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crushed　blue　marbles。　“Before　I　got　to　the　back　door；　I　heard　voices。　A　man　and　a　woman。　I
couldn’t　hear　words。　I　backed　up　and　saw　another　door。　It　led　into　the　funeral　home。”
Hecht　paused；　trying　to　decide　how　to　go　on　without　appearing　a　total　fool。
“It　was　the　embalming　room。　There　was　a　corpse　under　a　sheet　and　a　brain　on　the　table；　at　least
that’s　what　I　thought　until　he　–　“
“He？”　interrupted　Vanessa　sharply。
“The　corpse。　Only　he　wasn’t。　He　said　something　–　“
“What？”
“A　name。　Ann　or　Ana　or　something　like　that；　and　then　he　asked　for　water。”
“Describe　the　man。”
“Uh；　he　was　sick。　Real　sick。”
“Hair　color？　Eyes？　Skin？　Height？”　snapped　Vanessa；　her　voice　like　a　lash。
“Dark；”　said　Hecht；　trying　to　recall　things　he　had　not　really　noticed　at　the　time。　“Black　hair　and
big　thick　eyebrows。　Yellow　skin；　but　that’s　because　he　was　sick；　I　think。　He　looked　Mexican。”
Vanessa　felt　the　first　stirrings　of　victory；　a　sensual　excitement。
“Sick？”　Vanessa　asked；　thinking　of　Refugio’s　furry　eyebrows。　Had　she　managed　to　shoot　the
Mexican　after　all？　“How　sick？”
“Bad；”　said　Hecht；　trying　not　to　stare　at　Vanessa’s　moist　smile。　“There　was　blood　on　the　sheet
and　he　looked　feverish。”
“Good。”
Hecht　moved　nervously；　like　an　animal　on　a　leash。
“Did　you　see　anything　that　looked　like　a　milk　can？”　asked　Vanessa。　“Metal；　about　two　feet
high？”
“Uh；　no。　Just　flower　pails。”
“Anything　unusual？　Anything　metallic？”
“The　brain；”　blurted　Hecht。　“That　is；　the　gray…white　stuff　that　I　thought　was　a　brain。　It　was　on
the　embalming　table　and　it　was　kind　of　shaped　like　a　brain。”
“Go　on。”
“It　wasn’t　a　brain。”
“What　was　it？”
“I　don’t　know。　A　gray…white　chunk　of　something　or　other。　Metal。　Smooth。”
Vanessa　smiled；　then　laughed　aloud。　“It’s　there！”　Her　voice；　like　her　laugh；　was　elated。　The
incredible　power　of　the　atomic　bomb　was　within　her　grasp。　“Did　you　see　anything　else？”　she
demanded。　“How　many　people　were　there？”　She　waited；　daring　to　hope　that　it　would　be
possible　for　her　alone　to　recover　the　uranium。
“Two　men　stopped　me　before　I　could　look　around　anymore。　And　I　heard　at　least　two　other
people　talking。　One　of　the　men　who　stopped　me　was　Oriental；　but　he　was　wearing　an　American
uniform。　He　seemed　to　be　in　charge。　The　Mexican　took　orders　from　him。”
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“Oriental？　Be　more　precise。　Half　the　world　is　Oriental。”　Vanessa’s　voice　was　flat　again；　from
what　he　had　told　her；　there　were　too　many　men　in　the　shop　for　her　to　go　in　alone。
“Uh；　I　think　the　guy　was　Nisei。　You　know；　a　first…generation　Japanese…American。　His　English　was
as　good　as　mine。　No　accent。”
“Mexican　and　Japanese；”　Vanessa　said。　“So　that’s　how　the　bastard　did　it！”　In　Mexico；　Refugio
had　an　Oriental　partner。　Apparently　he　had　sold　the　uranium　to　Japan。　The　Nisei　must　be　here　to
pick　it　up。　But　he　would　have　the　same　problem　she　did　–　how　to　move　the　radioactive　metal
without　being　poisoned　by　it。　She　smiled；　hoping　that　the　Japanese　knew　as　little　about
radioactivity　as　Masarek　had。　If　the　Jap　was　ignorant；　it　would　be　easy　to　take　the　uranium　from
his　dead　hands。
“You’ll　have　to　be　armed；”　Vanessa　said。
“What？”
“Guns；　comrade。　Do　you　understand　me？”
Hecht　looked　away　from　her　hard　blue　eyes。
“Two　。38　caliber　pistols　–　revolvers　–　and　one　hundred　rounds　of　ammunition；”　continued
Vanessa；　her　voice　as　relentless　as　her　eyes。　“Have　the　clerk　show　you　how　to　use　them。　You’ll
need　to　know。”
San　Francisco
27　Hours　11　Minutes　After　Trinity
Refugio　dreamed　that　he　was　sinking　in　hot　black　sand。　The　dream　was　so　alarming　that　he
awoke；　moaning。　After　a　moment　of　disorientation；　he　remembered　he　was　on　a　gurney　in　an
embalming　room。
He　was　thirsty；　all　but　smothered　by　fever　and　the　odor　of　death。　He　must　get　out　of　here；
breathe　clean　air　again。　No　wonder　he　felt　weak；　lying　on　a　wheeled　table　surrounded　by　the
tools　of　death。
Was　it　only　yesterday　he　had　stolen　something　unknown　and　been　shot？　A　shallow　wound；　but
potent。　He　felt　as　though　he　had　spent　the　last　day　falling　down　a　deep　dry　well。　Above　him　was
