Steal The Sun(战争间谍)-第8章

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The　top　had　a　curved　metal　handle　like　the　lid　of　a　garbage　can。　The　container　did　not　look　big
enough　to　hold　the　future　of　the　world。
Finn　looked　beyond　the　can。　There　were　only　three　men　in　the　laboratory。　Two　of　them　were
seated　at　a　table　against　the　far　wall；　apparently　taking　notes。　They　had　the　look　of　men　who　had
been　up　all　night。　The　third　man　looked　equally　tired。　He　was　seated　on　a　high　stool　near　the
center　of　the　room。　In　front　of　him　was　a　table。　On　the　table　was　a　black　metal　box　with　dials；
meters　and　what　looked　like　a　long　narrow　microphone　attached　by　a　cord　to　the　box。
The　table　also　held　a　glass…walled　container　that　looked　like　an　ordinary　aquarium　turned　on　end。
At　the　bottom　of　the　container；　in　about　three　feet　of　water；　was　a　lump　of　white　metal。　A
smaller　piece　of　the　same　metal　was　suspended　above　the　water　from　a　tripod　that　straddled　the
aquarium。
“Those　two　pieces　are　all　the　pure　uranium…235　in　the　world；”　said　Groves。
Finn　looked　at　the　metal。　He　could　have　held　both　pieces　in　his　hands　at　once。　They　did　not　look
powerful　enough　to　blow　up　the　room；　much　less　Japan。
“How　tricky　is　uranium　to　handle？　Is　it　like　nitroglycerin？”
“No。　It　won’t　explode　if　you　drop　it。　Uranium　is　more　subtle。　It’s　radioactive；　which　means　it
naturally　gives　off　high…energy　particles。　A　few　of　those　panicles　won’t　hurt　you。　Too　many　will
kill　you。　But　so　long　as　you　keep　those　two　chunks　of　uranium　apart；　they’re　about　as　dangerous
as　cookies　and　milk。”
“Now；”　continued　Groves；　“the　closer　together　the　pieces；　the　more　energy　they　give　off；　and
the　more　dangerous　they　are。　If　you　set　those　chunks　down　next　to　each　other　you’ll　get　lots　of
radiation；　some　heat　and　a　little　light。　Deadly　as　hell；　but　no　explosion。　But　if　you　slammed　that
U…235　together　quickly；　with　an　explosive　charge；　the　atoms　would　radiate　their　particles　all　at
once；　literally　blowing　themselves　apart。　That　gives　you　one　hell　of　a　bang。　Those　eight　kilos　of
U…235　are　the　explosive　equivalent　of　forty　million　pounds　of　TNT。”
Finn　looked　at　the　gleaming　metal　and　found　such　power　hard　to　believe。
The　experimenter　on　the　stool　flipped　a　switch　on　the　unmarked　box　near　the　aquarium。
Immediately　there　was　a　distant　crackling　sound；　like　slow　static。　He　called　out　a　reading　to　the
men　at　the　far　side　of　the　room。
“Same　as　before；”　verified　one　of　the　men。
“What　are　they　doing？”　asked　Finn。
“The　aquarium　holds　salt　water。　If　the　Indianapolis　goes　down；　we　want　to　know　how　a　dip　in
the　ocean　will　affect　critical　mass　and　chain　reactions。”
The　experimenter　fiddled　with　the　pulley　that　controlled　the　U…235　suspended　over　the
aquarium。　The　pulley　gears　were　stuck；　the　result　of　too　much　water　dripped　onto　them　during　a
night　of　experimentation。
“The　larger　piece　of　U…235　is　at　the　bottom　of　the　pond；”　said　Groves。　“It’s　about　three　times　as
big　as　the　piece　hanging　from　the　pulley。　The　two　pieces　are　made　to　fit　together　like　a　baseball
in　a　glove。”
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The　U…235　was　attached　to　a　pulley　hook　by　a　hastily　rigged　net。　The　experimenter　unhooked　the
net　from　the　pulley；　set　aside　the　uranium；　and　cranked　on　the　pulley　impatiently。　Without　the
weight　of　the　metal　dragging　down；　the　pulley　worked　fairly　well。
Groves　glanced　at　the　experimenter　and　the　two　other　men　slumped　on　stools　at　the　far　end　of
