按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃I will do everything I can； Robert。 How will I get in touch with you？〃 〃I'll call you back。 How much time will you need？〃
〃Give me one hour。〃
〃Right。〃
〃And Robert…〃 He could hear the pain in the old man's voice。
〃Yes； sir？〃
〃Be careful。〃
〃Don't worry； sir。 I'm a survivor。 Remember？〃
* * * One hour later； Robert was speaking to Admiral Whittaker again。
〃You have a deal。 General Hilliard seemed shaken by the news of another witness。 He's given me his word you will not be harmed。 Your conditions will be met。 He's flying to Zurich and will be there tomorrow morning。〃
〃And Janus？〃
〃Janus will be on the plane with him。〃 Robert felt a surge of relief。
〃Thank you； Admiral。
And the President？〃
〃I spoke to him myself。 His aides will arrange a meeting for you whenever you're ready。〃 Thank God！
〃General Hilliard has a plane to fly you to…〃
〃No way。〃 He was not going to let them get him into a plane。
〃I'm in Paris。 I want a car and I'll drive it myself。 I want it left in front of the Hotel Littre in Montparnasse within half an hour。〃
〃I'll see to it。〃
〃Admiral？〃
〃Yes； Robert？〃
It was difficult to keep his voice steady。
〃Thank you。〃
He walked down Rue Littre； moving slowly because of the pain。 He approached the hotel cautiously。 Parked directly in front of the building was a black Mercedes sedan。 There was no one inside。 Across the street was a blue and white police car with a uniformed policeman behind the wheel。 On the sidewalk； two men in civilian clothes stood watching Robert approach。 French Secret Service。
Robert found that he was having trouble breathing。
His heart was pounding。 Was he stepping into a trap？ The only insurance he had was the eleventh witness。 Did Hilliard believe him？
Was it enough？ He walked toward the sedan； waiting for the men to make a move。 They stood there； silently watching him。
Robert moved toward the driver's side of the Mercedes and looked inside。 The keys were in the ignition。 He could feel the eyes of the men fastened on him as he opened the door and slid into the driver's seat。 He sat there a moment； staring at the ignition。 If General Hilliard had doublecrossed Admiral Whittaker； this was the moment when everything would end in a violent explosion。
Here goes。 Robert took a deep breath； reached down with his left hand； and turned the key。 The motor purred into life。 The secret servicemen stood there watching him drive away。 As Robert approached the intersection； a police car pulled in front of his car； and for a moment； Robert thought he was going to be stopped。 Instead； the police turned on their red flashing light； and the traffic seemed to melt away。
They're giving me a fucking escort！
Overhead Robert heard the sound of a helicopter。 He glanced up。
The side of the helicopter was marked with the insignia of the French national police。 General Hilliard was doing everything possible to see that he arrived in Switzerland safely。 And after I show him the last witness； Robert thought grimly； he thinks he's going to kill me。 But the general is in for a surprise。 Robert reached the Swiss border at four o'clock in the afternoon。 At the border； the French police car turned back； and a Swiss police car became his escort。 For the first time since the affair had started； Robert began to relax。 Thank God Admiral Whittaker had friends in high places。 With the President expecting a meeting with Robert； General Hilliard would not dare to harm him。 His mind turned to the woman in white； and at that instant； he heard her voice。 The sound of it reverberated through the car。
〃Hurry； Robert。 We are all waiting for you。〃 All？ Is there more than one？
I'll find out soon enough； Robert thought。
In Zurich Robert stopped at the Dolder Grand Hotel and wrote a note at the desk for the general。
〃General Hilliard will ask for me；〃 Robert told the clerk。
〃Please give this to him。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
Outside； Robert walked over to the police car that had been escorting him。 He leaned down to talk to the driver。
〃From here on in； I want to be on my own。/ The driver hesitated。
〃Very well； mander。〃 Robert got back in his car and started driving toward Uetendorf and the scene of the UFO crash。 As he drove； he thought of all the tragedies that had occurred because of it and all the lives that had been taken。 Hans Beckerman and Father Patrini； Leslie Mothershed and William Mann； Daniel Wayne and Otto Schmidt； Laslo Bushfekete and Fritz Mandel； Olga Romanchanko and Kevin Parker。 Dead。 All of them dead。
I want to see the face of Janus； Robert thought； and look into his eyes。 The villages seemed to race by； and the pristine beauty of the Alps belied all the bloodshed and terror that had started here。 The car approached Thun； and Robert's adrenaline began to flow。 Ahead was the field where he and Beckerman had found the weather balloon； where the nightmare had begun。 Robert pulled the car over to the side of the road and switched off the engine。 He said a silent prayer。 Then he got out of the car and crossed the highway and went into the field。
A thousand memories flashed through Robert's mind。
The phone call at four in the morning。
〃You are ordered to report to General Hilliard at National Security Agency Headquarters at Fort Meade at oh six hundred this morning。 Is this message understood； mander？〃
How little he had understood it then。 He recalled General Hilliard's words： 〃You must find those witnesses。 All of them。〃 And the search had led from Zurich to Bern； London； Munich； Rome； and Orvieto； from Waco to Fort Smith； from Kiev to Washington； and Budapest。
Well； the bloody trail had finally e to an end； here where it had all begun。
She was waiting for him； as Robert had known she would be； and she looked exactly as she had appeared in his dream。 They moved toward each other； and she seemed to be floating toward him； a radiant smile on her face。
〃Thank you for ing； Robert。〃
Had he actually heard her speak； or was he hearing her thoughts？ How did one talk to an alien being？ 〃I had to e；〃 he said simply。 There was a totally unreal quality to the scene。
I'm standing here speaking with someone from another world！ I should be terrified； but in my whole life； I've never felt more at peace。
〃I have to warn you；〃 Robert said。
〃Some men are ing here who want to harm you。 It would be better if you left before they arrive。〃
〃I cannot leave。〃
And Robert understood。 He reached in his pocket with his left hand and pulled out the small piece of metal containing the crystal。
Her face lit up。
〃Thank you； Robert。〃 He handed it to her and watched her fit it into the piece she held in her hand。
〃What happens now？〃
Robert asked。
〃Now I can municate with my friends。 They will be ing for me。〃
Was there something ominous in that sentence？ Robert recalled General Hilliard's words： 〃They intend to take over this planet and make slaves of us。〃 What if General Hilliard was right？ What if the aliens did intend to take over the