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All these men were known by the news media, all were celebrities in their chosen fields, but none were identified with membership in the Foundation That was a sec known only to the men in the room and their close associates They flew across oceans and continents, weaving their webs in all sorts of strange places, takings toll while a unheard-of profits

They listened with close attention in silence as the' chosen chair fir the diaal lish, a language every national around the to understood

"Gentle a profound crisis in a vital area of our operations Appraisal of his conduct by our intelligence network points to a diamond market headed into dark waters Make no mistake about it, if Dorsett dumps over a hundred ar prices, as he is reported ready to do, this sector of the Foundation will totally collapse"

"How soon will this take place?" asked the sheik an oil-rich country on the Red Sea

"I have it on good authority that eighty percent Dorsett's inventory will be on sale in his chain of recd stores in less than a week," answered the chairman

"What do we stand to lose?" asked the Japanese head of a vast electronics empire

"Thirteen billion Swiss francs for starters"

"Good God!" The French leader of one of the world's largest women's fashion houses rapped his fist on the table "This Australian Neanderthal has the power to do such a thing?"

The chairman nodded "From all accounts, he has the inventory to back him"

"Dorsett should never have been allowed to operate outside the cartel," said the American former secretary of state

"The dareed the diaeain"

"Is there no e can cut him off before his stones are distributed to his stores?" asked the Japanese businessman

"I sent an eenerous offer to buy his stock in order to keep it out of circulation"

"Have you heard back?"

"Not yet"