23

The white light flashed on.

“Oop? Do you read me, Oop? This is Sweet Pea calling. Do you read me, Oop?”

“YEP.”

“I am beside myself, Oop, utterly beside myself. Beside myself and vexed, Oop—and all because of you. I return to the office this morning after a weekend of fishing, and I am besieged by phone calls from the other members of the Committee. Phone calls about you, Oop. You have brought us to the brink of disaster, Oop, do you realize that?”

“YEP.”

“On whose authority did you decide to have a confrontation with Mandrake, Oop? Mandrake has circulated a rumor among the Committee that he had to intercede to keep you from selling one of our agents to the Germans. Do you understand the implications, Oop? He made it sound as if you and I are a pair of white slavers! White slavery doesn’t sit well here on the Potomac, Oop. The Committee is up in arms. Do you realize the implications when the Committee is up in arms, Oop?”

“YEP.”

“Just thank the Lord for my quick-wittedness, Oop. I gave the Committee my personal guarantee that the story was confused. Now, listen, Oop, and listen carefully. There is little doubt that Mandrake was referring to Dick Tracy, so I want sworn affidavits from both Dick Tracy and you that it isn’t so! We must make Mandrake out to be a bold-faced liar! Get me those affidavits, Oop. Get them fast. Then move Dick Tracy out of there and away from Mandrake. Dick Tracy should never have been allowed near Mandrake! Do you understand what you have to do, Oop?”

“IT’S TOO LATE. MANDRAKE HAS ALREADY LIFTED DICK TRACY. I’VE BEEN TRYING TO REACH YOU FOR THREE DAYS TO TELL YOU. I WASN’T ABLE TO FIND YOU. HOW WAS THE FISHING? CATCH ANY BIG ONES?”

Julian waited for the delay to end.

“What was that? What was that you just said?”

“I ASKED HOW THE FISHING WENT. DID YOU CATCH ANY BIG ONES?”

“Not that,” VFW squealed as the white light went on. “What did you say about Mandrake and Dick Tracy?”

“MANDRAKE MADE A DEAL WITH DICK TRACY. DICK TRACY HAS MOVED OVER TO MANDRAKE AS HIS PERSONAL ESPIONAGE ADVISER.”

“God in heaven, Oop, do you realize what you have done? You have made me out a liar, that’s what you have done. I promised the others sworn affidavits denying this whole ridiculous matter. I’m a trapped liar, Oop—all because of you. Do you realize that, Oop? You got me into this. Now you get me out of it. What about Daddy Warbucks? Have we located a Daddy Warbucks? If we could bring him in fast, that might regain control of the situation.”

“WE MAY HAVE SPOTTED ONE. THERE’S SOME CONFUSION OVER THE EXACT LOCATION. WE THINK HE’S BEING TAKEN TO EITHER A BALTIC ISLAND OR NORTHWESTERN POLAND. WE HOPE TO PINPOINT IT SOON. BUT IF IT IS HIM, I DON’T THINK IT WILL HELP OUR SITUATION MUCH, SINCE IT’S DICK TRACY’S MAN WHO IS ON THE TRAIL.”

“Oh, my God. That can’t happen, Oop. That simply cannot happen. Oop, suggest something.”

“WHY NOT LET ME HANDLE MANDRAKE MY OWN WAY?”

“Don’t be insane. Another incident could wipe us out completely back here. You keep away from Mandrake. I want you to come up with a positive solution.”

“WHAT ABOUT GIVING UP OUR JURISDICTION TO MANDRAKE? WHY NOT LET HIM BE BOSS OF THE ENTIRE OPERATION? THAT WILL STOP THE MANEUVERING FOR CONTROL AND GIVE US TIME TO THINK.”

“Absolutely not. Once you give something up, you never get it back. Mandrake is much too clever for that. We have to come up with the unexpected, the flamboyant. Something—Hold it, Oop, hold it. Give me time. I’m having flashes. I’ve got it, Oop. I’ve saved the situation once again. Call a meeting of the Seven.”

“THAT’S MADNESS, ABSOLUTE MADNESS. YOU KNOW WHO WE HAVE AND WHAT THEY ARE. A MEETING IS THE EXACT THING I’VE BEEN TRYING TO AVOID. YOU’LL BE PLAYING DIRECTLY INTO MANDRAKE’S HAND. THIS IS WHAT HE’S BEEN WAITING FOR. HE KNOWS BETTER THAN ANYONE THAT WITHOUT A DADDY WARBUCKS A MEETING WOULD BE A COMPLETE DISASTER FOR US. ONCE THE COMMITTEE READS THE TRANSCRIPT WE’LL LOOK LIKE THE INCOMPETENTS OF THE CENTURY.”

“Don’t exaggerate, Oop. The trouble with you and your fellows is congenital exaggeration and a complete lack of political sophistication. I know of what I speak. A bold stroke is half the battle. Rely on the unexpected. Charge the Valley of Death. Trust to my instinct and guile, Oop. Wield the big stick. If Mandrake objects, it makes him out the wilting violet. Trust my years in the Potomac jungle, Oop. I am ordering you to convene the meeting. Do so, posthaste. I won’t abide any dillydallying. This is war.”