The Talbot Odyssey (71 page)

Grenville said, “I lost my watch. Does anyone have the time?”

Johnson answered, “It is zero, zero, zero, five hours.”

Grenville looked annoyed. “What time is that in real time?”

Sutter lay back on the roof. “Five after twelve, Tom.”

“Well, why didn’t he say so?”

“What time is the world going to end?” asked Joan.

Stewart replied, “In one minute, give or take an infinity.”

Joan Grenville looked at her husband. “I love you.”

Grenville blushed. “Please.”

They passed the bottle around and waited.

Ann pushed the microphone away and shut off the transmit switch. She said, “That’s all I can do. It’s in the laps of the gods now.”

Tony Abrams went to a gable window and stared through the broken panes, “You did a good job. If I were the Russian Premier, I’d call it off.”

She looked at him. “Would you? I mean, you know them, don’t you? I only know their voices and their coded messages. I’ve never really met one of them until tonight. I know what they say, but not how they think. I don’t know their souls.”

“No one does. Least of all them.” He turned from the window. “They wouldn’t even answer us.”

She shook her head. “No . . . they wouldn’t do that. They would be admitting to something, and they admit to nothing.”

“What time is on that digital clock?”

She looked at the clock. “Twelve-zero-five, and twenty seconds. Molniya is close to its low point.”

Katherine walked quickly into the room and approached them. Her face was ashen, and Ann looked at her with concern.

Abrams said, “Pembroke?”

She shook her head. “Dead.”

He nodded. He knew it wasn’t the time to tell them about O’Brien.

Katherine said, “Well?”

Ann motioned toward the clock. It read 12:06. Ann said, “Look,” and pointed.

Abrams and Katherine looked at the three green lights on the electronic display. One by one they all went out.

The digital clock read 12:07, then 12:08. Ann said, “That’s it. Molniya is streaking off into space.”

Katherine went quickly to the window and stood beside Abrams. “It’s a beautiful night after all.”

“Yes.”

Abrams said to Katherine, “Would you consider breakfast at my place instead?”

“Yes, I’d consider that.”

Abrams looked out the window to the north. A golden burst of skyrockets rose over Van Dorn’s property, and in the distance the green and red navigation lights of a helicopter approached. Abrams said, “Well, I feel good.”

Ann replied, “It’s good to be alive, isn’t it?” She rubbed her forehead. “But we’ve lost some good friends tonight. Nick included, I’m afraid.” She looked at Katherine and Abrams. “You’d make good partners. Are you joining the firm, Tony?”

He hesitated, then said, “Yes . . . yes, I will join the firm. There’s still a lot to be done.”

Abrams took Katherine’s hand and looked out the window again. “The storm has passed.”

Katherine said, “Yes. And we’ve weathered it. But this is just a reprieve. Let’s use the time we’ve won more wisely.”