Free The Big Eye by Max Ehrlich Page B

stop?" "They don't know
how to stop," David answered quietly. "Not
     
     
any more."
     
     
After Carol had left, David tried the long-distance operator again.
     
     
The lines were still tied up, and he swore softly as he hung up.
     
     
He prepared a hasty breakfast, but he had no appetite. His ignorance of
what had happened back at Palomar kept gnawing at him; the trembling in
Francis's voice over the phone haunted him.
     
     
He checked his watch.
     
     
It was nine o'clock. And General Hawthorne had named the time of the
meeting at eleven, somewhere outside the city itself. He had to make a
decision, and make it quick. He might be too late by now, as it was.
     
     
He went to the phone and asked the local operator for military
headqarters. New York area, R-Section.
     
     
A couple of voices finally routed him to a Colonel Hatch.
     
     
"Hughes?" The colonel was curt. "Where have you been? We've been waiting
for you."
     
     
"Sorry, Colonel, I "
     
     
The colonel interrupted, asked for the address. "You damned near missed
that meeting, Dr. Hughes. As it is, we'll have to work fast to get you
out where you have to go. We'll send a car up for you right away!"
     
     
The colonel hung up, and David fidgeted about Carol's apartment,
waiting. He washed the dishes, put them away, turned on the television
set, turned it off again, sat down, got up again, paced the room.
     
     
What had happened at Palomar?
     
     
He looked at his watch again, did some rapid calculating. The meeting
was at eleven. It might take hours, probably would. He would be lucky if
he got out of it by late afternoon. The decision they expected to make
wasn't a quick, cut-and-dried affair. There would be a lot of argument
back and forth.
     
     
In any case, he couldn't get to a phone and find out what was going on
back at the observatory. Once in that meeting, they'd lock the doors
and seal them with MPs.
     
     
Maybe they'd be through at five, he thought. Maybe. He might be able
to call the Coast then, the lines might be clear. Might, might, might.
He'd try Carol once more over the phone; he'd know something then, know
it for sure. If they decided to let go, to start it rolling, to throw
the first punch, he'd have to come back and get Carol.
     
     
It might be very tough getting out of town. He had a reservation, a
high priority. But only for one seat, not two. He'd have to find a way,
some way to
     
     
The phone rang.
     
     
David sprang to the instrument.
     
     
"This is the long-distance operator calling Dr. Hughes, Dr. David Hughes."
     
     
"I'm Dr. Hughes," he almost shouted.
     
     
"The lines have just been cleared, sir, and Palomar, California, is
calling." There was a pause, and David waited rigidly. Then the operator
said: "Here's your party."
     
     
A voice came thinly, distantly, over the wire.
     
     
"Dr. Hughes. Dr. Hughes, is that you?"
     
     
"Francis!" David yelled into the mouthpiece. "Francis, what's happened
out there?"
     
     
The steward's voice came over clearly now. "Dr. Hughes, I've been trying
to get you all night. I wasn't sure you got my message before we were
cut off."
     
     
"If hat happened, Francis? What's it all about?"
     
     
"We had hoped you'd be on your way by now, sir. Dr. Dawson wanted you
here. Oh, one moment." There was a pause. "Here's Dr. Dawson now. Dr.
Hughes."
     
     
Thank God, thought David. Thank God the Old Man was all right.
     
     
Dr. Dawson came on. His voice was strange, feverish; it shook a little.
     
     
"David, I want you back here as fast as you can make it. Take the first
plane out. Don't delay a moment, do you understand?"
     
     
"But, sir, what's it all about?"
     
     
"I can't tell you over the phone."
     
     
"But the meeting, Dr. Dawson. They expect me there "
     
     
The Old Man's voice suddenly became harsh. "Forget the meeting, David.
There is no necessity for you to attend. I'll guarantee you immunity
for any consequences resulting from your absence. You have my