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didn’t you tell me?”
    “I’m not working for Carpathia, Rayford. I was pressed into service. I’m still a Pan-
    Con chief pilot at O’Hare, but when duty calls-”
    “Why didn’t Carpathia tell me he was aware of you?” Rayford said. “He asked me to find somebody to fly Global Community One into New York. He didn’t know I would choose you.”
    “He must have,” Earl said. “Who else would you pick? I was asked to help design this new plane, and I thought it would be fun just to test it a little bit. Then I get asked to fly the original plane to New York. Since the request came from you, I was flattered and honored. It was only when I got on the ground and realized the plane and I were targets that I got out of New York and headed back to Chicago as fast as I could. I never got there. I got word from Carpathia’s people while I was in the air that I was needed in Dallas to brief you on this plane.”
    “I’m lost,” Rayford said.
    “Well, I don’t know much either,” Earl said. “But it’s clear Carpathia wanted my going to New York and winding up dead to look like your decision, not his.” “Why would he want you dead?”
    “Maybe I know too much.”
    “I’ve been flying him all over the place,” Rayford said. “I have to know more than you, and yet I don’t sense he’s thinking about doing me in.”
    “Just watch your back, Rayford. I’ve heard enough to know this is not all what it seems to be and that this man does not have the world’s best interests at heart.”
    There’s the understatement of the ages, Rayford thought.
    “I don’t know how you got me into this, Rayford, but-”
    “I got you into this? Earl, you have a short memory. You’re the one who encouraged me to become the pilot of Air Force One. I wasn’t looking for that job, and I certainly never dreamed it would turn into this.”
    “Piloting Air Force One was a plum assignment,” Earl said, “whether you recognized that at the time or not. How was I to know what would come of it?”
    “Let’s stop blaming each other and decide what we’re supposed to do now.”
    “Ray, I’m gonna bring you up to speed on this plane, but then I think I’m a dead man.
    Would you tell my wife that-”
    “Earl, what are you talking about? Why do you think you won’t make it back to Chicago?”
    “I have no idea, Ray. All I know is that I was supposed to be in New York with that plane when it got obliterated. I don’t see myself as any threat to the Carpathia administration, but if they cared a whit about me, they would have gotten me out of New York before I had the idea I’d better get out of there.”
    “Can’t you get yourself some sort of emergency assignment at DFW? There has to be a huge need for Pan-Con personnel over there, in light of everything.”
    “Carpathia’s people have arranged a ride back to Chicago for me. I just have this feeling I’m not safe.”
    “Tell them you don’t want to put them out. Tell them you’ve got plenty of work to do at DFW .”
    “I’ll try. Meanwhile, let me show you this rig. And Ray, as an old friend, I want you to promise me that if anything does happen to me-”
    “Nothing is going to happen to you, Earl. But of course I’ll keep in touch with your wife either way.”
----
    Donny Moore fell silent at the tragic news. He sat staring, eyes wide, seemingly unable to form words. Buck busied himself leafing through the catalogs. He couldn’t concentrate. He knew there would be more questions. He didn’t know what to tell Donny.
    And he needed this man’s help.
    Donny’s voice came hoarse with emotion. “What’s gonna happen to this church?”
    “I know this sounds like a cliché,” Buck said, “but I believe God will provide.”
    “How will God. provide anybody like Pastor Bruce?”
    “I know what you mean, Donny. Whoever it is won’t be another Pastor Bruce. He was unique.”
    “I’m still having trouble believing it,” Donny said. “But I don’t guess