Thought you might like this. It is the either the first or second story I ever sold to a major pulp magazine; 1986.
A PENNY SAVED
OR
HOW INFLATION SAVED
THE NATION
The complex was located in the frozen northland under a
hundred feet of stone and permafrost.
The great scientist who labored there had won the Nobel before entering
the complex to begin what he considered to be his life’s work; the creation of
the perfect weapon.
The scientist invested fifteen years in the creation of
X-Gamma Nine.
For each of those years a thousand lives were spent proving
the weapon effective. Finally, all was
ready and “Uncle” Ivan, iron-fisted leader of the Motherland’s people was
called in to witness the final test.
The test went perfectly.
Not one of the test subjects had the discourtesy to live and ruin
“Uncle’s” work.
Ivan was elated.
Finally, the enemy of the motherland would be brought to its proud
knees. Ivan was so happy, in fact, that
he allowed the scientist to live out the short remainder of his life in a
forced labor camp. As a hero of the
people the scientist was given one end of a crosscut saw. He didn’t even have to work up to the
position. Those in the know were
encouraged by the evidence of a softening attitude on the part of “Uncle.”
Ivan smiled, happy he could gladden the hearts of his
people so. Then he laid plans for the
destruction of the enemy.
…..
The fifty sealed packets were stacked neatly on the table at
the front of the room. Ivan himself
addressed the fifty agents.
“Comrades,” Ivan began.
“You have been chosen to participate in the greatest mission ever
undertaken on behalf of the Motherland.
You will be directly responsible for the elimination of our principle
enemy from the face of the earth.”
“Each of these packets contains a penny. In the land of the enemy each is a
collector’s item of moderate value. That
is your excuse for having such an item. Collector’s coins are routinely sealed
in this manner. At the conclusion of
this meeting each of you will take one of these packets and board the submarine
waiting at the dock outside. The vessel will take you to various rendezvous off
the enemy coast. You will be briefed as to your targets once on board. Each of
you will see to it that you reach your target by August sixth. At precisely 10:05 AM on August sixth you will
go to a busy area in the target city and spill the penny onto the ground.
choose an area where it is certain to be
found.”
Uncle paused for effect.
“Each of these pennies, gentlemen, is coated with a substance containing
infected with a germ developed by our greatest scientific mind. The germ dies
after an hour’s exposure to air but during that hour, anyone who picks the
penny up will absorb the germ into the bloodstream. That person will die
seventy-six hours later. Anyone who comes into physical contact with the victim
during that time will die also. The victim feels nothing until the last hours
so the disease will spread through the population like wildfire. Estimates are
for a 70% kill in the target areas. Targets have been picked to maximize the
effect of the kill on the enemy political and military structure. Go and do your duty well.”
The leader raised his fist to the sky. “TO THE REVOLUTION!"
"TO THE REVOLUTION!" the fifty shouted back.
………
Timmy Bensen and his friend John walked across the street. It was a busystreet so they hurried.
Timmy was
poor by American standards. John's father owned Franklin's. He numbered a
Senator as one of his customers.
As the boys hurried along, Timmy's eye caught the bright
flash of sunlight on polished copper. On another day Timmy might have picked up the
penny but John was with him today and John's dad was rich. Timmy gave
the penny a contemptuous kick. The coin rolled along the curb and down a
storm sewer.
Without a human host X-Gamma Nine existed for but an hour.
Timmy's town,and the nearby missle base, never knew that they were
targets.
Joe needed a drink. Already
he was beginning to shake. Suddenly his eye was drawn to the shiny object on the sidewalk. Joe
stooped and reached then drew his hand back. “So bright and only a penny?”
Joe straightened, standing taller than before. "Hey
mister.1I he said to a passerby. "Got half a buck? I could sure
use a cup of coffee."
As Joe pocketed the two quarters the man had given him he
gave the penny a kick. The penny rolled under a building. Joe walked away whistling. He felt great.
After all, a man has his pride.
...........
The re-call message arrived at 9:30 the morning of August
sixth. Boris had been ambassador for an unusually long time so he was used to
impossible demands but this last was an outrage. "Be clear of the country
by 10:00 AM or don't come home," the message read.”
Fear clutched at the ulcer nested in the ambassador's
stomach. Orders are orders, especially when "Uncle" gives them, Boris
thought as he headed for the airport, not bothering to pack.
The trip to the airport took thirty minutes and the clock on
the dash read 9:40. It seemed hopeless but Boris knew that there was still a
chance. If Boris didn't make the airport
on time he would become, in the eyes of the leader, a non-person; someone
incapable of following orders.
That the orders could not be followed was no excuse. The pilot of the plane had associated with
Boris so if Boris was a non-person, the pilot was a non-person as well. Siberia
was cold. The pilot would wait.
The limo screeched to a halt.
"Not bad," Boris muttered. The clock on the dash
read 10:03.
Boris hurried toward the gate where his plane waited. Boris
knew that according to the pilot's log the plane was already airborne. He began
to run.
Because of his speed Boris was a step past the object before
it registered on his mind as a coin. He almost didn't stop but as a comrade had
remarked some years ago, "A kopek saved is a kopek earned."
Boris stopped, grabbed the penny and ran toward the plane.
The agent who had carefully placed the penny smiled as he saw the fat
"capitalist" stop and grab the prize.
An ebullient Ivan met the plane carrying Boris. As a gesture
of friendship, and for long service, and because Ivan anticipated with glee the
demise of the enemy, Boris was greeted with a personal handshake from the great
leader.
