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clarity in his eyes that had been missing on their run west.
“They sure are, honey,” he said.
Dan smiled and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the health Abra had brought to his
face was fading. Like a rose without water, Billy thought.
“Anything?”
“Ping,” Dan said. He smiled again, but this one was weary. “Like a smoke detector that needs a
battery change.”
“Do you think they heard it?”
“I sure hope so,” Dan said.
12
Rose was pacing back and forth near her EarthCruiser when Token Charlie came running up. The True
had taken steam that morning, all but one of the canisters she had in storage, and on top of what Rose
had taken on her own over the last couple of days, she was too wired even to think about sitting down.
“What?” she asked. “Tell me something good.”
“I got her, how’s that for good?” Wired himself, Charlie grabbed Rose by the arms and whirled her
around, making her hair fly. “I got her! Just for a few seconds, but it was her!”
“Did you see the uncle?”
“No, she was looking out the windshield at the mountains. She said they were beautiful—”
“They are,” Rose said. A grin was spreading on her lips. “Don’t you agree, Charlie?”
“—and he said they sure were. They’re coming, Rosie! They really are!”
“Did she know you were there?”
He let go of her, frowning. “I can’t say for sure . . . Grampa Flick probably could . . .”
“Just tell me what you think.”
“Probably not.”
“That’s good enough for me. Go someplace quiet. Someplace where you can concentrate without
being disturbed. Sit and listen. If—when—you pick her up again, let me know. I don’t want to lose
track of her if I can help it. If you need more steam, ask for it. I saved a little.”
“No, no, I’m fine. I’ll listen. I’ll listen hard!” Token Charlie gave a rather wild laugh and rushed
off. Rose didn’t think he had any idea where he was going, and she didn’t care. As long as he kept
listening.
13
Dan and Billy were at the foot of the Flatirons by noon. As he watched the Rockies draw closer, Dan
thought of all the wandering years he had avoided them. That in turn made him think of some poem
or other, one about how you could spend years running, but in the end you always wound up facing
yourself in a hotel room, with a naked bulb hanging overhead and a revolver on the table.
Because they had time, they left the freeway and drove into Boulder. Billy was hungry. Dan
wasn’t . . . but he was curious. Billy pulled the truck into a sandwich shop parking lot, but when he
asked Dan what he could get him, Dan only shook his head.
“Sure? You got a lot ahead of you.”
“I’ll eat when this is over.”
“Well . . .”
Billy went into the Subway for a Buffalo Chicken. Dan got in touch with Abra. The wheel turned.