the　room。　In　spite　of　their　obvious　fatigue；　there　was　an　air　of　anxiety　about　them。　The
experimenter　reattached　the　U…235　to　the　pulley。
“It’s　their　last　chance　to　work　with　the　metal　before　it’s　shipped。　No　one　has　ever　had　this　much
U…235　before。　There　are　lots　of　theories　to　test　and　damn　little　time　to　do　it　in。”
The　pulley　stuck。　The　experimenter　swore。
“Six　twenty…five；”　said　one　of　the　men　at　the　back　of　the　room。
The　experimenter　said　nothing。　He　applied　more　pressure　to　the　pulley。　The　net　holding　the
U…235　descended　a　few　inches。　The　sound　of　static　increased。
“What’s　that？”　asked　Finn。　“What　is　he　doing？”
“The　box　is　giving　out　the　static；”　said　Groves。　“It’s　a　radiation　counter。　It　tells　us　how　many
particles　are　being　radiated。　Remember；　the　closer　the　two　pieces；　the　more　particles　are
knocked　off。　The　more　particles；　the　more　danger。”
The　man　on　the　stool　adjusted　the　radiation　counter　until　the　sound　of　static　was　reduced　to　a
series　of　slow　clicks。　He　turned　the　crank　on　the　pulley。　The　net　holding　the　U…235　descended
two　inches　closer　to　its　companion。　Instantly　the　clicking　sound　increased。　The　man　stopped；
made　a　note　on　his　pad；　read　the　notation　aloud；　and　then　readjusted　the　radiation　counter。　He
turned　the　crank　again。　It　stuck。　One　of　the　men　in　the　back　of　the　room　groaned。
“Goddamn　it；　not　again！”
The　experimenter　ignored　the　complaint。　He　pressed　and　jiggled　until　the　pulley　gears　came
unstuck　and　the　isotope　descended。　The　counter　snarled。　He　readjusted　it；　calling　out　numbers。
“Every　time　he　adjusts　the　radiation　counter；”　said　Groves；　“he　decreases　its　sensitivity。
Otherwise　you　wouldn’t　be　able　to　measure　anything　beyond　mild　radioactivity　without
overloading　the　machine。”
The　scientist　turned　the　crank。　It　balked；　then　responded。　The　U…235　dropped　closer　to　the
larger　piece　of　metal　at　the　bottom　of　the　aquarium。　Clicking　sounds　blurred　into　a　low　howl。
“Radiation　is　like　a　germ；”　Groves　muttered。　“You　can’t　see　it　but　it　can　hurt　you。”
The　rapid　signal　of　the　counter　reminded　Finn　of　a　rattlesnake’s　warning；　except　that　the
counter’s　sound　had　a　mechanical　perfection　that　no　animate　life　could　attain。　The　difference　was
subtle　and　pervasive；　it　made　Finn　uneasy。　He　understood　dangerous　snakes　and　dangerous
men；　but　the　invisible　danger　of　radiation　was　alien　to　him。
There　was　an　abnormal　intensity　to　the　experimenter’s　actions　as　he　worked　with　the　reluctant
pulley　and　measured　the　shrinking　distance　between　the　two　pieces　of　U…238　–　and　between
himself　and　a　lethal　unknown。
“How　much　radiation　can　a　man　take？”　asked　Finn；　not　looking　away　from　the　table　where　the
two　pieces　of　metal　communicated　with　each　other　in　a　series　of　ascending　clicks。
“We　don’t　know。”
“Then　how　do　you　know　if　you’ve　gotten　too　much？”
“Skin　lesions　form　that　look　like　burns。　Bruises　form。　Nausea。　Vomiting。　Diarrhea。　Hair　loss。
Fever。　Bad　fever。”
“Is　too　much　radiation　fatal？”
“Yes。”
“How　long　does　it　take？”
Silence。　Then；　reluctantly。　“There　have　been　accidents。　Only　one　death；　thank　God。　It　took　four
days。”
“But　it　could　be　slower？　Or　faster？”
“Probably；　depending　on　the　man　and　the　dosage。　We　just　don’t　know。　No　guarantees；　Captain。
Not　one。”
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Finn　stood　without　moving；　measuring　the　increasing　tension　as　the　experimenter　adjusted　the
