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Back The Desert of Glass Save as PDF
Chapters (84)
  1. BY MICHAEL C. GRUMLEY
  2. Prologue
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. 56
  59. 57
  60. 58
  61. 59
  62. 60
  63. 61
  64. 62
  65. 63
  66. 64
  67. 65
  68. 66
  69. 67
  70. 68
  71. 69
  72. 70
  73. 71
  74. 72
  75. 73
  76. 74
  77. 75
  78. 76
  79. 77
  80. 78
  81. EPILOGUE
  82. II
  83. III
  84. IV

Rickards turned back to the professor, who pointed straight ahead, far in the distance, where a faint glow of colors could be seen, soft and pulsating back and forth from light blue to light red.

“What’s that?”

“The police,” said Townsend.  “Seems a lot of people didn’t like Saad, which I’m guessing also extends to those who worked for him.”  He looked out the side window as the last of the SUVs disappeared from view behind them, then back up to the approaching police lights.  “I’m guessing Saad’s men have another five to ten minutes of elation.”

EPILOGUE

EPILOGUE

I

Four days later

The high-pitched whine of the engines eased as the Boeing 767 reached its cruising altitude and began to level off.  Above an unobstructed sky, a bright afternoon sun radiated through the plane’s long row of cabin windows.

In their seats, Angela turned to Townsend.  “Can I ask you something?”

The man in the seat next to her nodded.

“Joe said Saad was dead in that structure when he got there.”

“Yes.”

“And that Saad was lying on a slab next to Eshe.”

“Right.”

“Why do you think that was?” she asked.  “What do you think he was trying to do?”

Townsend thought about the question.  “What do you think it was?”

“Something to do with the energy, I assume.”

“Same here.”

She remained thoughtful a moment before continuing.  “If there is some kind of quantum effect at the spire in Bolivia, it stands to reason it could also be happening here.”

“As we suspected.”

“Something Saad was obviously aware of.  And given where he was found, next to Eshe, it makes me think about what you were saying before.  About energy and entanglement.  And neurons.”

“I’ve been thinking the same thing.”

“You said neurons have electrons in them, and therefore neurons themselves can be entangled.”

The older man nodded.

“Do you think that’s what happens?  That this energy somehow entangles things?  Or people?”

“I think,” he said, “many different things can cause entanglement.  To what extent, I don’t know.  But I think the desert and the canyon in Bolivia may be two places where it occurs to a much greater degree.”  He smiled at her.  “But that’s just a guess.”

Angela nodded, thinking about his answer.  “Why do you think no one noticed the lights in the desert over all these years?”

“I don’t know,” shrugged Townsend. “My friend says whatever it is, it doesn’t show up on satellite.”

“You’re probably right,” she answered pensively.  “I guess the big question is what happens now?”

He shook his head.  “Like Bolivia, more and more people will undoubtedly find out.  After that, who knows?”

Townsend closed his eyes, and Angela turned forward, troubled.  A few moments later, he reopened them.

“Now, can I ask you a question?”

She turned.  “Of course.”

“Why do you think Joe was so taken with that young girl?”