[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
want to be outside, girl!' I was hoping she'd put that stuff down and get in
the car quick enough to outrun the funnel, but she wasn't even looking up. She
finally got it open and started the car, and that's when everything broke
loose. I swear one of my basement walls actually moved. I've never seen
anything like that in my life. That car started to move, and the biggest tree
in Loretta's yard tore itself right from the ground, roots and all. It took
half Loretta's yard with it and sounded like a bomb dropping in the street,
right in front of her car.
She backed up, and the tree on the other side of Loretta's yard started to
give way. I
was still yellin' at that girl like she could hear me inside the car. I was
sure that second tree would land right on her. She jerked left, and the whole
road twisted up right in front of her. If she had pulled onto that pavement a
split second earlier, that street flipping up would have tipped her over. She
must have been scared to death, one tree lying in front of her, one
threatening to fall on her, and the street sticking straight up. She whipped
around that first tree and raced right up the driveway into the garage. I was
cheering for her. I hoped she'd have enough sense to get to the basement. I
couldn't believe a tornado could do that much damage without me seeing it.
When I heard everything crash to the floor like the whole house was coming
apart well, of course, it was I finally got it into my thick head that this
wasn't a tornado. When the other two trees in Loretta's yard came down, that
window blew out, so I climbed down and ran to the other end of the basement.
When my front room furniture crashed into where I'd just been, I stepped over
the sump pump and pulled myself up on the concrete cutout to the window. I
don't know what I was thinking. I was just hoping Chloe was where she could
hear me. I
screamed bloody murder out that window. She came out the side door white as a
sheet, still barefooted and now empty-handed, and she went runnin' to the back
as fast as she could go. That was the last I saw of her. The rest of my house
fell in, and somehow the pipes deflected everything a little and left me a
tiny space to wait until somebody found me.
I'm glad you're all right.
It was pretty exciting. I hope you find Chloe.
Do you remember what she was wearing?
Sure. That off-white dress, a shift.
Thank you, Mrs. Cavenaugh.
The old woman stared into the distance and shook her head slowly.
Chloe's still alive, Buck thought.
The first thing Dr. Rosenzweig asked about was your well-being, Captain
Steele.
I hardly know the man, Supreme Commander Fortunato, Rayford said, carefully
enunciating.
Commander is sufficient, Captain.
You can call me Ray.
Now Fortunato was angry. I could call you Private, he said.
Oh, good one, Commander.
You're not going to bait me, Captain. As I told you, I'm a new man.
Brand-new, Rayford said, if you really were dead yesterday and alive
today.
The truth is, Dr. Rosenzweig next asked after your son-in-law, daughter, and
Tsion
Ben-Judah.
Rayford froze. Rosenzweig couldn't have been that stupid. On the other hand,
Buck always said Rosenzweig was enamored of Carpathia. He didn't know
Carpathia was as much an enemy of Ben-Judah as the State of Israel was.
Rayford maintained eye contact with the glaring Fortunato, who seemed to know
Page 57
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
he had Rayford on the ropes. Rayford prayed silently.
I brought him up-to-date and told him your daughter was unaccounted for,
Leon said. He let that hang in the air. Rayford did not respond. And what did
you wish us to tell him of Tsion Ben-Judah?
What did I wish? Rayford said. I have no knowledge of his whereabouts.
Then why did Dr. Rosenzweig ask about him in the same breath with your
daughter and son-in-law?
Why don't you ask him?
Because I'm asking you, Captain! You think we weren't aware that Cameron
Williams aided and abetted his escape from the State of Israel?
Do you believe everything you hear?
We know that to be fact, Fortunato said.
Then why do you need my input?
We want to know where Tsion Ben-Judah is. It is important to Dr. Rosenzweig
that His Excellency come to Dr. Ben-Judah's aid.
Rayford had listened in when that request was brought to Carpathia. Nicolae
had laughed it off, suggesting his people make it appear he tried to help
while actually informing Ben-Judah's enemies where they could find him.
If I knew the whereabouts of Tsion Ben-Judah, Rayford said, I would not
tell you. I would ask him if he wanted you to know.
Fortunato stood. Apparently the meeting was over. He walked Rayford to the
door.
