dk.coldfire-第48章

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that　it　was　depart。　She　returned　to　the　prepared　questions。　〃Why　do　you　want　these　particular　people　saved？〃　〃To　help　mankind〃　it　said　sonorously。　There　might　have　been　a　note　of　pomposity　in　it；　too；　but　that　was　hard　to　tell　because　the　voice　was　so　evenly　modulated；　almost　machinelike。　
　〃But　when　so　many　people　are　dying　every　day…and　most　of　them　an　innocents…why　have　you　singled　out　these　particular　people　to　be　rescued？〃　〃They　are　special　people。　〃　〃In　what　way　are　they　special？〃　〃If　allowed　to　live　each　of　them　will　make　a　major　contribution　to　the　betterment　of　mankind。〃　Jim　said；　〃I'll　be　damned。〃　
　Holly　had　not　been　expecting　that　answer。　It　had　the　virtue　of　being　fresh。　But　she　was　not　sure　she　believed　it。　For　one　thing；　she　was　bothered　that　The　Friend's　voice　was　increasingly　familiar　to　her。　
　She　was　sure　she　had　heard　it　before；　and　in　a　context　that　undermined　its　credibility　now；　in　spite　of　its　deep　and　authoritative　tone。　〃Are　you　saying　you　not　only　see　the　future　as　it　will　be　but　as　it　might　have　been？〃　〃Yes〃　〃Aren't　we　back　to　your　being　God　now？〃　〃No。　I　do　not　see　as　clearly　as　God。　But　I　see〃　In　his　boyish　best　humor　again；　Jim　smiled　at　the　kaleidoscopic　patterns　of　light；　obviously　excited　and　pleased　by　all　that　he　was　hearing。　
　Holly　turned　away　from　the　wall；　crossed　the　room；　squatted　beside　her　suitcase；　and　opened　it。　
　Jim　loomed　over　her。　〃What're　you　doing？〃　〃Looking　for　this；〃　she　said；　producing　the　notebook　in　which　she　had　chronicled　the　discoveries　she'd　made　while　researching　him。　She　got　up；　opened　the　notebook；　and　paged　to　the　list　of　people　whose　lives　he　had　saved　prior　to　Flight　246。　Addressing　the　entity　throbbing　through　the　limestone；　she　said；　〃May　fifteenth。　Atlanta；　Georgia。　Sam　Newsome　and　his　five…year…old　daughter　Emily。　What　are　they　going　to　contribute　to　humanity　that　makes　them　more　important　than　all　the　other　people　who　died　that　day？〃　No　answer　was　forthing。　
　〃Well？〃　she　demanded。　
　〃Emily　will　bee　a　great　scientist　and　discover　a　cure　for　a　major　disease〃　Definitely　a　note　of　pomposity　this　time。　
　〃What　disease？〃　〃Why　do　you　not　believe　me　Miss　Thorne？〃　The　Friend　spoke　as　formally　as　an　English　butler　on　duty；　yet　in　that　response；　Holly　felt　she　heard　the　subtle　pouting　tone　of　a　child　under　the　dignified；　reserved　sur　She　said；　〃Tell　me　what　disease；　and　maybe　I'll　believe　you。〃　
　〃Cancer〃　〃Which　cancer？　There　are　all　types　of　cancer。〃　
　〃All　cancers〃　She　referred　to　her　notebook　again。　〃June　seventh。　
　Corona；　California　Louis　Andretti。〃　
　〃He　will　father　a　child　who　will　grow　up　to　bee　a　great　diplomat。　〃　Better　than　dying　of　multiple　rattlesnake　bites；　she　thought。　
　She　said；　〃June　twenty…first。　New　York　City。　Thaddeus〃　〃He　will　bee　a　great　artist　whose　work　will　give　millions　of　people　hope。〃　
　〃He　seemed　like　a　nice　kid；〃　Jim　said　happily；　buying　into　the　whole　thing。　〃I　liked　him。〃　
　Ignoring　him；　Holly　said；　〃June　thirtieth。　San　Francisco…〃　〃Rachael　Steinberg　will　give　birth　to　a　child　who　will　bee　a　great　h　spiritual　leader〃　That　voice　was　bugging　her。　She　knew　she　had　heard　it　before。　But　where？　〃July　fifth…〃　〃Miami；　Florida。　Carmen　Diaz　She　will　give　birth　to　a　child　who　will　bee　president　of　the　United　States〃　Holly　fanned　herself　with　the　notebook　and　said；　〃Why　not　president　of　the　world？〃　〃July　fourteenth。　Houston；　Texas。　Amanda　Cutter　She　will　give　birth　to　a　child　who　will　&be　a　great　peacemaker〃　〃Why　not　the　Second　ing？〃　Holly　asked。　
　Jim　had　moved　away　from　her。　He　was　leaning　against　the　wall　between　two　windows；　the　display　of　light　quietly　exploding　around　him。　〃What's　the　matter　with　you？〃　he　asked。　
　〃It's　all　too　much；〃　she　said。　
