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I walked around behind the desk and pressed the switch down on the squawk box that put me right through to McAllister's office in the new building； a quarter of a mile away。 The surprise echoed in his voice as it came through the box。 〃Jonas！ Where did you e from？〃
〃The Air Corps；〃 I said。 〃We just delivered the CA…JET X。P。〃
〃Good。 Did they like it？〃
〃I guess they did；〃 I answered。 〃They wouldn't trust me to take it up。〃 I leaned over and opened the door of the cabinet below the telephone table； taking out the bottle of bourbon that was there。 I put the bottle on the desk in front of me。 〃How do we stand on war…contract cancellations in case the war ends tomorrow？〃
〃For the explosive pany？〃 Mac asked。
〃For all the panies；〃 I said。 I knew he kept copies of every contract we ever made down here because he considered this his home office。
〃It'll take a little time。 I'll put someone on it right away。〃
〃Like about an hour？〃
He hesitated。 When he spoke； a curious note came into his voice。 〃All right； if it's that important。〃
〃It's that important。〃
〃Do you know something？〃
〃No；〃 I said truthfully。 I really didn't know。 I was only guessing。 〃I just want it。〃
There was silence for a moment； then he spoke again。 〃I just got the blueprints from Engineering on converting the radar and small…parts division of Aircraft to the proposed electronics pany。 Shall I bring them over？〃
〃Do that；〃 I said； flipping up the switch。 Taking a glass from the tray next to the Thermos jug； I filled it half full with bourbon。 I looked across the room to the wall where the portrait of my father looked down on me。 I held the glass up to him。
〃It's been a long time； Pop；〃 I said and poured the whisky down my throat
I took my hands from the blueprints on the desk and snapped and rolled them up tight； like a coil spring。 I looked at McAllister。 〃They look all right to me； Mac。〃
He nodded。 〃I'll mark them approved and shoot them on to Purchasing to have them requisition the materials on standby orders； to be delivered when the war ends。〃 He looked at the bottle of bourbon on the desk。 〃You're not very hospitable。 How about a drink？〃
I looked at him in surprise。 Mac wasn't much for drinking。 Especially during working hours。 I pushed the bottle and a glass toward him。 〃Help yourself。〃
He poured a small shot and swallowed it neat。 He cleared his throat。 I looked at him。 〃There's one other postwar plan I wanted to talk to you about；〃 he said awkwardly。
〃Go ahead。〃
〃Myself；〃 he said hesitantly。 〃I'm not a young man any more。 I want to retire。〃
〃Retire？〃 I couldn't believe my ears。 〃What for？ What in hell would you do？〃
Mac flushed embarrassedly。 〃I've worked pretty hard all my life；〃 he said。 〃I've got two sons and a daughter and five grandchildren； three of whom I've never seen。 The wife and I would like to spend a little time with them； get to know them before it's too late。〃
I laughed。 〃You sound like you expect to kick off any minute。 You're a young man yet。〃
〃I'm sixty…three。 I've been with you twenty years。〃
I stared at him。 Twenty years。 Where had they gone？ The Army doctors had been right。 I wasn't a kid any more； either。 〃We'll miss you around here；〃 I said sincerely。 〃I don't know how we'll manage without you。〃 I meant it； too。 Mac was the one man I felt I could always depend on； whenever I had need for him。
〃You'll manage all right。 We've got over forty attorneys working for us now and each is a specialist in his own field。 You're not just one man any more； you're a big pany。 You have to have a big legal machine to take care of you。〃
〃So what？〃 I said。 〃You can't call up a machine in the middle of the night when you're in trouble。〃
〃This machine you can。 It's equipped for all emergencies。〃
〃But what will you do？ You can't tell me you'll be happy just lying around playing grandpa。 You'll have to have something to occupy your mind。〃
〃I've thought about that；〃 he said； a serious look ing over his face。 〃I've been playing around so long with corporate and tax laws that I've almost forgotten about the most important part of all。 The laws that have to do with human beings。〃 He reached for the bottle again and poured himself another small drink。 It wasn't easy for him to sit there and tell me what he was thinking。
〃I thought I'd hang my shingle outside my house in some small town。 Just putter around with whatever happened to e in the door。 I'm tired of always talking in terms of millions of dollars。 For once； I'd like to help some poor bastard who really needs it。〃
I stared at him。 Work with a man for twenty years and still you don't know him。 This was a side to McAllister that I'd never even suspected existed。
〃Of course； we'll abrogate all of the contracts and agreements between us；〃 he said。
I looked at him。 I knew he didn't need the money。 But then； neither did I。 〃Why in hell should we？ Just show up at the board of directors' meeting every few months so at least I can see you once in a while。〃
〃Then you… you agree？〃
I nodded。 〃Sure； let's give it a spin when the war is over。〃
The sheets of white paper grew into a stack as he skimmed through the summary of each of the contracts。 At last； Mac was finished and he looked up at me。 〃We have ample protective…cancellation clauses in all the contracts except one；〃 he said。 〃That one is based on delivery before the end of the war。〃
〃Which one is that？〃
〃That flying boat we're building for the Navy in San Diego。〃
I knew what he was talking about。 The Centurion。 It was to be the biggest airplane ever built； designed to carry a full pany of one hundred and fifty men； in addition to the twelve…man crew； two light amphibious tanks and enough mortar； light artillery； weapons； ammunition and supplies for an entire pany。 It had been my idea that a plane like that would prove useful in landing raiding parties behind the lines out in the small Pacific islands。
〃How e we made a contract like that？〃
〃You wanted it；〃 he said。 〃Remember？〃
I remembered。 The Navy had been skeptical that the big plane could even get into the air； so I'd pressured them into making a deal predicated on a fully tested plane before the war ended。 That was over seven months ago。
Almost immediately； we'd run into trouble。 Stress tests proved that conventional metals would make the plane too heavy for the engines to lift into the air。 We lost two months there； until the engineers came up with a Fiberglas pound that was less than one tenth the weight of metal and four times as strong。 Then we had to construct special machinery to work the new material。 I even brought Amos Winthrop down from Canada to sit in on the project。 The old bastard had done a fantastic job up there and had a way of bulling a job through when no one else was able to。
The old leopard hadn't changed any of his spots； either。 He had me by the shorts and he knew it。 He held me up for a vice…presidency in Cord Aircraft before he'd e down。
〃How much are we in for up to now？〃 I asked。
Mac looked down at the sheet。 〃Sixteen million； eight hundred seventy…six thousand； five hundred ninety…four dollars and thirty…one cents； as of June thirtieth。〃
〃We