jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第37节

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　…Dr。　Lewis　Connors
　
　Heading　east　at　20；000　feet
　POSTQUILT：　MONDAY；　6：30　A。M。　PST
　
　While　Terry's　body　was　in　a　military　jet　traveling　at　600　mph　toward　Washington；　D。C。；　his　mind　was　in　a　different　place　entirely。　He　was　worried　about　John。　The　rumor　about　Portland　being　missing　was　impossible　to　believe　but　also　impossible　to　forget。　A　city　can't　be　missing；　Terry　told　himself　over　and　over。　There　must　have　been　an　avalanche；　or　an　earthquake；　or　something；　he　reasoned。　Maybe　Mount　Saint　Helens　had　erupted　again　and　the　roads　were　blocked　by　ash。　No；　a　city　couldn't　just　be　missing；　but　then　there　shouldn't　be　a　mountain　in　the　middle　of　I…5　either。　If　something　had　happened　to　Portland；　John　might　need　Terry's　help。　Knowing　that　made　his　decision　difficult。
　He　and　Ellen　had　fought　over　the　course　of　action。　Ellen　wanted　them　to　try　to　get　to　Portland；　to　find　their　son。　But　influenced　by　Bill's　authority；　Terry　had　finally　accepted　that　he　would　be　of　more　use　in　Washington　than　in　Oregon。
　〃This　kid　knows　something；　Terry；〃　Bill　had　argued。　〃He's　barely　hanging　on　to　reality；　and　we　need　to　know　what　he　knows。〃
　〃Our　son　needs　us　too；　Bill；〃　Ellen　retorted。
　〃You　can't　even　get　to　Portland。　The　road's　blocked。　There　is　a　traffic　jam　twelve　miles　long。〃
　〃We　could　try　the　coast　highway　or　a　back　road；　or　maybe　fly；〃　Ellen　said　hopefully。
　〃I　think　Ellen's　right；　Bill；〃　Terry　said　tentatively。　〃I've　got　a　boy　in　Portland。　I　need　to　know　if　he's　all　right。〃
　Bill　was　a　hard　person　to　disagree　with。　He　didn't　use　verbal　gymnastics。　He　just　spoke　with　logic　and　certainty　and　Terry's　own　doubts　convinced　him　Bill　was　right。
　〃I　say　the　best　way　to　help　your　boy　is　to　find　out　what　has　happened。　Help　me　take　this　kid　to　Washington　and　I'll　help　you　find　your　boy。　We　can　fly　that　kid　out　to　Washington　and　fly　back　by　the　time　you　could　find　a　way　to　Portland。　It's　only　going　to　get　worse。　People　will　panic　soon。　Are　you　ready　to　deal　with　looters　and　people　scared　beyond　reason？〃
　Terry　was　weakening　and　it　showed　on　his　face；　but　Ellen　was　even　more　resolved；
　〃We've　got　to　help　our　son；　Terry；　don't　let　him…〃
　〃What　about　your　daughter？〃　Bill　countered。　〃What's　her　name？〃
　〃Carolyn；〃　Angie　cut　in。
　〃Yeah；　Carolyn；〃　Bill　continued。　〃She's　in　the　Washington；　D。C。；　area；　isn't　she？　What　about　her？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　Bill；〃　Terry　stammered。
　〃I　can　get　us　a　helicopter。〃
　That　did　it。　Terry　wasn't　even　sure　he　could　find　another　way　into　Portland。　Ellen；　however；　was　outraged。　She　stopped　talking　to　him　entirely；　and　when　he　left　she　didn't　say　goodbye。
　
　Bill　used　his　military　ID　and　three　phone　calls　to　get　Kenny　Randall　released　in　his　custody。　The　same　procedure　got　them　a　Piper　Cub　at　the　Medford　Airport　and　a　military　707　at　Mountain　Home　Air　Force　Base　in　Idaho。　Now　Terry　found　himself　baby…sitting　a　sleeping　Kenny　as　he　reconsidered　his　decision。
