Joseph had no idea at all what he meant by that. His dumbfounded shrug gave him away.
Waldstein chuckled. ‘Sorry … I confused you. I’m referring to the Statue of Liberty. Liberty Island and the plinth she stands on are all below sea level.’ He spread his hands. ‘So … it looks like she’s actually walking on water.’
‘Ahhh,’ Joseph nodded. ‘I unders-s-s … s … s …’ Joseph struggled with the infernal word. He felt his cheeks burn hot as he wrestled with the ‘s’ and shook his head angrily.
The word was left unfinished. ‘I am s-s … I apologize. I have a … problem with –’
‘Stammering?’ Waldstein gestured to a chair. ‘Don’t worry about it. It’s not important. Take a seat.’
Joseph sat down. Waldstein flipped open a folder and flicked through some pages of printed paper. ‘Dr José Olivera …’
‘I anglicized my name to Joseph, Mr Waldstein. It … uh … people assume there’s a language barrier if your name s-s-sounds foreign.’ He scratched his chin self-consciously. ‘I talk in English just as easily as my native …’
‘Spanish.’
Joseph nodded gratefully at being saved the trouble of speaking the word.
‘Dr Joseph Olivera … you’re arguably one of the most knowledgeable people on genetically imprinted artificial intelligence.’
Be confident, Joseph.
‘I am.’
‘It seems you’ve done very impressive work for some leading military contractors. Working on genetically engineered combat units being trialled right now by the US military?’
‘Right.’
‘And … it says here that you are a firm supporter of the anti-time-travel movement?’
‘I am.’
Waldstein sat forward, his eyes unblinkingly on his. ‘I’d like you to tell me why.’
Waldstein was testing him.
‘Anyone with a s-s-scientific background under-s-stands this. Temporal dis-s-s … s …’ Joseph abandoned the word. He took a breath to steady his nerves, to settle his stammer.
‘Time travel … theory is potentially the most lethal technology ever invented. Theoretically, it has the kinetic energy to be the end of, well … of everything.’
Waldstein said nothing. He obviously wanted to hear more from him.
‘I believe, Mr Waldstein, very much s-so, that there are s-s-some things that should never be fooled around with. In the pursuit of knowledge … there are s-some doors that should remain firmly closed. If there is a God … IF there is a God, then this technology, this knowledge should be for Him, and Him alone. I believe this.’
He paused and realized the next thing he was planning on saying would be tremendously stupid. Hadn’t that pilot specifically warned him not to mention this?
And now I am going to do just that?
His heart flipped in his chest. ‘What you did, what happened in Chicago in ’44, was very dangerous. But all that you have done s-since that, Mr Waldstein, has been the right thing. I believe your campaign to prevent further experimentation is all, literally all, that s-s-stands between mankind and …’ Joseph spread his hands as he fumbled to finish. What word to use? What word?
‘The end?’ Waldstein offered.
Joseph nodded. ‘Yes, that is it … yes … the end.’
Waldstein was perfectly still, his rheumy eyes giving away absolutely nothing, a tableau of silence that seemed to be lasting forever. Joseph was beginning to wonder whether he’d completely blown it by mentioning the Chicago incident when Waldstein finally stirred.
‘Joseph …’ he began, ‘I have a – what shall I call it? – a project that I am working on. And I would like you to be a part of it.’
‘A project?’
Waldstein nodded. ‘Something that requires absolute secrecy. A project that is of immense importance.’
Joseph’s jaw dropped open. ‘Work with you? I … I would be honoured … to …’ His mouth was flapping uselessly.
‘Don’t be so quick to accept, Joseph. This is a one-way ticket. Absolute secrecy. You would never be able to talk about this project to anyone, ever. You will be working with me in complete isolation.’
Waldstein’s intense gaze was on him, watching him closely, searching his face for the slightest hint of doubt. ‘Joseph, once you’re in on this – if I decide I can completely trust you – you must understand that there’ll be no walking away from this.’
Joseph wasn’t entirely sure what ‘no walking away’ actually meant. An implied threat of some sort? Waldstein was a billionaire, a powerful man. Not someone to cross.
Not that it mattered. Betraying confidentialities, stealing secrets for a commercial rival, was of absolutely no interest at all to Joseph. His passion was his science. A hunger for knowledge.