Test Pilot's Daughter II: Dead Reckoning (16 page)

She shivered as she peered across the water. She heard a car pull up to the cabin and started to panic. She jumped up, pulled the comforter off the bed and wrapped it around her naked body. A twinge of soreness reminded her of the night before.
What was I thinking?
she mulled. The digital clock showed 9:13.
I can’t believe I slept for sixteen hours. Must’ve been drugged.
Her head throbbed and reminded her of the drug of choice, Glen Levit.
She needed to run to the bathroom but heard a bang at the front door, and it scared the hell out of her. She peered around the corner, and Michael came walking in. He had two arm loads of groceries.

“No I can’t. Thanksgiving? Damn, we
have
been busy.”

“How are your cooking skills, girl?”

“They suck. I burn toast.”

“Well this is your lucky day, because I am one hell of a cook. Got turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, yams, yeast rolls, the works. Do you like pecan pie?”

“As a matter of fact, I did. Super Wal-Mart is a wonderful store. Has just about everything two fugitives might need, and it’s open 24/7. Just give me a minute and let me unload the car.”

“Yeah, right. I gotta get a shower.”

Christina ran for the master bath, and when she finally emerged from the steamy hot shower, she found a stack of casual clothes, dark jeans, undershirt and a big fluffy sweatshirt. It was a horrid, pale green.
Never let a man do your shopping,
she giggled.
Wow, he even thought of socks and tennies. What a guy!

She did the best she could with her hair and looked in the full-length mirror.
Not bad, not bad at all.
Trying to ignore their predicament, her headache vanished, and suddenly she felt like a million dollars. Strolling out of the bathroom, once again, she noticed the view from the master bedroom. It was mesmerizing. The deer were gone, but a patchy, morning fog had rolled in over the water in a scene which would make a great painting. Growing up a desert rat, she loved the water and took in all the splendor of Lake Lanier.
My God, it’s beautiful.

Michael walked in with two piping hot cups of coffee. “Hope you like French Vanilla. I added a little cinnamon.”

“God. You’re just about the most thoughtful guy I’ve ever met. Looks great. Smells even better. Look out there, Michael. Can you believe that view? Your uncle must be loaded to afford an entire peninsula for himself. This property is worth a fortune.”

“Well it sure pays more than flying spaceships. By the way, remember how we got here? Don’t you think we need to do some serious stuff, like figure out how to save the world?”

“It’s Thanksgiving, Christina. I think we should spend the whole day cooking, eating and watching football. Dallas plays the Eagles at one, and my money’s on the Cowboys.”

“You’re serious aren’t you? The whole world is going to hell in a handbag, and you want to watch football. You men are all the same.” Actually his proposal sounded wonderful.

“Well, my other option was to go bass fishing, but it’s a little nippy out there. Do you like to fish?”

“Yeah, I love the outdoors as long as I’m not freezing my ass off. Okay, you win, football it is. I’ll take Eagles and seven. . .ten bucks?”

“Easy money,” he replied. “Easy money.”

* * *

Later that evening, Christina found a computer with an active Internet link and tried to learn more about Islam and the Quran. She searched for any kind of clue that might shed some light on the impending attack. Like a good reporter she looked for where, what, why and most of all when. Michael seemed hypnotized by the TV. He was on his third ballgame in a world of his own, like she didn’t exist. Every now and again he shouted,
“Yeah!”

Islam has two main holidays, Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adah. The way that holidays are recognized can vary across cultures, as well as across sects of Islam, Sunni and Shia. Muslim holidays generally follow the lunar calendar, and thus move each year relative to the solar calendar. The Islamic calendar has 12 months or 354-355 days. Sunni and Shia lunar calendars do not always coincide: sometimes a Shia holiday and the same Sunni holiday occur on two different days, typically two successive ones.

“What’s it all about?” Michael stood up looking puzzled.

“So, don’t you think it might be important to know exactly when the Iranians plan to launch?”

“I thought we were going to relax. We still don’t know if all that is hogwash or not,” he replied. He walked over and turned off the TV.

“I’m not sure we have time to relax, Michael. When we were in Rhani’s apartment, I jotted down a note from something he had written inside the front cover of the Quran. It was Eid Al-Adha and a reference to Sura 9:29. Turns out Eid Al-Adha is the Muslim holiday which celebrates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his own son. Rhani must’ve thought that was important. He listed it right next to the reference in the Quran.”

“Okay, I give up, what does the Quran say?” Michael smirked as he walked her way.

“Listen. It’s about the
Last Day.
I wonder if it means the last Jihad?”

Make war upon such of those to whom the Scriptures have been given as believe not in God, or in the Last Day, and who forbid not that which God and his Apostle have forbidden, and who profess not the profession of the truth, until they pay tribute out of hand, and they be humbled.

“Sounds like Muhammad was speaking about the pagans.”

“No, no,” she answered. “He was speaking of Jews and Christians. Listen to the rest of it.”

The Jews say, “Ezra (Ozair) is the son of God,” and the Christians say, “The Messiah is the son of God.” Such the sayings in their mouths! They resemble the sayings of the infidels of old! God do battle with them! How they are misguided!

They take their teachers, and their monks, and their Messiah, son of Mary, for lords beside God, though bidden to worship one God only. There is no God but He! Far be from His glory be what they associate with Him!

Fain would they put out God’s light with their mouths: but God only desireth to perfect His light, albeit the infidels abhor it.

He it is who that sent his Apostle with the guidance and religion of the truth, that He may make it victorious over every other religion.

On that day, their treasures shall be heated in Hell-fire, and their foreheads, and their sides, and their backs shall be branded with them.

“Holy nuclear holocaust!” said Michael. Guess they don’t much like the concept of the Blessed Trinity. You know, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost?”

Christina picked up the remote and switched on the TV to CBN. She wanted to listen to the news of the day in the background while she worked. The female anchor went on and on about President Gleason’s two dogs,
as if anyone gives a rat’s ass.
She stopped what she was doing and turned toward the TV. She began to wonder about what was not reported. “Hey Michael, have you been watching the news?”

He looked at her dumbfounded and spread his hands in a gesture of,
What the hell are you blabbering about, woman?
She was getting a little irritated.

“Where’s the story about two stupid astronauts who managed to disappear into thin air? Should be big news, don’t you think? Or maybe they lose astronauts every day. Remember when that female astronaut drove across the country in diapers to confront her lover’s girlfriend? That was all over the press for weeks.”

“Oh yeah. Well, I don’t expect the Director is anxious to admit his security detail blew it, that the infamous Christina Matthews can’t be found. Besides, you’ve slipped security so many times, he’s probably not even worried. Probably figures you’ll show up after Thanksgiving.”

“But don’t you think Wallace would call him in a panic? At least my bodyguards must be hitting the
‘Oh Shit’
button. Surely, they would pass the report to someone. Why would CBN go a full cycle and not even mention it?”

He stood behind her. She felt his hands on her neck trying to massage the tension away. She closed her eyes and sighed. The stress was building with her research, and the massage felt oh so wonderful. On the other hand, it brought back memories of the thousands of times Lazer had done the same. Suddenly, out of nowhere, thoughts of Lazer overwhelmed her. She ached for him.
Never should’ve closed my eyes
.

Christina started feeling guilty. She didn’t believe in casual sex, and she had no intention of being trapped into a long term relationship. Michael was a great guy and a good friend, but that was it.
What the hell did I do?

He let his hands slide down the front of her sweater and softly kissed the nape of her neck.

“
Michael!
Michael, we need to talk.”