"That's crazy. UNSA will bureaucratically starve it to death."

"No. My funding for it will continue, but through the UN. The US is coming apart at the seams, Peter. Can't you people see that? No one pays any attention to the US government anymore, nationally or internationally. And don't worry about our enemies having access to knowledge we don't want them to have. We won't give UNSA all the information. It will still be only a handful of people who have it. We've had other projects like that with the UN and earlier with NATO. Don't screw this up. It's really important."

The latter complaint came that evening during one of Pezanowski's trying visits. It was bad enough that the man invaded his privacy, but to berate him was almost intolerable.

"I wish I knew what the fuck you're doing!" said Pezanowski.

He tried to look irate. Battaglia only thought he looked more stupid. His ruddy face was blotched. He looked a little like Adolph Hitler trying to stir up the German rabble in the early days of the brownshirts. Although Sergio had little use for dictators, he reluctantly acknowledged that the little Austrian had almost done it. He certainly beat out Pezanowski when it came to brains.

God I hate the bastard. Shall I just kill him now? "I don't make a habit of letting my subordinates yell at me. Don't do it again."