Page 77 (1/2)

Sandecker nodded “No details of this schoolboy spy prank will ever go beyond the walls of NUMA”

“The Agency appreciates your discretion,” LeGrand said

Sandecker raised a red eyebrow “You’re not entirely off the hook,” he said archly “In exchange I want a full accounting of this sordid affair”

LeGrand knew there would be a quid pro quo There alith Sandecker He had already decided to lay his cards out on the table

“You’re certainly justified in dereed

“I think so,” Sandecker said agreeably

“It was quite a task to piece this story together, especially on such short notice, but I’ll do my best to explain what happened”

“Or thankfully in this case,” Sandecker said, “what didn’t happen”

LeGrand s of the story With Germany defeated, the Allied coalition fell apart Churchill cae was set for the cold war The US was still complacent because it was the only country that had the boness was eroded when the Soviets exploded their own nuclear device, and the aren bo down our necks, and it was clearly a ained parity As you know, the hydrogen bomb utilized a different process to create an explosion”

“The thermonuclear bomb uses fusion rather than fission,” said Sandecker, ell versed in ato served on nuclear-powered submarines “Atoms are joined rather than split apart”

LeGrand nodded “The hydrogen atom was fused with the helium atom The sun and other stars use the say Once it became known that the overn the Axis, and soically of the commando raid on the heavy-water plant in Norway You’re familiar with that mission, of course”

“Youan isotope needed for the production of a German A-bomb,” Sandecker said

“That’s right The raid delayed the German effort”

“A similar com, to say the least”

“As a matter of fact, it would have been impossible,” LeGrand said “The Norway raid was incredibly difficult to launch, even with accessibility and strong partisan support There was another consideration as well”