"Yes, sir," they said.
Another car pulled up, and Sarah got out with Ann Garner. Ann said, "What's the fuss?"
"Just a little misunderstanding," Kenner said. He introduced himself to her.
"I know who you are," she said, with barely concealed hostility.
"I thought you might," Kenner said, smiling.
"And I have to say," she continued, "it's guys like you--smart and unscrupulous and immoral--who have made our environment the polluted mess that it now is. So let's just get that on the table right away. I don't like you, Mr. Kenner. I don't like you personally, and I don't like what you do in the world, and I don't like anything you stand for."
"Interesting," Kenner said. "Perhaps some day you and I could have a detailed and specific conversation about exactly what is wrong with our environment, and exactly who is responsible for making it a polluted mess."
"Whenever you want," she said, angrily.
"Good. You have legal training?"
"No."
"Scientific training?"
"No."
"What is your background?"
"I worked as a documentary film producer. Before I quit to raise my family."
"Ah."
"But I am very dedicated to the environment, and I have been all my life," she said. "I read everything. I read the 'Science' section of theNew York Times every Tuesdaycover to cover, of courseThe New Yorker, and theNew York Review. I am extremely well informed."
"Well then," Kenner said, "I look forward to our conversation."
The pilots were driving up to the gate; they waited while it opened. "I think we can leave in a few minutes," Kenner said. He turned to Evans. "Why don't you confirm that that is all right with Mr. Lowenstein."
"Okay," Evans said, and headed toward the flight office.
"Just so you know," Ann said, "we're going with you. I am, and so is Ted."
"That will be delightful," Kenner said.
Inside the flight office, Evans found Lowenstein hunched over a phone in the back room reserved for pilots. "But I'm telling you, the guy isn't going for it, he wants documentation," Lowenstein said. And then after a pause, "Look, Nick, I'm not going to lose my license over this one. The guy's got a law degree from Harvard."
Evans knocked on the door. "Everything okay for us to leave?"
"Just a minute," Lowenstein said into the phone. He put his hand over the receiver. "You're going to leave now?"
"That's right. Unless you have the document..."
"It seems there is some confusion about the exact status of Morton's estate."
"Then we're going, Herb."
"Okay, okay."
He turned back to the phone. "They're leaving, Nick," he said. "You want to stop them, do it yourself."
In the cabin, everyone was sitting down. Kenner went around passing out sheets of paper. "What's this?" Bradley said, with a glance to Ann.
"It's a release," Kenner said.
Ann was reading aloud, "'...not liable in the event of death, serious bodily injury, disability, dismemberment'--dismemberment?"
"That's right," Kenner said. "You need to understand that where we are going is extremely dangerous. I strongly advise both of you not to come. But if you insist on ignoring my advice, you need to sign that."
"Where are we going?" Bradley said.
"I can't tell you that until the plane is in the air."
"Why is it dangerous?"
"Do you have a problem signing the form?" Kenner said.
"No. Hell." Bradley scrawled his signature.
"Ann?"
Ann hesitated, bit her lip, and signed.
The pilot closed the doors. The engines whined as they taxied up the runway. The flight attendant asked what they would like to drink.
"Puligny-Montrachet," Evans said.
Ann said, "Where are we going?"
"To an island off the coast of New Guinea."
"Why?"
"There is a problem," Kenner said, "that has to be dealt with."
"You want to be any more specific?"
"Not right now."
The plane rose above the cloud layer in Los Angeles, and turned west, over the Pacific.
EN ROUTE
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13
4:10 P. M.
Sarah felt relieved when Jennifer Haynes went to the front of the cabin to take a nap, falling instantly asleep. But she found it awkward to have Ann and Ted onboard. Conversation in the cabin was stilted; Kenner was not saying much. Ted was drinking heavily. He said to Ann, "Just so you know, Mr. Kenner doesn't believe in anything that normal people believe in. Not even global warming. Or Kyoto."
"Of course he doesn't believe in Kyoto," Ann said. "He's an industry hit man. Representing coal and oil interests."
Kenner said nothing. He just handed her his card.
"Institute for Risk Analysis," Ann read aloud. "That's a new one. I'll add it to the list of phony right-wing fronts."
Kenner said nothing.
"Because it'sall disinformation," Ann said. "The studies, the press releases, the flyers, websites, the organized campaigns, the big-money smears. Let me tell you, industry wasthrilled when the US didn't sign Kyoto."
Kenner rubbed his chin, and said nothing.
Ann said, "We're the world's largest polluter, and our government doesn't give a damn."