he first part to you earlier。 Let me try to bring you up…to…date。 This is no small task because the imagination is staggered by the sheer magnitude of the events。 However； I shall seek to achieve this。
As I have discovered； Earth is controlled by the man who owns the planet's fuel…Delbert John Rockecenter。 His power is such that he can determine the political future of a country simply by making a telephone call to one of his minions。
Voltarian Fleet officer Jettero Heller's mission was to de…pollute the planet and to create an inexpensive； safe source of energy so that Earth could survive long enough to be invaded。
When Heller arrived on Earth； he had the identity of Delbert John Rockecenter； Jr。； which was given to him by the head of the Coordinated Information Apparatus； Lombar Hisst。 This was done because Hisst wanted the Fleet officer's mission to fail； and he thought this would bring the force of the Rockecenters down on Heller。 The reason Hisst wanted the mission to fail was that he was using Earth to produce mind…altering drugs that were being smuggled back to Voltar as part of a conspiracy to overthrow the Empire。
What no one knew was that there was a real inheritor to the Rockecenter fortune…Delbert John Rockecenter II。
The first person who tried to stop Heller was Rockecenter's attorney Bury； who gave Heller the identity of Jerome Terrance Wister。 It didn't stop him； however。 Heller became a consul for the African nation of Maysabongo and began to form corporations that created and patented new energy sources…a revolutionary microwave power source； a new carburetor that didn't use gasoline and cars that worked without Rockecenter…controlled fuel。 When petroleum stocks dropped out the bottom； Heller used his Maysabongo resources to buy them all up and to take control of Earth's oil industries。
But Rockecenter was no fool； and he had forces that Heller could not muster…the American presidency； for example； and the armed forces of the United States。
One Sunday afternoon Rockecenter was preparing to go to Philadelphia for a Swillerberger Conference that he controlled。 The president of the United States was to be called before the conference that night and ordered to go before the Senate the next day to request that war be declared on Maysabongo。
Bang…Bang drove Heller and his financial advisor Izzy Epstein to the great Rockecenter estate； and Heller and Izzy walked in while Rockecenter was chastising Bury for the current predicament。
Heller made Rockecenter an offer： Call off the war； grant 〃Twoey〃 （Rockecenter's actual son） a ten…billion…dollar trust； draw up a new will leaving Twoey the entire estate； and Heller would give Rockecenter the patents and a portion of the oil empire that Heller now controlled。
With the smile of a snake； Rockecenter agreed and the documents were signed…then the snake struck！
When the brief scuffle was over； Rockecenter's attorney Bury lay unconscious on the floor and a weaponless Heller was surrounded by army troops。
Rockecenter scooped up the papers that now gave him plete control and put them into a huge steel suitcase。 He turned to a major general whose squad had its weapons turned on Heller and Izzy。
〃General；〃 said Rockecenter； 〃hold this riffraff until I return。 Then； as we will be at war； we'll have work for a firing squad。〃
What？ Has Heller lost everything？
Fear not！ I； Monte Pennwell； Voltar's first； only and greatest investigative reporter； have the story！
Chapter 1
Rockecenter grabbed his hat and picked up the heavy case。 He stepped over to Bury behind the couch and gave him a kick。 〃Whether you're dead or not； your usefulness is ended。 Now I'm off to Philadelphia to handle another one of your foul…ups。〃
Rockecenter went to the French doors； closed them behind him and shouted up the drive； 〃Bring my car and get a tank for protection！〃
The general gave a signal。 Two soldiers seized Izzy； pinning his arms back and looking around for something to tie him with。
Two more soldiers grabbed Twoey and after a brief struggle had him on the floor。
The general made a gesture toward Heller。
