Forge Of God 01 The Forge Of God by Greg Bear

Author:Greg Bear [Bear, Greg]
Format: epub
Published: 2010-05-16T12:08:53.022000+00:00

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Arthur was delayed three days unexpectedly in Las Vegas to speak informally with three congressmen from the House Judiciary Committee. His first evening back home, back with his family and the river and the forest, he sat on the living room throw rug, legs curled into a lotus. Francine and Marty sat on the couch behind him. Marty had laid the fire in the grate all by himself, lighting the carefully placed tinder with a long match.

"Here's what's happening, really, as much as I know," he said, raising himself on his arms and sweeping his locked legs around to face them. And he told them.

The heater came on at midnight and blew warm air over Arthur and Francine as they lay in bed in each other's arms. Francine's head rested on his shoulder. He could feel her eye movements as she stared into darkness. They had just made love and it had been very good, and against all his intellectual persuasions, he felt good, at home, at rest. Not a word had been said between them for fifteen minutes.

She lifted her head. "Marty—"

The phone rang.

"Oh, Christ." She rolled out of his way. He reached across her to pick up the phone.

"Arthur, Chris Riley here. I'm sorry I woke you up—"

"We're awake," Arthur said.

"Yes. This is a bit of an emergency, I think. There are some guys in Hawaii who'd like to talk with you. They heard I knew your home number. You can call them now or I—"

"I'd like to be incommunicado, Chris, at least for a couple of days."

"I think this could be very important, Arthur."

"All right, what is it."

"From the little they've told me, they might have found the—you know, what the press is talking about, the weapon the aliens might use against us."

"Who are they?"

"One is Jeremy Kemp. He's a conceited son of a bitch and hell to deal with, but he's an excellent geologist. The other two are oceanographers. Ever hear of Walt Samshow?"

"I think so. Wrote a textbook I read in college. He's pretty old, isn't he?"

"He and another fellow named Sand are with Kemp in Hawaii. They say they saw something pretty unusual."

"All right. Give me a phone number." He switched on the light over the nightstand.

"Samshow and Sand are on board a ship in Pearl Harbor." Riley enunciated the number and name of the ship for him. "Ask for Walt or David."

"Thanks, Chris," Arthur said, hanging up.

"No rest?" Francine asked.

"Some people think they might have found the smoking gun."

"Jesus," Francine said softly.

"I'd better call them now." He got out of bed and went into the den to use the extension there. Francine followed a few minutes later, wrapped in her robe.

When he had finished with the call, he turned and saw Marty standing beside her, rubbing his eyes.

"I'm going to San Francisco this weekend," he said. "But I've still got a couple of days with you guys."

"Show me how to use the telescope, Dad?" Marty asked sleepily. "I want to see what's going on.

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