　Kenny　stirred；　momentarily　distracting　Terry。　Kenny's　eyes　moved　rapidly　back　and　forth　under　the　lids。　Kenny　was　dreaming；　and　that　meant　he'd　be　awake　soon。　Terry　wondered　whether　Kenny's　dream　could　be　more　fantastic　than　the　events　of　the　last　two　days。
　Bill　had　been　up　front　talking　with　the　pilots　and　returned　with　a　grim　look。
　〃It's　worse　than　I　thought。　The　pilots　are　picking　up　reports　from　all　over　the　country　。　。　。　strange　reports…　Huge　sheets　of　ice；　deserts　appearing　out　of　nowhere；　floods。　There's　also　another　missing　city　report。　New　York。〃
　Terry's　heart　twisted　in　his　chest。　One　missing　city　report　seemed　fantastic；　two　somehow　seemed　credible。
　〃Any　response　yet？〃　Bill　gestured　toward　Kenny。
　〃No。　But　he's　ing　out　of　it。　He's　dreaming。　You　have　to　be　in　a　light　stage　of　sleep　to　dream。　Once　he　wakes　up　he'll　be　lucid　for　a　few　minutes。　But　the　more　thinking　he　does；　the　more　anxiety　he　will　feel。　He'll　handle　that　anxiety　by　shutting　out　the　outside　world。　We　better　know　what　we　want　to　ask　right　when　he　wakes。　We　may　get　only　one　chance。〃
　〃Let　him　sleep。　We're　almost　to　Washington；　and　I　have　a　doctor　standing　by　to　meet　us。〃
　Bill　and　Terry　spent　the　next　twenty　minutes　writing　down　questions。　They　decided　on　a　strategy　to　build　Kenny's　ego；　confirming　he　was　right　and　then　manipulating　his　paranoid　tendencies　to　get　the　information　they　needed。
　〃Where　am　I？〃
　The　sound　of　Kenny's　voice　rang　like　a　slap　across　the　face。　He　was　looking　around　the　cabin。　He　seemed　generally　confused；　but　not　psychotic。
　Immediately；　Bill　employed　their　plan。
　〃I'm　Bill　Conrad　and　this　is　Terry　Roberts。　And　you're　on　your　way　to　Washington；　D。C。　The　President　wants　to　meet　you　and　shake　your　hand。〃
　Kenny　now　looked　confused　and　pleased；　but　disbelieving。
　〃That's　right；　Kenny。　You　warned　people。　You　did　your　best　to　save　people。　How　did　you　manage　to　figure　it　out　like　that？〃
　Suddenly　Kenny　lunged　at　the　window；　trying　to　see　the　ground　below。　Then　he　unbuckled　his　seat　belt　and　ran　from　window　to　window；　finally　settling　in　a　seat　toward　the　rear　of　the　plane；　his　nose　pressed　against　the　window。　Terry　sat　beside　him　and　Bill　leaned　over　from　the　seat　in　front。　Suddenly　Kenny's　head　snapped　around　to　look　at　Terry。
　〃My　sister？〃
　〃She's　fine。　She'll　be　waiting　for　you　when　you　return　to　Oregon。〃
　Kenny　looked　relieved；　and　then　an　emotion　Terry　couldn't　identify　reshaped　his　expression。　After　a　minute；　Terry　pressed　ahead　with　his　questioning。
　〃How　did　you　figure　it　out；　Kenny？　You　must　be　a　genius。〃　Terry　tried　to　say　it　with　conviction。
　Kenny　pushed　his　nose　against　the　window　again　and　began　to　talk。
　〃I'm　not　a　genius；　I　just　notice　things　other　people　don't。　Like　the　corn。〃
　〃The　corn？〃　Terry　probed。
　〃Yeah；　the　corn。　Me；　Jack；　and　Robbie　went　hunting　and　on　the　way　it　started　to　rain　corn。　Just　poured　out　of　the　sky。〃
　Kenny　paused　and　twisted　his　head；　like　he　had　spotted　something　on　the　ground　behind　the　plane。　Terry　was　worried　about　the　next　question；　but　Kenny　needed　to　start　talking　again　soon。
　〃You　were　the　only　one　who　noticed　it？〃
