jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第49部分

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　〃Yeah；　here　we　go。　Remember　though；　this　thing's　a　piece　of　crap　and　I　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　programming。　The　colonel　here　won't　even　let　me　clean　it　up。〃　Phil　shook　his　head　and　punched　a　key。
　As　they　presented　it；　Nick's　own　ideas　were　confirmed　and　expanded。　Yet　when　they　were　finished　he　was　left　wanting　to　know　more。
　〃There　must　be　something　else。　Weren't　there　equations　or　notes　somewhere？〃
　Colonel　Conrad　described　the　rest　of　the　materials　and　then　named　a　Dr。　Piltcher；　a　Dr。　Coombs；　and　someone　named　Phat　as　colleagues　of　Kenny's。　He　also　spoke　of　a　manuscript　from　a　Babylonian　prophet　named　Zorastrus；　which　wasn't　among　Kenny's　things。　Colonel　Conrad's　people　were　already　searching　for　Kenny's　friends；　so　Nick　made　a　mental　note　to　get　a　copy　of　the　manuscript。　It　was　a　long　shot；　but　no　more　impossible　than　what　was　happening　in　the　streets。　Nick　asked　a　guard　to　bring　the　rest　of　Kenny　Randall's　possessions。　He　was　going　to　take　this　to　the　Security　Council；　and　if　he　was　going　to　convince　them；　he　first　needed　to　convince　himself。
　〃Okay；　let's　start　with　the　puter　programs。　Show　me　everything；〃　he　said。
　
　Nick　found　out　how　efficient　government　could　be　when　a　young　marine　delivered　a　cardboard　box　containing　the　plete　known　works　of　Zorastrus；　the　Prophet　of　Babylon。　There　were　copies　in　multiple　languages。　Selecting　the　English　copies；　they　scanned　them。　Colonel　Conrad　found　what　they　were　looking　for。
　〃Here；　in　this　one　called　the　Apocrypha　of　Zorastrus。　He　writes　about　things　falling　from　the　sky：　water；　fish；　rocks；　and　a　whole　tree。　There's　one　about　a　strange　animal　appearing。　He　describes　it　as　a　huge　beast　that　came　walking　on　two　legs　and　ate　whole　cattle。〃
　〃Is　this　in　the　program？〃　Nick　asked。
　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　Colonel　Conrad　said。　〃The　dates　on　most　of　this　stuff　are　too　vague　to　work　in　the　program。　Here；　let's　cheek　it　against　the　list。〃　While　Phil；　Terry；　and　Colonel　Conrad　worked　with　the　program；　Nick　dug　out　a　copy　of　the　Zo…rastrus　text　in　a　German　translation。　Nick　found　Zorastrus　had　done　more　than　just　list　the　strange　events；　he　had　tried　to　explain　them。　His　predictions　were　specific　and　described　events　much　like　they　had　experienced。　Zorastrus　believed　the　things　that　fell　from　the　sky　came　from　the　past；　and　that　they　were　the　debris　of　a　collision　of　eras。　As　Nick　read；　his　respect　for　this　prophet　grew。　Nick　could　find　no　specific　predicted　date；　but　it　didn't　matter。　There　was　plenty　of　proof　the　ancient　seer　had　been　right。　Now　if　only　Nick　could　convince　the　Security　Council。
　
　35。　　　ELLEN　AND　ANGIE
　
　The　Eilean　Mor　light　went　out　ten　days　before　Christmas。　When　the　provision　ship　reached　her　on　the　26th；　the　three　lighthouse　men　were　missing。　All　was　in　good　order；　the　wicks　were　trimmed；　the　lanterns　filled　with　oil；　and　the　beds　mode。　Three　good　men；　gone　to　God　only…knows　where。
　…David　Rose；　Scotlond；　1900
　
　Carlton；　Oregon
