American security agents, suspecting Dr Zhang is hacking into U.S. computers, try to abduct him. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service is also interested.
And Murga is back in town with a proposition. I agree to tests of my super normal flyi...
I must have looked surprised because he slapped me on the shoulder and laughed uproariously. 'I make joke! I tell everybody I am Russian spy, so . . . no one believes me!'
'But I fool them . . . Really I am German spy! Heil Hitler! Ha, ha, ha, ha. Big joke. Ha, ha . . . Now, we get down to do business. Where is my burnt toasted bread?'
Beryl gave Sergei a plate of toast as he rummaged through the pile of papers on the kitchen table and pulled out a map. 'This is the separation plant for U-235. For security reasons it is called the Clinton Engineering Works but everyone knows it is Oak Ridge.'
'Where is my egg?'
'Sorry,' Beryl said. 'We finished the box last night.'
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Sergei grunted. 'So . . . in just two years, these crazy Americans built three colossal plants just to separate uranium-235 from uranium-238. At the same time they built three big reactors at Hanford to make plutonium and then to extract it from all the radioactive fission products. Also they build a huge laboratory in the New Mexico desert to design, build and test the bombs . . . Only the Americans could do this!'
He slammed a fist onto the table for emphasis and the table replied, 'Guluk gloyk!'
It was Sergei's turn to be surprised. 'Holy Zeus! What is that?'
Dunc stuck his head out from under the table. 'Would yeh no make so much noise. Ah was trying to catch a wink o' sleep.'
Sergei recoiled. 'What is that? A puppet?'
I laughed. 'Sergei, let me introduce my pet goose, Duncan. He likes to be known as Chunky Dunc.'
'Ah'm nobody's pet,' Dunc said irritably. 'And Ah'm no overweight. Ah'm yehr guardian goose uncle and Ah would appreciate a wee bit o' respect.'
Sergei shook his head as Dunc waddled from under the table. 'He is real?' Sergei gasped. 'A talking goose?'
'O' course ah'm real. The question is, are you?'
'This will all make more sense with some beer,' Sergei said. 'Would anyone else like some?'
Kozak and Beryl nodded and Dunc said, 'Ah'll drink a beer wi' yeh if yeh'll pour it into mah dish.'
Sergei returned from the refrigerator with five bottles, one containing a cola for me. He snapped the caps off and poured beer into Dunc's dish. Dunc filled his beak and lifted his head to swallow.
Sergei watched him until Dunc said, 'Well now that ah'm awake you might tell us your plan.' He jerked his beak at the map. 'What's this?'
Sergei rummaged through the untidy mess on the kitchen table and produced a diagram.
