JК
The Doomsday Conspiracy :: Sheldon Sidney
Страница: 186 из 213Half a dozen chase cars stood by, ready totrack the balloons, two men in each car, the driver and the spotter.
Robert walked up to a man who seemed to be in charge. “It looks like you’re getting ready for the big race,” Robert said.
“That’s right. Ever been in a balloon?”
“No.”
They were skimming over Lake Como and he dropped the balloon down until it touched the water. “We’re going to crash,” Susan screamed. He smiled. “No, we’re not.” The bottom of the balloon was dancing on the waves. He threw out a sandbag and the balloon began to lift again. Susan laughed and hugged him and said …
The man was speaking. “You should try it sometime. It’s a great sport.”
“Yeah. Where is the race heading?”
“Yugoslavia. We have a nice easterly wind. We’ll be taking off in a few minutes. It’s better to fly early in the morning when the wind is cool.”
“Really?” Robert said politely. He had a quick flash of a summer day in Yugoslavia. We have four people to smuggle out of here, Commander. We must wait until the air is cooler. A balloon that can lift four people in the winter air can only lift two people in the summer air.
Robert noticed that the crews were finishing filling the balloons with air and starting to light the large propane burners, pointing the flame into the envelope opening, to warm the air inside. The balloons, which were lying on their sides, began to rise until the baskets stood upright.
“Mind if I look around?” Robert asked.
“Go ahead. Just stay out of everyone’s way.”
“Right.” Robert walked over to a yellow and red balloon that was filled with propane gas. The only thing holding it to the ground was a rope attached to one of the trucks.
The crewman who had been working on it had wandered off to talk to someone. There was no one else near.
Robert climbed into the basket of the balloon, and the huge envelope seemed to fill the sky above him. He checked the rigging and equipment, the altimeter, charts, a pyrometer to monitor the temperature of the envelope, a rate of climb indicator, and a tool kit. Everything was in order. Robert reached into the tool kit and pulled out a knife. He sliced into the mooring rope, and a moment later, the balloon started to ascend.
“Hey!” Robert yelled. “What’s going on here? Get me down!”
The man he had spoken to was gaping up at the runaway balloon. “Figlio d’una mignotta! Don’t panic,” he shouted. “There’s an altimeter on board. Use your ballast and stay at one thousand feet.
Robert walked up to a man who seemed to be in charge. “It looks like you’re getting ready for the big race,” Robert said.
“That’s right. Ever been in a balloon?”
“No.”
They were skimming over Lake Como and he dropped the balloon down until it touched the water. “We’re going to crash,” Susan screamed. He smiled. “No, we’re not.” The bottom of the balloon was dancing on the waves. He threw out a sandbag and the balloon began to lift again. Susan laughed and hugged him and said …
The man was speaking. “You should try it sometime. It’s a great sport.”
“Yeah. Where is the race heading?”
“Yugoslavia. We have a nice easterly wind. We’ll be taking off in a few minutes. It’s better to fly early in the morning when the wind is cool.”
“Really?” Robert said politely. He had a quick flash of a summer day in Yugoslavia. We have four people to smuggle out of here, Commander. We must wait until the air is cooler. A balloon that can lift four people in the winter air can only lift two people in the summer air.
Robert noticed that the crews were finishing filling the balloons with air and starting to light the large propane burners, pointing the flame into the envelope opening, to warm the air inside. The balloons, which were lying on their sides, began to rise until the baskets stood upright.
“Mind if I look around?” Robert asked.
“Go ahead. Just stay out of everyone’s way.”
“Right.” Robert walked over to a yellow and red balloon that was filled with propane gas. The only thing holding it to the ground was a rope attached to one of the trucks.
The crewman who had been working on it had wandered off to talk to someone. There was no one else near.
Robert climbed into the basket of the balloon, and the huge envelope seemed to fill the sky above him. He checked the rigging and equipment, the altimeter, charts, a pyrometer to monitor the temperature of the envelope, a rate of climb indicator, and a tool kit. Everything was in order. Robert reached into the tool kit and pulled out a knife. He sliced into the mooring rope, and a moment later, the balloon started to ascend.
“Hey!” Robert yelled. “What’s going on here? Get me down!”
The man he had spoken to was gaping up at the runaway balloon. “Figlio d’una mignotta! Don’t panic,” he shouted. “There’s an altimeter on board. Use your ballast and stay at one thousand feet.