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###@¤%*«:. ORANGE-CLAD TRAIN-CLIMBER CREW, MOVING .:«*%¤@###
####@¤%*«: ALONG THE RUSTY CARGO CARS LIKE SOME :«*%¤@####
###@¤%*«:. SPECIES OF FERROPHAGE INSECT. UP AND .:«*%¤@###
####@¤%*«: DOWN THE TRAIN, CHECKING BOLTS, OILING :«*%¤@####
####@¤*«:. JOINTS, DRINKING COFFEE, SMOKING .:«*¤@####
###@¤%*«:. CIGARETTES. .:«*%¤@###
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###@¤%*«:. ############################## .:«*%¤@###
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@@%««..... WE WERE GOING SOUTH THROUGH FINLAND AT .....««%@@
###@¤%*«:. THE TIME, SLEEPING CLOSE TO THE .:«*%¤@###
###@¤%*«:. FURNACE, WATCHING THE AURORA BOREALIS. .:«*%¤@###
###@¤%*«:. TWENTY-SOMETHING MEMBERS OF THE CREW, .:«*%¤@###
####@¤%*«: MOST OF WHICH WERE MECHANICS, OR :«*%¤@####
####¤%*«:. LOADERS, WITH LARGE AND HAIRY HANDS .:«*%¤####
###@¤%*«:. THAT COULD SWALLOW MY ENTIRE BODY. AND .:«*%¤@###
@@@¤*:.... ME FEATURING AS THE CUTE AND ASOCIAL ....:*¤@@@
###@¤%*«:. RADIO OPERATOR, STATIONED IN THE BACK .:«*%¤@###
##¤%**««:. OF THE KILOMETER-LONG TRAIN, WHICH .:««**%¤##
##@%%%*«:. SERVED ME GOOD AND WELL. .:«*%%%@##
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##@@¤%*«:. AND THEN ONE NIGHT, THERE'S A MISSILE. .:«*%¤@@##
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###@¤%*«:. THE TAIL, AND DROP SOME OFF, AS A WAY .:«*%¤@###
#@¤%*:.... OF EARNING SOME EXTRA MONEY. BUT A ....:*%¤@#
#@@@¤%*«:. MISSILE, AND APPEARING SILENTLY IN THE .:«*%¤@@@#
###@¤%*«:. MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AT THAT? NOT .:«*%¤@###
###@¤%*«:. ENTIRELY... COMFORTABLE. .:«*%¤@###
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#¤**:::... I CALL IT IN ON THE WALKIE-TALKIE. NOT ...:::**¤#
###@¤%*«:. MANY OTHERS AWAKE, THEY KNOW NOTHING .:«*%¤@###
###@¤%*«:. ABOUT IT, AND APPEAR CONCERNED AS WELL. .:«*%¤@###
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###@¤%*«:. ############################## .:«*%¤@###
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###@¤%*«:. WHEN I FALL AWAKE IN THE AFTERNOON, .:«*%¤@###
@%%%*::... KARL IS THERE, SMILING AT ME. "HEY ...::*%%%@
####¤%*«:. BOY," HE SAYS, "WANNA HELP ME MAKE A .:«*%¤####
###@¤%*«:. CALL?" .:«*%¤@###
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###@¤%*«:. AFTER HE'S BROUGHT ME COFFEE, I DIAL .:«*%¤@###
#@%%%%*«:. THE FREQUENCY FROM HIS NOTEBOOK, AND .:«*%%%%@#
#¤¤**««... AFTER A WHILE THERE'S A REPLY IN ...««**¤¤#
###@¤%*«:. PAN-SLAVIC. KARL LAUGHS AND MAKES A .:«*%¤@###
###@¤%*«:. REPLY IN THE SAME LANGUAGE. EVEN THOUGH .:«*%¤@###
###@¤%*«:. WE BOTH HAVE HEADPHONES I CAN'T FOLLOW .:«*%¤@###
#@¤**««... AT ALL, BUT I HEAR THE WORD "MISSILE" A ...««**¤@#
###@¤%*«:. FEW TIMES. .:«*%¤@###
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#@%««..... I'M ALMOST SNOOZING AGAIN AT THE TIME .....««%@#
###@¤%*«:. KARL PUTS DOWN THE HEADPHONES AND SLAPS .:«*%¤@###
@¤¤*::::.. ME ON MY BACK. "ALLRIGHT BOY. I JUST ..::::*¤¤@
###@¤%*«:. SOLD A MISSILE." HE PRACTICALLY BEAMS .:«*%¤@###
##¤¤%««::. AT ME, TEETH FILED SHARP. "WANNA MAKE A .::««%¤¤##
@%%%«:.... DETOUR?" ....:«%%%@
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