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fought　the　Japanese　in　the　jungle　already　knew：　the　defeat　of　Japan　would　require　not　only　the
death　of　its　soldiers；　but　also　the　death　of　its　civilians；　its　very　culture。
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In　the　six　weeks　since　Finn　had　returned；　General　Groves　had　never　mentioned　the　report。　It　was
just　as　well。　Finn　was　not　grateful　to　the　man　who　had　sent　him　to　learn　the　last　shade　of　green。
He　shifted　his　weight　on　the　steel　chair；　closed　his　eyes　and　tried　not　to　feel　anything　at　all。
Moscow
99　Hours　Before　Trinity
（Cable　received　by　Lavrenti　Pavlovich　Beria；　head　of　the　NKVD。　Decoded。）
SHIPPING　ROUTE　MOST　CLOSELY　GUARDED　SECRET　LEFT　AT　LOS　ALAMOS。
DESTINATION　AND　APPROXIMATE　ARRIVAL　TIME　ARE　KNOWN：　HUNTERS
POINT；　SAN　FRANCISCO；　1800…2400；　15　JULY。
HUNTERS　POINT　ONLY　POSSIBLE　PLACE　TO　INTERCEPT　BRONX　SHIPMENT。
UNLESS　STOP　CODE　RECEIVED　BY　2400；　14　JULY；　OPERATION　WILL　PROCEED
TO　CONCLUSION。　VANESSA
Los　Alamos
98　Hours　Before　Trinity
Major　General　Leslie　Groves　gathered　up　papers；　among　them　Finn’s　Okinawa　report；　tapped
the　edge　of　the　packet　on　the　desk　until　they　were　lined　up　and　placed　them　on　top　of　another
neat　stack　of　reports。　He　pushed　back　from　the　desk　slowly　and　stretched；　feeling　anxiety　and
sleepless　nights　like　sand　in　his　muscles。
The　corporal　who　sat　on　a　straight　chair　at　the　far　end　of　the　office　came　to　attention。　“Sir？　Do
you　want　Captain　Finn　now？”
“No。　I’ll　get　him　myself；”　said　Groves；　walking　heavily　across　the　room。　“Out　of　the　way；
Corporal。”
The　corporal　stood；　picked　up　his　12…gauge　shotgun　and　pulled　his　chair　away　from　the　front　of
the　safe　he　guarded。　Groves　spun　the　combination　lock　several　times　and　then　bent　over　the
lock；　shielding　its　movements　with　his　body。　He　was　a　big；　balding　man　with　a　military　mustache
and　a　fleshy　face。　He　wore　dress　khakis　that　were　devoid　of　insignia　save　for　his　single　star　and
the　battlement　pins　of　the　Army　Corps　of　Engineers。
With　precise　motions；　Groves　stacked　the　papers　on　a　tray　in　the　safe　next　to　other　reports；
removed　a　box　of　chocolate　candy；　and　closed　the　safe’s　heavy　door。　It　shut　with　oiled　finality。
Automatically；　Groves　snapped　home　the　bolts　and　spun　the　dial　several　times。　He　straightened
slowly；　walked　to　his　desk　and　dropped　the　box　of　candy　on　the　polished　surface。
Behind　him；　the　corporal　resumed　his　position　in　front　of　the　safe　that　held　secrets　men　would
kill　to　steal　or　protect。
Groves　left　the　door　ajar　as　he　stepped　into　the　hallway。
The　light　was　harsh；　as　barren　of　warmth　as　the　gray　walls。　All　that　he　could　see　of　the　Manhattan
Project’s　top　counterespionage　agent　was　a　man　dozing　in　a　chair；　a　western　hat　pulled　low　over
his　eyes。　Groves　was　not　deceived　by　Finn’s　relaxed　appearance　–　he　was　as　dangerous　a　man　as
the　country　had　to　offer。
“Good　evening；　Captain；”　said　the　General。
Finn　pushed　back　his　hat　and　stood　in　a　single　motion。　He　did　not　salute；　but　Groves　no　longer
expected　him　to。　The　military　niceties　that　Groves　used　to　good　effect　around　conference　tables
were　not　appreciated　or　used　by　fighters　like　Finn。　It　was　a　measure　of　Groves’　administrative
acumen　that　he　had　won　Finn’s　wary　respect。
“Good　morning；　General。”
“Is　it　morning　already？”　Groves　checked　his　watch。　His　eyebrows　lifted。　“By　God；　it　is。”　His
thick　fingers　probed　his　eyelids。　The　pressure　of　the　Project’s　deadline　tightened　around　him　like
a　steel　noose。　“Not　enough　time；”　he　muttered。　“Never　enough　goddamned　time！　Who　the　hell
do　they　think　I　am　–　Christ？　They　give　orders　and　expect　me　to　pass　miracles　and　save　the
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fucking　world！”　His　anger　was　generalized；　inchoate。
Groves　dropped　his　hands　and　stared　at　Finn；　daring　him　to　comment。　The　sight　of　Finn；　young
and　lean　and　tough；　angered　Groves。　The　response　was　irrational。　He　knew　it；　but　did　not
particularly　care。　He　did　not　have　energy　or　time　to　care　about　anything　beyond　the　Manhattan
Project。　It　consumed　his　thoughts　and　his　health；　driving　him　beyond　the　point　where　men
