jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第107章

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　〃A　rectangular　shadow？〃　Nick　protested。
　〃Not　impossible。　There　is　a　face　shadow　on　Mars；　you　know。〃
　〃It　should　be　investigated…〃
　〃Too　late；〃　the　President　said；　and　then　turned　his　chair　back　to　the　window。　He　twisted　the　new　paper　clip　into　a　crank　and　began　to　twirl　it　furiously。　〃The　decision　has　been　made；　and　the　order　has　been　given。〃
　
　Endless　PresNet　messages　scrolled　before　Nick's　eyes。　He　had　no　interest。　Gogh's　bombs　were　on　their　way…everything　else　paled　in　parison。　Images　of　children　playing　in　Portland　streets　and　people　strolling　in　parks　occupied　Nick。
　The　moon　photo　was　tacked　on　Nick's　bulletin　board。　The　ultimate　mystery　out　of　his　reach…maybe　forever。　If　Gogh's　plan　worked；　whatever　was　in　that　crater　would　disappear。　If　it　failed；　in　a　decade　maybe；　they　might　be　able　to　explore　Flam…steed　crater。　Guiltily；　Nick　realized　a　part　of　him　wanted　Gogh　to　fail。
　The　puter　beeped　for　his　attention；　as　something　he'd　requested　came　across　the　screen。　It　was　another　variation　of　the　Gomez　model。　Nick　looked　it　over　for　the　differences；　but　found　himself　thinking　about　the　beep　the　puter　made。　He　wondered　if　he　could　program　it　to　jangle　instead。
　
　64。　　　LANDFALL
　
　We　were　out　on　the　ice　trying　to　free　the　Terra　Nova。　Suddenly　the　pack　of　killer　whales　attacked。　They　smashed　their　backs　against　the　ice　trying　to　knock　us　into　the　water。　Such　was　their　power　that　the　ice　exploded；　showering　us　with　fragments。　We　were　lucky　to　scramble　to　more　solid　ice。
　…Captain　Robert　Falcon　Scott；　January　5；　1911
　
　West　of　Naples；　Florida
　POSTQUILT：　WEDNESDAY；　1：20　P。M。　EST
　
　　Patty's　crimson　trail　steamed　into　the　distance　as　far　as　Ron　could　see。　She　was　losing　massive　amounts　of　blood；　yet　she　kept　swimming。　Her　breathing　was　labored　and　she　was　wheezing；　and　Ron　regretted　the　burden　he　and　his　family　were　to　her。　Still；　they　had　no　choice　but　to　stay。
　No　one　had　slept　since　Pat　had　been　killed；　but　weak　from　thirst　and　hunger；　they　sat　quietly　on　Patty's　back；　with　no　energy　for　talking。　Ron　had　no　desire　to　sleep；　fearful　of　the　nightmares　Pat's　grisly　death　might　generate。
　Ron　sat　up　and　looked　behind　him　again　for　signs　the　orcas　were　following。　Pat　was　surely　enough　to　fill　the　killer　whale　pack；　Ron　assured　himself；　but　looked　anyway。　There　was　no　sign　of　the　pack。　Ron　looked　ahead　and　got　a　shock…he　could　see　land；
　〃Look！　We　made　it！　We　made　it！〃
　The　others　roused　themselves　and　looked　past　Patty's　head　to　the　thin　line　of　brown　along　the　shore。　Hidden　reservoirs　of　energy　were　released　and　the　Tubmans　cheered　and　hugged　one　another。
　〃Good　old　Patty；〃　Rosa　said；　leaning　down　to　rub　her　sides。　〃I'm　so　sorry　about　Pat。〃
　The　family　watched　the　shore　creep　closer；　Ron　estimating　the　spot　where　they　could　make　it　to　shore　in　case　something　happened　to　Patty。　Carmen　turned　to　Ron；　her　mouth　open　to　speak；　but　said　nothing。　She　was　staring　past　him　to　the　sea。　Ron　turned　to　see　a　flock　of　birds　in　the　distance。　It　took　him　a　moment　to　understand　the　importance。　The　orca　pack　was　following。
　Looking　back　to　shore　Ron　realized　it　would　be　close。　The　kids　picked　up　on　their　parents'　looks　and　were　soon　as　worried　as　Ron　and　Carmen。
　〃They're　ing；　Dad。〃
　〃I　know；　Chris。　But　we're　close　to　shore。〃　Ron　didn't　add　they　weren't　close　enough。　〃We　can　swim　if　we　have　to。〃　Chris　didn't　look　reassured。
　Soon　the　flock　was　close　enough　to　make　out　individual　birds；　but　the　shore　remained　despairingly　far。　Suddenly　the　sleek　form　of　a　killer　whale　leapt　from　the　water　and　splashed　the　Tubmans。　There　were　no　other　whales　in　sight；　but　Ron　knew　the　others　would　be　there　soon。　The　whale　breached　again；　by　Patty's　head；　and　she　bleated　from　fear。　Then　the　whale　leapt　across　her　path　and　Patty　heeled　over；　nearly　throwing　her　passengers　into　the　sea。
　Ron　feared　she　would　be　driven　off　course；　but　quickly　she　came　around　again。　The　orca　leapt　again；　but　this　time　Patty　wouldn't　be　driven　off。　Two　more　tries；　and　two　more　failures；　then　the　orca　gave　up　and　simply　swam　alongside；　waiting。
