The dogs ran about the yard cavorting and trying to figure out who was the alpha male. They weren't fighting but rather they seemed to be doing some sort of negotiation. Harrison watched them and thought to himself that science isn't supposed to be this much fun.
The silence in a group of graduate students can only last so long and Sweeney broke it when she said, "It won't work."
"What won't," asked Goldberg.
"The sleight of dog trick. Once they realise they have been hoodwinked, my guess is banker would sacrifice them rather than dealing with them. He wouldn't look at them as anything more than an accounting problem."
"Good point, Christine," said Harrison and then continued, "That leaves running for it. Does anyone have any thoughts on that?"
Margolis responded first in saying, "I've already talked to Steve and we want to play this out. We're in."
Goldberg nodded and smiled. Despite the surrounding drama, his fascination with what the dogs would say was growing with each word he heard from them.
Sweeney followed not long afterward and said, "Mark and I have also talked and we're in as well."
Harrison raised an eyebrow and asked, "Another romance?"
"Quite so," said Campbell and laughed.
Harrison turned to Gill and said, "Do you like chess? It looks like we're the bachelors."
Gill laughed and said, "Actually, I don't but I'm in anyway. I wouldn't miss it. So long as there's a good supply of sci-fi, I won't get bored."
"Sci-fi? Christine is the one who named her dogs after Star Trek characters," said Harrison.
This time Sweeney laughed and said, "Star Trek isn't sci-fi any more than hip hop is music."
"OK, OK," said Harrison. "I'm glad to see everyone is willing to play. I'm concerned about Hoffman but we just have to wait for now. Ford wants me to to contact him by the end of the day so I believe I'll tell him I need another month before returning the dogs. I told him they are not yet talking as I thought it would be better if he doesn't know. I'll tell him I need another month before I give it up."
"Interesting approach, Boss," said Goldberg. "I assume we will disappear before the month is up."
"Exactly. It will take two or three days to get from here to Kentucky. There's not much to do when we get there except pick rooms as my parents have kept their survival cave stocked and in good condition ever since they first built it."
"Is this Top Secret approach really necessary," asked Goldberg.
"Not as far as NSA or any other government spooks are concerned but anything they can do anonymous hackers can do better and some of those will be available for hire should the banker try to track us. When we disappear it's a good chance he will guess the value of the dogs and every avaricious dream he ever had will go into overdrive. I do think it's likely he will try to find us or hire people who can."
"Fair enough," said Goldberg. He looked around at everyone and then said, "It looks to me like we're all in agreement."
"OK then. I'll go inside to call Ford," said Harrison. He too looked at everyone and then turned to go inside the house.
The silence in a group of graduate students can only last so long and Sweeney broke it when she said, "It won't work."
"What won't," asked Goldberg.
"The sleight of dog trick. Once they realise they have been hoodwinked, my guess is banker would sacrifice them rather than dealing with them. He wouldn't look at them as anything more than an accounting problem."
"Good point, Christine," said Harrison and then continued, "That leaves running for it. Does anyone have any thoughts on that?"
Margolis responded first in saying, "I've already talked to Steve and we want to play this out. We're in."
Goldberg nodded and smiled. Despite the surrounding drama, his fascination with what the dogs would say was growing with each word he heard from them.
Sweeney followed not long afterward and said, "Mark and I have also talked and we're in as well."
Harrison raised an eyebrow and asked, "Another romance?"
"Quite so," said Campbell and laughed.
Harrison turned to Gill and said, "Do you like chess? It looks like we're the bachelors."
Gill laughed and said, "Actually, I don't but I'm in anyway. I wouldn't miss it. So long as there's a good supply of sci-fi, I won't get bored."
"Sci-fi? Christine is the one who named her dogs after Star Trek characters," said Harrison.
This time Sweeney laughed and said, "Star Trek isn't sci-fi any more than hip hop is music."
"OK, OK," said Harrison. "I'm glad to see everyone is willing to play. I'm concerned about Hoffman but we just have to wait for now. Ford wants me to to contact him by the end of the day so I believe I'll tell him I need another month before returning the dogs. I told him they are not yet talking as I thought it would be better if he doesn't know. I'll tell him I need another month before I give it up."
"Interesting approach, Boss," said Goldberg. "I assume we will disappear before the month is up."
"Exactly. It will take two or three days to get from here to Kentucky. There's not much to do when we get there except pick rooms as my parents have kept their survival cave stocked and in good condition ever since they first built it."
"Is this Top Secret approach really necessary," asked Goldberg.
"Not as far as NSA or any other government spooks are concerned but anything they can do anonymous hackers can do better and some of those will be available for hire should the banker try to track us. When we disappear it's a good chance he will guess the value of the dogs and every avaricious dream he ever had will go into overdrive. I do think it's likely he will try to find us or hire people who can."
"Fair enough," said Goldberg. He looked around at everyone and then said, "It looks to me like we're all in agreement."
"OK then. I'll go inside to call Ford," said Harrison. He too looked at everyone and then turned to go inside the house.
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