Read Online Close Up the Sky by James L. Ferrell - Free Book Online

into the tunnel and took
off at full speed. People ahead began scattering toward the walls.
    Leahy gripped the
metal bar running along the back of the seat and held on. "I see these
people know your driving habits.”
    She glanced at him
and grinned. “I love driving these things. I’m just not good at takeoffs. Anyway,
we want to get to the cafeteria before the elephant's gone don't we?"
    "Damn the
torpedoes, full speed ahead!" he shouted, and they both laughed. He was
pleased to see that she had a good sense of humor.
    The wind from
their passage caused her scarf to flutter back over her shoulder and stood the
hair up along her forehead. The grin on her face made her look like an excited
child at an amusement park rather than the scientist she really was. The golden
brooch gleamed as they passed beneath the overhead lights. She steered the cart
out of the main tunnel, made several turns, and finally stopped at a large
parking lot occupied by numerous other vehicles.
    They disembarked
and went through a set of double doors into a dining room. It was no different
from any other cafeteria Leahy had seen. There was the standard serving line
with food displayed in steam pans behind a glass shield. Several men in white
T-shirts and hats were on duty behind the counter serving food to those in
line. The room had about fifty tables and was half-full of people eating and
talking. Music came over speakers in the ceiling, and the buzz of conversation
gave the place a friendly atmosphere.
    He followed Taylor
to a turnstile at the serving line entrance and watched her insert her ID card
into a slot on top of a pedestal. Something inside clicked a few times and she
removed the card. He unclipped his card from his jacket and followed suit. After
they had gotten their food, they sat down at a table in one corner of the room.
With a police officer’s caution he positioned himself so he could see the
entire area ; especially the doors. He gazed around at
the people for a few seconds then turned to his food. He had not realized how
hungry he was until he started eating.
    "Not bad
elephant," he said over a mouthful of roast beef.
    "Just goes to
show that all those jokes about military cooks don't mean a thing," Taylor
replied, taking a sip from a cup of black coffee.
    They ate in
silence for a few minutes. During the lull in their conversation, Leahy studied
the other diners. There was about an equal number of men and women seated at
the tables. Most of them wore lab coats, but a few were dressed in green pants
and shirts similar to the type doctors and nurses wear in operating rooms. Some
of them had surgical caps with masks hanging loose around their necks. He and Taylor
were the only ones in the room wearing suits, and it made him feel a little
conspicuous.
    "Do you have
a hospital here?" he asked her.
    She gave him a
quizzical look, a forkful of food suspended halfway between her plate and
mouth. “A hospital? No, just a small infirmary. Why do
you ask?"
    He glanced around
the room. "The surgical clothes."
    “Oh, that. I’m so
used to all the uniforms and different rigs around here I hardly notice
anymore. But to answer your question, some of the labs contain sensitive equipment.
The temperature is maintained at an exact setting in a dust free environment. The
surgical clothes are to prevent contamination by human breath and skin. The
clothes they’re currently wearing will have to be changed before they go back
to work." She put the food into her mouth and continued eating.
    The answer was so
obvious that it made him feel foolish for having asked it, but his ignorance had been perpetuated by Taylor and other people ;
therefore, he could not be criticized for making inquiries. He checked his
watch again. As of now he had been kept in the dark for over twelve hours,
accepting everything on faith, and he was growing tired of it. He was about to
say so when two women sitting at a table near them caught his eye. One of them,
an