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Luis watched out the back of the truck as he left his neighborhood behind。 Bodies lay here and there in the streets； some wearing the colors of the Zombies； then in the colors of the Diablos。 Finally the truck left the bodies and the burned…out buildings behind。
When the truck stopped； soldiers began helping the passengers out。 Luis looked for a familiar face but found none； so he pushed through the crowd； trying to find a street sign to orient himself。 He was nearly to the edge of the crowd when someone slammed into him from behind； wrapping her arms around his waist…his daughter Charlotte； hugging him。
His other kids…the older ones…ran up behind。 After he had hugged each one he looked up to see Melinda with tears in her eyes； and he opened his arms for her。 They both cried。
After a minute they separated and kissed and then looked into each other's eyes。 Melinda immediately noticed the blood in his hair。
〃Luis； you're hurt…〃 she began。
Luis shushed her with a finger to her lips； nodding to the kids。 He didn't want to scare them。 Melinda； prehending； quickly changed the subject。
〃We were so worried。 Steve and I both tried to look for you； but we couldn't get through。 It's almost like a war。〃
〃It is a war。 Where's Cinda？〃
〃With Steve and Tanya。 She's fine。 What about Mrs。 Weatherby？〃
Luis shook his head furtively； knowing Melinda and Charlotte would understand。
〃She's with a friend now。 A friend who'll never leave her；〃 he explained。 Later he'd report the details。
Then Luis picked little Katrina up in his arms； and he and his family walked off into what was left of the city。
57。 MOONSCAPE
Major Cox called today with a most bizarre report。 He claimed that the pond at his Sussex home had disappeared。 I investigated； as was my duty； to find it indeed was gone； boat； dock； water； fish and all； leaving nothing but a muddy hole。
…Constable Clarke； October 6；1921
Honolulu； Hawaii
POSTQUILT： WEDNESDAY； 3：25 A。M。 AHT
The moon photos were spread all over Dr。 Wang's office； Carrollee and Emmett had divided them up for analysis。 Few university classes were going on； and they might have recruited a couple of graduate students to help them。 But they were scientists； and if there was a discovery to make here； Carrollee and Emmett wanted to be the first to make it。
Each of them pared the new pictures with file photos taken long before the disaster。 Each also used a schematic of the moon's surface that pointed out features and labeled major craters。 Every new photo was scanned quickly； first for obvious changes； and then painstakingly viewed through a magnifying glass； paring it with those from the file。
They flipped a coin to decide who got to examine the Sea of Tranquility。 Emmett won； but Carrollee looked over his shoulder anyway； trying to spot something before he did。 But they found nothing that varied from the plates they had pulled from the files。 Frustrated； they divided up the rest of the lunar landing sites and examined each of those areas carefully。 After that they began systematically searching the surface of the moon。 Emmett sat up and stretched his arms high over his head。 His photos were on Dr。 Wang's desk and he'd been bending over them most of the night； and his back ached。
〃My back is killing me；〃 he plained。
〃At least you got the desk；〃 Carrollee pointed out； rubbing her own back； and then her eyes。
Carrollee was on the floor on her hands and knees； wearing a white knit shirt with white Bermuda shorts。 White would be fine on most people； but Carrollee was not most people。 She'd added a shiny white belt； white socks； white shoes； white globular earrings the size of Ping…Pong balls； and a large white barrette。 A white fanny pack had been deposited in a chair。 In a blizzard she would be invisible； better camouflaged than Russian snow troops。 Emmett regarded her briefly； rubbed his back again； and then leaned over the desk。
He had gotten the focal point of his magnifying glass just right when he felt Carrollee behind him。 Then she put her hands on his hips and pressed hers against his bottom。 As soon as her hands touched him； his breathing stopped； and his heart started to pound。 He felt her hands massaging his shoulders； but Emmett knew he would never relax with her body pushed up against him。 Her hands worked their way down his spine； and he began to breathe again； not deeply； in relaxation； but in short ragged bursts。 He remained bent over the desk； enjoying the sensations and changes taking place in his body。 It's only a friendly back rub； he told himself； over and over。 This may not be the signal to cross the line from professional friends to something more personal。
Emmett had nearly convinced himself it was an innocent gesture when Carrollee stopped her massage and folded herself over Emmett's back； slipping her hands around his waist； and then sliding them up to rub his chest。 Her breasts against his back and her hands on his chest told him her true intentions。 Then she gave a ragged sigh； and put her head down on his back。
〃I want a back rub next；〃 she said； and then added； 〃or something to relax me。 Too bad we didn't find something in the obvious spots； like the Apollo sites。 I thought you had a good idea there for a while。〃
The hands were still rubbing Emmett's chest； sending warm rushes through his body； and he was afraid if he spoke she would stop。
〃You know； I just thought of something；〃 Carrollee said。
Carrollee's hands stopped moving and her head came up； although she remained folded over his back。
〃How did they map those landing sites？ Weren't there some missions before the Apollo landings？ 。 。 。 I mean； unmanned missions？〃
With that Carrollee stood up； her mind and mood now clearly back on the problem at hand。 Emmett wanted to shout at her not to think so much； but he answered her。
〃Sure； they had to pick a good landing site； so they crashed some unmanned photographic craft into the moon。 Landed a couple too； I think。〃 Emmett stood up； shaking his head to disperse the fog of lust。 〃They had a terrible time with them… they were called Rangers。 Yeah； now I remember。 It took six or seven tries to get one out of Earth orbit； and then they missed the moon entirely。 There were some other failures too。〃 Emmett searched while he talked； looking for the Space Almanac he used to locate the Apollo landing sites。 When he found it he looked up Ranger。 〃Three Rangers crashed into the moon。〃
〃Give me the sites。〃
〃Ranger seven impacted in the Sea of Moons； Ranger eight in the Sea of Tranquility； and Ranger nine in the highlands near the Sea of Clouds。〃
〃You take the Sea of Clouds and I'll take the Sea of Moons。〃
Carrollee rushed back to her photos on the floor and shuffled through them； matching the photos to her Lunar Atlas。 Emmett； suddenly feeling petitive； leafed hastily through his own photographs。
Twenty minutes later they were still frustrated。
〃Carrollee； we're expecting too much。 This is only a theory。 Even if it's accurate it doesn't mean there would be any evidence of it on the moon。〃
Carrollee listened； but her face showed she was unconvinced。 She was in her research mode； a hunter after a prey。 Without a kill； a discovery； she would be terribly frustrated。
〃You said they landed a couple of craft too？ Rangers？〃
〃No； they were called 。 。 。 Searcher 。 。 。 no； Surveyor。〃 Emmett turned to his Almanac again and found the surveyor project。 He read through the section quickly。 〃Okay； we have landings in the Ocean of Storms 。 。 。 two there； Sea of Tranquility； Central Bay 。 。 。 there's a crash site there too； and the highland region near Tycho Brahe。 You start with the Ocean of Storms； and I'll start with Central Bay。 Whoever's done first gets Tycho Brahe；〃 Emmett added to heat up the petition。
They both examined their photos； trying to match them as quickly as possible。 The early petitive rush； however； soon faded as the monotony of correlating details returned。 Emmett began blanking out and found he had to review sections。 Convinced he had covered all of Central Bay； he searched Tycho Brahe； mildly happy that he had beaten Carrollee。
Taking a break； he decided to stretch； and needle her