She shoved the gearshift into first and tore away.
.
8 A. M.
The smaller rockets that power the second, third and last stages use a solid fuel known as T17-E2, a potysulphide with ammonium perchlorate as oxidizer. Each rocket generates about 1,600 pounds of thrust in space.
Bern poured warm milk over Larry's cornflakes while Billie beat up an egg for French toast. They were giving their child comfort food, but Billie felt the adults needed comfort too. Larry was eating heartily and listening to the radio at the same time.
'I'm going to kill that son of a bitch Anthony,' Bern muttered, speaking quietly so that Larry would not hear. 'I swear to God, I'll rucking kill him.'
Billie's rage had evaporated. Pistol-whipping Anthony had gotten rid of it all. Now she was worried and frightened - partly for Larry, who had had a nasty fright, and partly for Luke. 'I'm afraid Anthony may try to kill Luke,' she said.
Bern dropped a knob of butter into a hot frying pan, then dipped a slice of white bread into the egg mixture Billie had made. 'Luke won't kill easy.'
'But he thinks he's escaped - he doesn't know I've told Anthony where he is.' While Bern fried the egg-soaked bread, Billie walked up and down the kitchen, biting her lip. 'Anthony is probably on his way to Huntsville now. Luke's on a slow plane. Anthony could get a flight and be there first. I have to find a way to warn Luke.'
'Leave a message at the airport?'
'It's not reliable enough. I think I have 'to go there myself. There was a Viscount that left at nine, wasn't there? Where's that airline guide?'
'Right on the table.'
Billie picked it up. Flight 271 left Washington at exactly nine. Unlike Luke's flight, this one stopped only twice, landing at Huntsville four minutes before noon. Luke's flight did not land until two twenty-three. She could be waiting for him at the airport 'I can do it,' she said.
'Then you should.'
Billie hesitated, looking at Larry, torn by conflicting urges.
Bern read her mind. 'He'll be okay.'
'I know, but I don't want to leave him, today of all days.'
'I'll take care of him.'
'Would you keep him out of school?'
Yes, I think that'd be a good idea, at least for today.'
Larry said: 'I've finished my cornflakes.'
Bern said: 'Then you must be just about ready for some French toast' He slid a slice on to a plate. 'Want some maple syrup with that?'
Yeah.'
'Yes, what?'
'Yes, please.'
Bern poured syrup from a bottle.
Billie sat opposite her son and said: 'I want you to skip school today.'
'But I'll miss swimming!' he protested.
'Maybe Daddy will take you swimming.'
'But I'm not sick!'
'I know, honey, but you had kind of a tiring morning, and you need to rest.' Larry's protests reassured Billie. He seemed to be recovering fast All the same, she would not be comfortable letting him go to school, not until this whole business was over.
But she could leave him with his father. Bern was a trained agent and could protect his kid from just about anything. She made a decision. She would' go to Huntsville. 'Have a fun day with Daddy and maybe you'll go to school tomorrow, okay?'
'Okay.'
'Mommie has to go now.' She did not want to make a drama of saying goodbye, for that would only scare the child. I'll see you later,' she said casually.
As she went out, she heard Bern say: 'I bet you couldn't eat another slice of that French toast.'
'I could too!' Larry replied.
Billie closed the door.
*
PART 5
10.45 A. M.
The missile will take off vertically, then be tilted into a trajectory inclined forty degrees to the horizon. The first stage is guided, during powered flight, by aerodynamic tail surfaces and by movable carbon vanes in the engine exhaust jet.
Luke fell asleep as soon as he had fastened his seat belt, and he was unaware of the take-off from Newport News. He slept heavily while the plane was in the air, but woke up every time it bumped down at yet another airstrip on its stop-go flight west across Virginia and North Carolina. Each time his eyes opened he felt a rush of anxiety, and checked his watch to see how many hours and minutes were left until the launch. He would fidget in his seat while the little aircraft taxied across the apron. A few people would leave, one or two more would get on, and the plane would take off again. It was like riding the bus.
The plane refuelled at Winston-Salem, and the passengers got off for a few minutes. Luke called Redstone Arsenal from the terminal and got his secretary, Marigold dark, on the phone.
'Dr Lucas!' she said. 'Are you okay?'
I'm fine, but I only have a minute or two. Is the launch still scheduled for tonight?'
'Yes, ten-thirty.'
I'm on my way to Huntsville - my plane lands at two twenty-three. I'm trying to figure out why I went there on Monday.'
'You still don't have your memory back?'
'No. Now, you don't know why I made that trip.'
'Like I said, you didn't tell me.'
'What did I do there?'
'Well, now, let me see. I met you at the airport in an army car and brought you here to the base. You went into the Computation Lab, then drove yourself down to the south end.'
'What's there, at the south end?'
'The static test pads. I imagine you went into the Engineering Building - you sometimes work there -but I don't know for sure, because I wasn't with you.'
'And then?'
'You asked me to drive you to your home,' Luke heard a prim note enter her voice. 'I waited in the car while you stepped inside for a minute or two. Then I took you to the airport.'
'That's it?'
That's all I know.'
Luke grunted with frustration. He had felt sure Marigold would come up with some clue.
Desperately, he cast about for another line of questioning. 'How did I look?'
'Okay, but your mind was someplace else. Preoccupied, that's the word I'm searching for. I figured you were worried about something. Happens all the time with you scientists. I don't let it trouble me.'
'Wearing my usual clothes?'
'One of them nice tweed jackets.'
'Carrying anything?'
'Just your little suitcase. Oh, and a file.'
Luke stopped breathing for a moment. 'A file?' he said. He swallowed.
A stewardess interrupted him. 'Time to board the aircraft, please, Dr Lucas.'
