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emotions were appalled by the deadly possibility。 Only a man who had felt the sickening
intimacy of his enemy’s blood flooding over his hands； blood as thick and red as his own
pouring out in a final bright gush of life； only men who had fought and bled； killed and died
within sight of their enemies knew what death was and what it was not。 Death was not glorious
or brave； cowardly or sublime。 Death was irrevocable； green on green。
He wondered if Groves knew that simple truth； or if it mattered what the General knew or did
not know。 Finn knew。 Man had gone from caves and clubs to cities and bombs。 The progression
was not accidental or incidental。 It was inevitable。 Today it was not enough to wage war on men。
You must also devastate the enemy’s ability to manufacture arms – his cities。 The industrial
revolution had ensured that cities and the means of producing weapons were inseparable。
“Military targets” had become a phrase without meaning。 Detroit made cars in peacetime； tanks
in wartime and the civilian population lived there all the time； Detroit was a city。
Groves’ voice rose； dragging Finn out of his own thoughts。 He looked at his watch and was
startled to see how much time had passed since Groves answered the phone。
“Yes；” said Groves； “I know about that traitorous petition！”
Groves paused； then laughed harshly。 “Humane war？ For the love of Christ！ What do scientists
know about humanity or war？ It’s all a game to them； and the Army is supplying their toys！”
The silence stretched until Groves’ breathing seemed unnaturally loud。 When he spoke again； his
voice was brittle。
Page 13
“Then tell those scientists that it is being arranged – over my protests。 Tojo’s engraved
invitation；” Groves glared at Finn； “will go out this morning。” Groves paused。 “Guarantees？ I
can’t even guarantee that the goddamn bomb works； much less that we’ll find the Jap spy in time
for him to see it go off！” Pause。 “No。 It’s too late to get fancy。 It’s set to go in forty…eight hours。
If your scientists don’t like it； Dr。 Lawrence； they can sit and wring their hands at the bottom of
the tower！”
Groves put down the receiver with enough force to jangle the bell。 He looked through Finn。
Then Groves blinked and seemed to snap into focus。
“Did you hear enough？” asked Groves。
“The more I hear； the less I believe。”
“Get used to it。 Have you seen any new Japanese faces in Juarez？”
“I was watching one when your men found me。”
“Describe him。”
“Mid…thirties； silver at temples； military bearing； looks fairly impressive。 I didn’t get close
enough to see more。”
“Sounds like him。” Groves smiled。 “He was the Emperor’s chief operator in Europe；
headquartered in Lisbon。 Code name； Kestrel。 He specialized in technological matters； a
scientist as well as a spy。 I want you to lure him to the bomb test。”
“You want me to give the biggest secret of the century to an enemy spy？” asked Finn； cutting
across Groves’ words。 “That’s a textbook definition of treason； General。” His voice was calm
but he felt adrenaline sliding into his blood and questions hammering in his mind。
“Those are your orders；” said Groves； smiling。
Finn shook his head in disbelief。 “I’d like those orders in writing。”
“So would I； Captain。 So would I。 But neither of us will get them。” He looked at Finn with eyes
that were sane and desperately tired。 “The President has been pressured into offering the Japs a
preview of what hell will be like if they don’t surrender。”
“If the President read my Okinawa report； he knows there’s nothing we can teach the Japs about
hell。”
Groves looked down。 He fiddled with the chocolate box； lifting and replacing the lid。 His
expression was haunted； his hands clumsy。 Finn had seen other men act like that when caught
between two conflicting impera… tives。 Finn sensed that one imperative was Groves’ legendary
obsession with secrecy； the other was a direct order to forgo secrecy。 Finn would have had more
sympathy； had he not guessed that he was caught in the same box。
“Christ on a crutch！” Groves snarled； staring at Finn。 “I never know what you’re thinking and
I’ve got to know before I trust you with the whole goddamn world！”
Finn waited tensely； but Groves did not continue。 “I’m thinking；” said Finn at last； “that you’re a
man in a box。 I’m thinking that I’m in the same box。 I’m thinking that I wish to hell I had some
idea how big the goddamn box is！”
“As big as the world。 As small as an atom。” Groves laughed oddly； watching Finn。 “No； I’m not
