asked Nobody.
"There are still several dozen Soviet spy
satellites in orbit over the U.S., most with infrared and a detail
resolution of six inches. It was good fortune that one was passing
over Texas."
"Why do you have access to Soviet spy
satellites?"
"I have access to every satellite. The
Soviet’s built theirs to last, but their security is so primitive I
could have hacked them even without telepathic access to the men
who encoded them.."
Starkner took Rail Blade to a huge SUV, then
popped open the rear hatch with his remote. He gently laid her on a
sheet he had spread out there, and covered her with a thick
blanket. He went to the passenger side door and opened it.
"Wanna ride, Mr. Invisible?"
"The name's Nobody." He climbed into the
seat, pulling in his left foot seconds before Starkner slammed the
door.
STARKNER DROVE TO a plywood shack way out in
the boondocks. Nobody stood by helplessly as Starkner carried Rail
Blade's still body from the SUV, up the steps, and onto the rickety
porch. The door opened on his approach.
An elderly woman, her hair pulled tight in a
bun, stood in the doorway. She wore a white coat, with a
stethoscope around her neck. Beyond her, the main room of the shack
was brightly lit. As Nobody's eyes adjusted to the brightness, the
interior revealed itself to be a very clean and modern-looking
surgical room. The woman wrung her hands and paced as Starkner
placed Rail Blade on the table.
"I knew this would happen," the woman said,
sounding frightened. "Did you see the TV? I saw the TV. It's out.
The whole damn world knows Walters is alive."
"Was alive," said Starkner. "Old news. It's
Knowbokov's roof to patch. Right now, this little lady needs your
help, Summer."
"We're going to prison for this," said
Summer, gently pulling aside the blanket that covered Rail Blade.
"Every time we've turned a prisoner over to that man, I've gone
cold in my stomach knowing it could come to this."
"But you did it anyway," said Starkner.
"Can't look back now. We have to trust in the big guy to work
things out."
"I don't believe in God," said Summer,
checking Rail Blade's pulse.
"I was talking about Knowbokov," said
Starkner.
"Pulse is good," said Summer, leaning over
Rail Blade and pressing the stethoscope against her ribs.
"Breathing is steady. Most of her burns are second degree. The best
I can do now is clean and dress them. But she's going to have some
serious pain. I'll start a morphine drip." She gently touched a
bruised knot on Rail Blade's temple. "I'm more worried about this
more than anything. We need to get her to facilities for a CAT scan
or MRI."
"Knowbokov's sending a helicopter," said
Starkner. "She'll get good medical treatment at home. You've been
to the island. Do what you can for now."
As Summer worked, she continued to talk.
"What will my husband say when he learns the truth? My kids?"
"Maybe it won't come to that. Knowbokov can
pull a lot of strings. It happened so early in the morning, how
many people saw it? How many people understood what they saw? I bet
Knowbokov will have this buried and the sod patted down by
lunch."
"Do you know what he does with the
prisoners?" asked Summer.
"No," said Starkner. "What's it matter? How
much worse can it be than being dead?"
"I worry about that sometimes," said Summer.
"I went along with this because I wanted to save lives. But what if
he's using them for some horrible experiments? What else would he
need them for?"
"Not our cow to milk," said Starkner.
Silence followed, as Starkner slung his hefty
frame into a chair and cradled his head in his hands. Summer
continued to work, her lips pursed.
Nobody radioed Dr. Know. "Doc, we need to
talk."
"Has Amelia's condition worsened?" asked Dr.
Know. "She's doing OK, I think. A doctor here named Summer is
treating her. You know her?"
"Summer Pagent. Yes. She assists me in
certain projects."
"These projects involve death-row inmates
coming back to life?"
"No. Their deaths are faked.
"There are still several dozen Soviet spy
satellites in orbit over the U.S., most with infrared and a detail
resolution of six inches. It was good fortune that one was passing
over Texas."
"Why do you have access to Soviet spy
satellites?"
"I have access to every satellite. The
Soviet’s built theirs to last, but their security is so primitive I
could have hacked them even without telepathic access to the men
who encoded them.."
Starkner took Rail Blade to a huge SUV, then
popped open the rear hatch with his remote. He gently laid her on a
sheet he had spread out there, and covered her with a thick
blanket. He went to the passenger side door and opened it.
"Wanna ride, Mr. Invisible?"
"The name's Nobody." He climbed into the
seat, pulling in his left foot seconds before Starkner slammed the
door.
STARKNER DROVE TO a plywood shack way out in
the boondocks. Nobody stood by helplessly as Starkner carried Rail
Blade's still body from the SUV, up the steps, and onto the rickety
porch. The door opened on his approach.
An elderly woman, her hair pulled tight in a
bun, stood in the doorway. She wore a white coat, with a
stethoscope around her neck. Beyond her, the main room of the shack
was brightly lit. As Nobody's eyes adjusted to the brightness, the
interior revealed itself to be a very clean and modern-looking
surgical room. The woman wrung her hands and paced as Starkner
placed Rail Blade on the table.
"I knew this would happen," the woman said,
sounding frightened. "Did you see the TV? I saw the TV. It's out.
The whole damn world knows Walters is alive."
"Was alive," said Starkner. "Old news. It's
Knowbokov's roof to patch. Right now, this little lady needs your
help, Summer."
"We're going to prison for this," said
Summer, gently pulling aside the blanket that covered Rail Blade.
"Every time we've turned a prisoner over to that man, I've gone
cold in my stomach knowing it could come to this."
"But you did it anyway," said Starkner.
"Can't look back now. We have to trust in the big guy to work
things out."
"I don't believe in God," said Summer,
checking Rail Blade's pulse.
"I was talking about Knowbokov," said
Starkner.
"Pulse is good," said Summer, leaning over
Rail Blade and pressing the stethoscope against her ribs.
"Breathing is steady. Most of her burns are second degree. The best
I can do now is clean and dress them. But she's going to have some
serious pain. I'll start a morphine drip." She gently touched a
bruised knot on Rail Blade's temple. "I'm more worried about this
more than anything. We need to get her to facilities for a CAT scan
or MRI."
"Knowbokov's sending a helicopter," said
Starkner. "She'll get good medical treatment at home. You've been
to the island. Do what you can for now."
As Summer worked, she continued to talk.
"What will my husband say when he learns the truth? My kids?"
"Maybe it won't come to that. Knowbokov can
pull a lot of strings. It happened so early in the morning, how
many people saw it? How many people understood what they saw? I bet
Knowbokov will have this buried and the sod patted down by
lunch."
"Do you know what he does with the
prisoners?" asked Summer.
"No," said Starkner. "What's it matter? How
much worse can it be than being dead?"
"I worry about that sometimes," said Summer.
"I went along with this because I wanted to save lives. But what if
he's using them for some horrible experiments? What else would he
need them for?"
"Not our cow to milk," said Starkner.
Silence followed, as Starkner slung his hefty
frame into a chair and cradled his head in his hands. Summer
continued to work, her lips pursed.
Nobody radioed Dr. Know. "Doc, we need to
talk."
"Has Amelia's condition worsened?" asked Dr.
Know. "She's doing OK, I think. A doctor here named Summer is
treating her. You know her?"
"Summer Pagent. Yes. She assists me in
certain projects."
"These projects involve death-row inmates
coming back to life?"
"No. Their deaths are faked.
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