The Manhattan Project Page #4

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- Yeah, tonight.

Electrodes discharge...

which makes an impact

with the atom...

- What number are we?

- Ninety-six.

There we are.

Wow, look at her.

OK. So we set it up...

and right before

the elimination...

We go downstairs to the car.

We bring it up here.

We unveil it.

We win first prize.

We get to go on television.

Am I leaving anything out?

Just the part where

we get shot for treason.

- That's great.

- Maybe we can go tonight.

OK. Sure.

It's downtown.

Where's your badge?

You got to have a badge.

- Jenny.

- Gelser.

- Dwayne.

- Joe.

- Jeffrey.

- What is that?

Nothing special.

Just some microwaves.

I invented a way

of using insects...

as a dietary supplement

for humans.

Beetles, ants, mosquitoes.

You grind them up...

low cholesterol.

Shut up, Eccles.

That's disgusting.

My project

is quite fascinating.

I took six common toads...

and froze them in liquid

nitrogen for six months.

- Why?

- Wouldn't you like to know?

My project is a study of

social behavior in elevators...

how people react

under pressure.

Her eyes moved away.

Don't you like me?

She doesn't like me.

You'll have to excuse him.

He's got a hormone imbalance.

What's your project?

Oh, nothing.

Just some hamsters.

He's lying. He blinked.

They're all afraid

of the competition.

What's the difference.

It's not if you win...

it's how you play the game,

right?

No, it's if you win.

Dr. Mathewson,

Lieutenant Colonel Conroy.

Defense nuclear agency.

- Hi. How are you?

- I've been better.

So, somebody took

your magic beans...

and built himself

a firecracker, is that it?

That's it.

How big a bang

are we talking about?

Fifty kilotons, give or take.

Doctor, unless I'm mistaken...

fifty kilotons could just about

evaporate a small city.

That's right.

Good Christ! And a kid

put this thing together?

Yeah. Kinda makes you think,

doesn't it?

Any idea who he's working with?

I don't think

he's working with anybody.

I think he did it by himself.

- What for?

- I don't know.

Maybe to see if he could do it.

- That's crazy!

- It's a crazy world.

OK, how's this?

"Paul Stephens, a high-school

student from Ithaca, New York...

"unveiled

a homemade atomic bomb...

"at the 45th annual

science fair today...

"thereby becoming

the first private citizen...

"to join the nuclear club...

"an exclusive group

whose other members include...

"the United States,

the Soviet Union...

Great Britain, France,

and China. "

If I'm in the nuclear club,

do I get a jacket?

You get anything you want.

- Jenny.

- What?

I never thought

I'd say this to anybody, but...

I got to go get the atomic bomb

out of the car.

Oh, yeah?

- Hi, Dr. Mathewson.

- Is this him?

Paul, what the hell

do you think you're doing?

Well, I thought we might start

with some kissing...

and then move

into the fancy stuff.

Cute, real cute.

Normal background radiation.

I don't think it's here.

- Wow. What is that?

- Neutron detector.

- Really? Who makes those?

- Don't try my patience, boy.

Come on, Paul.

Get that stuff

near the typewriter.

What's that over there?

Excuse me,

this is a private room.

Who are you?

My name is Jennifer Anderman.

My father's a lawyer.

Good.

You're gonna need him.

You know you can't come in here

without a warrant.

- It's unconstitutional.

- Yeah, what is this, Russia?

You have exactly 10 seconds to

come up with that damn thing.

I demand to make a phone call.

They can't do this, Paul.

It's illegal

search and seizure.

Would you please escort

this young lady outside?

Don't you touch me!

I want to know the charges!

- Yeah.

- The charges? OK.

How about theft

of government property...

transportation of stolen goods,

reckless endangerment...

violation of

the nuclear regulatory act...

and conspiracy

to commit espionage.

Is that good enough

for starters?

You're in a peck of trouble,

son.

You're not as smart

as you think.

Colonel, we're not going to

accomplish anything like this.

When I want your expert advice,

doctor, I'll ask for it.

- We demand to see a lawyer.

- When I say so.

Listen, I gave you an order.

This isn't a goddamn debate.

- Lf you would just...

- Get your hands off me!

I am making a phone call.

Don't you touch me!

Everybody, quiet!

Let's all just get

a little grip.

Now, we did kind of

burst in here.

Look, colonel,

what do you say...

me and Paul, we take a little

walk, just the two of us?

I'm sure we can

work this whole thing out.

What do you say, Paul?

Colonel?

You have five minutes.

Thanks.

- Kind of upset in there, huh?

- I don't know why.

It's just some lubricating oil

for the robot.

Oh, what did you want us to do?

Put up a neon sign saying

"secret weapons laboratory"?

I wish the world were a simpler

place, Paul, but it's not.

Well, don't worry about it.

They can't do anything to me.

- Why not?

- I'm underage.

Oh, that's really brilliant.

What do you think this is,

the school play?

They don't care

how old you are or how cute.

They're gorillas. They can

hurt you. Don't you get it?

You try to tough it out

with them...

they'll lock you in a room

somewhere...

and throw away the room.

It's really that important

to you, huh?

It's not just to me, Paul.

To everybody.

Now, what do you say?

That's better.

Where is it?

Oh, no, no. Not now.

What do you mean not now?

When?

- After the fair.

- Oh, come on, Paul.

But it's got to be judged.

I'm going to win first prize.

You're joking.

No. Did you see the junk

they got down there?

Paul, forget the science fair.

It's over.

No more science fair.

Look, this is top-secret stuff.

Nobody sees this, not ever.

You could start a war,

for Christ's sake.

Now stop screwing around

before it's too late.

Paul, for God's sake.

It was here, I swear!

Jenny must have taken it.

The girl hasn't been

out of our sight.

Then somebody must have

stolen it.

- Oh, Jesus.

- Come with us now, please.

- Now, just a minute.

- We'll take it from here.

Yeah, but

he's telling the truth!

Fine! Then he has nothing

to worry about.

It was in a box!

A toolbox!

My dad, he gave it to me

right before he left.

We really have to know

where it is, Paul.

I already told you,

I don't know.

Look, guys, I got to go...

Come on, guys. There's...

What is that?

Just to relax you,

to help you remember.

But I already told you,

I put it in the trunk. I swear.

But it wasn't in the trunk,

was it?

Just relax.

- You want the truth?

- That would be nice.

The truth is you guys

are a bunch of a**holes...

and when I get out...

Very hostile, Paul.

Just hold him.

I can do it through the shirt.

Oh, what the hell?

Hey, you!

Is that thing

really a nuclear device?

- Uh-huh.

- Far out!

Ladies and gentlemen,

may I have your attention?

Your attention please,

ladies and gentlemen.

It gives me great pleasure

on behalf of the judges...

- Night vision. Army surplus.

- The lights are on.

You took it. How?

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