't seem like they'd be reaching out to touch someone anytime soon。
Half the monitors in Studio A broadcast only static and snow； the other half picked up intermittent shadowy ghosts； like transmissions from a distant world。 On another planet； the Eagles still battled the Rams。
Gary was relieved。 It meant that this was a localized phenomenon。 For the moment； anyway。
Good for them； he thought。 Bad for us。
There was only one thing he knew for certain： the second the rain stopped； he was out the door and heading for home； scooping up Gwen and then getting the fuck out of Dodge。 It was simple as that。
He couldn't believe how stupid he'd been： to spend all goddam day here； being manipulated by these people； only to waste even more time on beating up a worthless little asshole like Kirk。 He felt guilty； and ashamed。 The explosion had rendered a lot of things academic in its wake； his rage first and foremost。 He felt like a fool。
He'd have been gone fifteen minutes ago； were it not for the black rain。
And poor John's bad example。
After the explosion； John Bizzano had decided he couldn't wait out the storm。 He'd made a run for it； shrouding himself in one of the thick waterproof tarps they used for outdoor shots。 Gary knew it was a bad idea； but John was stubborn； and for all his smarts； he'd always struck Gary as somewhat bereft in the mon sense department。
He was out the door； heading for his car； before Gary could so much as say boo。
John hadn't make it ten yards before the rain brought him down。 It was impossible to see much of anything through that thick black curtain of precipitation； but Gary could have sworn it just ate his legs out from under him。 They could hear him screaming； but that died off； and before long； there was nothing but a big dead silent lump； unmoving beneath the slowly melting tarp。
As the rain tapered of； it got easier to see。 The lump was dissolving； and the stink was incredible as the pocked； steaming tarp got flatter and flatter。 What was left of John sluiced down to the gutter in thick viscid runnels； like molten tallow； like boiling fat； like 。。。
〃Umm 。。。 Gary？〃 came Laura's voice from behind him。 He clenched his teeth； got ready for it； turned。
〃Now what？〃 he said。
〃We hab'doo ged back on line；〃 Kirk said； sucking spit back through swollen lips。 His face was bloody； beaten so badly that his speech was slurred。 Gary didn't want to look at him； to face the fact that his hands had done that。 He looked down at his scraped knuckles； guilty as sin。
Worse still was how Kirk had taken it。 Gary'd expected him to fold up like a cheap card table； to whine and cry and piss himself。 But he didn't。 In fact； he came back from the beating stronger； somehow。 As if it had beaten the bullshit right out of him。
〃You know we do；〃 Kirk urged； following Gary's every move with his one good eye。 Gary watched John run down the gutters and away。 〃People need do know whad's going on。〃 He sucked spit again； and wiped a bloody streamer from his chin。
Laura stood at his side； supporting him； since Kirk had regained consciousness； they'd been pretty much inseparable。 She thought about it for a moment； then her eyes widened。 〃What about the tower？〃 she asked。 〃Couldn't we broadcast from there？〃
〃Yes；〃 Kirk said； pronouncing the sibilance with great difficulty。 He slurped and looked at Gary。 〃We could。〃
〃Aw； Christ；〃 Gary groaned； bringing one hand up to run through his hair。 He could see where this was going already。 〃Technically； yes。 You could take a camera up there and hard…wire it right into the tower。 Everything else is there。 You wouldn't have network feed； but you'd be broadcasting at sixty…eight hundred megahertz over the airwaves。〃
〃Whad range？〃 Kirk asked。
〃A hundred miles； maybe；〃 Gary shrugged； emphasizing the maybe part。 〃Minus a big unknown chunk of range due to the storm。〃
Laura and Kirk nodded in tandem。
〃The only thing that's missing；〃 Gary continued； 〃is the point。 I mean； what exactly do we have to say to people right now？ 'This is ACTION…9！ Get outta here！ Turn off your fuckin' TV and RUN； stupid！〃
〃Well； for one thing；〃 Laura interjected； 〃we can tell them where to run。 We've got emergency evacuation plans 。。。 〃
〃Oh yeah； right；〃 Gary scoffed。 〃Have you ever actually looked at those things？ They're a joke； okay？ We're not prepared for a mass evacuation！ We're prepared to pretend we're prepared for emergencies that never happen！〃
