jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第20部分

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n　and　Rosa　went　with　him；　their　hands　gripping　his　life　jacket。　As　Ron　went　over　he　heard　pounding　and　tearing　as　the　Entrepreneur's　hull　took　the　beating　of　the　debris。　Some　swept　over　the　hull；　pounding　down　mud；　leaves；　and　limbs　on　Ron　and　his　family。　Something　huge　hit　the　Entrepreneur；　and　Ron　felt　himself　being　pulled　under　the　hull　by　an　undertow　and　fought　to　stay　on　top。
　Suddenly　the　wave　smashed　a　tree　trunk　into　the　hull　of　the　Entrepreneur；　nearly　splitting　it　in　two。　Splinters　from　the　hull　showered　the　family；　and　everyone　tried　to　kick　away　from　it　as　the　muddy　wave　finished　halving　the　boat。
　Ron　swam　toward　the　piece　of　the　hull　that　still　held　the　raft；　but　it　was　sinking　rapidly。　The　tree　trunk　that　had　shattered　it　was　between　Ron　and　the　raft；　and　he　dove　to　go　under　them。　As　he　swam　under　he　realized　it　still　had　many　branches　attached；　and　he　dove　deeper。　As　the　hull　sank　it　rolled　and　Ron　easily　reached　the　bow；　but　it　was　sinking　quickly　and　pulling　him　down　with　it。　He　hung　on　to　the　loose　strap　and　released　the　catch　of　the　other　strap；　and　the　raft　began　to　drift　out。　The　raft　was　sinking　fast。　Deftly；　Ron　pulled　the　inflation　ring　and　heard　the　pressed　air　flood　the　cells。　Ballooning；　the　raft　squirted　out　from　under　the　remaining　strap。　He　grabbed　for　it；　but　it　shot　out　of　his　reach。　His　lungs　burning　again；　he　kicked　for　the　surface　pulling　with　his　arms。
　He　was　farther　down　than　he　realized；　much　farther。　His　lungs　screamed　for　oxygen　and　he　was　flailing　like　a　drowning　man。　But　he　surfaced。
　When　his　panic　died　he　looked　around。　To　his　relief　he　saw　Carmen　had　the　children　organized　and　was　moving　them　toward　the　raft。　Exhausted；　Ron　rolled　over　to　his　back　to　float。　The　sea　was　too　rough；　however；　and　the　debris…laden　waves　kept　washing　over　his　face。　He　gave　up　and　rolled　into　a　breast　stroke；　reaching　the　raft　at　the　same　time　as　the　others。
　〃Rosa's　hurt；　Ron；〃　Carmen　said。　〃Help　her　into　the　raft。〃
　Ron　swam　around　Carmen　to　Rosa　and　found　her　grimacing　from　pain。
　〃What's　wrong？　Where　are　you　hurt？〃
　〃It's　my　side。　Something　hit　me。　I　think　it　was　a　tree。〃
　The　raft　was　octagonal；　with　four　inflated　pillars　that　held　the　canopy　four　feet　above。　The　sides　were　a　double　row　of　inflated　cells。　Ron　tried　to　help　Rosa　up　gently；　while　Carmen　did　the　same　thing　with　Chris。　Finally；　Ron　gave　up　on　gentle　and　shoved　hard。　With　a　gasp；　she　flopped　into　the　raft　and　lay　on　the　floor　shuddering。　Ron　hung　on　to　the　edge　of　the　raft；　exhausted；　then　felt　Carmen　pulling　him　up。　His　weight　pushed　the　raft　down　and　a　muddy　wave　washed　in　and　over　Rosa。　Then　he　felt　Carmen's　hands　on　his　bottom　and　she　pulled　him　up　and　over。　He　ended　up　on　his　back　in　the　soup　on　the　bottom　with　Rosa；　his　head　in　Carmen's　lap。
　The　raft　was　rocking　and　pitching；　but　still　it　seemed　restful。　Occasional　waves　broke　over　the　raft；　but　the　family　was　oblivious　to　them。　They　stayed　like　that　for　a　long　time。
　
　15。　　COOP
　
