Clear and present danger by Tom Clancy

Author:Tom Clancy
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Fiction:War
ISBN: 9780425122129
Publisher: Penguin Group
Published: 1990-06-30T10:00:00+00:00

“Mom?” It was after seven o’clock, and she was always up by now, fixing breakfast for her family of early risers. Dave knocked at the door, but heard nothing. That was when he started being afraid. He’d already lost a father, and knew that even parents were not the immortal, unchanging beings that all children need at the center of their growing universe. It was the constant nightmare that each of Moira’s children had but never spoke about, even among themselves, lest their talk somehow make it more likely to happen. What if something happens to Mom? Even before his hand felt for the doorknob, Dave’s eyes filled with tears at the anticipation of what he might find.

“Mom?” His voice quavered now, and he was ashamed of it, fearful also that his siblings would hear. He turned the knob and opened the door slowly.

The shades were open, flooding the room with morning light. And there she was, lying on the bed, still wearing her black mourning dress. Not moving.

Dave just stood there, the tears streaming down his cheeks as the reality of his personal nightmare struck him with physical force.

“... Mom?”

Dave Wolfe was as courageous as any teenager, and he needed all of it this morning. He summoned what strength he had and walked to the bedside, taking his mother’s hand. It was still warm. Next he felt for a pulse. It was there, weak and slow, but there. That galvanized him into action. He lifted the bedside phone and punched 911.

“Police emergency,” a voice answered immediately.

“I need an ambulance. My mom won’t wake up.”

“What is your address?” the voice asked. Dave gave it. “Okay, now describe your mother’s condition.”

“She’s asleep, and she won’t wake up, and—”

“Is your mother a heavy drinker?”

“No!” he replied in outrage. “She works for the FBI. She went right to bed last night, right after she got home from work. She—” And there it was, right on the night table. “Oh, God. There’s a pill bottle here ...”

“Read the label to me!” the voice said.

“P-l-a-c-i-d-y-l. It’s my dad’s, and he—” That was all the operator needed to hear.

“Okay—we’ll have an ambulance there in five minutes.”

Actually, it was there in just over four minutes. The Wolfe house was only three blocks from a firehouse. The paramedics were in the living room before the rest of the family knew anything was wrong. They ran upstairs to find Dave still holding his mother’s hand and shaking like a twig in a heavy wind. The leading fireman pushed him aside, checked the airway first, then her eyes, then the pulse.

“Forty and thready. Respiration is ... eight and shallow. It’s Placidyl,” he reported.

“Not that shit!” The second one turned to Dave. “How many were in there?”

“I don’t know. It was my dad’s, and—”

“Let’s go, Charlie.” The first paramedic lifted her by the arms. “Move it, kid, we gotta roll.” There wasn’t time to fool around with the Stokes litter. He was a big, burly man and carried Moira Wolfe out of the room like a baby.

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