Monday morning Ames reported that Professor Runkle had left the country.  Tom was not sorry, since an arrest and public trial might have led to dangerous publicity about Exman.  The probings of a sharp-tongued defense attorney might even have tipped off the Brungarian to Tom’s real purpose in letting the space brain be hijacked.

Meanwhile, a telephone call from Washington announced that State Department men were flying to Enterprises to confer with the Swifts about taking official action against the Brungarian attacks.  The group arrived by jet after lunch.  Thurston of the CIA was also present.

“The problem is this,” a State Department official said as they discussed the matter in the Swifts’ office.  “Should we bring charges against Brungaria before the United Nations?  Or should we rely on other means, short of war, to block the Brungarian rebel coup?”

Mr. Swift frowned thoughtfully.  “It might be difficult to prove they were responsible for the earthquake attacks,” he pointed out.

“I’d say it’s impossible,” Tom said, “unless we give away the secret about our electronic spy.”  He paused, then added, “Sir, if the State Department will agree, I’d like more time before you make any official moves.”

The Quakelizors, Tom argued, seemed to offer protection against any future quake waves, unless the power of the shocks was greatly stepped up.  Meantime, working through Exman, Tom might be able to provide the Brungarian loyalists with valuable information.  “I’m hoping it will help them overthrow the rebel clique and their brutal allied military bosses.”

The State Department men conferred, then Thurston spoke up quietly, “In our opinion, it’s worth a gamble.”

After the group had left, the Swifts resumed their sensing experiments in Tom’s private laboratory.  They were hard at work when the signal bell suddenly rang on the electronic brain.

The two scientists rushed to read the incoming message.  It said: 

    EXMAN TO SWIFTS.  ONE ENEMY EARTHQUAKE PRODUCER IS AT...

Here the message gave precise latitude and longitude figures.  It went on: 

    RUIN OF SWIFT PLACE IN ONE WEEK.

Tom and his father gasped in dismay.  “I thought the New York-New England Quakelizor was going to protect us!” the young inventor exclaimed.  “Our enemies must have located another earth fault with Enterprises right in its path!”

Hastily opening an atlas, Tom fingered the location of the proposed source of attack.  It was Balala Island off the coast of Peru.

“Dad, that settles it!” Tom declared grimly.  “It’s clear now that those Brungarian rebels want to destroy us and use Exman in some way to conquer the earth!”

“I don’t doubt that you’re right, son,” Mr. Swift said grimly.  “We must act fast!  But how?”

Again, the signal bell interrupted.  This time, Exman gave a number of military details, evidently picked up from orders issuing from Brungarian rebel headquarters.  They concerned incoming troop movements from the north and operational plans for crushing out the last pockets of resistance by loyal government forces.