"Of course not. The engineers have kept it from the colonists so there wouldn't be a stampede to get out. Because there aren't nearly enough ships to evacuate everybody."
"Then just where do we come in?" asked Henry.
Jake shook his head impatiently. "Can't you see? This is an emergency shipment of oxygen for Titan. Their reserves are just about gone. They figured it would take about ten days to check the entire dome, but they've only got about three days' supply of oxygen left."
Matt nodded approvingly. "I'm beginning to see it now. When that's gone, they'll pay any price to get more."
"You've got it," said Jake. "There's a Federation bank on Titan with assets of thirty million. We'll take every penny."
Henry was worried. "Well, what if they find that hole before the three days are up. Then we won't be in such a good bargaining position."
"In that case," said Jake, his grey eyes flickering like chalcedony, "we'll make a new hole."
"Now, one of us has to deliver the ultimatum," said Jake. "One of us has to go back to Titan and tell them our terms."
"Isn't that pretty risky?" said Matt. "They'll hold that guy hostage."
"No, we aren't doing it that way." Jake withdrew an envelope from his coat. "We just get there and mail this registered letter to the city manager. It says, deliver the money to Hyperion, and no monkey business or we destroy the oxygen. That means, the city dies if anyone tries to tail us or pull a double cross."
"They won't take a chance when so many lives are at stake," said Henry. "And we'll each make ten million on the deal."
"All right," said Matt. "Which of us goes?"
Jake cut up three slips of paper. "Let's draw lots," he suggested. "That's the fairest way."
"Be sure to bring back some whiskey," said Matt. "We forgot to lay in a supply."
Jake turned to Matt. "Look," he said, "I arranged it so Henry would take the letter because I wanted to talk to you. When you come right down to it, Matt, what need do we have for three people in the deal?"
Matt slowly nodded his thick black head of hair, as comprehension spread over his features.
"With just two people to divide up the pot, our shares would be fifteen million apiece," said Jake.
"And less chance of getting caught afterwards," Matt added.