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realized that he was shaking uncontrollably. A slow paralysis was starting to
creep into him. If he didn't force the effort now, he never would. He sucked
in several long, unsteady breaths, expelling them sharply. Then he turned and
went back out the door.
Dave was in one of the couplers; the other was unoccupied. Sarah was making
adjustments at one of the consoles. Saying nothing, Hugh went to the other and
activated the primary screen.
"Hi," Sarah greeted. "You're back. Theo has been ranting all over."
"Neville told me."
"Where were you?"
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"There was something I had to do over in Admin," The code was initialized,
unlocked, ready to go. The sequence would self-activate ten seconds after he
hit the command.
Sarah went on without looking at him. "Dave has landed and is on his way to
the hotel. I left Carol on her own for a while to stretch my legs when she
made
Grand Central. I'll go back in a few minutes. It feels like my first
high-school date all over again. We've had some crazy situations since this
business started, but never anything like this. It's a pity we couldn't have
had three couplers and all be there."
Hugh stared at the empty coupler. All he needed to do was stroll across and
lie down in it make it slow and casual. It would be over before Sarah knew
what was happening. He could explain it all later, when he saw them in New
York.
But it wasn't just Sarah and Dave. He couldn't do it this way. "Where is
Theo?"
he asked. The words came out as a croak. Sarah turned her head.
"Up with Sam, I think& Hugh, are you all right? You look terrible."
"It's nothing. I'll be right back."
He went out of the Bolthole and took the building's central stairwell to the
computing area. From there he followed the corridor that led to the
Theoretical
Group's offices, and stopped at Sam's door, which was open. Theo was inside.
They were both holding pieces of chalk and gesticulating at something between
them on the wallboard.
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"Excuse me." They both looked around. "Sarah said you were looking for me."
"So, is back from the vanishing trick you are," Jantowitz said.
"I had to go out on something. Was it important?"
"I need the file that we talk about last night at the house, but then I find I
have it already, so is okay. Is all going okay with other two when you are
down there?"
Hugh glanced around behind him to make sure there was nobody within earshot.
"Dave's landed and due at the hotel any time. Sarah's off the train and back,
taking a break."
Jantowitz looked at his watch. "My God! Time it is for their New York meeting,
almost." To Sam, waving with the chalk: "We talk more about this later." To
Hugh, "You want to come too? Interesting, this will be, I think."
"I was going back down anyway," Hugh said.
Jantowitz dropped the chalk into a pocket of his lab coat and moved to the
door.
Hugh turned after him and then stopped when he realized that Sam wasn't
following. "You're not coming too?" Hugh said.
"I've got a meeting with Peter and Dennis in five minutes. Besides, we've
always agreed to try and avoid having all of us down there together. I'll look
in later. I'm sure they'll fall in love at first sight all over again." Sam's
face became serious as he saw that Hugh wasn't really listening. "What is it?"
he asked.
Hugh came up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. He looked at him, opened
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but could find no words. He shook his head helplessly.
Sam stared into Hugh's face with his dark, depthless, searingly intelligent
eyes and scanned silently. Hugh had the feeling that they could read every
thought that had ever gone through his mind. Sam nodded. There was nothing to
ask.
"Good luck," he said quietly. "Be kind to each other. Remember: Hatred, Greed,
and Delusion. Their world is learning to forget such things. Leave yours
here."
Hugh clutched Sam's shoulder hard with his fingers for a moment. Then he left
the office and hurried to catch up with Jantowitz.
Jantowitz was at the consoles, watching over Sarah's .shoulder, when Hugh
appeared and stopped a short distance to one side of them. "All going okay,"
Sarah said, acknowledging his presence. "Dave was almost there when I flashed
him back."
There was no way to do this as Hugh would have liked. He moved to the other
console, reactivated the code that he had prepared, and entered the command.
He had ten seconds.
"What is this?' Jantowitz said, looking across.
Hugh put an arm around his shoulders and hugged. "Theo, this will make a lot
more sense a few minutes from now& But thanks for everything. You were right."
And with that he released his hold, moved quickly away, and sat down in the
coupler.
Sarah looked up in surprise from what she was doing. "Hugh, what are you
playing at? You can't use that. I need it to get back to Carol."
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"This won't take long," Hugh called at her.
Jantowitz came over and stood in front of him. "What in hell you do, you
think?
You know in minutes she must. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]