Tilley, Patrick - The Amtrack Wars 02 by Tilley Patrick

Author:Tilley, Patrick [Tilley, Patrick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-02-26T06:50:38+00:00

What he did not know was that Lisa only existed as a pattern of pixels on the screen of a cathode ray tube. She was a computer-generated image created by COLUMBUS - like the view through the windows of the Oval Office. The ability of COLUMBUS to create talking heads was one of the many things Steve had yet to discover about the world created by the First Family.

An hour after sunset on 1st April, 2990, Steve settled into the passenger seat of an unmarked dark grey Skyrider that was waiting on a special airstrip above Houston/GC and headed north.

As they rose into the sky Steve felt the same joyous feeling of release that had swept through him on his first overground solo but he had not yet escaped AMEXICO’s obsession with security. For despite the fact that he was sitting in an enclosed cockpit beneath a darkening sky, he had been insructed to keep the tinted visor of his helmet closed. The pilot did the same and conversation throughout the eight hundred mile flight was minimal.

Steve’s initial sense of frustration faded before the wonder of his first night flight. There was no moon but, for the first part of the journey, the sky above was clear of cloud and full of stars. The ‘eyes in Mo-Town’s dark cloak’ that watched over the Plainfolk while they slept.

Gazing up through the canopy at the shimmering points of light, Steve wondered, yet again, who had put them there and why. What did it all mean? Only a handful of the Trackers destined to spend their lives within the ‘dark cities’ of the Federation knew that such marvels existed - and many of the wagon-train crews studiously ignored them.

Trackers were trained to obey orders, not ask questions - especially about subjects not covered by the Manual. Overground operations were always terminated when the light began to fade.

TrailBlazers headed back to the safety of their wagons, battened down the hatches, turned their backs on the video pictures of the great outdoors and went to sleep with the lights on.

As they crossed the state line between Oklahoma and Kansas, the clouds began to build up. The MX pilot flew on steadily into the gathering darkness. Steve looked down over the side. There was no sign of the ground below. ‘You happy about this?” he asked with a hint of anxiety.

The pilot nodded. ‘No problem.” He pointed to a glowing panel in front of him. ‘Terrain radar. It’ll take us all.the way there and get us down in one piece.”

Steve decided there was no point in asking him to explain further. He had to believe that MX knew what it was doing. If it didn’t, he would be in big trouble. Not that it mattered overmuch. He was in big trouble right now, whether he failed or succeeded, and he was not even halfway there. The totally unexpected interview with the President-General had been an awe-inspiring moment and his promotion to JX-1 had been a welcome surprise but neither event had caused him to lose sight of his own objectives.

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