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but as it might have been？〃 〃Yes〃 〃Aren't we back to your being God now？〃 〃No。 I do not see as clearly as God。 But I see〃 In his boyish best humor again； Jim smiled at the kaleidoscopic patterns of light； obviously excited and pleased by all that he was hearing。
Holly turned away from the wall； crossed the room； squatted beside her suitcase； and opened it。
Jim loomed over her。 〃What're you doing？〃 〃Looking for this；〃 she said； producing the notebook in which she had chronicled the discoveries she'd made while researching him。 She got up； opened the notebook； and paged to the list of people whose lives he had saved prior to Flight 246。 Addressing the entity throbbing through the limestone； she said； 〃May fifteenth。 Atlanta； Georgia。 Sam Newsome and his five…year…old daughter Emily。 What are they going to contribute to humanity that makes them more important than all the other people who died that day？〃 No answer was forthing。
〃Well？〃 she demanded。
〃Emily will bee a great scientist and discover a cure for a major disease〃 Definitely a note of pomposity this time。
〃What disease？〃 〃Why do you not believe me Miss Thorne？〃 The Friend spoke as formally as an English butler on duty； yet in that response； Holly felt she heard the subtle pouting tone of a child under the dignified； reserved sur She said； 〃Tell me what disease； and maybe I'll believe you。〃
〃Cancer〃 〃Which cancer？ There are all types of cancer。〃
〃All cancers〃 She referred to her notebook again。 〃June seventh。
Corona； California Louis Andretti。〃
〃He will father a child who will grow up to bee a great diplomat。 〃 Better than dying of multiple rattlesnake bites； she thought。
She said； 〃June twenty…first。 New York City。 Thaddeus〃 〃He will bee a great artist whose work will give millions of people hope。〃
〃He seemed like a nice kid；〃 Jim said happily； buying into the whole thing。 〃I liked him。〃
Ignoring him； Holly said； 〃June thirtieth。 San Francisco…〃 〃Rachael Steinberg will give birth to a child who will bee a great h spiritual leader〃 That voice was bugging her。 She knew she had heard it before。 But where？ 〃July fifth…〃 〃Miami； Florida。 Carmen Diaz She will give birth to a child who will bee president of the United States〃 Holly fanned herself with the notebook and said； 〃Why not president of the world？〃 〃July fourteenth。 Houston； Texas。 Amanda Cutter She will give birth to a child who will &be a great peacemaker〃 〃Why not the Second ing？〃 Holly asked。
Jim had moved away from her。 He was leaning against the wall between two windows； the display of light quietly exploding around him。 〃What's the matter with you？〃 he asked。
〃It's all too much；〃 she said。
〃What is？〃 〃Okay； it says it wants you to save special people。〃
〃To help mankind〃 〃Sure； sure；〃 Holly said to the wall。
To Jim she said； 〃But these people are all just too special； don't you think？ Maybe it's me； but it all seems overblown； it's gotten trite again。
Nobody's growing up to be just a damned good doctor； or a businessman who creates a new industry and maybe ten thousand jobs； or an honest and courageous cop； or a terrific nurse。 No； they're great diplomats； great scientists； great politicians； great peacemakers。
Great； great； great！〃 〃Is this adversarial journalism？〃 〃Damn right。〃
He pushed away from the wall； used both hands to smooth his thick hair back from his forehead； and cocked his head at her。 〃I see your point； why it's starting to sound like another episode of Outer Limits to you； but let's think about this。 It's a crazy； extravagant situation。 A being from another world； with powers that seem godlike to us； decides to use me to better the chances of the human race。 Isn't it logical that he'd send me out to save special； really special people instead of your theoretical business tycoon？〃 〃Oh； it's logical；〃 she said。 〃It just doesn't ring true to me； and I've got a fairly well…developed nose for deception。〃
〃Is that why you were a great success as a reporter？〃 She might have laughed at the image of an alien； vastly superior to human beings； stooping to engage in a bickering match。 But the impatience and poutiness she'd thought she detected as an undercurrent in some of its previous answers was now unmistakable； and the concept of a hypersensitive； resentful creature with godlike power was too unnerving to be funny at the moment。
〃How's that for a higher power？〃 she asked Jim。 〃Any second now； he's going to call me a bitch。〃
The Friend said nothing。
Consulting her notebook again； she said； 〃July twentieth。 Steven Aimes。
Birmingham； Alabama。〃
Schools of light swam through the walls。 The patterns were less graceful and less sensuous than before； if the lightshow had been the visual equivalent of one of Brahms's most pacific symphonies； it was now more like the discordant wailing of bad progressive jazz。
〃What about Steven Aimes？〃 she demanded； scared but remembering how an exertion of will had been met with respect before。
〃I am going now〃 〃That was a short tide；〃 she said。
The amber light began to darken。
〃The tides in the vessel are not regular or of equal duration。 But I will return。 〃 〃What about Steven Aimes？ He was fifty…seven； still capable of siring a great something…or…other； though maybe a little long in the tooth。 Why did you save Steve？〃 The voice grew somewhat deeper； slipping from baritone toward bass； and it hardened。 〃It would not be wise for you to attempt to leave〃 She had been waiting for that。 As soon as she heard the words； she knew she had been tensed in expectation of them。
Jim； however； was stunned。 He turned； looking around at the dark amber forms swirling and melding and splitting apart again； as if trying to figure out the biological geography of the thing； so he could look it in the eyes。 〃What do you mean by that？ We'll leave any time we want。〃
〃You must wait for my return。 You will die if you attempt to leave。
〃 〃Don't you want to help mankind any more？〃 Holly asked sharply。
〃Do not sleep。〃 Jim moved to Holly's side。
Whatever estrangement she had caused between her and Jim； by taking an aggressive stance with The Friend； was apparently behind them。 He put an arm around her protectively。
〃You dare not sleep。〃 The limestone was mottled with a deep red glow。
〃Dreams are doorways。〃 The bloody light went out。
The lantern provided the only illumination。 And in the deeper darkness that followed The Friend's departure； the quiet hiss of the burning gas was the only sound。
Holly stood at the head of the stairs； shining a flashlight into the gloom below。 Jim supposed she was trying to make up her mind whether they really would be prevented from leaving the mill…and if so； how violently。
Watching her from where he sat on his sleeping bag； he could not understand why it was all turning sour。
He had e to the windmill because the bizarre and frightening events in his bedroom in Laguna Niguel； over eighteen hours ago； had made it impossible to continue ignoring the dark side to the mystery in which he had bee enwrapped。 Prior to that； he had been willing to drift along； doing what he was pelled to do； pulling people out of the fire at