Waste Not, Want Not, Chapter XXX

The relationship between the two men far transcended their professional relationship. Even so Conrad was always reluctant to discuss Paul’s business. He usually kept that part strictly business and it wasn’t his business! So the question Paul asked as they sat and sipped their drinks was unusual.
“Mr. Hewitt?” Paul quizzed, he still referred to Paul as Mr. Hewitt.
“Just what is it you plan to do with this cave and this place?”
“Well Conrad, you might as well know. Myself and some of my associates want to use this place as a secret storage for nuclear fissionable materials and weapons banned in the SALT Treaty and other arms agreements with the former Soviets. Also we want to store some discontinued research projects we think have potential,” replied Paul.
Paul continued. “The possession of these weapons and materials are in direct violation of all of our arms agreement with the old USSR and the current agreements as well. So we decided to do this covertly and without the knowledge of the U.S. government. We already have a few small such sites sprinkled around in remote and mostly unknown places. We figured we might need these things again someday so we want to be prepared.”
Paul took a drink and went on. “We thought this place might be the best site we have found so far. It is unknown and isolated and the cavern here is big enough to hold a huge inventory.”
Paul described how he and his associates did not trust the Russians and he said they certainly did not trust the new Russian President.
“Vladimir Putin is old KGB. I would never trust him. I think he is still, at heart, a dedicated cold war warrior and I don’t think we should ever turn our back to him.”
“Are there other storage sites around the country?” asked Conrad.
“Oh yes, and in other countries too. We have managed to keep a lid on it pretty well. You didn’t even know,” said Paul.
“Well, I’m not going to give up on this project,” said Paul. “We’re going back down into the cave again and then, if it checks out as I hope it well, we will return to Washington and start moving forward.”
“You know I have always backed you up and have been willing to help on whatever you are doing but I am having a seriously bad feeling about this. I really think we should shut that hole up and get the hell out of here, “ said Conrad.
“We’re not going to do that. I have spent too much time and money and I want to get it done. If you have a problem with this, you can take a vacation for awhile, go anywhere you want and stay as long as like, all expenses paid.”
“No, I don’t want to do that. I am with you no matter what,” said Conrad.