He knows enough now to ruin us all." "Yes, I am. He is a proud man and I played on his pride as a scientist. Deep down, he probably is ashamed of having prostituted his discoveries for the purpose of murder, even though there wasn't much he could have done about it. He wants to make amends and I think he will go with us. Anyway, I could see no other way of doing it, could you?" I looked around the circle of officers squatting on the rice mat floor. "We're with you, Doc," Makstutis said. "All the way, by heaven." Three heads nodded in agreement. CHAPTER 14