jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第93章

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　Luis　watched　out　the　back　of　the　truck　as　he　left　his　neighborhood　behind。　Bodies　lay　here　and　there　in　the　streets；　some　wearing　the　colors　of　the　Zombies；　then　in　the　colors　of　the　Diablos。　Finally　the　truck　left　the　bodies　and　the　burned…out　buildings　behind。
　When　the　truck　stopped；　soldiers　began　helping　the　passengers　out。　Luis　looked　for　a　familiar　face　but　found　none；　so　he　pushed　through　the　crowd；　trying　to　find　a　street　sign　to　orient　himself。　He　was　nearly　to　the　edge　of　the　crowd　when　someone　slammed　into　him　from　behind；　wrapping　her　arms　around　his　waist…his　daughter　Charlotte；　hugging　him。
　His　other　kids…the　older　ones…ran　up　behind。　After　he　had　hugged　each　one　he　looked　up　to　see　Melinda　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　and　he　opened　his　arms　for　her。　They　both　cried。
　After　a　minute　they　separated　and　kissed　and　then　looked　into　each　other's　eyes。　Melinda　immediately　noticed　the　blood　in　his　hair。
　〃Luis；　you're　hurt…〃　she　began。
　Luis　shushed　her　with　a　finger　to　her　lips；　nodding　to　the　kids。　He　didn't　want　to　scare　them。　Melinda；　prehending；　quickly　changed　the　subject。
　〃We　were　so　worried。　Steve　and　I　both　tried　to　look　for　you；　but　we　couldn't　get　through。　It's　almost　like　a　war。〃
　〃It　is　a　war。　Where's　Cinda？〃
　〃With　Steve　and　Tanya。　She's　fine。　What　about　Mrs。　Weatherby？〃
　Luis　shook　his　head　furtively；　knowing　Melinda　and　Charlotte　would　understand。
　〃She's　with　a　friend　now。　A　friend　who'll　never　leave　her；〃　he　explained。　Later　he'd　report　the　details。
　Then　Luis　picked　little　Katrina　up　in　his　arms；　and　he　and　his　family　walked　off　into　what　was　left　of　the　city。
　
　57。　　MOONSCAPE
　
　Major　Cox　called　today　with　a　most　bizarre　report。　He　claimed　that　the　pond　at　his　Sussex　home　had　disappeared。　I　investigated；　as　was　my　duty；　to　find　it　indeed　was　gone；　boat；　dock；　water；　fish　and　all；　leaving　nothing　but　a　muddy　hole。
　…Constable　Clarke；　October　6；1921
　
　Honolulu；　Hawaii
　POSTQUILT：　WEDNESDAY；　3：25　A。M。　AHT
　
　The　moon　photos　were　spread　all　over　Dr。　Wang's　office；　Carrollee　and　Emmett　had　divided　them　up　for　analysis。　Few　university　classes　were　going　on；　and　they　might　have　recruited　a　couple　of　graduate　students　to　help　them。　But　they　were　scientists；　and　if　there　was　a　discovery　to　make　here；　Carrollee　and　Emmett　wanted　to　be　the　first　to　make　it。
　Each　of　them　pared　the　new　pictures　with　file　photos　taken　long　before　the　disaster。　Each　also　used　a　schematic　of　the　moon's　surface　that　pointed　out　features　and　labeled　major　craters。　Every　new　photo　was　scanned　quickly；　first　for　obvious　changes；　and　then　painstakingly　viewed　through　a　magnifying　glass；　paring　it　with　those　from　the　file。
　They　flipped　a　coin　to　decide　who　got　to　examine　the　Sea　of　Tranquility。　Emmett　won；　but　Carrollee　looked　over　his　shoulder　anyway；　trying　to　spot　something　before　he　did。　But　they　found　nothing　that　varied　from　the　plates　they　had　pulled　from　the　files。　Frustrated；　they　divided　up　the　rest　of　the　lunar　landing　sites　and　examined　each　of　those　areas　carefully。　After　that　they　began　systematically　searching　the　surface　of　the　moon。　Emmett　sat　up　and　stretched　his　arms　high　over　his　head。　His　photos　were　on　Dr。　Wang's　desk　and　he'd　been　bending　over　them　most　of　the　night；　and　his　back　ached。
　〃My　back　is　killing　me；〃　he　plained。
　〃At　least　you　got　the　desk；〃　Carrollee　pointed　out；　rubbing　her　own　back；　and　then　her　eyes。
　Carrollee　was　on　the　floor　on　her　hands　and　knees；　wearing　a　white　knit　shirt　with　white　Bermuda　shorts。　White　would　be　fine　on　most　people；　but　Carrollee　was　not　most　people。　She'd　added　a　shiny　white　belt；　white　socks；　white　shoes；　white　globular　earrings　the　size　of　Ping…Pong　balls；　and　a　large　white　barrette。　A　white　fanny　pack　had　been　deposited　in　a　chair。　In　a　blizzard　she　would　be　invisible；　better　camouflaged　than　Russian　snow　troops。　Emmett　regarded　her　briefly；　rubbed　his　back　again；　and　then　leaned　over　the　desk。