　POSTQUILT：　MONDAY；　3：11　P。M。　PST
　
　　Ellen's　back　and　bottom　ached。　Looking　for　a　way　into　Portland；　she'd　been　bumping　down　back　roads　filling　with　people　trying　to　find　some　way　around　the　mountain　on　I…5。　Most　of　them　were　tourists　trying　to　find　a　way　home　to　the　city　or　north　of　it。　Mixed　in　were　other　travelers　and　rubberneckers；　going　to　see　what　had　happened；　and　more　had　happened　than　Ellen　had　realized。
　She　had　spent　several　fruitless　hours　trying　to　phone　friends　in　or　near　Portland；　ones　who　could　check　on　her　son；　but　the　phone　system　was　a　mess。　Many　of　the　interstate　long…distance　lines　were　still　accessible；　but　the　limited　intrastate　made　calls　to　Portland　impossible。　Ellen's　frustration　at　that；　bined　with　her　anger　at　Terry；　reached　critical　mass　late　that　night。　She　couldn't　just　sit　in　a　motel　doing　nothing；　and　since　Terry　wouldn't　help　find　their　son；　she　decided　to　do　it　herself。　Loyally；　Angie　had　started　packing　her　own　suitcase　as　soon　as　she　realized　what　Ellen　was　up　to。　Ellen　protested；　but　only　politely；　privately　she　was　relieved　to　have　Angie's　pany。
　They　were　now　about　ten　miles　southeast　of　Portland　near　a　wide　spot　in　the　road　called　Carlton。　The　traffic　on　the　road　was　once　again　at　a　standstill。　They　waited；　listening　to　the　CB　and　switching　channels；　trying　to　pick　up　someone　at　the　head　of　the　line。　They　finally　picked　up　a　woman　who　knew　something；　and　from　the　sound　of　her　voice　she　was　angry。
　〃There's　some　smart　ass　cop　up　here　who's　barricaded　the　highway。　He　says　there's　no　place　to　go。　Says　the　town's　already　full　of　people　and　there's　no　road　on　the　other　side。　Over　to　you；　Hot　Rod。〃
　Angie　flipped　off　the　radio。
　〃Looks　like　we　walk　from　here。　Maybe　this　cop　knows　what's　going　on。〃
　They　pulled　the　Jeep　to　one　side；　locked　it　up；　then　started　walking　througbr　the　parked　cars。　There　weren't　as　many　cars　here　as　on　I…5。　But　because　the　road　was　two　lane；　and　the　cars　were　backed　up　only　on　the　right　side；　the　hike　was　longer。　Angie　and　Ellen　hiked　around　curves　and　over　hills　listening　to　other　people　talking。　Many　were　walking　forward　too；　but　some　had　unpacked　picnics；　lawn　chairs；　or　blankets。　Kids　ran　around　the　cars　playing　tag。
　Angie　had　suggested　cutting　cross…country；　the　Willamette　valley　was　thick　with　farms；　and　she　reasoned　they　might　be　able　to　use　the　four…by…four　to　cross　them。　But　on　this　side　of　the　city　there　were　fewer　farms；　and　lots　of　forest。　There　must　be　logging　roads　or　fire　district　roads；　Ellen　thought；　but　they　had　no　idea　how　to　find　them。
　At　last　they　came　to　the　barricade；　four　sawhorses　with　two…by…fours　stretched　across　them；　with　a　hand…lettered　sign　reading：
　
　
　ROAD　CLOSED
　
　Nearby；　two　uniformed　men　stood。　One　was　surrounded　by　a　mob　of　people。　It　was　clear　he　was　in　charge。　The　mob　around　him　was　a　mixture　of　the　angry；　the　frustrated；　and　the　curious。　The　cop　kept　repeating；　〃One　at　a　time；　one　at　a　time。〃
　Angie　gave　Ellen　a　look　that　said　〃I'll　take　care　of　this〃　and　then　plowed　into　the　crowd　and　struck　a　provocative　pose　near　the　cop。
　〃Hey；　darlin'；　why　is　the　road　blocked？　she　drawled　loudly。
