Turning slowly as he spoke, Leeds told the audience, “New technology doesn’t just spring up because you rub a magic lamp. I’ve asked the best scientists in Washington, men and women who work at the National Science Foundation and the National Academy of Sciences, what they think about my opponent’s pipe dream. They tell me it won’t work, not for many, many years. Maybe never. Is that what we should be pinning our hopes on? Is that what we should be spending our hard-earned tax dollars on?”

Tomlinson’s rebuttal was simple. “The senator asks for advice from scientists who haven’t worked in a laboratory for twenty years or more. But right here in this state we have scientists who are making MHD work! They’re not sitting at desks and theorizing. They’re getting their hands dirty and producing megawatts of electrical power for us. They lit up the whole county of Lignite on the Fourth of July. You all saw that. They can light up this entire state, this entire nation, if we give them the backing they need.”

More cheers and applause.

Then, with an impish grin, Tomlinson added, “Remember the old adage: When a distinguished but elderly scientist says something is possible, he’s almost always right. When he says something is impossible, he’s almost always wrong.”

Everyone laughed. Except Leeds.

Turning toward the senator again, Tomlinson said, “I invite your Washington desk-bound science advisors to come here, come to Lignite, and see the future of this state, of this country, at work.”

And so it went. When it came time for questions from the audience only a half-dozen hands rose. Just like a classroom, Jake thought. Most of them are scared to stand out.

The blond moderator swiveled completely around, then selected a woman from the last row. She stood up, and Jake recognized her as one of the volunteers who had worked on the Fourth of July stunt at Lignite. One of Amy’s plants, he thought.

“This is for either one of the candidates,” she said, “or both of them, actually. There’s been some talk about the professor who headed the MHD program being murdered. Is there anything to this rumor?”

Tomlinson spoke up before Leeds could open his mouth. “You’re talking about Professor Arlan Sinclair. All we know for certain was that his wife had a gambling addiction, although the rumor claims she was a narcotics user, as well.”

Leeds jumped in. “Those are totally unfounded rumors. The police report concluded that Professor Sinclair committed suicide after killing his wife.”

“Yes, but why did he kill her?” Tomlinson asked. “And then himself—if he really did commit suicide.”

“There’s no reason to doubt the police report,” Leeds insisted.