The Manhattan Project

---

Now, the beta synchrotron...

sends the electrons

through this magnet...

which bends the force of them

down to the reaction vessel.

Stay away

from that elbow joint.

All right.

Bran, you want to get that?

Now, this is

a tunable excimer laser.

It's tuned

to the exact resonance...

of the plutonium-239...

that's in the reaction vessel

down at that end.

Now I think we're all set.

Hit it.

Now, watch your eyes.

Roper!

This is where the electrons

bombard the stuff...

lasers ionize it, and

send it off to the condenser.

Now it's a conductive element.

Down to the condenser.

This is where it gets converted

into its liquid metallic state.

Would you repeat that, please?

This is where it's converted...

into its liquid metallic state!

This all happened

about fifty seconds ago.

It's the purest plutonium

in the universe.

Pretty, isn't it?

- Ninety-nine percent?

- No.

Have some

of that French bubbly.

All right! You popped it.

Here we go.

Bob, what do you think?

A weapon this big...

with twenty times the punch

of anything anybody's got?

- Is he kidding?

- No. He did it, all right.

It's a brilliant achievement.

He'd get the Nobel

if he could publish.

- Publish?

- I said "If. "

All right, I want

a prototype facility...

fully operational

before Geneva, if possible.

Everything goes through Energy

in Washington.

Need to know, S.C.I. Clearance.

Set him up,

whatever he needs...

someplace quiet,

away from prying eyes...

and keep an eye on him.

Let's see about a Swiss bank

to put all this money in.

There we go.

Hi, mom.

Paul, it's 4:
30 in the morning.

What's the book?

I don't know... some cheap novel.

Come on. I'll buy you a drink.

Be careful. It's hot.

What? What's the matter?

You're growing so fast.

Yeah, but that's no reason

to have a nervous breakdown.

Come here.

We gotta get you a valium

or some heroin or something.

Hurry up. He's coming.

- Hey, what is that?

- Nitrogen triiodide.

What's it do?

Unstable with respect to shock.

- What's that mean?

- Once it dries...

if you touch it, it explodes.

Paul, you're crazy.

You say that

like it's a bad thing.

- Whose drawer?

- Roland's.

Poor Roland.

Eh, he'll love it.

Builds character.

He's coming.

Hi ya, Roland. Listen, could I

borrow your English notes?

You've got to be kidding.

But I lent you my math homework

at least ten times.

Sorry, Stephens. It's

a dog-eat-dog world out there.

I gotta look out

for number one.

Good morning,

ladies and gentlemen.

Last time, we learned that

plutonium is perfectly suited...

for the release of

enormous amounts of energy...

due to its ability to fission...

under the action

of slow neutrons.

Now here we have the isotope...

plutonium-239...

and here we have two very

interesting inventions...

based on this.

Now, can anyone tell us

the principle...

behind the implosion device?

Paul, could you enlighten us?

Yes. Your implosion design

simply uses...

a chemical high-explosive to

squeeze a subcritical piece...

of weapons-grade plutonium-239

until it's supercritical...

thereby producing

an atomic explosion.

- Thank you, Roland.

- Thank you, Mr. Wilkie.

He did it! Him!

Paul Stephens! He's sick!

- Hiya, Jen.

- Hi, Paul.

- Did you lose something?

- It's so dumb!

I locked my car keys

in the glove compartment...

because I always lose them.

So now I've lost the keys

to the glove compartment.

Dumb, right?

Have you got a nail file

in there?

- Yeah, why?

- Let me see it.

- What are you gonna do?

- Don't worry about it.

- It's a new car.

- Trust me.

That was terrible, you know.

- What?

- Roland.

Terrible? I thought

it was very effective.

Not bad. Thanks.

Where did you learn that?

CIA, child recruitment program.

Listen, what are you doing

Sunday night?

- Nothing. Why?

- You want to study?

- You mean together?

- Uh-huh.

- What about Mr. Perfect?

- Who? Eric?

Don't worry about Eric.

He's just pretty.

- So what do you say?

- Sure.

My house, OK? 115 North

Highland near Thurston.

You gonna write it down?

to baby-sit my little brother.

Ah, baby-sitting.

Does he bite?

No.

I'm the one that bites.

Stephens, how about it?

- Excuse me, doctor?

- Yeah.

Hi. I'm Elizabeth Stephens.

- Please have a seat.

- Thanks.

Could you spell this for me,

doctor?

I can't seem to read

your writing.

M- a-t-h-e-w-s-o-n.

John Mathewson.

And you're interested in a one

bedroom sublet, furnished?

Any special requirements?

It should be quiet and in

an english-speaking country.

I think we can handle that.

- Children?

- No. No children.

Pets?

No pets, no children,

no flamenco dancing.

- So it's just you and...

- Just me and my books.

And my memories, of course.

We have a very nice

garden condominium on sublet.

New building,

good neighborhood...

including utilities.

- The particulars are inside.

- No, no, that's OK.

- You don't like it?

- I love it. I'll take it.

- You'll take it?

- Yeah.

- Just like that?

- Uh-huh.

Without looking at it?

Well, you said it was nice,

didn't you?

Well... OK.

That was easy.

I'm very easy.

Well, I guess that's that.

And if there's anything else

I can do...

Well, as a matter of fact,

there is one thing.

Can I ask you a question?

The thing is,

I've been here for six weeks...

down at

the Carriage House Motel...

and I don't know a soul

in town...

and you've been so nice...

I thought...

perhaps some night

you'd let me buy you dinner.

Is that crazy?

- I can't, no.

- No? Really?

It's sweet of you,

but it's quite impossible.

No, hey. I understand.

You have something.

Well, if you'll excuse me...

I'll go back to my room

and watch them rewrap the soap.

- It's not that bad, is it?

- It's not wonderful.

Paul, come say hi.

Dr. Mathewson,

this is my son Paul.

Your son?

Oh, I... I didn't realize you...

Look, this is terrible.

I feel like a perfect ass.

Nobody's perfect.

I'm sorry.

That was not called for.

As a matter of fact,

my husband and I are separated.

Oh. I mean...

Hi, Paul. I'm John.

You a science buff?

Lasers.

Fantastic thing, these lasers.

You ever seen one in the flesh?

- Would you like to?

- Sure.

Well, the funny

coincidence is...

I just happen to have access

to one of the sexiest lasers...

in the entire free world.

And if your mom says it's OK,

you come on down to the lab...

and I will give you

the grand tour, laser heaven.

In return, I get to take you

and your mom to dinner Sunday.

Deal?

State your name and business.

Hi. My name is

Paul Stephens...

and I'm here to see

Dr. Mathewson.

Come through the gate

and up to the main building.

Would you put these on...

and see that gentleman

over there, please?

Thank you.

The laser will fire

in twelve minutes.

Please clear the access areas.

- Hey, what are those things?

- Motion detectors.

Really? What do they do?

Anything that moves,

they detect it.

Three yellow suits

to the loading dock, please.

Jack, pick up on five.

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