The Manhattan Project Page #6

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Paul, it's dangerous.

That's what makes it

so exciting.

Of course.

So, Paul,

why the big push for publicity?

Well, I was thinking,

this is such a neat place...

people ought to know about it.

No, really.

They got lots of cool

equipment, robots, plutonium.

Why keep it a secret?

They should have tours,

like Disneyland.

Paul, you may be having

some fun right now, but...

I'm not having any fun.

I'm scared out of my mind,

but I don't have any choice.

Of course you do.

Just give me the box.

- Oh, yeah, great.

- Why not?

Are you kidding? Do you think

they're gonna let me go home...

knowing what I know

about this place?

Jesus, you're more naive

than I thought.

So what do you think

they're gonna do?

I think they're gonna try

and kill me.

Oh. Why?

That's what I would do

if I was them.

- That's purely hypothetical.

- No, it's perfectly logical.

I'm the leak, so plug the leak.

What are you gonna do?

Don't worry.

I'm working on it.

Max. Thank God.

Jenny? Jesus, what's going on?

You guys have been on the news.

Someone said there was

a helicopter at Paul's house.

Listen, Max, you got to do

two things for us, OK?

It's a matter

of life and death.

- Yeah, sure. Whose?

- Everybody's.

First, call my parents...

and then call two people.

I don't care who.

And have them call two people.

And call the newspaper

and the TV station.

- Are you listening?

- Yeah! Go ahead.

OK, there's a place called

Medatomics Company on Route 81.

This is position two.

They're coming through,

approaching the detector.

OK, position two, we copy.

He's got it, all right.

There's the core,

explosive package...

electronics, tamper, batteries.

- Nice design, actually.

- Is it armed?

- Nope.

- You certain?

Mm-hmm.

It's all in sections.

We know it's not armed, Paul...

so I want you to just

put it down and walk away.

- Walk away?

- That's right.

I'm gonna count to three.

- Hey, let me talk to him.

- Doctor, stay out of this.

Let me talk to Conroy

on that thing.

- One, two...

- This wasn't part of the deal.

- Don't hit the box.

- Jesus.

- He's got plutonium in that!

- Oh, sh*t!

Keep your hands on the wall,

doctor.

Breath funny, and I'll blow

your f***ing brains out, OK?

- Jesus.

- What?

Now he's really

putting it together.

Get me a status report.

Two, three, and four,

what have you got?

There's no way I can get him...

without hitting

that green stuff...

or going through the plexi.

- Me, neither.

- Same here.

Oh, boy.

OK, here's the deal.

We have an irrational child

down there with an armed device.

He seems to trust you,

so you get down there.

- And do what?

- Disarm him.

- Get him to take it apart.

- And if he won't?

Then just separate him from it,

and we'll do the rest.

- What? I can't do that.

- And why not?

Because I'm not a...

What? Killer? Is that the word

you're groping for, doctor?

And just what the bloody hell

do you think...

you've been working on

all these years?

What do you think

all this is for?

Your own personal amusement?

To stimulate you

intellectually?

You are what you are, doctor...

a son of a b*tch

like the rest of us.

Now for God's sake,

take some responsibility...

and do what has to be done.

Hello again.

Mind if I sit down?

Two minutes. That's cutting it

kind of close, isn't it?

And what is that?

A car key?

And the reflector?

Salad bowls.

Why not?

What did you use

for the firing circuits?

Photo strobes.

Well, that's...

that's very pretty.

Thanks.

Now what do you say

we take it all apart...

before everybody goes crazy?

No, I'm sorry.

I can't do that right now.

This isn't accomplishing

anything.

- Sure, it is.

- What?

- Deterrence.

- Deterrence?

Yeah, you know.

Like when each side thinks...

that the other guy

is going to blow everybody up.

It's called

mutually assured destruction.

Yeah, I know what it's called.

- Well, it's working, isn't it?

- How do you mean?

I'm still alive, aren't I?

Don't talk like that.

The thing is,

I've been thinking about it...

and I'm not sure

that I'm crazy enough...

to actually turn the key.

That is the problem

with deterrence, isn't it?

So, I guess... I blew it.

What do you mean?

I'm not getting out of here.

Let me see this thing.

Paul, give it to me.

Come on.

Give it to me.

Hold it, gentlemen.

Fellow sons of b*tches.

We're all what we are, right?

So here's my responsible act.

I'm taking him out of here.

And since you all like

scenarios so much...

I've got one for you.

It's called

a little game of chance.

I'll bet you

that I can turn this key...

and blow us all to hell...

even after you shoot me.

And you're gonna have

to shoot me, OK?

Everybody's problems

all solved...

in one millionth of a second.

Now...

who wants to play?

Red team, I do not want them

off the premises...

with that gadget,

do you copy?

Please, not in the building.

One stray bullet, and we've

got a containment breach...

All right!

All right, listen.

Yeah, copy, command.

No problem.

Give me a clear shot

behind the ear...

and I'll turn him off

like a switch.

Well, at least now

I can publish.

What do you mean?

I mean I think I just blew

my security clearance.

- I'm sorry.

- It's no problem.

Time for a change

of vocations, anyway.

There must be a place

in the private sector...

for an unemployed

nuclear weapons designer...

don't you think?

What? What?

You turned it?

No, no, it happened by itself,

spontaneously.

Jesus.

Damn thing's counting down.

It's gonna blow.

Probably neutron flux.

Radiation from the core...

can screw up this kind of

solid-state timing circuit.

I never heard of that.

Yeah, well, live and learn.

Gentlemen...

we got a little...

wrinkle here.

Listen carefully...

and do exactly as I say.

Come on, Terry, move it!

- Move it!

- Go!

Go for it!

Well, at least we have

I don't think so.

Time-based circuits tend

to deteriorate exponentially...

faster and faster.

You see?

Jesus. Why'd we

bring it back here, then?

Why not?

Where do you want to take it?

How about Truman Quarry?

- What?

- Sure.

It's a couple of square miles,

at least.

No one around. It's perfect.

"A couple of square miles. "

Paul, if this thing goes...

you're gonna get

a really good view...

of a fifty to seventy kiloton

explosion.

What?

You don't know

what you took, Paul.

This is special stuff.

It's very nasty.

It's so hot we don't even know

how to test it.

It's a miracle

you didn't kill yourself...

just carrying it home.

So, uh...

if I unscrew this,

I can get the core out, right?

OK, you got a screwdriver?

No, no, a bigger one.

What?

It's jammed.

Let me try.

It's funny,

the same thing happened...

at the trinity test

forty years ago.

Oh, really?

The core got stuck

halfway in...

while they were trying

to insert it.

I wouldn't bump it around

like that if I were you.

It might decide to fire

just for spite.

So what do we do?

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