Voices - Vornholt John - Страница 48

“Thank you,” said the security guard, taking the card from her trembling hand. “Are you all right, miss?”

She sniffled and gripped her hands to her chest. “Yes, just a bit air-sick.”

“I get that way myself,” remarked the guard pleasantly. He ran her card through the slot in his scanning device, and her heart and her breath held perfectly still.

“Hmm,” he said puzzledly. “You are Ms. Frieda Nelson, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” she gasped.

“From Eugene, Oregon?”

“Last time I looked.” She tried to sound disdainful, but she felt as if she was going to be stricken by a heart attack.

“Could you please step to the side for a moment while I finish with these other passengers.” His tone wasn’t so pleasant anymore, but it wasn’t angry either. “There’s an irregularity on your card. These glitches happen.” To make sure she wasn’t going anywhere, he put the card in his pocket.

Talia stood to the side, as ordered, and she wondered if she dared to send him a telepathic suggestion to the effect that her card was really okay. That was the sort of thing Mr. Bester could do with ease. Unfortunately, she felt so shaky and distressed that she didn’t know if she could concentrate well enough to pull it off. Well, nothing ventured nothing gained. Just as she had screwed up her courage to send the guard a message, an outside voice invaded her mind. Very clearly, it stated, “You are among friends. Do not panic.”

Then, a monstrous explosion ripped the building!