　There　were　thunders　and　lightnings；　and　a　thick　cloud　upon　the　mount；　and　the　voice　of　the　trumpet　exceedingly　loud；　so　that　all　the　people　that　was　in　the　camp　trembled。
　…Exodus　19：16
　
　Carlton；　Oregon
　TIME　QUILT：　SUNDAY；　12：13　A。M。　PST
　
　　Police　Chief　Vincent　Peters　was　eating　a　Mount　Vesuvius　in　the　Copper　Skillet　restaurant。　The　omelette　filled　his　plate　and　was　covered　with　chili　and　sour　cream。　He　knew　eating　it　this　time　of　night　meant　he　would　pay　in　a　couple　of　hours；　but　that　was　then　and　this　was　now；　and　he　was　going　to　enjoy　every　bite。　That　is；　if　Coop　would　let　him。　Reserve　Officer　Stanley　Cooper　was　across　the　table　working　on　a　Godfather's　Special；　his　eggs　covered　with　spaghetti　sauce；　olives；　and　sausage。　〃Coop；〃　as　he　liked　to　be　called；　was　temporarily　distracted　by　the　waitress　across　the　aisle；　who　bent　over　arranging　forks　and　knives。　Then　she　finished　arranging　the　table；　scooped　a　small　pile　of　change　into　her　palm；　and　left；　Coop's　eyes　trailing　after　her。
　〃As　I　was　saying；　Chief；　before　I　got　distracted〃…Coop　wiggled　his　eyebrows　up　and　down　and　then　continued…〃at　the　rate　we're　growing；　it　won't　be　long　before　you're　going　to　have　to　expand　the　force。　I　mean　we　already　got　a　fair　amount　of　fiscal　underachievers　for　a　city　our　size；　and　I　don't　have　to　tell　you　what　that　means。　We　also　got　ourselves　a　problem　with　transients　and　non…goal…oriented　members　of　society。　Just　last　weekend　we　ran　six　of　them　out　of　City　Park。〃
　Peters　was　listening　to　Coop　as　well　as　anyone　could；　but　wishing　he　wasn't。　A　city　the　size　of　Carlton　couldn't　afford　a　large　permanent　force　of　officers；　so　they　used　part…time　reserve　officers；　like　Coop；　to　fill　in。　Peters　needed　the　reserves；　so　he　took　them　to　lunch　occasionally；　had　them　out　to　his　house　for　barbecues；　and　was　generally　nice　to　them。　It　wasn't　always　easy；　especially　with　Coop。　More　than　any　of　the　other　reserve　officers；　Coop　wanted　to　work　full…time；　but　it　would　never　happen　as　long　as　Peters　was　chief。
　Nearly　everything　Coop　did　irritated　Chief　Peters。　For　example；　the　way　Coop　talked。　〃Fiscal　underachievers〃　were　poor　people；　〃non…goal…oriented　members　of　society〃　were　street　people；　and　〃transients〃　referred　to　anyone　who　ran　into　trouble　with　the　law　but　didn't　live　in　the　city。　Coop　once　sent　a　letter　to　the　editor　of　the　local　newspaper　plaining　of　〃fiscal　advanced　downward　adjustments〃　in　the　police　department　and　〃downsizing　personnel。〃　Peters　wondered　how　many　readers　knew　he　was　talking　about　budget　cuts　and　layoffs。　There　was　even　an　officer　who　swore　on　a　Bible　he　heard　Coop　refer　to　a　pencil　as　a　〃portable　hand…held　munications　inscriber。〃　Peters　doubted　the　story。　Still；　with　Coop　you　never　knew　for　sure。
　〃It　is　imperative；　Chief；　that　we　plan　for　such　a　contingent　upsizing　of　personnel。　We　don't　want　to　make　last…minute　hasty　decisions　that　might　be　regretted　later。　We　need　to　do　some　thinking　now；　establish　a　line　of　ascension；　and　stick　to　it　when　the　time　es。〃
　〃Any　ideas；　Coop；　on　who　should　be　on　the　hiring　list？〃