diffuse　blue　light。　Below　him　was　seamless　dry　midnight。
Suddenly　his　body　knotted　with　pain。　His　stomach；　long　since　emptied　of　all　but　nausea；
attempted　to　throw　off　even　that。　He　hung　his　head　over　the　pan　beside　him。　His　whole　body
convulsed。　Nothing　came　up　but　a　vile　taste。
Fever　reclaimed　him。　His　mind　slid　on　toward　the　dark　bottom　of　the　well。　He　was　faintly
surprised　to　find　water　there；　delicious　and　cool。
Gradually　Refugio　realized　that　someone　was　washing　his　face　and　arms。　Darkness　receded。　He
opened　his　eyes　and　saw　a　pair　of　sure；　gentle　hands　ministering　to　him　with　white　rags　dipped　in
cool　water。
“Ana…”　Refugio　blinked　and　focused　on　the　nearby　face　with　an　effort。　“Kestrel？”
“How　do　you　feel？”　asked　Kestrel。　His　face　did　not　show　his　horror　at　the　bruises　that　mottled
Refugio’s　red　skin；　signs　of　massive　internal　bleeding　brought　on　by　radiation　poisoning。　Gently；
Kestrel　placed　another　wet　cloth　on　Refugio’s　forehead。
“Thirsty；”　Refugio　sighed。
Kestrel’s　hands　hesitated。　Water　would　make　Refugio　vomit　again；　weakening　him　even　more；
Kestrel　needed　him　for　one　additional　task。
“First；”　he　said；　“you　must　try　to　sit　up。”
Kestrel　braced　the　gurney　against　the　embalming　table　while　he　helped　Refugio　to　sit　up。
Refugio　retched　and　trembled。　Bruises　formed　on　his　skin　where　Kestrel’s　hands　held　him
upright。　After　a　moment；　he　was　able　to　sit　up　without　Kestrel’s　help。
“Very　good；”　Kestrel　said。　“Now　you　can　help　me。　I　won’t　take　long。”
He　eased　the　gurney　closer　to　the　embalming　table。　He　had　already　laid　swaths　of　thick　foil
down　the　length　of　the　table；　stopping　just　short　of　the　misshapen　sphere　of　uranium。　Where　the
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edges　of　the　foil　were　crinkled；　the　vivid　red　of　the　foil’s　reverse　side　showed　like　flames。
Refugio　stared　without　comprehension　as　Kestrel　locked　the　gurney’s　wheels。
“Listen　to　me；”　Kestrel　said。　Refugio　was　weak；　but　his　help　in　wrapping　the　uranium　would
reduce　Kestrel’s　risk　of　radiation　poisoning。　“Take　the　metal　ball　and　wrap　it　in　the　foil。　Try　to
put　equal　amounts　of　foil　on　all　sides　of　the　metal　ball。　Do　you　understand？”
Refugio　looked　at　the　uranium　and　then　at　the　foil　edge　with　a　hint　of　fire。　“Wrap　。　；　this”　–　he
touched　the　ball　–　“in…　this。”　He　waved　at　the　foil。
“Yes。”
Refugio　tried　to　pick　up　the　uranium　and　place　it　on　the　foil。　The　ball　was　too　heavy　for　him。
“Roll　it；”　suggested　Kestrel。　“But　be　careful！”
The　uranium　teetered　at　the　raised　edge　of　the　embalming　table　before　rolling　unevenly　onto　the
overlapping　foil　strips。　Clumsily；　Refugio　pulled　the　foil　up　and　over　the　uranium。　The　wrapping
was　erratic；　bunched　up　here　and　nearly　splitting　from　tightness　there；　but　it　would　have　to　do。
Refugio　sat　panting；　his　hands　trembling。
“You　did　that　very　well；”　said　Kestrel；　unlocking　the　gurney’s　wheels。　“Now；　hold　on　to　me。”
Kestrel　pushed　the　table　across　the　room　to　the　other　embalming　table。　The　smaller　piece　of
uranium　was　there；　along　with　another　swath　of　lead　foil。　Refugio　wove　unsteadily　as　the　gurney
bumped　into　the　table’s　porcelain　rim。　“Let　me…　lie　down。”
“We’re　almost　done；”　Kestrel　answered。　“Quickly；　now！”
Refugio　leaned　toward　the　table；　confused　by　the　presence　of　another　piece　of　uranium　and
more　foil。　Had　he　not　just　done　this？　His　hand　slid　off　the　gray…white　lump。　He　overbalanced；
tried　weakly　to　save　himself；　and　would　have　fallen　face　down　on　the　embalming　table　if　Kestrel
had　not　caught　him。
“Try　again；”　Kestrel　urged。
With　a　great　effort；　Refugio　herded　the　lopsided　sphere　onto　the　two…colored　foil。　The　foil　tore
beneath　his　clumsy　fingers。　Uranium　showed　through　the　tear　like　a　gray…white　tooth。　Refugio
tried　to　cover　it　with　more　foil；　but　his　hands　would　not　respond。　Retching　convulsed　him。　He
was　relieved　when　the　black　well　leaped　up；　surrounding　him　once　more。
Gently；　Kestrel　straightened　Refugio’s　unconscious　body　on　the　gurney。　As　he　did；　he　sensed
someone　coming　through　the　doorway　to　help　him。　Ana。　She　reached　for　the　half…covered　metal
sphere；　then　cried　out　w