“Forgive me if I do not share your enthusiasm, Doctor Klaus,” the steel eyes mocked beneath the executive’s darkened brow.

Klaus fidgeted in the darkened office. “I do not understand what the problem seems to be, Mister Falcon. I—“

“Screwed up. There’s no reason to beat around the bush, Doctor. My department, Human Resources should have been notified to handle the disposal of corporate assets, including the janitor. Neither by yourself nor by your compatriot Doctor Klingel. Things are now out of hand. The Sector Chief left his station before we could escort him out. We don’t know where he is. And you, you went to the movies!” Falcon jerked himself upright from his leather office chair and loomed over the fat scientist. Klaus blinked, then glanced away.

“This project is supposed to be our test run for the big pitch to the Armed Forces. Now we may have to account for two deaths, not just one. Who knows with whom the escaped are now in contact with! The media? The government? This is bad news! I cannot fathom how you managed to be so careless. If I didn’t need you, I’d fire you. Right now. What do you have to say for yourself? I left you in charge of the operation, gave you the complete cooperation of my department! What do I tell Bosak if word gets out?”

“Word will not get out, Mister Falcon.” Klaus leaned back, sighed and began polishing his spectacles on his tie. “No one has left the compound since Lawrence escaped the brig. Captain Tanzer, whom you have been so kind to put at my disposal, has informed me that all entrances and exits are being monitored. All security assets are now on alert. They will turn up soon and that will be that.”

“I am well aware of that, thank you. Heads will roll, do you know that, Doctor? Heads will roll!” He pounded the desk and sighed into a prolonged uncomfortable silence. After a moment, he flicked a piece of lint off his pinstripe suit with a finely manicured nail. “Keep me informed. And if, by chance, you do find them, I want them alive. I have other uses for them. Now, get out of my sight!” Falcon waved in dismissal, turning away to pick up the phone. Klaus struggled against the armrests of the chair, his girth clamped firmly in place. Finally one of the struts snapped and he extricated himself, armrest firmly in hand. He laid the broken wood on the chair and quietly made his exit.

Doctor Klingel was waiting for him by the elevator, winding his antique Mickey Mouse watch. He looked up just as Klingel bustled past and hit the down button. The lanky doctor politely cleared his throat.

“I assume things did not go well, Herr Doktor?”

“On the contrary, Arnie. What an utter waste of time that movie was, huh?” Klaus deflected attention away from the question. “We shall stick to the program as originally envisaged.”

Klingel paused, then ventured, “What about Lawrence? Noone?”

Klaus smiled serenely. Somewhere inside he was mastering his anger, counting to ten to cool it down, or holding it under cold water while repeatedly pummeling it in the kidneys. “Oh, Captain Tanzer has assured me that his team will find and ‘dismiss’ them outright. You need not worry.” The elevator dinged and the doors whooshed open. Klaus stepped in. “What is the time?”

Klingel consulted his watch, stepping into the elevator. “The first training session begins in half an hour. We still have time for a quick schnapps and a hot chocolate.”

“Splendid!” Klaus tilted his neck and cracked one of his vertebrae. “That will do nicely. Set course for the canteen!”

The doors whisked shut and the elevator began its descent.