〃Bud like you said；〃 Kirk cut in； 〃it's localized。〃 The word came out loga…lied。 〃Whijh means we can still ged away。〃
〃I hope；〃 Gary muttered。
〃We gotta ged on line；〃 Kirk said。
〃Yeah？ Who's gonna do this miracle？〃 Gary countered。 〃You？〃
〃Yeah；〃 Kirk said。 〃Me。〃
〃But he'll need help；〃 Laura said。 Meaning you've got to help him。 〃It's on your way。〃 You bastard。
Gary looked at Laura and Kirk； and at poor running John； then shook his head。 Outside； the city burned behind them。
〃I don't believe I'm doing this 。。。 〃 he groaned。
He turned to Kirk； Kirk flinched involuntarily。 〃Congratulations； kid；〃 Gary said。 〃Looks like you get your own show； after all。〃
He turned to Laura。 〃I'll get it up and on…line；〃 he said； then looking at Kirk； 〃but after that he's on his own。〃
Laura nodded in agreement。
〃So what about you？〃 he asked。
〃I'm staying；〃 she said valiantly。 〃I'll keep trying to make radio contact。 If we e back on…line； or the phones work again； I can feed you updates。〃 Her gaze flitted away； then back to him quickly。 〃Someone's got to hold the fort。〃
And in that moment Gary understood a little something about Laura Jenson。 She was tough as nails in her element； but take her out of it； and she was like a dust mote in a hurricane。 No way would she sacrifice that power。 She would stay here until she died； or someone came to rescue her。
And she would be able to rationalize it； the same way he had all day。 At least they'll know where to find me。
〃Where's your family？〃 he asked。
〃In Philly；〃 she flushed。 〃At the game。〃
Gary nodded。 〃That means they're probably safe。〃 She smiled wanly。 Safer； he meant。 As in 〃safer than you。〃
He resisted the urge to bring up Gwen； his own family。 No point。 Until he could do something about it； it was dangerous even thinking about it。
〃Two minutes；〃 he said to Kirk。 〃With or without you。〃
Their good…byes were short and to the point。
Kirk got ready； wincing as he slid into his Wind…breaker。 Laura helped as best she could。 When he had it zipped and flipped； he turned to her。 There was a terrible sadness in his eyes； standing mute alongside the pain。
〃Laura； I 。。。 〃 he began。
〃Don't。〃 Her eyes were moist and bright。 A kiss was out of the question。
So she hugged him instead。
He returned the embrace； holding still for one perfectly elongated moment： smelling her hair； the scent of perfume mingling with her sweat； the faint menthol taint clinging to her clothes。
〃Don't；〃 she repeated； and squeezed him one more time before letting go。 She was afraid to take it any further than that。 If they were lucky； they might see each other on the other side of all this。 And if not 。。。
Don't 。。。
But somehow； he couldn't help himself。
Outside； even the drizzle had tapered down to nothing at last。 The clouds remained hanging overhead； made a guillotine's blade of the sky。 The fire to the north was still raging； flickering bright against its razored skyline。
The cold had rolled in now； Gary noted： a good ten…to…twelve…degree drop。 A grayish…black ash wafted down like snow； hissing as it landed。
Gary kept his bike in the repair bay； which was probably why it survived the storm。 He donned his leathers carefully； making sure he was as airtight as possible。 Then he put on his helmet； making doubly sure the faceplate was snapped into place。 He wasn't taking any chances。
Once dressed； he took a deep breath and threw open the big bay door。 Kirk was there； motor humming； ready to roll。 He gave Gary a deadly serious thumbs…up sign。
Gary nodded。 〃Yeah； fuck you； too；〃 he said under his breath； as he clambered onto the softtail and started the bike up。
The Harley roared to life。
And； together； they rode off into Hell。
Fifty…Five
Gary burned down the wide one…way slope of East Market Street； heading for the tower just as fast as Kirk's cranky six…cylinder would allow。 The speedometer nudged eighty； Gary could push it way over one hundred without popping a sweat； but Kirk was already weaving。
C'mon； punch it； he urged。 Don't make me leave you。
Downtown Paradise whipped by in a blur of hellish detail； its middle American quaintness slick with poison rain and backed by a throbbing storm front that glowed a brilliant brimstone hue。 It was Nagasaki by way of Love Canal； Dante doing Norman Rockwell doing Bedlam。
Because everywhere lay the chaos and carnage。 Crashed auto carcasses rammed through shops' plate…glass windows； their belly fires feeding ruptured gas mains and stoking a score of conflagrations。 Former citizens caught off…guard by the storm and blast lay stiff