One Of My First Stories Published In A Pulp Fiction Magazine

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.