|
|
|
|
|
|
conversation. In fact, they hardly spoke at all to one another. But the Russian obviously had some special knowledge of the missile, or the officials wouldn't be deferring to his judgment all the time. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Major Harris, the Canadian who was Ryerson' s only contact with Operations, had assured him "it," meaning the radioactive something, would be taken care of. That was the Canadian's own phrase. Taken care of. At least he didn't say "piece of cake." Jesus, Ryerson thought, I have this huge story on my hands, but I don't know exactly what "it" is, how "it" got here, or how they mean to take care of ''it.'' Other than that, I'm in clover. And the little voice in the back of his mind kept asking, would Joe Ryerson, or anyone else on the site, survive to tell it? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Head retracted into the hood of his GI parka, he walked restlessly through the blustery wind and falling sleet toward the airstrip, unwilling to retreat to his tent, sure that he was missing some vital item of news. That's just what that bastard Morgan would like me to do, I'll bet, he thought, go to my tent and stay there. When he reached the edge of the airstrip, Ryerson could see the big helicopter, its crash damage repaired, ready to fly. The big Starlifter remained bogged down at the end of the steel mesh runway. Nothing sadder than a big bird like that, sitting wounded and unflyable. He walked along the side of the runway, his footsteps crunching in the snow, peering out at intervals from under his hood. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I wish I could go out to the water tomorrow, Ryerson thought morosely. He had heard talk of bringing in a research submersible to look for "it" when he first arrived, but had heard no more of itthat idea appeared to have been discarded. Dammit all, he thought, you're operating on guesswork. Go back to the beginning, and see if you can put a few pieces together. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It had all begun a year ago, really, when the Nevilles' plane crashed. Every event since thenAnna Neville's crusade, Grau's death, Morgan's revenge killing of the skinheads in |
|
|
|
|
|