　〃Chief；　you　know　I　got　more　experience　and　know…how　than　any　other　reserve　officer。　I've　paid　my　own　way　through　three　special　training　schools；　done　extra　duty；　why　I　even　learned　how　to　type。　I'm　not　expecting　anything　in　return　for　all　this；　you　understand；　I'm　just　pointing　out　my　qualifications。〃　
　Coop's　resume　was　interrupted　with　an　ear…shattering　noise　that　shook　the　restaurant；　knocking　the　copper　skillet　on　the　wall　behind　the　cashier's　counter　to　the　floor。　The　windows　rattled；　and　startled　gasps　came　from　the　other　two　customers。
　〃What　the　hell？〃　Coop　said；　with　a　half…grin　on　his　face。　〃I　do　believe　we　just　experienced　an　unauthorized　sonic　excess。〃
　If　it　was　a　sonic　boom；　the　jet　must　have　broken　the　sound　barrier　right　over　the　town。　Chief　Peters　walked　outside　to　look　around；　with　Coop　following。　The　sky　was　clear　directly　overhead　and　filled　with　stars。　Any　jet　would　have　already　disappeared；　so　he　didn't　expect　to　see　one。　He　looked　up　and　down　the　main　street　to　find　nothing　unusual　except　house　lights　blinking　on　here　and　there。
　〃Look　at　that；　Chief；〃
　Peters　turned　to　follow　Coop's　pointing　finger。　West　of　town；　there　was　a　boiling　mass　of　clouds　shooting　thousands　of　feet　up　into　the　air；　as　if　buffeted　by　strong　winds。　Peters　had　never　seen　anything　like　it。。　Something　had　whipped　the　sky　into　a　frothing　madness。　As　they　watched；　lightning　flashes　added　to　the　show；　quickly　followed　by　the　boom　of　thunder。　Soon　they　moved　back　into　the　restaurant。
　〃What　do　you　think　caused　that；　Chief；　a　little　ultimate　high…intensity　warfare？〃
　Peters　knew　〃ultimate　high…intensity　warfare〃　meant　nuclear　war　to　Coop。
　〃I　hope　not；〃　Peters　said。
　Coop　was　clearly　disappointed。
　
　POSTQUILT
　16。　THE　PRESIDENT
　
　！t　is　the　ability　to　successfully　draw　on　the　experience　of　others；　as　well　as　their　own；　that　distinguishes　great　leaders。　However；　once　faced　with　something　outside　human　experience；　they　bee　ordinary　with　surprising　rapidity。
　…Carl　stock；　Decision　Makers
　
　Washington；　D。C。
　POSTQUILT：　SUNDAY；　4：37　A。M。　EST
　
　　President　Scott　McIntyre　was　shaken　to　consciousness　by　a　secret　service　agent　and　his　chief　of　staff。　McIntyre　knew　instantly　that　it　was　serious。　As　chief　of　staff；　Elizabeth　Hawthorne　had　the　authority　to　decide　what　needed　the　president's　immediate　attention　and　what　could　wait。　Elizabeth　believed　a　rested　President　was　the　best　kind　to　make　important　decisions；　so　for　her　no　emergency　required　waking　the　President。　Even　when　two　terrorist　bombs　went　off　in　New　York　City　and　the　terrorists　demanded　the　release　of　political　prisoners；　she　let　the　President　sleep　and　wake　to　a　fully　briefed　staff　ready　for　a　crisis　meeting。　When　a　Russian　bomber　and　an　American　chase　plane　collided　off　the　coast　of　South　Carolina；　he　again　awoke　to　a　meeting　of　an　already　summoned　Security　Council。　So；　if　Elizabeth　Hawthorne　was　waking　him；　it　must　he　serious。　He　dressed　quickly。
　Elizabeth　was　in　the　Oval　Office　with　Colonel　Winfield；　the　President's　special　military　advisor。　The　President　was　amazed　at　how　both　of　them　looked　well　rested　and　well　pressed。　Colonel　Winfield's　uniform　was　stiff　and　s