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Back Whirlwind Save as PDF
Chapters (95)
  1. Title Page
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
  23. 22
  24. 23
  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. 35
  37. 36
  38. 37
  39. 38
  40. 39
  41. 40
  42. 41
  43. 42
  44. 43
  45. 44
  46. 45
  47. 46
  48. 47
  49. 48
  50. 49
  51. 50
  52. 51
  53. 52
  54. 53
  55. 54
  56. 55
  57. 56
  58. 57
  59. 58
  60. 59
  61. 60
  62. 61
  63. 62
  64. 63
  65. 64
  66. 65
  67. 66
  68. 67
  69. 68
  70. 69
  71. 70
  72. 71
  73. 72
  74. 73
  75. 74
  76. 75
  77. 76
  78. 77
  79. 78
  80. 79
  81. 80
  82. 81
  83. 82
  84. 83
  85. 84
  86. 85
  87. 86
  88. 87
  89. 88
  90. 89
  91. 90
  92. 91
  93. 92
  94. Also by DAVID KLASS
  95. Copyright Page

I remember the man from my dreamlike vision on the yellow dinghy—a face that exists outside of time and place. An Einstein. A Gandhi. Not quite a god, but no longer a man. The small figure opens his arms to us.

I open my arms back at him.

Who is it, Jack? Is there another helicopter? Who are you waving to?

“Destiny,” the mysterious figure seems to say to me. “Come.”

I can’t come, I tell him. The winds only blow west-east. If you want us to come, you’d better find a way to help get us there.

“Come,” he repeats, and begins melting into the stormy mist. As he disappears, he moves his arms around twice in slow circles, stirring the air like a witch’s cauldron.

I feel it instantly, on my back and neck. The winds shift. Blow stronger. Pull us as if they have a will of their own.

Hey, check this out. Gisco was rooting around in the corner of the gondola where old Houlihan stored his possessions. No doubt the dog was looking for the bag of chips. Instead, he’s found a compass. It shows that we’re going due south. Beacon of Hope, we’re headed to the Amazon!

22

22

Moment of truth. At least that’s what I’m hoping I’ll hear. I’m aloft with Gisco, spinning and soaring through dark clouds. But this isn’t like the twister that whisked Dorothy willy-nilly to Oz. These whistling winds are pushing our balloon one way—south. This is a very special storm with a purpose, an agenda. Who stirred up this targeted tempest, and for what reason? It’s time to find out. Okay, dog. Let’s have the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you Great Dog God. What the heck is going on?

I can certainly appreciate your curiosity, Gisco replies, sitting back on his haunches.

Then let’s have some answers. Why did some warlord from a thousand years in the future kidnap my girlfriend? I thought when we used Firestorm to save the oceans, we created conditions that would end the threat of the Dark Army. Who sent you back to help me? And why are we being FedExed to the Amazon by special delivery balloon?

Excellent, thoughtful, probing questions, Jack. I would love to try to answer them for you, but the truth is you don’t have the necessary sophistication in the physical sciences even to begin to understand what has transpired.

Perhaps not. But I do have enough sophistication to know that if I kick your doggone butt out of this gondola, gravity will yank your hairy mass back to earth with enough acceleration to smash you like furry scrambled eggs.

There’s really no need to threaten an old friend. I’m completely on your side.