It had been Crane who’d solicited the helos, thinking they might come in handy for evacs and emergency medical. She’d been amazed at how many people still believed in him and were willing to contribute. Besides the supplies, he had a crack medical emergency team in each bird—people, good people, donating their time. Maybe there was hope for the planet after all, she thought.
She saw Dan come out of his chateau, four houses away, carrying his bags. Since the night of the wager, they’d been near strangers. It was amazing how someone who had once been so important to her could simply move into a different role in her mind and heart. She knew that he wanted her to let him back in, but, thankfully, he wasn’t pushing it. She did want to be his friend, though, so when he came over, she gave him an affectionate hug. He responded enthusiastically. “I’m sorry I’ve been so standoffish,” she said, looking him in the eyes. “I didn’t want to give you the wrong idea.”
“The wrong idea,” he echoed.
She watched him compose himself. He leaned on the rail, looking down. Burt Hill was directing the loading-up operations, one of Stoney’s jumbo jets taking the bulk of the Foundation’s gear and personnel. Dan shook his head. “What would we do without Burt?”
“Starve,” she answered, leaning on the rail beside him. “Run out of materials. Chaos would ensue.”
He smiled at her. “Undoubtedly.” His lips tightened. “I’m not even sure what happened between us.”
“You want the truth?”
“I think so.”
“Okay,” she said calmly, although her heart pounded like crazy. “I found myself not trusting you. I found myself noticing jealousy between us. I found myself wanting you to be different. One time you said maybe we were finally growing up. I think that’s what happened. We grew up and apart. Besides, you have a whole different life now.”
“I’d give it up in a minute if—”
“No,” she said, putting her hand over his mouth. “You’d feel trapped and miserable. There’s no hope for it, Dan. We’ve just moved on.”
“I can’t stop loving you,” he said.
She nodded, swallowing hard. “We’ll always have that. Let’s remember it that way.”
He stared at her for a long moment. “I’ll be there for you if you change your mind. Crane can’t make you happy.”
“This has nothing to do with Crane.”
“You need to be needed,” he said. “Maybe Crane needs you more than I do, though I think that’s impossible.”
“I’m not relating to this discussion, Dan.”
“I know.”
“Friends?” she asked, putting out her hand.
She didn’t understand the smile he gave her. “Friendly adversaries,” he said, shaking her hand. “You going below? I need to check my equipment manifest and make sure they got everything.”
“Aren’t you flying down with us?”
He shook his head. “I’m going to spend the night in LA. I’ll meet you on site tomorrow.”
“Then I’ll walk with you.” They moved down the metal stairs, Dan carrying his suitcases, Lanie unsure as to how she felt about the previous conversation. As with most things concerning Dan, nothing ever seemed to be truly settled. And what did he mean by “friendly adversaries”?
“You look tired,” he said. “Having the dreams again?”
“Again? They’ve never stopped.”
She shivered. It had been rough the night before, the worst yet. She could literally feel the fire burning her as it rose from a pit, while Crane kept reaching for her hand. And that boy was there, that dead boy, only he was alive and she feared for him more than for herself. She’d awakened in terror, drenched in sweat at 2 A.M. and hadn’t even considered the notion of going back to sleep.
“Still think it’s connected to Martinique?”
“It’s got to be.”
They walked into the confusion of helos and support personnel, all running human chains as manifest lists were verbally checked off. “Have you ever asked Crane to help you with it?” Newcombe spotted Hill and waved him over. “He was there with you.”
“He always changes the subject,” she said. “And that’s too bad, because I think if I could simply remember Martinique, all the dreams would go away. It’s right there in front of me … yelling at me.”
“What’s up, Doc Dan?” Hill said, winded from exertion.
“I’ve got to go down to the city tonight,” Dan said. “Is it possible?”
“If you’re willin’ to go now, it is. At the moment, I’ve got three dozen pilots standing around with their thumbs up their butts.” He took Dan’s bags. “Something’ll be waitin’ for you on the main pad in about ten minutes.”
“Thanks, Burt.”
“Stay in the shade, Doc.”
They moved on to the mosque. Dan was looking good tonight, wearing all black, a suit with a turtleneck. He looked like the Atlantic City version of Brother Ishmael. She wondered if he were going to the War Zone.
They walked in, then through to her station. They peered through the ahrensglass at the globe. Lanie always was excited when she saw her handiwork alive and pulsating with information. They were running a full slate of programmers tonight who were dumping weather data into the computer.
“Martinique,” she said, her eyes fixated on the globe. “The answer to my memory loss and to the dreams. I must remember what happened … and I think I’m close. It’s like a fog dissipating.” She watched the West Indies slide past, followed Martinique as it turned, saw its volcano.
“Dan,” Crane called down through a new hole in his office wall that let out into the programmer’s area, “I need the EQ-eco on downtown Memphis!”
“I’ll bring it up.” Dan went to his labs.
Lanie drifted toward Crane’s office. Time was such a strange commodity. It had its own organic structure that worked on people without their consent. Like her and Dan. Sumi Chan, for instance, had gone from valued ally to traitor and back again to friend within the space of a few months. As Vice President, he was once again supporting Crane behind the scenes, and it was support that Crane cheerfully accepted.
She walked into Crane’s office, smiling at all the teevs running his exploits on the walls. He’d been right about the bet. It seemed the entire world was waiting for the events to unwind. It was the money—the bet—right now that counted to the world. Soon, it would be the horror.
“How will they judge me, do you think?” Crane asked her, all but reading her mind.
“Some will blame you. Just like on Sado. Some will praise you, some love you, some hate you. You’ll be a magician and a scientist, a monster and a savior. But none of that matters to you, does it?”
He smiled, his jumpsuit sleeves rolled up as he stuffed a briefcase full of cash. Bail money. “As long as we can keep the funding rolling in, I’m happy,” he said. “People don’t know what’s good for them; they only know what they want. I learned to keep my expectations low a long time ago. It’s good advice for anyone.”
“Dan’s going down the mountain tonight.”
He grimaced but didn’t respond.
Lame looked through the new window at the globe. “I never get over it,” she said. “The damned thing’s still running.”
“And will continue to,” he said. “King’s Projection will be in use millennia after we’re gone.”
“Unless they come up with something better. Now, why haven’t we taken it any farther forward than February 27th? I’m sure there are other quakes to predict. But we haven’t done it. Why?”