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.Blasting cap," he said, panting.One of the boys at school had boobytrapped the toilets in the faculty men's room with some.He examined the device more closely.Except for the fact that it had beenplaced too near the shore so that the wind had blown off its camouflaginglayer of sand, it was pretty ingenious.Liam grinned.These people weren't going to go down without a fight.Now, maybe, with himself as a hostage, they would not have to go downat all.And they would have the stone.He had done at least that much for them.Quickly he looked behind him.No dinghies from the ships.Maybe hadhe had not been seen.He covered over the tripwire with sand, placed a smallpiece of planking in front of it, then picked his way cautiously up the bankto an enclave of rock, where his legs gave out.The muscles in his calves went first, cramping violently from the instepof his feet to the backs of his knees.He went down keening in pain, poundingthe knotted lumps with his fists.Damn it," he choked.I can't stop here, I can't."Then Liam noticed a pair of trousers.His trousers.On the legs of the girlfrom the hospital.She stared at him in astonishment.God, I wish I'd kept my shirt on, he thought.He had pimples on hisshoulders.He tried to cover the worst of them with his hand.She was so beautiful, the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.I've tried to be brave, he wanted to say.I did it for you.And me.Andall of us.But all that came out was, Charlie horse."I'll help you," she said.Mister Saint James!"Penrose skittered along the deck, the portable phone still in his hand.We've just had a call from the Odeon.Someone on board spotted a figureswimming to Memory Island.They seem to think it was Liam."Liam?" Saint James rushed inside.They must be mistaken."Penrose followed him.The mate who saw him called the Odeon's owner.Monsieur Messaline himself identified the boy."They raced through the walkeway, nearly knocking over one of thestewards, and burst into Liam's empty stateroom.Oh, no," Saint James moaned.Whatever could have possessed himto."With a gasp, he shoved Penrose aside and dashed back the way he hadcome.Penrose caught up with him at the office, where Saint James was standingover the gold casket on his desk.It lay open.Pieces of the broken lock laybeside it.The diamond was gone.Saint James put one hand to his forehead.We can send a team in to get him," Penrose said.There are two formernavy SEALs in your employ.Shut up " Saint James shouted between clenched teeth.Don't you see?He has the stone! They'll kill him for that."He closed his eyes and breathed deeply.We will send a message to thesix people on the island," he said calmly.And then I'll go to see them.Alone."Alone, sir?"I'll make them a deal." He examined the corners of the room as hethought out loud.Yes, that's it.They'll deal."He scribbled a message on a piece of stationery and handed it to hisassistant." Take that to the bridge," he said.Then get on the phone to theother ships.Tell them to hold their fire until I'm back on board.I'll givethe order for that personally.Understand?"Yes, sir.Of course."Meanwhile, I want them to get their men ready for an assault, in caseI need them while I'm on the island.If I do need them, I'll ring you on mydirect line.That's all you'll get, one ring.When that happens, signal theships to send in their mercenaries.They should be prepared to kill everyoneexcept me."And Liam," Penrose added.Saint James stared at him blankly.Didn't you hear what I said?"Yes, but "We must recover the stone," Saint James explained.I can have anotherson if I have to."Inside the barricade, Reba passed around paper plates of clams and fish.Hope Carol Ann don't mind if we start without her," she said.I toldher we didn't need no more."It won't take her long," Woodson said, chuckling.Have you seen howshe fishes?"Damnedest thing." Darian raised a clam to his mouth.I think maybe we ought to say a grace," Reba said sternly.Darian lowered the clam with regret.All right.Make it a short one."She lowered her head.Lord, thank you for this bounty in the midst ofour trouble.Help us be strong now that we need to be.And when our timecomes to meet you, show us the path to your golden door."Amen," the others murmured.Darian grunted and picked up his clam.One more thing," Reba went on.Darian looked over at her irritably.Gram, if you're listening, I been wondering for a while now why this ishappening to us."For God's sake," Darian mumbled.I mean, we ain't denying that we got these gifts.I'm talking about theSight.We got it in different ways, but we all got it.And to tell you thetruth,we're in one heck of a pickle now because of it.Now, I know there's a reason and you must know what it is, cause youalways do.There was a reason for Sam going back to that place with thevolcano.There was a reason for the Rememberers all seeing that volcanoblow.There must have been a reason why so many of them died, thoughI don't expect to know what it was till I can talk to you face to face in theland of glory."Darian leaned back on his elbows, his eyes slitted, his fingers clenchingthe clam.What I'm getting at, Gram, is that I think something happened backthen, in that place where Sam went, and whatever it was, it's still going on.And us six are part of it.Is that right, Gram? Cause if it is, I truly don't see no reason why wegot to die.Now, it's not that we're feared of dying.We're all ready to dothat.But it don't make no sense that we got to go just like the last Rememberers.Ifwe all get killed, us and everybody like us, then nobody on this Earth isleft with the Sight [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]