radiation　counter　again；　causing　the　buzz　to　slow　into　separate　clicks。　The　man　gingerly　moved
the　pulley　handle；　made　notes；　called　out　numbers；　and　eased　the　small　piece　of　U…238　closer　to
its　mate　at　the　bottom　of　the　aquarium。
The　counter　came　alive　again　with　a　low　buzzing　sound。　Tension　coiled　invisibly　around　the
experimenter；　jjut　his　voice　was　steady　as　he　read　off　a　series　of　numbers　for　his　colleagues　at　the
back　of　the　lab。　His　words　issued　from　the　ceiling　speaker　grille　like　a　disembodied　counterpart
to　the　counter’s　metallic　buzz。
“We　did　it　differently　before；”　said　Groves。　“We　used　a　contraption　we　called　a　guillotine　to　test
critical　mass。　But　we　didn’t　have　this　much　pure　isotope　then。”
General　Groves’　words　faded　as　the　counter’s　voice　strenghtened。　The　man　on　the　stool　was
cranking　the　pulley　again。　It　moved　under　the　man’s　careful　urging；　then　stuck。　The　man　pressed
lightly。　The　pulley　did　not　budge；　its　mechanism　was　gummed　by　repeated　exposure　to　salt
water。　The　uranium　bullet　hung　about　four　inches　above　the　target。　The　experimenter　pushed
harder　on　the　crank；　to　no　effect。
“We’re　supposed　to　have　it　ready　to　ship　by　6：30；”　said　one　of　the　observers　in　a　tight　voice。
“It’s　6：28。”
“I　know。　I　know！”　The　experimenter　swore　and　pressed　harder　on　the　crank。　Then　he　backed　up
the　pulley　and　lowered　it　quickly。　It　balked　again　at　the　same　spot。　He　backed　up　further　and
lowered　again；　knowing　there　was　not　enough　time　to　dismantle　the　mechanism　again。　It　must
work　now。
The　scientist’s　concentration　gave　way　to　frustration。　He　cranked　the　pulley　all　the　way　to　the
top；　then　reversed　it　with　rapid；　angry　motions；　again　and　again。　The　pulley　reached　the　same
spot　and　balked；　again　and　again；　until　the　last　time　when　something　snapped　and　the　U…235
plunged　doe　to　rest　fitted　against　its　mate。
The　radiation　counter　screamed。
Instinctively；　the　scientist　tried　to　separate　the　U…235　with　his　bare　hands。　The　pieces　were
smooth；　heavy；　infinitely　slippery　and　fitted　too　well　with　each　other。
“Jesus　Christ！”　cried　the　scientist。　He　clawed　at　the　two　pieces　of　metal　until　they　finally
separated　and　he　could　drag　one　deadly　piece　out　of　the　pond；　stopping　the　chain　reaction。
The　radiation　counter’s　scream　died　to　a　whisper　as　the　scientist　set　aside　the　smaller　piece　of
U…235　that　he　had　retrieved　from　the　aquarium。　He　sagged　against　the　table；　breathing　raggedly；
like　a　man　at　the　end　of　a　long　run。　Less　than　four　seconds　had　passed　since　the　pulley　had
broken。
“Stay　away　from　there！”　said　Groves　as　Finn　leaped　toward　the　door　leading　to　the　lab。　Groves’
hand　clamped　around　Finn’s　wrist　with　surprising　strength。　“Listen　to　me！”　cried　Groves　as
Finn　jerked　free。　“There’s　nothing　you　can　do。　He’s　poisoned；　and　if　you　get　too　close　you　could
be　poisoned　too！”
Behind　the　glass；　one　man　rushed　toward　a　phone；　the　other　toward　the　scientist　who　was
slumped　over　the　table；　staring　at　his　wet　hands　as　though　he　had　never　seen　them　before。　He
groaned　and　let　his　hands　drop　to　the　table。
The　radiation　counter　sang　as　his　hands　passed　near　the　sensitive　probe。　The　scientist　jerked
back　his　hands。　The　counter　became　quiet。　He　brought　his　hands　close　to　the　probe　once　more。
The　counter　sang　of　deadly　radiation。
With　a　strangled　noise；　the　scientist　lunged　away　from　the　counter。　The　other　two　men　looked　at
each　other；　then　at　everything　except　the　experimenter’s　deadly　hands。
Finn　stared　at