　He　had　gotten　the　focal　point　of　his　magnifying　glass　just　right　when　he　felt　Carrollee　behind　him。　Then　she　put　her　hands　on　his　hips　and　pressed　hers　against　his　bottom。　As　soon　as　her　hands　touched　him；　his　breathing　stopped；　and　his　heart　started　to　pound。　He　felt　her　hands　massaging　his　shoulders；　but　Emmett　knew　he　would　never　relax　with　her　body　pushed　up　against　him。　Her　hands　worked　their　way　down　his　spine；　and　he　began　to　breathe　again；　not　deeply；　in　relaxation；　but　in　short　ragged　bursts。　He　remained　bent　over　the　desk；　enjoying　the　sensations　and　changes　taking　place　in　his　body。　It's　only　a　friendly　back　rub；　he　told　himself；　over　and　over。　This　may　not　be　the　signal　to　cross　the　line　from　professional　friends　to　something　more　personal。
　Emmett　had　nearly　convinced　himself　it　was　an　innocent　gesture　when　Carrollee　stopped　her　massage　and　folded　herself　over　Emmett's　back；　slipping　her　hands　around　his　waist；　and　then　sliding　them　up　to　rub　his　chest。　Her　breasts　against　his　back　and　her　hands　on　his　chest　told　him　her　true　intentions。　Then　she　gave　a　ragged　sigh；　and　put　her　head　down　on　his　back。
　〃I　want　a　back　rub　next；〃　she　said；　and　then　added；　〃or　something　to　relax　me。　Too　bad　we　didn't　find　something　in　the　obvious　spots；　like　the　Apollo　sites。　I　thought　you　had　a　good　idea　there　for　a　while。〃
　The　hands　were　still　rubbing　Emmett's　chest；　sending　warm　rushes　through　his　body；　and　he　was　afraid　if　he　spoke　she　would　stop。
　〃You　know；　I　just　thought　of　something；〃　Carrollee　said。
　Carrollee's　hands　stopped　moving　and　her　head　came　up；　although　she　remained　folded　over　his　back。
　〃How　did　they　map　those　landing　sites？　Weren't　there　some　missions　before　the　Apollo　landings？　。　。　。　I　mean；　unmanned　missions？〃
　With　that　Carrollee　stood　up；　her　mind　and　mood　now　clearly　back　on　the　problem　at　hand。　Emmett　wanted　to　shout　at　her　not　to　think　so　much；　but　he　answered　her。
　〃Sure；　they　had　to　pick　a　good　landing　site；　so　they　crashed　some　unmanned　photographic　craft　into　the　moon。　Landed　a　couple　too；　I　think。〃　Emmett　stood　up；　shaking　his　head　to　disperse　the　fog　of　lust。　〃They　had　a　terrible　time　with　them…　they　were　called　Rangers。　Yeah；　now　I　remember。　It　took　six　or　seven　tries　to　get　one　out　of　Earth　orbit；　and　then　they　missed　the　moon　entirely。　There　were　some　other　failures　too。〃　Emmett　searched　while　he　talked；　looking　for　the　Space　Almanac　he　used　to　locate　the　Apollo　landing　sites。　When　he　found　it　he　looked　up　Ranger。　〃Three　Rangers　crashed　into　the　moon。〃
　〃Give　me　the　sites。〃
　〃Ranger　seven　impacted　in　the　Sea　of　Moons；　Ranger　eight　in　the　Sea　of　Tranquility；　and　Ranger　nine　in　the　highlands　near　the　Sea　of　Clouds。〃
　〃You　take　the　Sea　of　Clouds　and　I'll　take　the　Sea　of　Moons。〃
　Carrollee　rushed　back　to　her　photos　on　the　floor　and　shuffled　through　them；　matching　the　photos　to　her　Lunar　Atlas。　Emmett；　suddenly　feeling　petitive；　leafed　hastily　through　his　own　photographs。
　Twenty　minutes　later　they　were　still　frustrated。
　〃Carrollee；　we're　expecting　too　much。　This　is　only　a　theory。　Even　if　it's　accurate　it　doesn't　mean　there　would　be　any　evidence　of　it　on　the　moon。〃
　Carrollee　listened；　but　her　face　showed　she　was　unconvinced。　She　was　in　her　research　mode；　a　hunter　after　a　prey。　Without　a　kill；　a　discovery；　she　would　be　terribly　frustrated。
　〃You　said　they　landed　a　couple　of　craft　too？　Rangers？〃
　〃No；　they　were　called　。　。　。　Searcher　。　。　。　no；　Surveyor。〃　Emmett　turned　to　his　Almanac　again　and　found　the　surveyor　project。　He　read　through　the　section　quickly。　〃Okay；　we　have　landings　in　the　Ocean　of　Storms　。　。　。　two　there；　Sea　of　Tranquility；　Central　Bay　。　。　。　there's　a　crash　site　there　too；　and　the　highland　region　near　Tycho　Brahe。　You　start　with　the　Ocean　of　Storms；　and　I'll　start　with　Central　Bay。　Whoever's　done　first　gets　Tycho　Brahe；〃　Emmett　added　to　heat　up　the　petition。
　They　both　examined　their　photos；　trying　to　match　them　as　quickly　as　possible。　The　early　petitive　rush；　however；　soon　faded　as　the　monotony　of　correlating　details　returned。　Emmett　began　blanking　out　and　found　he　had　to　review　sections。　Convinced　he　had　covered　all　of　Central　Bay；　he　searched　Tycho　Brahe；　mildly　happy　that　he　had　beaten　Carrollee。
　Taking　a　break；　he　decided　to　stretch；　and　needle　her