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[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] stretched across the entire area, manned by a busy force of emergency workers. Buck came to a screeching halt, swerving and sliding about fifty feet before his right front tire blew. The car spun as emergency workers danced out of the way. Several swore at him, and a woman police officer advanced, gun drawn. Buck started to get out, but she said, Stay right where you are, pal! Buck lowered the window with one hand and reached for his press credentials with the other. The policewoman would have none of that. She thrust her weapon through the window and pressed it to his temple. Both hands where I can see 'em, scumbag! She opened the door, and Buck executed the difficult procedure of getting out of a small car without the use of his hands. She made him lie flat on the pavement, spread- eagle. Two other officers joined the first and roughly frisked Buck. Any guns, knives, needles? Buck went on the offensive. Nope, just two sets of IDs. The cops pulled a wallet out of each of his back pockets, one containing his own papers, the other the documents of the fictitious Herb Katz. So, which one are you, and what's the deal? I'm Cameron Williams, publisher of Global Community Weekly. I report directly to the potentate. The phony ID is to help me get into unsympathetic countries. A young, slender cop pulled Buck's real ID wallet from the hands of the woman officer. Let me just have a look at this, he said with sarcasm. If you really report to Nicolae Carpathia, you'd have level 2-A clearance, and I don't see oops, I guess I do see level 2-A security clearance here. The three officers huddled to peer at the unusual identification card. You know, carrying phony 2-A security clearance is punishable by death Yes, I do. We aren't even going to be able to run your license plate, with the computers so jammed. I can tell you right now, Buck said, that I borrowed this car from a friend named Zee. You can check that for sure before you have it junked. You can't leave this car here! What am I gonna do with it? Buck said. It's worthless, it's got a flat tire, and Page 32 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html there's no way we're gonna find help for that tonight. Or for the next two weeks, most likely, one of the cops said. So, where were you goin' in such an all-fired hurry? The Drake. Where have you been, pal? Don't you listen to the news? Most of Michigan Avenue is toast. Including The Drake? I don't know about that, but it can't be in too good a shape by now. If I walk up over that rise and get onto Michigan Avenue on foot, am I gonna die of radiation poisoning? Civil Defense guys tell us there's no fallout readings. That means this must have been done by the militia, trying to spare as much human life as possible. Anyway, if those bombs had been nuclear, the radiation would have traveled a lot farther than this already. True enough, Buck said. Am I free to go? No guarantees you'll get past the guards on Michigan Avenue. I'll take my chances. Your best bet is with that clearance card. I sure hope it's legit, for your sake. Rayford couldn't stall the ground crew any longer, at least by merely ignoring them. He pulled the stairs in as if to receive the jetway, but did not fully move them out of the way, knowing that the jetway would never connect. Rather than stay and watch, he returned to the cockpit and busied himself. I don't even want fuel before Amanda's plane is off the ground. It was a full fifteen minutes before Rayford's usual copilot switched places with his temporary one, and a full flight service crew entered the plane. Every time the ground crew radioed Rayford that they were ready to begin refueling, he told them he wasn't ready. Finally, an exasperated laborer barked into his radio, What's the holdup up there, chief? I was told this was a VIP plane that needed fast service. You were told wrong. This is a cargo plane, and it's a new one. We've got a learning curve in the cockpit, plus we're switching crews. Just hold tight. Don't call us, we'll call you. Rayford breathed a sigh of relief twenty minutes later when he discovered that Amanda's plane was en route to Milwaukee. Now he could refuel, play it by the book, and settle in for the long flight over the Pacific. Some plane, huh? McCullum said as he checked out the cockpit. Some plane, Rayford agreed. It's been a long day for me, Mac. I'd appreciate a good, long snooze once we get her on course. My pleasure, Cap. You can sleep the night away for all I care. You want me to come in and wake you for initial descent? I'm not quite confident enough to leave the cockpit, Rayford said. I'll be right here if you need me. It suddenly hit Buck that he had taken a huge risk. It wouldn't be long before Verna Zee learned that he had, at least at one time, been a full-fledged member of New Hope Village Church. He had been so careful about not taking a leadership role there, not speaking in public, not being known to very many people. Now, one of his own employees and a long-standing enemy at that would have knowledge that could ruin him, even cost him his life. He called Loretta's home on Verna's phone. Loretta, he said, I need to Page 33 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html speak with Verna. She's quite distraught just now, Loretta said. I hope you're prayin' for this girl. I certainly will, Buck said. How are you two getting along? As well as can be expected for two complete strangers, Loretta said. I'm just tellin' her my story, as I assumed you wanted me to. Buck was silent. Finally, he said, Put her on, would you, Loretta? She did, and Buck got straight to the point. Verna, you need a new car. Oh no! Cameron, what happened? It's only a flat tire, Verna, but it's going to be impossible to get fixed for several days, and I don't think your car is worth worrying about. Well, thanks a lot! How 'bout I replace it with a better car? I can't argue with that, she muttered. I promise. Now, Verna, I'm going to abandon this vehicle. Is there anything you need out pf it? Nothing I can think of. There is a hairbrush I really like in the glove box. Verna! That does seem a little trivial in light of everything. No documents, personal belongings, hidden money, anything like that? No. Just do what you gotta do. It would be nice if I didn't get in trouble for this. I'll leave word with the authorities that when they get around to it they can tow this car to any junkyard and trade whatever the yard gives them for it for the towing fee. Cameron, Verna whispered, this woman is one strange, old bird. I don't have time to discuss that with you now, Verna. But give her a chance. She's sweet. And she is providing shelter. No, you misunderstand. I'm not saying she isn't wonderful. I'm just saying she's got some really strange ideas. As Buck scrambled over an embankment to bring Michigan Avenue into view, he [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |