Read Online Death Wave by Ben Bova - Free Book Online Page B

demanded.
    Jordan could feel himself frowning. He didn’t like the scenario playing out in his mind.
    Trying to make his expression more relaxed, he replied, “Would we have agreed to be shut away in this military base if we hadn’t been attacked?”
    â€œNo, of course not.”
    â€œI’m just wondering…”
    â€œWondering?”
    â€œWhat if the attack was all a fake, a stunt to frighten us into allowing Halleck and her people to hide us away, out of the public’s sight.”
    Her eyes widening, Aditi asked, “Why would she do that?”
    He shook his head. “Perhaps I’m just a touch paranoid.”
    Aditi got to her feet and headed for the kitchen. “I think you’re just hungry. We haven’t had anything to eat since breakfast, and that was hours ago.”
    As she started rummaging through the cupboard and refrigerator, Jordan went to the tiny counter that separated the kitchen from the sitting room and perched on one of the stools there.
    â€œHalleck has kept us away from the news media almost entirely,” he said. “We haven’t talked to a reporter or commentator since the day we landed on Earth.”
    â€œThat’s not entirely true,” Aditi said as she pulled a pair of prepackaged meals from the freezer. “We’ve conducted several interviews.”
    â€œNot live. Not in person. The questions were handed to us by a World Council public relations official and we responded to them remotely.”
    â€œStill…” She peeled off the covers and the meals instantly heated.
    Jordan continued, “Then we go to the World Council meeting and it’s quite clear that they have no intention of dealing with the death wave—”
    â€œIt’s too far in the future for them to consider it a real threat.”
    â€œOr to build the starships we need to help other worlds in danger.”
    Aditi placed the steaming packages on the bar, and then started searching the kitchen drawers for silverware. “That was wrong of them,” she agreed.
    â€œAnd what can we do about it?” he asked.
    She picked a pair of forks and knives from a drawer and came around the counter to sit on the stool beside him.
    â€œTry to convince them that it’s our moral obligation to help those worlds that are in danger,” she said.
    â€œYes, but part of the convincing would be to go to the news media and tell the public the full story.”
    As she cautiously tasted a forkful of the prepackaged food, Aditi said, “But you didn’t want to do that. You said that would make me an object of intense media attention.”
    He grinned ruefully. “That’s putting it mildly. Yet Halleck must have realized that would be our next move, and she staged this assassination attempt to get us to come quietly to this comfortable little prison, so she could keep us out of the public’s eye.”
    Aditi stared at him. “You think so?”
    â€œYes, I do.”
    Aditi chewed thoughtfully for several silent moments. At last she put her fork down and said, “Jordan, I agree with you. I think you are right.”
    â€œYou agree?”
    â€œYes. I agree that you are a little paranoid.”
    Jordan’s shoulders slumped. But he muttered, “Even paranoids have enemies.”
    *   *   *
    Shortly after their impromptu lunch, a young, somber-looking Spanish soldier knocked at their door, with a stoic robot holding their travel bags from the hotel.
    â€œWith Señor Castiglione’s compliments,” the soldier said in almost accentless English.
    â€œMuchisimas gracias,” said Jordan.
    The young man’s face broke into a warm smile. “De nada,” he said. He stayed at the door as the robot trundled into the bedroom and, at Aditi’s direction, left the bags on the king-sized bed. Then both the soldier and the robot left their quarters.
    Once they finished unpacking,