"Congratulations, Colonel. You have earned yourself a firing squad."
"Guess again, baby. I'm on UN territory and I've asked for asylum in Selene."
"You are a traitor," the harsh voice whispered. "A turncoat. Worse even than Kinsman himself. You knew what we were doing. You helped to plan it for us. And then you changed sides. There will be no mercy for you, black man. No place to hide. You are a dead man."
"Everybody dies," Colt said, in his toughest ghetto snarl. "Including you."
"That is true. But you will die sooner than most. Our troops will not be thwarted. They will seize Station Alpha or destroy it."
"Better change their orders. They'll get their asses fried if they don't turn back."
"They will not turn back. And if your newfound friends kill American troops, not even the UN building will be safe for you."
"If I were you," Kinsman heard Colt saying quite distinctly, "I'd be heading for a bomb shelter instead of making threatening phone calls." Then he heard the faint snap of the phone switch.
"Alex," Kinsman said. "Don't put me under. I've got to stay awake ... got to ..."
"Your EKG is frightening," Landau said. "You will stay down and you will rest."
"He will not," Colt said firmly.
Kinsman fumbled for the controls on the arm of his chair and swung it around to a point where he could see Colt. Don't try sitting up, he warned himself. Don't get that brave. The pain was dulled now, but he knew that was from whatever Landau had injected into him. The drug had merely turned the volume down temporarily.
"Keep him awake and alert," Colt said, walking over to face Landau. "We're gonna need him. He's the one they'll listen to—the people up there and the people down here. If he's out of it, they're not gonna listen to you or me."
"There is Harriman," Landau said through barely opened lips.
"Keep him awake," Colt repeated.
"You'll kill him."
Before Colt could reply, Kinsman said, "Everybody dies." The two former astronauts grinned at each other.
"Frank," said Kinsman, "see if you can re-establish contact with Alpha. Perry's no fool. He's probably trying to make direct contact with this building's microwave receivers right now."
"Yeah, right." Colt went back to the phone.
Breathing very carefully so that he would not disturb the beast that was drowsing inside him. Kinsman told Landau, "Do whatever you have to, Alex, but don't put me under. Frank's right. I've got to be awake through this. I'm the only one they'll listen to. Maybe when Hugh comes back . . ." If he gets back. Kinsman thought. If he had to go outside the building they might have grabbed him,
"I could try electrical blockage for the pain," Landau muttered, and went back to his medical equipment.
Colt was grumbling and swearing into the phone. "Don't any of those fuckers on the switchboard speak English? Holy shit!"
Kinsman smiled to himself. Frank's made his choice. He came through.
The wall screen showed a huge clock built into the facade of one of the Times Square towers. It said 9:48. The crowd was like a single mass of people now, swaying, chanting, self-hypnotized.
"Yeah . . . whozzat? Perry! This is Colt."
