‘Do? Why – what Man has always done. Start all over again of course!’
Behind them, the rim of the sun cut into the distant line of mountains. Tonight, there would be a new darkness over the land. Tomorrow, the sound of the human voice would only reach as far as the wind would carry it. They walked down from the Ridge in silence.
Connors considered his position. If people were prepared to recognize the letters of authority the President had given him, he would be a hot property. If they didn’t, he might end his career head down in a Montana snowdrift. Connors decided it might be a good idea to learn how to skin rabbits. He began to laugh.
‘What’s the matter?’ asked Wedderkind.
‘We think we’ve got troubles,’ said Connors. ‘I just suddenly remembered that Chris Matson and Admiral Garrison are stuck in the middle of Russia.’ He grinned broadly. ‘I hope they like beetroot soup.’
The idea kept them both laughing all the way to the edge of the plateau. As they reached the path down to Rockville, Connors looked back at Crusoe. He was now a jet-black silhouette against the darkening sky. Perhaps by the spring, the steps he had thrust out might start to lead somewhere.
Connors walked down the path to the camp with Wedderkind. Beyond the shattered field lab he could see some of the men cutting down trees to make fires.
A Note on the Author
Patrick Tilley was born in Essex in 1928, but spent his formative years in the border counties of Northumbria and Cumbria. After studying art at King’s College, University of Durham, he came to London in 1955 and rapidly established himself as one of Britain’s leading graphic designers. He began writing part-time in 1959.
In 1968 he gave up design altogether in favour of a new career as a film scriptwriter. Work on several major British-based productions was followed by writing assignments in New York and Hollywood. His books have been translated into several languages, and have achieved cult-novel status.
Discover books by Patrick Tilley published by Bloomsbury Reader at
www.bloomsbury.com/PatrickTilley
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Mission
The Amtrak Wars: Cloud Warrior
The Amtrak Wars: First Family
The Amtrak Wars: Iron Master
For copyright reasons, any images not belonging to the original author have been
removed from this book. The text has not been changed, and may still contain
references to missing images.
This electronic edition published in 2013 by Bloomsbury Reader
Bloomsbury Reader is a division of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP
First published in Great Britain 1975 by Hodder and Stoughton Ltd
Copyright © 1975 Patrick Tilley
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eISBN: 9781448210886
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