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Earlier in the day, on the telephone froreen and Wyle, had prepared Corello for the possibility that Flyte would ative impression on the newsrew restless as Flyte cleared his throat half a dozen tian to speak at last, they were ended within a minute He told the Mayan civilizations, about mysterious depletions of marine populations, about an arrew hushed Corello relaxed
Flyte told thee of Anjikuni, five hundred miles northwest of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police outpost at Churchill On a snowy afternoon in November of 1930, a French-Canadian trapper and trader, Joe LaBelle, stopped at Anjikuni-only to discover that everyone who lived there had disappeared All belongings, including precious hunting rifles, had been left behind Meals had been left half-eaten The dogsleds (but no dogs) were still there, which e could have moved overland to another location The settleraveyard in the very dead of night LaBelle hastened to the Mounted Police Station at Churchill, and awas ever found of the Anjikunians
As the reporters took notes and aimed tape recorder ned theory: the ancient eneasps of surprise, incredulous expressions, but no noisy questioning or blatantly expressed disbelief
The instant Flyte finished ed on his promise of a question-and-answer session He took Flyte by the arh a door behind the makeshift platform on which the nation at this betrayal They rushed the platfor to follow Flyte
Corello and the professor entered a service corridor ’ where several airport security uards sla off the reporters, who howled even louder than before
"This way," a security man said
"The chopper’s here," another said
They hurried along a h a metal fire door, and outside, onto a ept expanse of tarmac, where a sleek, blue helicopter waited It was a plush, well-appointed, executive craft, a Bell JetRanger 11
"It’s the governor’s chopper," Corello told Flyte
"The governor?" Flyte said "He’s here?"
"No But he’s put his helicopter at your disposal"
As they cliers’ coan to churn overhead
Forehead pressed to the cool , Tiht
He was excited Before the plane had landed, he had felt dopey and bedraggled; not any er to learn er had a high cruising speed for a helicopter, and the trip to Santa Mira took less than two hours Corello a clever, fast-talking, a man-helped Timothy prepare another state for them The journey passed quickly
They touched doith a thu lot behind the county sheriff’s headquarters Corello opened the door of the passengers’ compart; he plunged out of the craft, turned to the door again, buffeted by the wind froressive contingent of newsmen-even more of them than in San Francisco-filled the alleyway They were pressed against the chain-link fence, shouting questions, aiive them a state in order to be heard above the din "Right now, the police here are waiting to put you on the phone to the sheriff up in Snowfield"
A couple of deputies hustled Ti the hallway, and into an office where another unifor for them His name was Charlie Mercer He was husky, with the bushiest eyebrows that Timothy had ever seen-and the briskly efficient manner of a first-rate executive secretary
Timothy was escorted to the chair behind the desk
Mercer dialed a nu the connection with Sheriff Hammond The call was put on a conference speaker, so that Timothy didn’t have to hold a receiver, and so that everyone in the room could hear both sides of the conversation
Hammond delivered the first shocker as soon as he and Tis: "Dr Flyte, we’ve seen the ancient ene you had in er that can ripped the arms of his chair "My God"
"Is that your ancient enemy?" Hammond asked
"Yes A survivor from another era Millions of years old"
"You can tell us et here," Hammond said "If I can persuade you to co He was thinking of the ancient enemy He had written about it; he had truly believed in it; yet, somehow, he had not been prepared to actually have his theory confirmed It rocked him
Hammond told hian
Besides Timothy himself, only Sal Corello looked stunned and horrified by Hammond’s story Mercer and the others had evidently heard all about it hours ago
"You’ve seen it and lived?" Timothy said, amazed
"It had to leave some of us alive," Hammond said, "so that we’d try to convince you to couaranteed your safe conduct"
Tihtfully on his lower lip
Hammond said, "Dr Flyte? Are you still there?"
"What? Oh… yes Yes, I’uaranteedstory about communication with the ancient enemy by way of a computer
As the sheriff talked, Timothy broke into a sweat He saw a box of Kleenex on one corner of the desk in front of hirabbed a handful of tissues and mopped his face
When the sheriff finished, the professor drew a deep breath and spoke in a strained voice, "I never anticipated… I ?" Hammond asked
Timothy cleared his throat "It never occurred to ence"
"I suspect it ence," Haht of it as just a dumb animal, of distinctly limited self-awareness"
"It’s not"
"That erous"
"Will you come up here?" Hammond asked
"I hadn’t intended to come any closer than I aent… and if it’s offering e…"
On the telephone, a child’s voice piped up, the sweet voice of a young boy, perhaps five or six years old: "Please, please, please come play with me, Dr Flyte Please We’ll have lots of fun Please?"
And then, before Timothy could respond, there came a woman’s soft and musical voice: "Yes, dear Dr Flyte, by all means, do come pay us a visit You’re more than welcome No one will harm you"
Finally, the voice of an old man called over the line, warm and tender "You have so much to learn about in your studies The offer of safe passage is sincere"
Silence
Confused, Timothy said, "Hello? Hello? Who’s this?"