Part 25 (2/2)

”I'm wondering what Miranda might think of it,” Joshua said.

”Shhhh,” I said. ”I'm saving it for a surprise.”

We got on the 10 and headed east to the 15, towards Baker.

”I can't see a d.a.m.ned thing,” I said.

”That's the point, Tom,” Joshua said. ”if you can't see anything, no one else is going to see anything, either. Now shut up and turn left......now.”

I swerved left onto an unpaved road that I would have missed if Joshua hadn't have pointed it out. The ambulance bounced as it slipped into the ruts left behind by years of rancher's trucks.

”Could you try to drive a little more carefully?” Miranda yelled, from the back. ”I don't want to think what this is trip is doing to Mich.e.l.le.”

”It's not exactly paved road, Miranda,” I shouted back. ”We left that world behind about a half-hour ago. I'm going as carefully as I can.”

The ambulance descended as I hit a ditch that wasn't there two seconds before.

”I think I just trashed the shocks,” I said to Joshua.

”Tom! Carefully!” Miranda yelled.

”Sorry!” I yelled back. ”Are we there yet?” I asked Joshua.

”No,” Joshua said.

”Are we there yet?” I said.

”No.”

”Are we there yet?”

”No.”

”Are we there yet?”

”Yes,” Joshua said. ”Stop the car.”

I stopped the ambulance.

”Thank G.o.d,” Miranda said, from the back.

”I can't see anything,” I said.

”You've said that before,” Joshua said.

”Well, it's still true,” I said.

”There's nothing to see,” Joshua said. ”They're not here yet.”

”When are they getting here?” I asked.

”What time is it?” Joshua asked.

I looked at my watch.

There was a very large whump. The ground rattled. A wave of dust pelted the ambulance.

”Just after midnight,” I said.

”Well, then, they should be here,” Joshua said. ”And there they are.”

The cube was exactly as Carl had described it -- black, featureless, nondescript in every way except that it had just dropped out of s.p.a.ce into the middle of nowhere.

Miranda stopped her hovering over Mich.e.l.le long enough to peer out from the back. ”That's our ride?” she said.

”It doesn't look like much, I know,” Joshua said. ”But it gets incredible mileage.”

”Do we just drive into it?” I asked.

”Yep.” Joshua said.

I started the ambulance and inched it forward, cutting the 50 yards separating it from the cube. Then we were inside.

”When do we leave?” I said.

”In just a minute, I'd expect,” Joshua said. ”Here, let me out. I've got to go help pilot this thing.”

I opened my door and got out, followed by Joshua. Joshua went over to the overhanging ledge on the other side of the cube, where the pilots were; a portion of the ledge descended and allowed him to get on. I went to the back of the ambulance and opened the doors. Miranda peered out at me.

I nodded at Mich.e.l.le. ”How is she doing?”

”Fine, I suppose,” Miranda said. ”She hasn't moved or done anything since we got in the ambulance, so all things considered, I guess that's good.”

”How are you doing?”

”I'm all right,” Miranda said. ”Actually, I think this cube is helping. If it looked like an actual s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p, I think I might be freaking out a lot more. How long are we going to be gone?”

”I don't know,” I said. ”Carl was gone less than a day when he went.”

”We should have packed a lunch,” Miranda said. ”I'm hungry already.”

”I've got gum,” I said.

”Hey,” Miranda said. ”Do you hear that?”

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