The steaks came off the grill in due course, and they all stuffed themselves royally. Hal and Pris kept up a constant banter throughout the meal, a banter Max found highly enjoyable, if slightly risque.

"Max, I understand you're working for Walton," Hal said, turning to him. "They're one of my fiercest competitors."

"Really? Then you must be with…"

"Exactly." Hal grinned, not letting him finish. "Langer Electronics. But we shouldn't let that spoil a friendship. Not on a night like this; right?"

"No reason at all," Max agreed. "What do you do for Langer?"

"Sales, mostly. I gather you're in the research and development end," Hal said. "Making up the stuff I'm going to have to outsell next year."

Max agreed that this was the case. He was glad that Hal didn't press him for details of his work; one of Dr. Hensley's strongest warnings to him had been an admonition not to talk to anyone about any aspect of any project they were working on. "In other words," Hensley had concluded, "when you leave here for the day, forget everything! You simply wouldn't believe the lengths people in this industry will go to in order to get even the slightest jump on their competitors. So be careful and keep quiet!"

Max had privately thought the head of Walton's Research Labs had been laying it on a bit thick, but he certainly didn't intend to go around bragging about their latest lines of research to anyone.

"I warn you," Hal said now, his tone jocular, "anything I can pry out of you, I'll turn over to Langer! Lord knows we need an edge on, you guys!"

"Oh, pooh on that silly old business stuff!" Pris said, putting down her plate. "I'm going in for another quick swim!"