Captain Steele, your disloyalty has no future. I say again, you will find me
most conciliatory. I would consider it a favor if you would not intimate to
Dr. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl ocenkijessi.opx.pl
want to be outside, girl!' I was hoping she'd put that stuff down and get in
the car quick enough to outrun the funnel, but she wasn't even looking up. She
finally got it open and started the car, and that's when everything broke
loose. I swear one of my basement walls actually moved. I've never seen
anything like that in my life. That car started to move, and the biggest tree
in Loretta's yard tore itself right from the ground, roots and all. It took
half Loretta's yard with it and sounded like a bomb dropping in the street,
right in front of her car.
She backed up, and the tree on the other side of Loretta's yard started to
give way. I
was still yellin' at that girl like she could hear me inside the car. I was
sure that second tree would land right on her. She jerked left, and the whole
road twisted up right in front of her. If she had pulled onto that pavement a
split second earlier, that street flipping up would have tipped her over. She
must have been scared to death, one tree lying in front of her, one
threatening to fall on her, and the street sticking straight up. She whipped
around that first tree and raced right up the driveway into the garage. I was
cheering for her. I hoped she'd have enough sense to get to the basement. I
couldn't believe a tornado could do that much damage without me seeing it.
When I heard everything crash to the floor like the whole house was coming
apart well, of course, it was I finally got it into my thick head that this
wasn't a tornado. When the other two trees in Loretta's yard came down, that
window blew out, so I climbed down and ran to the other end of the basement.
When my front room furniture crashed into where I'd just been, I stepped over
the sump pump and pulled myself up on the concrete cutout to the window. I
don't know what I was thinking. I was just hoping Chloe was where she could
hear me. I
screamed bloody murder out that window. She came out the side door white as a
sheet, still barefooted and now empty-handed, and she went runnin' to the back
as fast as she could go. That was the last I saw of her. The rest of my house
fell in, and somehow the pipes deflected everything a little and left me a
tiny space to wait until somebody found me.
I'm glad you're all right.
It was pretty exciting. I hope you find Chloe.
Do you remember what she was wearing?
Sure. That off-white dress, a shift.
Thank you, Mrs. Cavenaugh.
The old woman stared into the distance and shook her head slowly.
Chloe's still alive, Buck thought.
The first thing Dr. Rosenzweig asked about was your well-being, Captain
Steele.
I hardly know the man, Supreme Commander Fortunato, Rayford said, carefully
enunciating.
Commander is sufficient, Captain.
You can call me Ray.
Now Fortunato was angry. I could call you Private, he said.
Oh, good one, Commander.
You're not going to bait me, Captain. As I told you, I'm a new man.
Brand-new, Rayford said, if you really were dead yesterday and alive
today.
The truth is, Dr. Rosenzweig next asked after your son-in-law, daughter, and
Tsion
Ben-Judah.
Rayford froze. Rosenzweig couldn't have been that stupid. On the other hand,
Buck always said Rosenzweig was enamored of Carpathia. He didn't know
Carpathia was as much an enemy of Ben-Judah as the State of Israel was.
Rayford maintained eye contact with the glaring Fortunato, who seemed to know
Page 57
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
he had Rayford on the ropes. Rayford prayed silently.
I brought him up-to-date and told him your daughter was unaccounted for,
Leon said. He let that hang in the air. Rayford did not respond. And what did
you wish us to tell him of Tsion Ben-Judah?
What did I wish? Rayford said. I have no knowledge of his whereabouts.
Then why did Dr. Rosenzweig ask about him in the same breath with your
daughter and son-in-law?
Why don't you ask him?
Because I'm asking you, Captain! You think we weren't aware that Cameron
Williams aided and abetted his escape from the State of Israel?
Do you believe everything you hear?
We know that to be fact, Fortunato said.
Then why do you need my input?
We want to know where Tsion Ben-Judah is. It is important to Dr. Rosenzweig
that His Excellency come to Dr. Ben-Judah's aid.
Rayford had listened in when that request was brought to Carpathia. Nicolae
had laughed it off, suggesting his people make it appear he tried to help
while actually informing Ben-Judah's enemies where they could find him.
If I knew the whereabouts of Tsion Ben-Judah, Rayford said, I would not
tell you. I would ask him if he wanted you to know.
Fortunato stood. Apparently the meeting was over. He walked Rayford to the
door.
Captain Steele, your disloyalty has no future. I say again, you will find me
most conciliatory. I would consider it a favor if you would not intimate to
Dr. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]