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〃Yes； yes； all right。〃 Her eyes flickered with fear as she looked above。 〃Will there 。。。 is there any danger from another slide？〃
〃No。 You'll be quite safe。 Go quickly！〃 His will took away her fear and she started down the slope with the flashlight； picking her way carefully。 It was only then he noticed that she was barefoot。 Then he remembered Dianne had been barefoot too and Phillip。 He stretched to ease his back。 His clothes were ripped； but he paid them no attention and rushed for the barrier。 In the distance he heard police sirens。 His relief became almost nauseating as he broke into a run。
Then he noticed Orlanda at the head of the line of cars。 She was staring fixedly at where Rose Court had been； her mouth moving； tiny spasms trembling her face and body； and he remembered the night of the fire when she had been equally petrified and near snapping。 Quickly he went to her and shook her hard； hoping to jerk her out of the panic breakdown that he had witnessed so many times during the war。 〃Orlanda！〃
She came out of her almost trance。 〃Oh 。。。 oh 。。。 what； what 。。。〃
Greatly relieved； he saw her eyes were normal now and the agony normal； the spilling tears normal。 〃You're all right。 Nothing to worry about。 Get hold now； you're all right； Orlanda！〃 he said； his voice kind though very firm； and leaned her against the hood of a car and left her。
Her eyes focused。 〃Oh my God！ Linc！〃 Then she shrieked after him through her tears； 〃Linc 。。。 Linc's there！〃
He jerked to a stop； turned back。 〃Where？ Where was he？〃
〃He's 。。。 in my； my apartment。 It's on the eighth floor 。。。 it's on the eighth floor！〃
Dunross ran off again； his flashlight the only moving speck of light on the morass。
Here and there people were groping blindly； ankle…deep in the soaking earth； their hands cupped around matches； heading for the ruins。 As he came nearer the catastrophe； his heart twisted。 He could smell gas。 Every second the smell became stronger。
〃Put out the matches； for chrissake！〃 he roared。 〃You'll blow us all to helllll！〃
Then he saw Casey 。。。
The police car following the fire truck roared up the hill； sirens howling； the traffic heavy here and no one getting out of the way。 Inside the car Armstrong was monitoring the radio calls： 〃All police units and fire trucks converge on Kotewall Road。 Emergency； emergency emergency！ There's a new landslip in the vicinity of Po Shan and Sinclair Road！ Callers say Rose Court and two other twelve…story buildings've collapsed。〃
〃Bloody ridiculous！〃 Armstrong muttered； then； 〃Watch out for chrissake！〃 he shouted at the driver who had cut across the road to the wrong side； narrowly missing a truck。 〃Turn right here； then cut up Castle into Robinson and into Sinclair that way；〃 he ordered。 He had been going home from another rebuild session with Brian Kwok； his head aching and exhausted； when he had heard the emergency call。 Remembering that Crosse lived on Sinclair Road and that he'd said he would be going to Jason Plumm's party after he'd followed a lead with Rosemont； he had decided to check it out。 Christ； he thought grimly； if he's been clobbered who'll take over SI？ And do we still let Brian go or hold him or what？
A new voice came on； firm； unhurried； the static on the radio heavy。 〃This is Deputy Fire Chief Soames。 Emergency One！〃 Armstrong and the driver gasped。 〃I'm at the junction of Sinclair； Robinson and Kotewall Road where I have set up a mand post。 Emergency One repeat One！ Inform the missioner and the governor at once； this is a disaster of very great proportions。 Inform all hospitals on the Island to be on standby。 Order every ambulance and all paramedics to the area。 We will require immediate and heavy army assistance。 All power is out so we require generators； cables and lights。 。。。〃
〃Jesus Christ；〃 Armstrong muttered。 Then sharply； 〃Get the lead out for chrissake； and hurry it up！〃
The police car increased speed。 。。。
〃Oh； Ian；〃 Casey said beyond tears； the petrified child still in her arms。 〃Linc's somewhere down there。〃
〃Yes； yes I know；〃 he said above the insane bedlam of screams and cries for help that came through the ominous grinding of the wreckage as it still settled。 People wandered around blindly； not knowing where to look； where to start； how to help。 〃You all right？〃
〃Oh yes but 。。。 but Linc。 I don… 〃 She stopped。 Just ahead； down the slope near the remains of the elevator； a vast pile of twisted beams and shattered fragments of concrete subsided deafeningly； starting a chain reaction all down the slope and as he focused his flashlight on it they saw a loosened mass of debris smash against the elevator； claw it loose and send it reeling； leaving bodies in its wake。
〃Oh Jesus；〃 she whimpered。 The child clutched her in panic。
〃Go back to the car； you'll be saf… 〃 At that moment a man crazed with anxiety rushed up to them； peered at the child in her arms； then grabbed her； clutching her to him； mumbling his thanks to God and to her。 〃Where； where did you find her？〃
Casey pointed numbly。
The man peered at the spot blankly then went off into the night； weeping openly with relief。
〃Stay here； Casey；〃 Dunross said urgently； sirens approaching from every direction。 〃I'll take a quick look。〃
〃Do be careful。 Jesus； do you smell gas？〃
〃Yes； lots of it。〃 Using the flashlight he began to thread his way over and under and through the wreckage； slipping and sliding。 It was treacherous； the whole mass uneasy and creaking。 The first crumpled body was a Chinese woman he did not know。 Ten yards below was a European man； his head mashed and almost obliterated。 Quickly he scoured the way ahead with his light but could not see Bartlett among the other dead。 Farther below were two broken bodies； both Chinese。 Swallowing his nausea； he worked his way under a dangerous overhang toward the European； then； holding the flashlight carefully； reached into the dead man's pockets。 The driver's license said： Richard Pugmire。
〃Christ！〃 Dunross muttered。 The smell of gas was heavy。 His stomach turned over as； far below； more power lines gushed sparks。 We'll all go to kingdom e if those bloody sparks reach up here； he thought。 Carefully he eased out of the debris and stood at his full height； breathing easier now。 A last look at Pugmire's body and he started down the slope again。 A few steps later he heard a faint moan。 It took a little time to find the source but he centered on it and climbed down； his heart beating heavily。 With great care he squirmed into the depths under a monstrous overhang of beams and rubble。 His fingers took hold。 Using all his strength he tilted the broken concrete and shoved it aside。 A man's head was below。 〃Help；〃 Clinker said weakly。 〃God love you； mate。 。。。〃
〃Hang on a second。〃 Dunross could see the man was wedged down by a huge rafter but the rafter was also keeping the debris above from crushing him。 With the flashlight he searched until he found a broken piece of pipe。 With this as a lever he tried to raise the rafter。 A pyramid of rubble shifted ominously。 〃Can you move？〃 he gasped。
〃It's 。。。 it's me legs； I hurt proper bad； but I can try。〃 Clinker reached out and gripped an imbedded piece of iro