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.Well built.It served the fortress through more than one siege.""Sure.The guy made that one with natural lighting.No flash, no sun reflectors, nothing, just naturallight; you can see the detail of the stonework and the water level.And it was on film, too--he wasn't usingnylon.""You can determine that by examination?""Well, of course! _I_ can.Listen, mister, that's good photography.That man is good.""Thank you.I'll tell him next time I see him."Saltus said: "Maybe I'll read your book someday.Just to find out why they're shooting at you.""It doesn't have pictures.""Oh, I can read all the easy words." He stretched out his legs and stared up at the underside of thegaudy beach umbrella.A spider was beginning a web between the metal braces."This place is dead thismorning.""What's to do? Other than a rousing game with the Major, or another session at the rifle range?"Saltus laughed."Shoulder hurt? That will wear away.Say, if I could find Katrina, I'd throw her intothe pool and then jump in with her--that's where the action is!"Chaney thought it wisest not to answer.His gaze went back to the sun-bright waters of the pool,now empty of swimmers and slowly regaining placidity.He remembered the manner in which Saltus hadplayed there with Katrina, but the memory wasn't a pleasant one.He hadn't joined in the play because hefelt self-conscious for the first time in his life, because his physique was a poor one compared to themuscular body of the Commander, because the woman seemed to prefer the younger man's company tohis.That was hurtful to admit.Chaney caught a quick movement at the gate."The Major has found us."Major Moresby hustled into the recreation area and strode toward the pool, seeking them.Halfway across the patio he found them beneath the umbrella and turned hard.He was breathing heavilyand his face flushed with excitement."Get up off your duff!" he barked at the Commander.And to Chaney: "Get your clothes on.Urgent.They want us in the briefing room now.I have a car waiting.""Hey--what goes?" Saltus was out of the chair."We do.Somebody has made the big decision.Damn it, Chaney, move!""The field trials?" Saltus demanded."The field trials? This morning? Now?""This morning, now," Moresby acknowledged."Gilbert Seabrooke brought the decision; theyroused me out of bed.We're moving up, after all!" He turned on Chaney."Will you haul your ass out ofthat chair, civilian? Move it! I'm waiting, everybody is waiting, the vehicle is cranked up and waiting."Chaney jumped from the chair, heart pounding against his rib cage.Moresby: "Katrina said to use the car.You are not to waste time walking, and that is an order."Chaney's reflexes were slower, but he was already racing for the bath house to change.They ranwith him."I'm not walking.""Where are we going?" Saltus demanded breathlessly."I mean when? _When_ in Joliet? Did youget the word?""Katrina gave the word.You won't like it, Art."Arthur Saltus stopped abruptly in the doorway and Chaney collided with him."Why won't I like it?""Because it's a political thing, a damned political thing, after all! Katrina said the decision camedown early this morning from the White House--from _him_.We should have expected something likethat."Slow repeat: "Why won't I like it?"Moresby said with disdain: "We're going up two years to a date in November.November 6,1980, a Thursday.The President wants to know if he'll be re-elected."Arthur Saltus stared in open-mouthed astonishment.After a space of disbelief he turned toChaney."What was that word again, mister? In Aramaic?"Brian Chaney told him.Brian ChaneyJoliet, Illinois6 November 1980If we open a quarrel between the pastand the present,We shall find that we have lost the future.-- Winston Churchill NINEChaney had no forewarning of something amiss.The red light blinked out.He reached up to unlock the hatch and throw it open.The green lightwent dark.Chaney grasped the two handrails and pulled himself to a sitting position, with his head andshoulders protruding through the hatchway.He was alone in the room, as he expected to be.Hestruggled through the hatch and climbed over the side, easing himself down the hull until his feet touchedthe stool.The vehicle felt icy cold.Chaney reached up to slam shut the hatch, then cast a curious glanceat the monitoring cameras.He hoped those future engineers approved his obedience to the ritual.Chaney looked at his watch: 10:03.That was expected.He had kicked off less than a minute ago,the third and last to move up.He sought out the calendar and clock on the wall to verify the date and thetime: 6 Nov 80.The clock read 7:55.A thermometer had been added to the instrument group to recordoutside temperature: 31 degrees F.Chaney hesitated, unsure of his next move.The time was not right; it should have been ten o'clock,plus or minus eight minutes.He made a mental note to tell the engineers what he thought of their guidancesystem.The first of the field trials had been launched at a few minutes past nine, with Major Moresbyclaiming his due.Thirty minutes later Arthur Saltus followed the Major into the future, and thirty minutesafter him Chaney climbed into the bucket and was kicked off.All arrivals on target were supposed to beidentical with departure times, plus or minus eight minutes.Chaney had expected to surface about ten andfind the others waiting for him.They were scheduled to regroup in the fallout shelter, equip themselves,and travel to the target city in separate automobiles to effect a wider coverage of the area.Katrina had given each of them explicit instructions and then wished them well.Saltus had said: "Aren't you coming down to see us off?"She'd replied: "I will wait in the briefing room, sir."The wall clock moved to 7:56.Chaney abandoned his irresolution.Rounding the hull of the vehicle, he opened the locker andreached for the suit hung there only minutes before.Small surprise.His suit had been cleaned andpressed and was now hanging in a paper sheath provided by the dry cleaner.Next to his were similarpackages belonging to Moresby and Saltus.His name was written across the sheath and he recognizedthe woman's handwriting.He was first in: seniority.Chaney ripped away the paper and dressed quickly, aware of the chill in the room [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]