　〃You　think　I'm　crazy；　don't　you！〃　Kenny's　voice　was　filled　with　venom。　〃Of　course　the　other　guys　noticed　it。　You　think　it　could　rain　corn　and　not　be　noticed？　You're　the　crazy　man；　not　me。〃
　〃What　did　you　mean　when　you　said　you　notice　things　other　people　don't？〃
　〃Jack　and　Robbie　thought　it　was　strange；　but　I　knew　it　was　more　than　that。　I　knew　it　meant　something。〃
　〃A　sign？〃
　〃What　do　you　take　me　for？　Some　kind　of　New　Age　guru？　I　just　knew　that　corn　doesn't　fall　from　the　sky　for　no　reason。〃
　Terry　realized　he　had　the　wrong　point　of　view。　He　assumed　Kenny　would　have　a　mystical　interpretation；　like　most　people　who　prophesied　the　end　of　the　world。　Terry　started　over。　〃It　must　have　been　more　than　the　corn。　You　must　have　had　more　clues　than　that。〃
　〃Oh　sure。　I　used　to　read　these　books　when　I　was　a　kid。　You　know；　books　about　strange　things；　UFO　sightings；　dinosaurs　in　Africa；　stuff　like　that。　There　were　even　stories　about　stuff　falling　out　of　the　sky。　Mostly　ice；　but　some　animals；　frogs；　fish；　even　seeds。　It　was　fun　to　read　about　this　stuff　but　I　never　thought　it　was　true。　I　always　just　figured　a　tornado；　or　an　airplane；　or　something　dropped　this　stuff。　After　the　corn　fell　on　me　I　began　thinking　about　these　things　differently。　I　started　checking。　These　things　really　did　happen。　But　I　couldn't　put　it　together。　Not　by　myself。　Not　until　I　met　Dr。　Piltcher。　He　and　Dr。　Coombs　knew　there　was　something　to　it　。　。　。　and　the　others。　It　was　Dr。　Coombs　that　found　the　Zorastrus　manuscript。　He　knew　it　was　ing；　he　just　didn't　know　when　。　。　。　not　exactly　when。〃
　Kenny　paused；　lost　in　thought。　His　face　was　still　facing　the　window　but　Terry　could　see　his　reflection　and　his　eyes　were　unfocused　and　glassy。
　〃You　finally　figured　out　why　it　was　happening；　didn't　you？　You　and　the　others。〃
　〃Not　for　a　long　time。　We　just　kept　researching　all　the　strange　incidents　we　could　find。　The　regular　papers　don't　report　most　of　this　stuff　anymore。　Used　to；　though。　I　found　stuff　going　back　over　a　hundred　years；　but　Dr。　Piltcher　and　Dr。　Coombs　showed　me　it　had　been　going　on　longer　than　that。　Zorastrus　knew　something　was　ing　and　predicted　it；　but　we　still　couldn't　make　the　model　work。　Then　it　came　together　。　。　。　started　to　e　。　。　。　Phat　and　me　。　。　。　it　was　the　flowers　that　did　it。〃
　Kenny's　voice　faded　out　after　he　said　〃flowers。〃
　〃The　flowers　。　。　。〃　Terry　probed　gently。
　〃Flowers…just　fell　from　the　sky…〃　Kenny's　tongue　began　running　back　and　forth　over　his　lips。　The　seat　belt　sign　came　on　before　Terry　could　ask　another　question；　but　it　didn't　matter。　Kenny　was　gone。　His　eyes　were　fixed　and　glassy。　They　maneuvered　him　away　from　the　window　and　then　lifted　his　arms　to　buckle　him　in。　Like　a　wax　model；　they　remained　suspended　until　Terry　put　them　down　onto　the　armrests。
　They　were　still　there　when　the　EMTs　came　to　load　him　onto　a　stretcher　and　wheel　him　off　the　plane。
　Bill　and　Terry　climbed　into　a　waiting　van。　When　Bill　finally　spoke；　he　was　clearly　disappointed。
　〃I　was　hoping　for　more。〃
　〃He　caught　us　by　surprise。　We　weren't　quite　ready。　Still；　he　gave　us　something。　You　ever　heard　of　a　Dr。　Piltcher　or　Dr。　Coombs？〃
　〃No；〃　Bill　said。　〃Who　was　that　other　o