Part 8 (1/2)

”Rene has pa.s.sed,” he announced.

”What?” Dobbs nearly dropped his end of the coffin.

”It was swift and merciful. Doctor, could you please confirm it is done? He's resting in the back.”

Doc Adams did as he was asked, while Browning and Dobbs carried the coffin outside.

Most people had gone home now, content to wait and hear what the mysterious men wanted. Some had lingered, though, and when they brought out the coffin, a gasp went up.

”All is fine,” Doc Adams a.s.sured them as he came out. ”All is fine. The men have asked us to bring one of our dearly departed into the sunlight, so they might better see his condition.”

Whispers snaked through the smattering of people.The men were doctors then, or scientists. A few left in disappointment.

As Browning stepped away from his son's closed casket, he caught sight of a man striding along the road, a slender woman beside him, her blond hair pushed up under a bonnet.

Preacher. Bringing his schoolteacher wife to chastise them.

He's going to stop this.Take away your chance.Take away your Charlie.

The warnings seemed to slide around him, whispers like . . .

The voice of G.o.d. That's what it was. Resurrection was G.o.d's work, and now this ”preacher” thought he'd stop it.The preacher who hadn't stopped Charlie from dying.The preacher whose own daughter lived.A girl who'd wanted to see his son before he pa.s.sed.

The voice whispered, You know there's a reason she lived. And a reason your son died. A strong, healthy boy, older than the rest, contracts the disease after the rest? It's unnatural.

Browning shoved past the villagers, ignoring their grunts of surprise. He bore down on Preacher. The schoolteacher started forward, chin raised, eyes flas.h.i.+ng, but her husband pulled her back with a whispered word. He strode forward to meet Browning.

”If you dare-” Browning began.

”Dare what? Dare stop you from something we both know will fail?” Preacher said, lowering his voice. ”If I thought it would do any good, I'd try, but your course is clearly decided. Nothing will help now but for you to see failure, however hard that will be for all of us.”

Browning clenched and unclenched his fists. The rage still wound around his gut like a cyclone.

Hit him. Show him who's the mayor.