"Someday," said the President, "it will be known. Someday my dishonesty will catch up with me."
"When it does," said Wilson, "and sometime, of course, it will, a great guffaw will go around the world. You'll be famous, sir. They'll build statues of you."
The President smiled. "I hope so, Steve. I feel a little sneaky."
"One thing, sir," said Wilson. "Just how tight is this secret of yours?"
"I feel it's solid," said the President. "The people you brought up from Myer told our National Academy people — only three of them. They reported back to me. The future scientists and the men who talked with them. To me alone. By this time, I had gotten wind of Chapman's deal and I asked them to say nothing. Only a few of the future scientists worked on the project that sent the people back; only a handful of them know what actually is involved. And as it happens, they all are here. Something like the diamonds. They all are here because they felt we were the one nation they could trust. The word has been passed along at Myer. The future scientists won't talk. Neither will our men"
Wilson nodded. "It sounds all right. You mentioned the diamonds. What became of them?"
"We have accepted temporary custody. They are locked away. Later, after all of this is over, we'll see what can be done with them. Probably rather discreet sales of them, with a suitable cover story provided. A few at a time. With the money put in escrow for later distribution to the other nations."
Wilson rose and moved toward the door. Halfway there, he stopped and turned. "I'd say, Mr. President, that it's going very well."
"Yes," said the President. "After a bad start, it is going well. There's still a lot to do, but we are on the way."
Someone was at Judy's desk when Wilson returned. The room was dark. There were only the flashing lights on the console and they were not being answered.
"Judy?" asked Wilson hesitantly. "Judy, is that you?" Knowing that it couldn't be, for by now she was probably landing in Ohio.
"I came back," said Judy. "I got on the plane and then got off again. I sat at the airport for hours, wondering what to do. You are a son of a bitch, Steve Wilson, and you know you are. I don't know why I got off the plane. Getting off, I don't know why I came here."
He strode across the room and stood beside her.
"You never asked me to stay. You never really asked me."
"But I did. I asked you."
"You were noble about it. That's the trouble with you. Noble. You never got down on your knees and begged me. And now my baggage is headed for Ohio and I…"
He reached down and lifted her from the chair, held her close.
"It's been a rough two days," he said. "It's time for the two of us to be going home."