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"I'enius"
"It was a collaborative endeavor," Nina said with a smile "We needed a model who looked like a Roraphics He took a file photo, simply removed the beard, thinned the hair, combed it a la Julius Caesar, and substituted a breastplate for the blazer" Suddenly alarmed, she said, "You don't think Adry if he knee used his face for a model, do you?"
"My guess is that he'd be quite flattered Hememorialized as a lanced at the blackening sky "Looks like we're in for it after all"
The phalanx of dark clouds had broken free fro swiftly in their direction The mountains were now a deep umber Faint rumbles echoed across the desert The suns rays were frayed and faded
After stopping to turn on the interior illumination of the two RVs parked near the shed, they ht toward the adobe nuns of the ranch house where Trout wasthe command post
The Wingates, tired fro, had returned to their motel early Ned, Carl, and Zavala had taken up peris beyond the old corral Their positions gave the out to the horizon The backup team would move in to secure the road when darkness fell
A gust of wind kicked up sand, and giant raindrops slapped the ground as Austin and Nina ducked inside the ranch house Trout was in the kitchen, the only part of the house that still had a roof Rain leaked in through a few holes and rapidly created rivulets in the dirt floor, but otherwise the interior was relatively dry and sheltered The ragged opening where the door had been looked out on the RVs The gaps between the adobe bricks provided views in every direction like the peepholes in a castle wall
The wind and rain were mere preliminaries A desert electrical storm doesn't si It picks a spot and hovers over it, unleashing torrents of rain and crooked bolts of lightning seconds apart, or sometimes in multiples It will pound aith athe earth like an artillery barrage whose intent is to eliminate the enemy or break his will
The nearconstant stroboscopic light froze the slashing raindrops While Trout uards with a handheld radio He had to shout to be heard over the thunder boo rain
The watchdogs had been instructed to call in at regular intervals or i unusual The men on the perimeter identified theas station called themselves the A Team The chopper crew, simply known as the B Team, was to listen and maintain silence
Austin's radio crackled hat sounded like static but was really rainfall
"Ned to base Nothing"
"Roger that," Austin replied "Come in, Carl"
A second later "Carl Ditto"
Taking to heart Austin's warning to keep es brief, Joe answered, "Dittoditto"