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."What is that?" the president gasped, clutching the table edge.The information minister went to a window."It is the royal Kurani roller coaster," he said."It is being torn apart.They have climbed atop it and are battling furiously."Taking up a pair of field glasses, the president went to the window.He saw them clearly this time.Both the American who wore the purple and redof an Aladdin, and the nude blond American woman with more arms than werewholesome.They were tearing off sections of track and using them as bludgeons.Each timea blow fell, the entire rickety roller coaster trembled like a precarioushouse of wooden matchsticks."Who is winning?" asked the foreign minister."It is as before," Azziz returned."They are stalemated.Yet they seemtireless.What manner of beings could these be?"No one had an answer to that.Presently the defense minister had an idea."Perhaps there is a way to defeat them," he offered, his dark eyes alight.The president lowered his field glasses."Tell me.""Gases.We will pour war gases down upon them.""Will this work?""They have noses.They must breathe like mortals.If they breathe the gasesin, they must die.""Is it not dangerous to us?" wondered Azziz.The defense minister shrugged unconcernedly."The wind is from the east.Theenemy are to the west.We may lose some of our western sector, but we willlose more than that if this madness continues unchecked."The president considered only a moment."Do it," he commanded.Since the only missile battery in Abominadad had been decimated, the defenseminister had to call the outpost of the Abaddon Air Base in order to effect aScud strike."Yes, that is correct," he said."I did say to launch your missiles atAbominadad.The western sector.The former Maddas City.You can do this?"The defense minister listened.Absently he reached up to brush his mustache.Touching bare flesh, he felt a stab of fear.Then he remembered.It was safeto be without a mustache in Irait now that Maddas Hinsein was no more.When the word came back that the missiles would soon be launched, the defenseminister said, "Thank you," and lowered the phone to its cradle.He heard the click just as the president shouted, "Wait! Do not launch!""Why not?""The wind has now shifted this way! In the name of Allah, call them back!"Frantically the defense minister picked up the receiver.He began stabbing thekeypad, his eyes starting from his head, his face sprouting a hot sheen ofsweat.Two rings later a bored voice said, "Achmed's Tyre Emporium."This time true fear clutched at the defense minister's heart and would not letgo.He stood there, his eyes stricken, the annoyed "Hello? Hello?" assaultinghis unhearing ears through the trembling receiver."You have called it off?" shouted the president.The defense minister hesitated, his tongue a cold slug of fear in his drymouth.Should be reveal that he had misdialed, or should he try again? With aPage 36ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlnew president it was impossible to tell which was the survivable option.Then all choice fled the defense minister's mind.From beyond the windows where the rest of the Revolting Command Councilwatched came a low roaring.It swelled to a screech, and at the apex of thesound came a steady crump crump crump.Air-raid sirens wailed.From roofs all over Abominadad, antiaircraft artilleryopened up, sending reddish-orange tracers streaking into the clear heavens.The faces of the Revolting Command Council turned, eyes wide, mustachelessmouths forming identical bloodless lines.They regarded the defense ministerwith stupefied expressions.Recognizing his predicament, the defense minister decided to lie."It was too late," he said miserably."My loyal forces, eager to perform theirsacred duty, could not wait to execute my order.It is done.""So," said President Razzik Azziz thickly, "are we, brother Arabs.For allthree missiles have missed.One has landed on this side of the Tigris.Thereare gases coming this way."Then a gruff voice asked a deceptively innocuous question [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]