　Now　the　flock　was　nearly　overhead；　and　they　could　see　the　fins　of　the　pursuing　whales。　They　split　into　two　groups；　one　ing　up　on　each　side。
　〃Hang　on；　everybody。〃
　The　family　flattened；　ready　for　the　attack。　Just　as　before　the　orcas　went　for　the　legs。
　Patty's　shudder　announced　the　first　blow；　and　her　scream　the　second。　The　orcas　angled　in；　diving　deep　and　then　jetting　up；　attacking　Patty's　dangling　legs。　The　blows　continued；　and　soon　Patty　was　streaming　blood　from　all　four　limbs。　Still　she　strug…gled　toward　the　nearing　shore。
　Three　blows　in　quick　succession　rocked　Patty；　and　she　rolled　to　the　right；　nearly　tossing　the　family；　before　she　righted。　Patty　lost　all　sense　of　direction　and　swam　aimlessly　for　a　few　minutes；　and　then　turned　toward　shore　again。
　It　was　close　now；　Ron　could　make　out　buildings　behind　the　beach。　〃e　on；　Patty！〃　Ron　whispered。　〃You　can　make　it。〃
　The　whales　picked　up　the　attack；　sensing　the　nearing　shore。　Quivering　silently　now　with　the　blows；　Patty　continued　her　struggle。　The　water　was　red　now；　not　pink；　but　still　she　swam。　Then　an　orca　hit　her　undulating　neck；　severing　an　artery。　When　the　neck　cleared　the　surface　between　waves　blood　spurted　from　the　wound。　In　a　few　minutes　her　head　began　to　sag；　and　her　body　listed　to　the　right。
　〃Time　to　get　off？〃
　Ron　asked；　rather　than　ordered。　Carmen　hesitated　briefly；　looking　at　the　crimson　water　and　then　the　attacking　orcas。
　〃All　right；　kids；〃　Carmen　announced。　〃Down　the　side。〃
　The　kids　didn't　hesitate。　Rosa　checked　the　catches　on　her　life　jacket；　folded　her　left　arm　across　her　chest；　and　then　slid　down　Patty's　side　into　the　water。　She　pushed　herself　a　few　feet　away　and　waited　for　Chris。　Patty　was　still　swimming；　and　Rosa　was　falling　behind。　Carmen　checked　Chris's　life　jacket　and　then　pushed　him　down　the　side。　Rosa　immediately　swam　to　Chris　and　began　towing　him　away　from　Patty's　bloody　wake。
　Carmen　turned　to　Ron　and　held　out　her　hand。　Ron　took　it　and　smiled。
　〃For　better　or　worse；　isn't　that　what　we　said？〃　Ron　asked。
　〃You　should　have　been　more　specific；〃　Carmen　responded；　then　slid　down；　pulling　Ron　down　after　her。　They　were　still　swimming　when　Patty's　screams　started　again；　and　kept　on　until　they　were　outside　what　they　considered　the　orca's　circle。　They　finally　stopped；　exhausted。　They　were　pletely　spent；　and　the　adults　hung　on　to　the　kids'　life　jackets　to　keep　their　heads　above　water。
　Patty　swam　slowly　in　circles；　suffering　the　constant　attacks　of　the　orcas。　They　could　see　her　shudder　with　every　piece　of　flesh　torn　from　her　body。　Shortly　she　fell　silent　and　rolled　over　in　the　sea；　her　head　disappearing　into　the　waves。　Her　blood　slowly　diffused　through　the　water；　and　soon　the　Tubmans　were　swimming　away；　fearing　the　orcas；　but　also　sharks　and　other　predators。
　The　family　swam　for　shore；　under　a　canopy　of　screeching　seabirds。　They　were　coated　with　Patty's　blood　and　left　a　pink　trail　of　their　own；　and　Ron　worried　something　might　follow　it。　Slowly　the　waves　washed　them　clean　and　Ron　switched　to　worrying　about　making　it　to　the　beach。　It　was　there；　tantaliz　ingly　close；　but　they　had　little　strength。
　They　lost　speed　with　each　stroke；　and　soon　were　doing　only　a　slow　crawl。　Without　life　jackets；　Ron　and　Carmen　struggled　through　the　waves。　Ron　found　he　didn't　have　the　strength　to　ride　the　waves；　and　they　began　breaking　over　him。　Each　time　he　went　under　it　took　longer　to　e　up。
　Ron　popped　to　the　surface　to　see　Chris　well　ahead　of　him；　Rosa　right　behind。　Carmen　was　to　his　right。　As　he　watched；　a　wave　caught　the　kids　and　washed　them　toward　shore；　pushing　them　well　ahead。　They　would　make　it；　he　knew…he　didn't　know　about　himself　and　Carmen。　Ron　relaxed　between　waves；　then　stroked　furiously；　trying　to　catch　a　wave　and　bodysurf　in。　Without　enough　speed；　the　waves　kept　washing　over　him。
　Ron　was　semiconscious　when　he　felt　hands　pulling　him。　Rosa　and　Chris　dragged　him　through　the　surf；　then　dropped　him　in　the　shallows。　Ron　crawled　the　rest　of　the　way　to　shore　and　turned　to　see　the　kids　helping　Carmen　out　of　the　surf。　Soon　they　were　lying　side　by　side　on　the　warm　sand；　thankful　to　be　alive。
　The　joy　of　survi