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"I can assure you, you haven't found this person in us," I replied to McTaggert. "As you may realize, there was considerable self-interest involved. Where would we have gone, if we hadn't stayed on the airplane? Flying this air-lift was out of necessity, rather than by choice."
"And we'll be flying right back in about fifteen minutes," added Jennie, "and tomorrow we'll do the same again, and many times after that until everyone has been evacuated."
"And we aren't the only ones," I added mechanically. My heart wasn't in it. Having reached some degree of safety at last, I was in a good mind just to stay put. In fact this was my intention deep down in my thoughts, though I didn't think it would ever happen. "There will be a thousand flight crews involved when the airlift gets into full swing," I said to McTaggert.
"...That's a dangerous business, isn't it, because of the radiation?" McTaggert replied.
"Radiation is the least of the problems," I said. I began telling him about our experience in Abbotsford, and about the shooting in Victoria; "Sure it's dangerous, but it is far more dangerous for the people that are left behind who have to worry about radiation. It's important to get them out as quickly as possible. Actually, it may well be too late already. Still, we must do everything we can to give them a chance." I had to be careful not to grin here, not to let on that I really had hoped against hope that it would be possible for us to stay.
McTaggert, who had been blunt and boisterous before, became quiet now. He remarked thoughtfully: "It's a strange thing, what is happening here. I have never met anyone like you people in all my years in business. My business is in Chicago. I buy real estate when I see a chance for development. Then I bring in the resources, exploit the need and make a profit. That's how business works. That's how money is made, through sheer self-interest. Now you're almost telling me that I should be ashamed of the way I've lived."
"No, No!" replied Jennie. "You mustn't judge yourself so harshly."
"...But I must!" McTaggert replied. "Either I have been wrong all my life, or you people are crazy, which I don't think you are."
McTaggert hesitated, looking at the floor. "What you are doing goes against the most basic laws of nature. It's unnatural for one to risk one's life to help others, especially if you don't even know if it will do any good. And yet, you're telling me it is being done all over the place..."
We talked several more minutes along these lines. Finally we excused ourselves. Jennie said it was time to get back on the plane.
"That means you have another ten more hours to fly," he remarked. "But you look tired already. And what happens to you after you come back?"
"Oh, we'll find a hole to crawl into," I joked. "Did I tell you that I came from your home-city this morning, and from Miami before that?" I said to him. "We nearly landed at SEATAC. We were facing the runway when the holocaust was announced. Luckily we had enough fuel to get out of there, and get to Vancouver. After that the real flying began back and forth across the mountains, landing in chaos, amidst gunshots. Yes, it's been a long day. Eighteen hours in the air, maybe more...."
McTaggert shook his head. He raised his hand, but said nothing. Moments later, he reached into his upper pocket, brought a bundle of keys out, and slid one of them off the ring that held them together.
"Here take this!" he said to me. "It's for my flat in an apartment complex on Maui, called Papakeea. You may be in need of a place to sleep when you get back. I don't have any need for it now. I would like you to use it. The apartment number is on the key. The complex is a short way past Lahina, right at the far end of Kaanapali Beach. You can't miss it. But don't get the idea that I think you're right," he added. "I am giving you this key because it is my pleasure to do so, not because I feel I should."
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