Sky Masters pm-2
Page 39
“It always happens that way, I think, ” Elliott said. “The time you need sleep the most is when you can’t do it.” He regarded his younger colleague with an inquisitive expression; McLanahan seemed to pick up on the pause right away. “We got the order, didn’t we?” Patrick asked. “Couple hours ago, Elliott said. “They wanted to be sure the three Navy ships in the Philippine Sea could get into position; we just got the word that they reported ready. They may wait one more day to see if we get the NIRTSats back on-line, but the recon photos you got last night are pretty good quality so we might do it tonight.” Strangely, Patrick felt no fear, no apprehension, not even a trace of nervousness-his churning stomach and restless mind had kept him from sleep all afternoon, but now his body was quiet. It was as if he had already been told they were going to fly, that Elliott had somehow given him secondhand information. He nodded wordlessly to Elliott; then his eyes sought out the large high-definition monitor on which the NIRTSat reconnaissance data was usually displayed. “I can’t believe these are still down…”