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de of the fireplace； leaving Pitt and the remaining guests standing opposite the flames in utter bewilderment。 Pitt noted； with a touch of uneasiness； that all the guns were aimed at his group。
〃I'm waiting； James；〃 the old blue…eyed man said； his voice manding。
Kelly hedged； looked rather sadly at Von Hummel and Marks。 He waited expectantly。 They finally nodded back； assuring him of their approval。
〃Have any of you heard of Hermit Limited？〃
The silence in the room became intense。 Nobody spoke； nobody answered。 Pitt was coolly calculating the chances of escape。 He gave up； unable to bring the odds of success below fifty to one。
〃Hermit Limited；〃 Kelly went on； 〃is international in scope； but you won't find it on any stock exchange because it is vastly different in administration from any business you're familiar with。 I don't have time to go into all the details of its operation； so just let me say that Hermit's main goal is to achieve control and take possession of South and of Central America。〃
〃That's impossible；〃 shouted a tall； raven…haired man with a pronounced French accent。 〃Absolutely unthinkable。〃
〃It's also good business to do the impossible；〃 Kelly said 〃What you've suggested is not business； but political power madness。〃 Kelly shook his head。 〃Madness maybe； but political power with selfish and inhuman motives； no。〃 He searched the faces on the other side of the fireplace。
They were all blank with disbelief。
〃I am F。 James Kelly；〃 he said softly。 〃In my lifetime I have amassed over two billion dollars in assets。〃
No one present doubted him。 Whenever the Wall Street Journal listed the one hundred wealthiest men in the world； Kelly's name always stood at the top。
〃Being wealthy carries tremendous responsibilities。
As many as two hundred thousand people depend on me for their living。 If I was to fail financially tomorrow； it would cause a recession that would be felt from one end of the United States to the other； not to mention the many countries around the world that depend upon my subsidiary panies for a high percentage of their local economies。 Yet； as these gentlemen around me can testify； riches do not guarantee immortality。 Very few of the rich are remembered in the history books。〃
Kelly looked almost ill as he paused。 No one in the room did anything but breathe until he continued。
〃Two years ago I began thinking about what I would leave after I was gone。 A financial empire fought over by parasitic business associates and relatives； who had only Counted the days till my funeral so they could grab the spoils。 Believe me； gentlemen； it was a pretty dismal thought。 So I considered methods to distribute my assets in ways that would benefit mankind。 But how？ Andrew Carnegie built libraries； John D。 Rockefeller set up foundations for science and education。
What would do the most good for the peoples of the world regardless of white； black； yellow； red； or brown skins？ Regardless of nationalities？ If I had listened to my human emotions； it would have been an easy decision to use my money to assist the Cancer Crusade； the Red Cross； the Salvation Army or any one of the thousand medical centers or universities around the country。
But was it really enough？ Somehow it sounded too easy。
I decided upon a different direction…one that would have a lasting impact on miwons of people for hundreds of years。〃
〃So you plotted to use your resources to bee the self…proclaimed messiah of the poverty…stricken Latin nations；〃 Pitt said。
Kelly offered Pitt a condescending smile。 〃No； you're quite mistaken； Major…ah…〃
〃Pitt；〃 Rondheim provided。 〃Major Dirk Pitt。〃
Kelly gazed at Pitt thoughtfully。 〃Are you by chance any relation to Senator George Pitt？〃
〃His errant son；〃 Pitt acknowledged。
Kelly stood like a wax statue for a moment。 He turned to Rondheim but only received a stone face in return。 〃Your father is a good friend；〃 he said woodenly。
〃Was；〃 Pitt said coldly。
Kelly fought to keep his posure。 It was apparent that the man was deeply troubled by his conscience。
He downed his brandy； took a second to collect his thoughts； and went on。
〃It has never been my intention to play God。
Whatever path I chose had to e from a means far more calculating； far less emotional than the human mind。〃
〃puters！〃 the word fell from the lips of Kelly's elderly friend。 〃Hermit Limited was the project you programmed into the puters at our data processing division nearly two years ago。 I remember it well； James。 You closed down the entire plex for three months。 Gave everyone a vacation with pay…a display of generosity that you've seldom demonstrated before or since。 Loaned the use of the equipment； you said； to the government for a top secret military project。〃
I was afraid even then you might have guessed my intentions； Sam。〃
It was the first time Kelly had called the old gentleman by name。 〃But systems analysis provided the only efficient solution to the problem I presented myself。 The concept could hardly be classed as revolutionary。 Every government has its think tanks。
The space systems devised for our rocketry and moon projects have been utilized for everything from diagnosing crime reports to improving surgical procedures。 Programming a puter to select a country or geographic location that is ripe for a controlled and developed utopian atmosphere and the method to achieve that goal is not as farfetched as any of you might think。 〃It's sheet science fiction。〃
〃In this day and age we all deal in science fiction； do we not'？〃 Kelly answered。 〃Consider this； gentlemen。
Of all the nations of the world； the nations of Latin America are the most vulnerable to outside penetration； primarily because they have not had to face foreign encroachment in well over a hundred years。 They were protected by a wall； a wall built by the United States and called the Monroe Doctrine。〃
〃The American government will take a very dim view of your grandiose scheme；〃 said a tall man with white hair； white eyebrows and solemn eye。
〃By the time their agents have penetrated Hermit Limited's organization we will have proven our intentions with solid acplishments；〃 Kelly said。 〃They will not bother us。 in fact； I predict they Will discreetly give us a green light and provide whatever aid they consider possible without international repercussion。〃
〃I take it you don't intend to go it alone；〃 Pitt probed。
〃No；〃 Kelly tersely answered。 〃After I satisfied myself that the program was sound and had every chance to succeed； I approached Marks； Von Hummel； Boyle and the other gentlemen you see here who possessed the financial means to make it a reality。 They thought as I did。 Money is to be used for the； mon good of all。 Why die and leave nothing but a large bank account or a few corporations that soon forget who Planted their seed and nourished them to financial maturity？ We then met and formed Hermit Limited。 Each Of us owns equal shares of stock and has an equal voice on the board of directors。〃
〃How do you know one or more Of Your partners in crime won't get greedy？〃 Pitt smiled faintly。 〃They may sw