"Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins - Left Behind Series 5 - Apollyon" - читать интересную книгу автора (LaHaye Tim)

“Did you see the front curtain move when we came by, Ray? Until he saw it was us,
Floyd was probably wondering how he was gonna get Hattie underground.”
“You get a lot of snoops?”
“Hardly any. The block is deserted; the roads, as you saw, nearly impassable. So
far, this has been a perfect spot. You wanna see Donny's wife's grave?”
Rayford had heard how Buck and Tsion had found the place. He nodded as Dr.
Floyd Charles came out, the obvious question on his face. “We tried to call you,”
Ritz said.
“I've been on the phone to my guy at the hospital.”
“This here's Rayford Steele. I was about to show him the grave.”
“Of the woman neither of us ever met, but I suppose you did, Captain.”
Rayford shook his head. “Knew who she was is all. Hey, we're brothers, Doctor.
Call me Ray.”
“Thanks. Call me anything you want except Floyd.”
“How's Hattie?”
“Not well. Sleeping.”
“She going to make it?”
Dr. Charles shook his head. “I'm not optimistic. The backup at CDC in Atlanta is
ridiculous. She and I both have a hunch that what's in her system was put there by
the GC. If they ever get to the sample I sent, they'll disavow it or steer me wrong.”
They walked back to the primitive grave and stood in silence. “Wish we could put
up some kind of marker,” Rayford said, “but it would be only for us anyway, and
we know who she was and where she is. We don't need to draw attention to this
place.”
Rayford felt deep gratitude that the Tribulation Force was headquartered in what
was once this woman's home. He couldn't help cataloguing in his mind the deaths in
his own circle. The list grew long and ultimately led to Amanda. He had grieved so
much already, and he feared he would suffer many more losses before his own
number came up.
Floyd Charles gave Rayford a quick tour of the place while they brought each other
up to date on their respective situations. Rayford was impressed with the house,
especially the underground shelter Donny had fashioned before his own demise.
The day would surely come when they would all have to live under, rather than in,
the house. How soon he could not guess. Nothing was predictable anymore, save for
the judgments from heaven meticulously outlined on Tsion's scriptural charts. Who
would survive and for how long was all in God's control and timing.
Rayford had heard death-rattle breathing before, but the emaciated frame of his
former coworker, friend, and object of flirtation strangely moved him. Rayford
stood over Hattie, pitying her, hoping for her, praying for her. He wanted to know
what she knew about Amanda, of course, but he was not so selfish as to wish she
would stay alive only long enough to communicate that. He gently pushed her
bangs off her forehead. In the dim light he couldn't tell whether a mark was there.
Dr. Charles shook his head. “She's been talking a lot lately, but she hasn't come to
any decision yet. At least she hasn't decided the way we'd like.”
“Chloe thought she was close,” Rayford said. “Lord knows she has enough
information. I don't know what it'll take.”
“I plead with her all the time,” the doctor said. “She's stubborn. Waiting for
something. I don't know. I'm at a loss.”
“Pray she survives another day,” Rayford said. “And wake me if she comes to.”
“You want something to help you sleep?”