　〃What　is？〃　〃Okay；　it　says　it　wants　you　to　save　special　people。〃　
　〃To　help　mankind〃　〃Sure；　sure；〃　Holly　said　to　the　wall。　
　To　Jim　she　said；　〃But　these　people　are　all　just　too　special；　don't　you　think？　Maybe　it's　me；　but　it　all　seems　overblown；　it's　gotten　trite　again。　
　Nobody's　growing　up　to　be　just　a　damned　good　doctor；　or　a　businessman　who　creates　a　new　industry　and　maybe　ten　thousand　jobs；　or　an　honest　and　courageous　cop；　or　a　terrific　nurse。　No；　they're　great　diplomats；　great　scientists；　great　politicians；　great　peacemakers。　
　Great；　great；　great！〃　〃Is　this　adversarial　journalism？〃　〃Damn　right。〃　
　He　pushed　away　from　the　wall；　used　both　hands　to　smooth　his　thick　hair　back　from　his　forehead；　and　cocked　his　head　at　her。　〃I　see　your　point；　why　it's　starting　to　sound　like　another　episode　of　Outer　Limits　to　you；　but　let's　think　about　this。　It's　a　crazy；　extravagant　situation。　A　being　from　another　world；　with　powers　that　seem　godlike　to　us；　decides　to　use　me　to　better　the　chances　of　the　human　race。　Isn't　it　logical　that　he'd　send　me　out　to　save　special；　really　special　people　instead　of　your　theoretical　business　tycoon？〃　〃Oh；　it's　logical；〃　she　said。　〃It　just　doesn't　ring　true　to　me；　and　I've　got　a　fairly　well…developed　nose　for　deception。〃　
　〃Is　that　why　you　were　a　great　success　as　a　reporter？〃　She　might　have　laughed　at　the　image　of　an　alien；　vastly　superior　to　human　beings；　stooping　to　engage　in　a　bickering　match。　But　the　impatience　and　poutiness　she'd　thought　she　detected　as　an　undercurrent　in　some　of　its　previous　answers　was　now　unmistakable；　and　the　concept　of　a　hypersensitive；　resentful　creature　with　godlike　power　was　too　unnerving　to　be　funny　at　the　moment。　
　〃How's　that　for　a　higher　power？〃　she　asked　Jim。　〃Any　second　now；　he's　going　to　call　me　a　bitch。〃　
　The　Friend　said　nothing。　
　Consulting　her　notebook　again；　she　said；　〃July　twentieth。　Steven　Aimes。　
　Birmingham；　Alabama。〃　
　Schools　of　light　swam　through　the　walls。　The　patterns　were　less　graceful　and　less　sensuous　than　before；　if　the　lightshow　had　been　the　visual　equivalent　of　one　of　Brahms's　most　pacific　symphonies；　it　was　now　more　like　the　discordant　wailing　of　bad　progressive　jazz。　
　〃What　about　Steven　Aimes？〃　she　demanded；　scared　but　remembering　how　an　exertion　of　will　had　been　met　with　respect　before。　
　〃I　am　going　now〃　〃That　was　a　short　tide；〃　she　said。　
　The　amber　light　began　to　darken。　
　〃The　tides　in　the　vessel　are　not　regular　or　of　equal　duration。　But　I　will　return。　〃　〃What　about　Steven　Aimes？　He　was　fifty…seven；　still　capable　of　siring　a　great　something…or…other；　though　maybe　a　little　long　in　the　tooth。　Why　did　you　save　Steve？〃　The　voice　grew　somewhat　deeper；　slipping　from　baritone　toward　bass；　and　it　hardened。　〃It　would　not　be　wise　for　you　to　attempt　to　leave〃　She　had　been　waiting　for　that。　As　soon　as　she　heard　the　words；　she　knew　she　had　been　tensed　in　expectation　of　them。　
　Jim；　however；　was　stunned。　He　turned；　looking　around　at　the　dark　amber　forms　swirling　and　melding　and　splitting　apart　again；　as　if　trying　to　figure　out　the　biological　geography　of　the　thing；　so　he　could　look　it　in　the　eyes。　〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？　We'll　leave　any　time　we　want。〃　
　〃You　must　wait　for　my　return。　You　will　die　if　you　attempt　to　leave。　
　〃　〃Don't　you　want　to　help　mankind　any　more？〃　Holly　asked　sharply。　
　〃Do　not　sleep。〃　Jim　moved　to　Holly's　side。　
　Whatever　estrangement　she　had　caused　between　her　and　Jim；　by　taking　an　aggressive　stance　with　The　Friend；　was　apparently　behind　them。　He　put　an　arm　around　her　protectively。　
　〃You　dare　not　sleep。〃　The　limestone　was　mottled　with　a　deep　red　glow。　
　〃Dreams　are　doorways。〃　The　bloody　light　went　out。　
　The　lantern　provided　the　only　illumination。　And　in　the　deeper　darkness　that　followed　The　Friend's　departure；　the　quiet　hiss　of　the　burning　gas　was　the　only　sound。　
