The 22nd Secret by Randal Lanser

e ’d b eno c ompu t e rs. W ho knows? P a m, y oufi g u re itout.I ca n ’t tell y ou e v er y th i n g , butI c a n tell y outh i s is y o u r c h a n c eto wo r k a t a l e v e l t h a t wi l l t ru l y c h a l l e n g e y o u . And a s f a ntastic a s th i sm a y s ound, c h a n g i n gthe wo r ld, y ou c ouldmakear e a l i mpa c t on t hefutu r eofthe hum a n ra ce .I t hi n k y ou’ v e a l r ea d y fi g u r e d a llth i s out.”
    “ You ’ r e r i g h t .Ih a v e f i gur e d itout.Ikn o wIh a v etwo c hoic e s. Go w i t h y o u wil l in g l yor find out w h yMr. L o is h e rewith y ou.”
    “ I ’m so r r y , P a m . P le a s edon’t look at it that w a y .This i s not asi t u a t i on I w a ntor e nj o y .”
    “ I ’m justsad f or m yp a rents. How mu c h of this c a nI e x plain to t h e m ? ”
    “ Thetruth a bout y our th e si s , y ou a l r ea d yknow y o u ca n ’ t e v e n tell t h e m t h a t m u c h. P a m, I ’ veb e e n in t his business alongt i me. I ’m hopi n g y o u ’ llbe m ypro t é g é . L e tme g i v e y ou some a dvic e . S oon y ou’ll be g l a d y o u r p a r e nts don ’ t k n ow a n y th i n g a bout wh a t y o u do. Yo u ’ll b ec ome w ea r y o f thesecr e ts, t hes ec u r i t y a nd the c onst a nt surv e i l lan ce . H a nk’s h e re w a tchi n gme, makingsu r enoth i ng h a p p e ns to me, a s much a s h e ’s h e r e f or y ou.You a s k e d w h yH a nk a ndI a r e n ’ t us i n gourr e a l na m e s. You w on’t e i t h e r. I f y ou c ome to L osAl a mos with m e , wh a t wond e r f ul opportunit i e s y o u ’ llh a v e . Mon e y w o n’ t be a n is s u e . A n y th i ng y ou w a nt for y our r e s e a r c h willbepro v i d e d a nd y ou p e rson a l l y c a nh a ve a n y th i n g y ou w a nt. B e l i e ve m e , w e ’ll make y ou h a p p y . I ’ll s e eto t h a t. You ’ llw a nt t o c ome home a nd y ou c a n a so f ten a s y ou w a nt. P riv a te A ir F o r c ejet, a ndwh e n y ou do c ome ho m e y o u ’ll w a nt t o bejust P a m , not an ultra-hi g h lev e l g o v e rnm e nt r e se a rch e r w o r ki n gpr o g ra ms s o c lassifi e d th e yof f i c ial l ydon’t e x is t . And wh e n y ou’ r e a t wo r k, y o u don ’ t wh a t t o runthe r i sk of a n y one f ind i n gout a bout y o u r p r ivatel i f e . I h a vea p riv a te lif e . S o d o e s H a nk.”
    “ I ’ll r e a l l yma k eadi f f e re n c e ?I m ea n thefutur e ; I ’ ll c h a ngei t. ” S helookedup a t Ho wa rd. “ Th a t’s i m port a nt t o m e . I ’ll m a k ea r ea l c ontribution.”
    “ W i t hout a doubtIb e l i e v e a n Eins t e in i a n c ontrib u t i on.”
    “ And I ’ll m a kelo t s of m on e y . T h e r e ’ll bein t r i g u e , e spion a g ethat k i nd of t hin g .” P a m’s voice r e fl ec ted the e x c i t e ment she fe lt a bout t he o pportuni t ythat l a y a h ea dofh e r.
    Ho wa rd c hu c kled. “ Y e s ,lo t s of mon e y .Ido n ’t know a bout e x c i t e men t , but ma y b e somed a y . ”
    “ I ca nf l yin priv a te j e ts a nd h a ve m yown c a r ?”
    “ A n y th i n g y ou w a nt, Pa m.”
    “ You ’ r eof f e ri n gme oneofthe g r e a test job oppo r tun i t i e s in t hewo r ld, a re n ’t y ou? L ike I ’m g oi n gto be up t h e re i n the g o v e rnm e nt. L ike t he P r e siden t . I mport a nt l i kethat ?”
    “ S ome w ould s a ymore i mport a nt, at le a st t o the f utur e .”
    “ I ’ll do i t. I ’ll t a kethe j ob , D r . W oolu m .” P a m shook Ho wa rd ’ s h a nd.
    “ P a m , the r em a y b e c on s ide ra ble d a n g e r. N ot r i g h t a w a ybut m a y besom e d a y .You ’ r ejust sta r t i ngou t . You n e v e r k now w h e r eth i n g s m a yl e a d a nd P a m . This i s ve r ys e riou s . You must und er stand this. On c e y o u ’ rein, on c e y ou know e v e r y th i n g , y ou ca n n e v e rle a v e . Th e r e ’s nowh e reto g o. W h a t’s inour hea ds b e lo n g s to t he g ov e rnm e nt and th