Rockecenter's car had arrived and Rockecenter went down the steps to it； but he stood there looking up the road。
The soldiers started to grab Heller's arms。 〃Oh； he didn't mean me！〃 said Heller。 〃I'm his son。〃
〃What？〃 said the general。
〃Yes； it's a fact；〃 said Heller。 〃He just meant these two fellows here。〃
Both Izzy and Twoey looked at Heller； stunned。
The general stepped toward the French doors as though to go after Rockecenter and ask。 But Rockecenter had now climbed into his car and it began to roll。
From where Heller stood he could see through the glass of the French doors that Rockecenter's car had pulled up again and stopped。 He hoped the general would not see that。
〃Well； see here；〃 said the general； 〃I'll have to have proof； and more than some phony I。D。！〃
〃Ah；〃 said Heller。 〃You just grab the phone on that desk and ask for Emergency FBI； Washington； D。 C。 You just ask for agents Stupewitz and Maulin。〃
Heller crossed his fingers。 Those agents were the first ones he had had contact with on his original arrival in the United States last fall。 He had never heard of them or from them since。
The general moved to the desk； his back to the door。 If he turned around he would be able to see the limousine。 It was waiting for a tank； apparently； for tank engines were roaring outside。
The general got his connection。 He asked for agent Stupewitz or Maulin。 He waited。 Then he said； 〃Agent Stupewitz？ This is General Flood； New York National Guard。 We've got a fellow here that says he's Rockecenter's son。。。。 Yes； I'll describe him。 He's about six foot two； slender； blond hair； blue eyes； probably about eighteen。。。。〃 He put his hand over the mouthpiece； 〃What is your name supposed to be？〃
〃Delbert John Rockecenter； Junior；〃 said Jet。 He could see the tank in place in front of the car。 A sergeant was standing by the officer in the turret； pointing at a map。
The general said into the phone； 〃He says his name is Delbert John Rockecenter； Junior。。。。 I'm calling from Pokantickle Hills； the Rockecenter home。。。。〃
He suddenly shoved the instrument at Heller。 〃He wants to talk to you to verify your voice。〃
Heller took the phone。 Out of the corner of his eye； he watched the tank and limousine。 He wished they'd get moving。 〃Hello； Agent Stupewitz； sir；〃 said Heller。 〃I just wanted to remind you that we never got a tombstone for Mary Schmeck。〃
〃JUNIOR！ Hey； Maulin； it's Junior！ Grab the other phone！〃
〃Hello； Junior；〃 said Maulin。 〃I'm glad you called。 Did you know we never even heard from Bury！〃
〃Not a squeak！〃 said Stupewitz。
〃How horrible！〃 said Heller。 〃It's a good thing that you told me。 I'm of age now and there's a lot of inheritance around。。。。〃
Both agents laughed agreeably。
〃And I was just wondering the other day if I had any debts。 By golly； I'm glad I contacted you。 I am going to need a lot of help to straighten up my affairs。 Would you consider a couple of six…figure jobs？〃
Maulin said； 〃We can retire any minute； Junior。 We're just waiting for the chance。〃
〃You've got it；〃 said Heller。 〃Do you want me to put this general back on？〃
He handed the instrument to the general。 He listened。 His ears got bright pink。 Then he looked at Heller and stood a little straighten He put the phone back on its cradle。
〃I'm sorry；〃 said the general。 〃I'm new at these family matters。〃
〃All's fair in love and war；〃 said Heller cryptically。 Out of the corner of his eye he saw that the limousine and tank were gone。 〃Now； General； take that Bury there to your hospital tent and if he isn't dead； do a nice long operation。 Plenty of anesthetic because he's sensitive。 As for these other two； hold them very safe。〃
Izzy and Twoey looked at him with horror。
〃Now； as you know；〃 continued Heller； 〃there's lots of Maysabongo saboteurs about。 So let me have a motorcycle so my driver can scout the road。 And if there's nothing else； I'll go out to my car and try to catch up with Daddy。〃
〃Very good； Lieutenant Rockecenter；〃 said the general and barked an order to an aide who was hovering at the door。
Chapter 2
Heller raced out。 There was no sign of the tank or limousine。 He spotted the sergeant who had