break。　He　had　become　an　abrupt；　tyrannical　son　of　a　bitch；　but　he　had　not　broken。　He　had
driven　others　over　the　edge　of　sanity；　technicians　and　scientists；　yet　he　always　stopped　himself
from　following。　He　prided　himself　on　fighting　the　kind　of　cruel　mental　war　no　gun　soldier　could。
And　winning。　He　would　win　no　matter　what　the　cost；　because　the　alternative　was　failure　on　a
world…wide　scale。　That　was　something　no　gun　soldier　had　to　face。
“Gun　soldiers；”　muttered　Groves；　staring　at　Finn　without　really　seeing　him。　“God　in　heaven　I’m
sick　of　gun　soldiers！”　Then　he　realized　that　he　was　thinking　aloud。　“Follow　me；”　he　said；　turning
his　back　on　Finn。
The　guard　watched　Finn　as　he　entered　the　room。
“That’s　all；　Corporal。　Out；”　said　Groves　as　he　went　to　his　desk。
The　guard　said；　“Excuse　me；　General；　but　this　man　is　not　wearing　a　security　badge。”
“Corporal；　get　your　ass　out　of　this　office　now！”　Groves’　voice　was　sharp　and　thin；　full　of　sudden
rage。
The　guard　straightened　his　shoulders；　saluted　stiffly；　and　left。
“Damn　puppies　are　as　lethal　as　hell　in　this　office；”　said　Groves　as　the　door　closed。　“Too　bad
they　can’t　do　shit　about　leaks　in　the　lab。”　As　he　sat　down；　he　waved　to　the　corporal’s　vacant
chair。　“Sit　down；　Captain。　Chocolate？”
Finn　shook　his　head。
Groves　pulled　the　box　toward　himself；　selected　a　piece　of　candy　and　put　it　into　his　mouth。　He
knew　that　sweets　were　softening　his　body　as　surely　as　lack　of　exercise；　but　he　ate　the　chocolate
anyway。　It　was　one　of　the　few　pleasures　Manhattan　Project　had　left　him。　Other　men　escaped　the
Project’s　pressures　by　drinking　or　whoring　obsessively；　but　Groves　ate　chocolate。　He
considered　it　safer　than　the　other　outlets。
“The　President　read　your　Okinawa　summary；”　Groves　began。　“That　part　about　the　women　and
children　was　just　what　I　needed　to　make　my　point　about　the　cost　of　invading　Japanese　islands。”
“I’m　glad　somebody　benefited。”
Groves　looked　up　sharply；　but　Finn’s　face　was　expressionless；　as　always。　It　irritated　Groves　not
to　be　able　to　read　a　man’s　reaction　on　his　face。　“There’s　going　to　be　a　lot　more　women　and
children　dead　before　this　is　over；”　snapped　Groves。　“I　thought　a　gun　soldier　like　you　would
realize　that。”
Finn　crossed　his　arms　over　his　chest　and　waited。
“The　President’s　gun　generals　sure　as　hell　know；”　Groves　continued。　“I　just　read　a　scenario　for
the　invasion　of　Japan。　Operation　Downfall。”　Groves　laughed　shortly。　“Whose　downfall；　theirs　or
ours？　Men；　munitions；　battleships；　destroyers　and　airplanes　and　every　other　damn　thing　we　can
get　over　there　before　the　Russians　jump　in　and　steal　us　blind；”　said　Groves；　reaching　for　another
chocolate。　“Operation　Downfall　will　be　in　two　stages　called　‘Olympic’　and^Coronet。’　We’ll　start
with　the　island　of　Kyushu。　Don’t　look　so　uneasy；　Captain。　I’m　not　telling　you　anything　the　Japs
don’t　already　know。　Our　intelligence　tells　us　that　the　Japs　already　have　a　copy　of　the　invasion
plans。　They’ve　set　up　headquarters　in　Hiroshima　to　reinforce　the　island　defenses。　As　we’ve　all
heard；　the　Japs　are　rather　good　at　defending　islands。”　Groves　shook　his　head。　“A　forewarned；
entrenched　enemy；　fighting　on　his　own　ground。　Christ！　Well；　Captain；　would　you　care　to　guess
what　the　casualty　estimates　are？”
Finn　shook　his　head。　His　face　was　closed；　angular；　unreadable。
“Still　don’t　talk　much；　do　you？”　said　Groves。
“I　don’t　learn　anything　when　I’m　talking。”
“They　say　one　million　casualties。　I　say　that’s　so　damned　conservative　as　to　be　a　lie。　The
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goddamned　gun　generals　will　suck　us　into　an　invasion　and　then　once　we’ve　started　we　have　no
choice　but　to　slug　it　out　one　Jap　at　a　time。　Two　million　is　more　like　it。　Two　million　dead　and
wounded。”
The　figure　seemed　to　freeze　Finn。　“Okinawa。　The　children…”
“It’s　nice　to　know　you’re　human　after　all；”　Grove　said；　studying　Finn’s　face。　“I　was　beginning　to
wonder　what　it　would　take　to　get　inside　your　guard。”
Finn’s　pale　eyes　never　left　Groves　as　the　General　reached　for　another　piece　of　chocolate。
“When　you　started　reporting　to　me；　I　didn’t　tell　you　what　you　were　supposed　to　protect。　All　I
gave　you　was　a　few　Top　Secret　code　names　to　l