The Destroyer of Worlds

Los Alamos

"There's a way to balance these things." I told Groves, pointing at him before I turn around and walk up to my blackboard. "Keep the Rad Lab here at Berkeley under Lawrence. Met Lab in Chicago under Szilard. Large-scale refining, where did you say? Tennessee." I said to myself as I saw Groves walk over and sit in a seat closer to me. "And Hanford." He said as I repeated it.

***

"All America's industrial might and scientific innovation, connected by rail. Focused on one goal. One point in space and time. And it comes together here. A secret laboratory. In the middle of nowhere, secure, self-sufficient, equipment, housing, the works. Keep everyone there until it's done. It'll need a school, stores, a church." I said, as Groves, Nichols and I were riding on a train.

"Why?" Groves asked. "If we don't let scientists bring their families, we'll never get the best. You want security? Build a town, build it fast." I explained as I stared at Groves. "Where?" He asked.

***

"Welcome to Los Alamos. Now, there's a boys' school we'll have to commandeer, and the local Indians come up here for burial rites. Other than that, nothing. Forty miles. Any direction. Enough to find the perfect spot." I explained, my arms open wide. "For?" Groves asked, scanning the landscape. "Success." I replied, my eyes squinting because of the bright sun.

Groves turns to Nichols. "Build him a town. Fast." Then, he turns to me as he walks to his car. "Let's go recruit some scientists." He said.

***

"Why would I leave my family?" Condon asked me, stopping in the middle of the hallway. "I told you, you can bring your family." I explained, my hands on my hips. "Why would we go to the middle of nowhere for who knows how long?" Condon asks, his finger pointing at the ground. "For a year, or two. Or three." I said, my hands flowing. "Why would you think I'd do that?" Condon asks, his head tilted. I was going to explain reasons to go, before Groves snapped. "'Why?' 'Why?' How about because this is the most important fucking thing to ever happen in the history of the world? How about that?! Fuck." Groves said, walking off. I looked at Condon, tapping his arm, then nodded and followed Groves.

"What can I tell them?" I asked Groves after glancing at a file. "As much as you like, until you feel my boot on your balls." He responded, taking a bite of his meal then drinking his beer.

"I'm not a soldier, Oppie." Bainbridge explained. "A soldier? He's a general. He's a general, not the soldier I need. You know isotopes and you know explosives better than anyone in the world." I said, pointing at Bainbridge, then at Donald. "But you can't tell us what you're doing?" Donald asked me. I glanced at Groves, before crossing my legs to answer his question. I looked at Bainbridge. "It's about unleashing the strong force... before the Nazis do." I answered. "Oh my god." Bainbridge responded, his head shaking.

Feynman, Groves and I quickly walk across the field while I attempt to recruit Feynman. "Heisenberg, Diebner, Bothe, Bohr. What do these men have in common?" I ask him. "The greatest minds on atomic theory." He replied as we continued walking quickly. "And?" I asked. "Uh... I don't know." Feynman replied. "The Nazis have them." Groves answered for me. "Niels Bohr's in Copenhagen." Feynman pointed at Groves. "Under Nazi occupation. Did they stop printing newspapers in Princeton?" I asked, looking at him. "Niels won't work for the Nazis." Feynman said with full confidence. I agreed with him, but he had no choice. "No, never. But while they have him, we don't. That's why I need you." I looked up at Feynman. He was much taller than me.

"Robert, I hear you. I hear you." A scientist tells me, his forehead in his hands. "Uh, General, could you give us a moment?" I requested. Groves took a look at the scientist, then got up and left the room without saying another word. "They are not gonna let me onto this project. And failing a security check is not gonna be good for a career, even after the war." The scientist told me. I nodded. "So you're a fellow traveler. So what? This is a national emergency. I've got some skeletons, they put me in charge. They need us!" I said, pointing to myself then shrugging. "Until they don't." The scientist told me. I just stared at him.