"Have you seen it? All through the plane of the ecliptic—asteroids. They're blowing up like firecrackers! Since dusk, apparently. I just got confirmation from Mount Laguna and somebody left a message a few minutes ago from Pic du Midi in France. The asteroid belt looks like a battlefield."

"Damn," Arthur said. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Marty and Francine standing in the doorway, Marty with his arms wrapped tight around his mother's waist.

"When is this task force going to come clean?" Riley asked. "Lots of people are really angry, Arthur. The President shoots his mouth off, and nobody else is talking."

"We can't be sure this is connected."

"Arthur! For God's sake! Asteroids are blowing up! How the hell could it not be connected?"

"You're right," Arthur said. "I'm flying to San Francisco tomorrow. How many sparkles so far?"

"Since I've been watching, at least a hundred. Got to run now."

Arthur said good-bye and hung up. Marty was owl-eyed, Francine only slightly more restrained. "It's all right," he said.

"Is it starting?" she asked. Marty began to whimper. Arthur had not heard his son whimper in recent memory —months, a year.

"No. I don't think so. This is far away, in the asteroids."

"Are they sure it's not shooting stars?" Marty asked, a very adult rationalization.

"No. Asteroids. They're out beyond Mars, most of them between Mars and Jupiter."

"Why out there?" Francine asked.

Arthur could only shake his head.

Chapter 33

33

November 23

Minelli had spent the night lying in a lounger by the broad picture windows. He was there now, head lolling, snoring softly. Edward tightened the knot on the bathrobe he had borrowed from Stella and walked past the lounger to stand by the glass. Beyond a concrete patio and a dried-up L-shaped ornamental fishpond, frost whitened several acres of winter-yellow grass.

Coming here had been a good idea. Shoshone was peaceful, isolated without being cut off. For a few days at least, they could rest, until the crowds of reporters found them again. The few townspeople aware of their return were making sure nobody knew where they were. They spent most of the day indoors, and only Bernice answered the phone.

He heard Minelli stir behind him.

"You missed the show," Minelli said.

"Show?"

"All night long. Like a parade of lightning bugs."

Edward raised an eyebrow.

"No joking, and I'm not crazy. Out over the mountains, all night long. Clear as a bell. The sky twinkled."

"Meteors?"

"I've seen meteors, and these wasn't them"

"End of the world, no doubt," Edward said.

"No doubt," Minelli echoed.

"How are you feeling?"

"Rested. Better. I must have given everybody a bad time back there."

"They gave us a bad time," Edward corrected. "I was feeling a little nuts myself."

"Nuts." Minelli shook his head and cocked a dubious glance at Edward. "Where's Reslaw?"

"Still sleeping." He and Reslaw had shared a middle bedroom.