Part 27 (1/2)
Rick had it ”How do I make sure we're not followed?”
Steve paused ”That's a tough one Air travel would be surest Do you have any landing lights on Spindrift?”
”No Besides, it's a short runway, and only a pilot who knew the island could possibly land at night”
”I've got a pilot who knows it, so forget going to New York Rig lights of so, I'hts at each side of the runway's end, so he'll kno far he can go If you have nothing else, soak newspapers in gasoline He'll buzz the island That will be your signal to light up”
”Is Mike Malone the pilot?” Malone had landed there before
”Yes He'll take over Just deliver your father intact”
”If we can,” Rick said slowly ”Steve, suppose the enemy activates their etting away and turn on theis to move fast Get your father in with Mike, and let them clear out I'll tell Mike to put distance between hiht, Steve” There seemed to be no other way
Rick turned to his father and Winston, and repeated the conversation
”He's right, Hartson,” Winston said ”You're in good enough shape to travel Better get packed” The cyberneticist looked at Rick ”What did you call the eneet? A mind reader? That's an odd name”
”I didn't think about it,” Rick told him ”The name just popped into my mind But doesn't the enemy machine read the patterns in peoples'
uess,” Winston agreed ”Well, let's tell the others Then you have work to do getting ready for the plane, Rick”
Mrs Brant, after htly dazed, had been forced to turn her attention to Barby and Jan The two girls were on the verge of sheer hysteria with fear for their fathers Scotty had joined Mrs Brant, in an effort to soothe the girls' frayed nerves Now, as Rick opened the library door, he could see that the two pretty young faces were tear-streaked, but as calm as could be expected under the circumstances Scotty looked worn out Rick could only marvel at his mother She could always be relied upon in a crisis
Mrs Brant listened to her son's report, then nodded firmly ”Steve is wise to insist, Rick I'll help your father pack”
Rick beckoned to Scotty ”We have work to do Let's start with the lab”
On the way, he filled Scotty in on the details of what had happened in the library Then he asked, ”How did you get the girls calmed down?”
Scotty shook his head wearily ”It wasn't fun The poor kids are scared stiff Remember they haven't been exposed to stuff as we have
To the fun, because we leave out the rough parts Now they're getting a taste of this business the way it really is”
”Did you say that?”
”That, and a thousand other things Nothing did ood, and Mom couldn't make any headway, either Another ten minutes of tears and the island would have been under water, honest Finally I got rough I told the a nuisance that cos and didn't help at all Then Mom chimed in
You kno she does Never raises her voice She said real courage consisted of being terribly frightened, but trying to remain cal ashamed of both of them That did it They stuck their chins in the air, wiped off the tears, and actually ed a smile”
”Good for them!” Rick exclaimed
Inside the laboratory they went at once to the stockroo other items Extension cords were plentiful, and there were electric outlets on the roof In a few hts and Rick had readjusted the board downstairs, so that all the lights were on a single circuit That way, they could all be switched on or off at once
Joe Blake ca, and told Joe of Steve's conversation