American Science Fiction #41

Stopwatch on the World by Daniel R. Gilgannon is a science-fiction thriller concerning an atomic physicist's ultimatum. The narrative opens with Dr. Arnold Bailey, a radiation-sickness victim hospitalized after exposure to lethal atomic doses, recounting events of the previous month. Bailey received an intercepted letter from Polish physicist Chetzisky—a brilliant Manhattan Project refugee—threatening to destroy Earth within thirty days unless world peace is achieved.

Only Bailey and his old friend Jim Armstrong, a former FBI intelligence officer, believe Chetzisky capable of executing this threat. Working unofficially against government bureaucratic indifference and the Korean situation, they pursue Chetzisky before the deadline. Bailey discovers the physicist had an "accident" in the laboratory months earlier involving a mineral sample box lined with lead. A geologist visited Chetzisky before his disappearance. Bailey intensively interrogates Chetzisky's assistant Budnick to identify this visitor, the sole remaining lead in their desperate search.