　Holly　stood　at　the　head　of　the　stairs；　shining　a　flashlight　into　the　gloom　below。　Jim　supposed　she　was　trying　to　make　up　her　mind　whether　they　really　would　be　prevented　from　leaving　the　mill…and　if　so；　how　violently。　
　Watching　her　from　where　he　sat　on　his　sleeping　bag；　he　could　not　understand　why　it　was　all　turning　sour。　
　He　had　e　to　the　windmill　because　the　bizarre　and　frightening　events　in　his　bedroom　in　Laguna　Niguel；　over　eighteen　hours　ago；　had　made　it　impossible　to　continue　ignoring　the　dark　side　to　the　mystery　in　which　he　had　bee　enwrapped。　Prior　to　that；　he　had　been　willing　to　drift　along；　doing　what　he　was　pelled　to　do；　pulling　people　out　of　the　fire　at　the　last　minute；　a　bemused　but　game　superhero　who　had　to　rely　on　airplanes　when　he　wanted　to　fly　and　who　had　to　do　his　own　laundry。　But　the　increasing　intrusion　of　The　Enemy…whatever　the　hell　it　was…its　undeniable　evil　and　fierce　hostility；　no　longer　allowed　Jim　the　luxury　of　ignorance。　The　Enemy　was　struggling　to　break　through　from　some　other　place；　another　dimension　perhaps；　and　it　seemed　to　be　getting　closer　on　each　attempt。　Learning　the　truth　about　the　higher　power　behind　his　activities　had　not　been　at　the　top　of　his　agenda；　because　he　had　felt　that　enlightenment　would　be　granted　to　him　in　time；　but　learning　about　The　Enemy　had　e　to　seem　urgently　necessary　for　his　survival…and　Holly's。　
　Nevertheless；　he　had　traveled　to　the　farm　with　the　expectation　that　he　would　encounter　good　as　well　as　evil；　experience　joy　as　well　as　fear。　
　Whatever　he　learned　by　plunging　into　the　unknown　should　at　least　leave　him　with　a　greater　understanding　of　his　sacred　life…saving　mission　and　the　supernatural　forces　behind　it。　But　now　he　was　more　confused　than　before　he'd　e。　Some　developments　had　filled　him　with　the　wonder　and　joy　for　which　he　longed：　the　ringing　in　the　stone；　for　one；　and　the　beautiful；　almost　divine；　light　that　was　the　essence　of　The　Friend。　He　had　been　moved　to　rapture　by　the　revelation　that　he　was　not　merely　saving　lives　but　saving　people　so　special　that　their　survival　would　improve　the　fate　of　the　entire　human　race。　
　But　that　spiritual　bliss　had　been　snatched　away　from　him　by　the　growing　realization　that　The　Friend　was　either　not　telling　them　the　whole　truth　or；　worst　case；　was　not　telling　them　anything　true　at　all。　'The　childish　petulance　of　the　creature　was　unnerving　in　the　extreme；　and　now　Jim　was　not　sure　that　anything　he　had　done　since　saving　the　Newsomes　last　May　was　in　the　service　of　good　rather　than　evil。　
　Yet　his　fear　was　still　tempered　by　hope。　Though　a　splinter　of　despair　had　lodged　in　his　heart　and　begun　to　fester；　that　spiritual　infection　was　held　in　check　by　the　core　of　optimism；　however　fragile；　that　had　always　been　at　the　center　of　him。　
　Holly　switched　off　the　flashlight；　returned　from　the　open　door；　and　s　down　on　her　mattress。　〃I　don't　know；　maybe　it　was　an　empty　threat；　but　there's　no　way　of　telling　till　we　try　to　leave。〃　
　〃You　want　to？〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃What's　the　point　in　getting　off　the　farm　anyway？　From　everything　we　know；　it　can　reach　out　to　us　anywhere　we　go。　
　Right？　I　mean　it　reached　you　in　Laguna　Niguel；　sent　you　on　these　missions；　reached　you　out　there　in　Nevada　and　sent　you　on　to　Boston　to　rescue　Nicholas　O'Conner。〃　
　〃I've　felt　it　with　me；　at　times；　no　matter　where　I've　gone。　In　Houston；　in　Florida；　in　France；　in　England…it　guided　me；　let　me　know　what　was　ing；　so　I　could　do　the　job　it　wanted　done。〃　
　Holly　looked　exhausted。　She　was　drawn　and　paler　than　the　eerie　glow　af　the　gas　lantern　could　account　for；　and　her　eyes　were　shadowed　with　rings　of　weariness。　She　closed　her　eyes　for　a　moment　and　pinched　the　bridge　of　her　nose　with　thumb　and　forefinger；　a　strained　lo