“That’s correct.”
“Mr. Loomis, we need an experienced pilot. We’d like very much to talk with you. Maybe bring you on board.”
“No, thank you, Sheila. I have no plans to go back.”
“Well, yes, that’s what we heard.” Her voice warmed. “We’d make it worth your while, Mr. Loomis. We are moving people and cargo out to several stations. You’d find the work interesting and rewarding—”
“Thanks, Sheila. But I’ll have to pass.”
“Okay, Mr. Loomis. I’m sorry to hear it. We expect to keep the job open for another forty-eight hours or so. So you have time to get in touch with us if you change your mind. I’ll hope to hear from you.”
* * *
JAKE WAS STANDING on the front deck in a heavy jacket watching the sun dip below the mountains. It was cold. November in the Blue Ridge. A steady wind was roiling the tree limbs. He was about to go inside when his link sounded. The ID signaled an unknown caller. “Jake?” A male voice. Familiar.
“Yes,” he said.
“This is Leon.”
“Leon?” His jaw dropped.
“I need to see you.”
For a long moment he stared at the link. “Leon, you didn’t really do that, did you?”
The wind murmured in the trees. “Yes,” he said. The word hung in the vast mountain desolation. “God help me, Jake, yes. I did it. It wasn’t supposed to happen the way it did.”
Jake was surprised that he felt no sudden rage. Only a cold lack of emotion. “You know about Joshua?”
“Yes. I know.” Something cackled. “Jake, I’m just a couple of minutes away. Can I come by? I need to talk to you.”
“You know where I am?”
“Yes. Please, Jake.”
“All right. Come on over.”
* * *
DESPITE THE COLD, he waited on the deck. The view was spectacular. Snow-covered mountains, Claytor Lake trailing away to the southwest. The woods were silent, but somewhere he heard kids laughing. Probably the Conway cabin, the only one nearby, though it wasn’t visible. Gradually, the laughter subsided and was replaced by the sound of a car coming up the mountain road. The only thing he could think of at that moment was the pleasure it would give him to throttle Leon Carlson.
The car came in through the trees and pulled off into the driveway behind his two-door Ford Lance. Leon got out, looked up at him, closed the car door, and simply stood with slumped shoulders. “Hello, Jake,” he said.
“You know the Feds are after you?”
“Yeah. I know.”
They stood staring at each other until finally Jake reached back, opened his door, and held it. Leon climbed the three steps onto the deck. He hesitated at the entrance until Jake motioned him inside. “Jake,” he said, “I’d give anything if I could go back and change what I did.”
“Yeah. I don’t guess you get a do-over, do you? Not when you kill somebody.”
“No, you don’t. I’m going to have to live with that. I thought—Well, Jake, you don’t know what we’re doing out there. We’re destroying an entire world. Everything on it is dying.”
“I understand about that, Leon. But how does that justify your putting a bomb on a goddam interstellar?”
“I—I just got it wrong. Nobody was supposed to get hurt.”
“You could’ve taken out those kids, too.”
“Damn it, Jake, there weren’t supposed to be any kids. There was only supposed to be Drake and the shipment. I had it set up so he’d dock at the Selika station, and an alarm would go off and warn him about the bomb. There would have been time for him to get away from it. I was trying to make a statement. It’s all I wanted to do. Find a way to alert people about what’s happening.”
They sat down in the living room. Jake got some scotch and filled two glasses. “Here.” He set Leon’s on the side table. “What do you want me to do? You want me to help you get out of the country somewhere? Is that what this is all about?”
“No, Jake. My life is over. I just want you to cut me some slack.”
“In what way?”
“I want to apologize. I know what you went through.”
“No, you don’t. You have no idea what I went through. I stood aside out there and let Joshua kill himself. Who do I get to apologize to?”
“I’m sorry, Jake. That’s why I’m here. I couldn’t just let this thing hang. I can’t do anything now except this—” He finished the drink in a swallow and stood. “I’m sorry. I’d change it if I could.” He started toward the door but stopped. “If you want to call the police, they can pick me up on the road.” His voice broke. He was almost in tears. “Or, if you want, I’ll wait here for them to come for me.”
“You’re right, Leon. You really screwed it up.” Jake stayed unmoving in his chair.
Leon opened the door and looked back at him. “Good-bye, Jake,” he said. Then he was gone.
* * *
NEWSDESK
HOMICIDE RATE IN CITIES RISING AGAIN
Philadelphia Worst in Nation with 63 Dead So Far
Projected to Reach 70 by Year’s End
EBERLE HAMPTON DEAD AT 122
Cause of Death Uncertain
Beloved Vocalist Founded Child Rescue
SPACE STATION TO UPGRADE SECURITY
New Systems Already in Place
PRESIDENT NORMAN PARDONS TURKEY
Representatives from Both Parties Attend New White House Dinner
HIGH IQ LINKED TO COMIC BOOKS
Early Childhood Activities May Count More Than Genes
RED SOX SIGN BOOMER LYSON IN RECORD DEAL
ISRAEL, PALESTINE HOST WORLD CHESS TOURNAMENT
MCGRUDER BLASTS NORMAN ON ECONOMY AS RACE HEATS UP
Tells Supporters “It’s All About Jobs”
DENTIST DROWNS WHILE RESCUING KIDS
Helps Two Girls Survive Overturned Canoe
CHURCH ATTACK RENEWS PLASMA WEAPON DEBATE
NLA Resists Attempts to Impose Ban
ZANZIBAR FERRY OVERTURNS
Six Dead; Captain Sought
Chapter 15
JAKE LISTENED WHILE Leon started his car and pulled out of the driveway. Joshua’s killer, and he was just sitting there. Wonderful. He removed his link, a silver bracelet, and put it on the side table. Cars were not silent, though the noise was artificially created, consisting of a standardized droning so people could hear them coming. He stared at the link as the car descended the mountain road until, finally, he couldn’t hear it anymore. What would he tell Patricia if she found out he’d just sat while Carlson drove off? He didn’t work for her anymore, so technically she had no claim on him. Except maybe that he behave in a decent manner.
He could happily have strangled the guy, but he couldn’t call the police.
He put on the HV, located a talk show, three people debating whether the general public should have unfettered access to plasma weapons. The HV was valuable in that it filled the cabin with noise. But it did no more than that when he had to watch it alone.
After a few minutes, he shut it down, pulled his jacket on, and went outside. The sun was gone, and the temperature was dropping rapidly.
* * *
HE MET ALICIA Conner the following evening at the Roundhouse. She was sitting with two other women when she caught Jake looking at her. She dropped her eyes, but she didn’t suck in her cheeks or tighten her lips or show any of the other turnoff reactions. It was come get me if you want me—