crazy – no crazier than I have to be to get the job done。 You’ve got a head full of questions
about Los Alamos and the bomb and Kestrel and you and me； but believe me； you don’t want
to know the answers； not really； because then you’ll be as crazy as I am。 You’ll have to measure
every blink； every breath； every thought you have or don’t have against one awesome truth： in
your hands will be the power to save or lose a world。 Not just a war； Captain。 A world。”
The hair on Finn’s arms and neck moved in an animal reflex。 He wanted to believe that Groves
was insane； because no man should have the power to save or lose a world。 Yet he did not want
to believe that the most secret project in America； the project he was sworn to protect； was in
the hands of a madman。
Finn did not know which alternative was worse – Groves sane or Groves insane。 Finn was not
even sure he wanted to choose。 All he…was sure of was that his body was flushed with adrenaline；
poised to fight； to kill； to flee if necessary； jungle reflexes screaming at him until he sweated； but
Page 14
there was nothing to fight； nothing to flee； nothing to do but sit and listen to a man who might
or might not be mad。
“Welcome to the Manhatten Project；” said Groves； watching Finn。 “That was just the start。
You’re going to hear it all； beginning to end； and then you’ll know why for the next few weeks
you’ll be the most important man on earth。” He smiled and gestured toward a hot plate on top
of a filing cabinet。 “Pour us some coffee； Captain。”
“It should be tea；” said Finn as he handed Groves a cup。 Then Finn took his cup； sat down； and
stared at the General。 “Convince me that I’m not in Wonderland。”
“And that I’m not the Mad Hatter？” Groves’ smile was grim。 “That shouldn’t take long。 The
OSS reports that the Russians are gearing up to invade Japan and plan on taking China along the
way。”
Finn nodded。 He had guessed as much。 It was Stalin’s style to take and control。 But Finn knew
the Russians； if they held that much of the world； there would be no peace until America was
annihilated。
“The only way we can prevent that is to end the war before the Russians can invade China or
Japan；” continued Groves； “or before we’re sucked into invading Japan ourselves。 The only way
we can do that is to use the atomic bomb to end the war。” Groves looked haunted for a
moment。 “Assuming the damn things works；” he muttered。 “No； it will work。 It has to！”
“What do you mean？ Aren’t you sure？”
A curt gesture from Groves silenced Finn。
“Later；” said Groves。 “For now； just listen。” His voice became angry； then thickened with
contempt as he spoke。 “A few of our own scientists are petitioning the President not to use the
bomb。 They act as though it’s morally superior to kill the enemy one by one with bayonets。”
“And then；” he continued； “there are the scientists who want to arrange a demonstration – invite
the Japs over； explode the bomb； and then say； ‘Now that we’ve frightened you； why don’t you
be nice boys and surrender。’” Groves grinned。 “Scientists。”
“Perhaps they have the right idea。 Seeing the equivalent of 20；000 tons of TNT go up at once
might make even the most fanatical soldier surrender。”
Groves looked sour。 “Maybe； maybe not。 But between the sob sisters crying not to use the
bomb； and the gun soldiers crying about their guts…and…glory invasion； Truman has his ass in a
sling。 Politics – God； the messes the politicians get us into。” Groves glared at Finn。 “So there
will be a demonstration； and it by God better work！”
Groves unlocked a drawer； reached in and pulled out a thin file。 “The test is scheduled for 0200
on the 16th。 Two days from now。 I want this Jap spy to see it； but I don’t want him to know we
want him to see it。 I’ll give you as many men as you need to track him down。”
“More warning would have helped；” said Finn。 “If he’s any good； he’ll smell a setup。”
“Truman didn’t make up his mind until yesterday。 I called you in immediately。”
Finn took the folder and read it quickly。 There was little hard information； a testimony to the
Japanese spy’s skill and elusiveness。 Once the padding of speculation was stripped away； all that
remained was that Kestrel had been born of an old Japanese family； had been raised in the
samurai tradition； entered the Imperial Army as an officer； studied physics in the United States；
spied in Lisbon and was a master of unarmed combat。
There was one picture； taken when Kestrel graduated from the University of California at
Berkeley。 The picture was twelve years old； but Finn recognized the man he had seen in t