　The　cop　turned；　looking　angry　until　Angle's　voluptuous　figure　softened　his　response。
　〃Listen；〃　he　began；　then　he　spread　his　voice　to　cover　the　crowd；　〃listen　to　me；　everyone。〃　The　crowd　of　people　quieted。　Looking　at　Angie　he　said；　〃The　road　is　blocked　because　there　is　no　place　for　you　to　go。　The　road　continues　on　the　other　side　of　town　for　only　a　mile　and　then　it　ends。　There　are　cars　and　trucks　abandoned　all　over　that　road。　There　is　no　room　in　town　left　for　you　to　park　and　no　place　to　stay。　You　can　walk　down　the　road　if　you　don't　believe　me。〃
　Disappointed　voices　rang　out；　〃But　we've　got　to　get　to　Portland；〃　moaned　someone　from　the　back　of　the　crowd。　〃I've　got　relatives　waiting　for　me。　When's　the　road　going　to　be　clear？〃
　〃Everyone　here　has　the　same　problems；〃　the　officer　said。　〃I　can't　clear　the　road　for　you。　Go　take　a　look　for　yourself　if　you　don't　believe　me。〃　Then　he　shook　his　head　and　shooed　the　crowd　away。
　Grudgingly　the　people　dispersed　and　wandered　off；　telling　new　arrivals　what　they　just　heard。
　Angie　sidled　up　to　the　cop；　looking　as　sexy　as　she　could　after　a　twenty…hour　drive；　and　Ellen　was　impressed　with　how　sexy　that　was。　The　cop　seemed　to　agree；　and　it　irritated　Ellen；　but　she　told　herself　she　was　merely　annoyed；　not　jealous。
　〃Yes；　what　can　I　do　for　you？〃　the　officer　asked　while　trying　not　to　stare　at　Angie's　cleavage。
　〃My　friend　here　has　to　get　home；　officer；〃　Angie　said　sadly；　nodding　repeatedly　toward　Ellen。　〃Her　son　is　home　all　alone　and　she's　afraid　something　might　have　happened　to　him。〃　The　officer；　enthralled　with　Angie；　gave　Ellen　only　a　brief　glance。
　〃There's　nothing　I　can　do！〃　he　said　with　exhaustion。　〃The　road　isn't　just　blocked；　it's　gone。　There　used　to　be　houses　up　there　and　stores。　Bill　Brandt；　the　guy　who　owns　the　hardware　store；　he　lives　。　。　。　lived　just　on　the　other；　side　of　where　the　road　ends。　He　had　five　kids。　Where　are　they？　I　don't　know！　There's　nothing　there　now　but　trees。〃　His　tone　was　a　mixture　of　fear　and　anger。　〃Nothing　but　trees　and　ferns；〃　he　repeated。
　Ellen　had　heard　stories　like　this　on　the　CB　all　the　way　to　Carlton。　They　still　frightened　her；　but　that　fear　created　only　a　stronger　need　to　find　her　home　and　her　son。　She　had　no　idea　when　Terry　and　Bill　would　get　back；　and　she　was　still　angry　with　Terry　for　going　in　the　first　place。
　Angie　blinked　worriedly；　stepped　closer；　and　slid　her　hand　through　the　officer's　arm。　〃I　know　it's　been　tough　on　you。　Officer　。　。　。　Peters？　I'm　not　asking　you　to　let　us　through；　but　maybe　you　could　tell　us　if　there　are　any　other　roads　into　Portland　from　here？　Any　other　way　we　could　get　in　to　look　for　her　son？〃
　The　cop's　voice　softened　as　Angle's　charm　took　effect。
　〃I　do　sympathize；〃　he　said；　giving　Ellen　a　quick　look　and　a　nod　of　his　head；　〃but　this　isn't　just　the　road　that's　gone；　it's　everything。　Portland　isn't　there　anymore。　Every　road　we've　checked　just　ends。〃
　Ellen　was　tired　of　being　ignored。
　〃We've　been　listening　to　the　CB　and　some　people　say　Portland　is　there；〃　she　said　defensively。　〃Besides；　how　do　you　know　the　city　isn't　there；　you　can't　see　it　from　here　can　you？〃
　〃Ladies；　I'm