Page 47 - Just Deserts

Revelation Research

the origins of life be given equal weight in the nation’s secondary
curricula.
With more than adequate funds, the lobby had mobilized a small
army of people like Hugh Brisbane to produce a thick position paper
distributed to members of congress. The campaign had shown the
mettle of all concerned; Brisbane in particular had acquitted himself
well, remaining cool under fire and resourceful in crisis resolution. As
coordinator of the entire project, Phineas had marked the younger
man as reliant and committed to the cause. Following the mixed
success of “Genesis or Accident: What is your Child Being Taught?”
Brisbane had been requested by name from the stable of talent at
Revelation Research for Liberty Lobby’s current effort, the de-
separation of church and state.
Given the general directive to develop strategies for promoting the
integration of religion and government in the United States, Brisbane
had already produced a wealth of ideas. The bumper sticker “One
Man, One Prayer” had been his brain child, as were the slogans “One
Nation Under God, not God Under One Nation” and “Freedom of
Religion Doesn’t Mean Freedom From Religion.” After only two
weeks on the project, Hugh had presented Karp with a preliminary
report examining in detail the religious beliefs of the founding
fathers, separating the deists from the theists and the orthodox from
the Free Masons. Again, Brisbane’s scholarship was immaculate, his
discretion impeccable. Karp felt his confidence in the man well-
justified.
And now this mysterious meeting: totally out of character, it
seemed to Phineas. What had become of the sober soft-spoken Hugh
Brisbane with whom he had been working all these months? The
answer walked in the door of Torquemada’s, a gaunt silhouette
against the late afternoon sunlight streaming in behind him. Karp
was surprised to see him empty-handed; the researcher had
previously appeared to be surgically attached to his briefcase.
Phineas rose, like a great bullfrog pushing its torso over the top of
a rock. “Hugh: what is the meaning of this? I have things needing
my attention back at the office. Just why must we get together here,
in this low-class dive?”

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