"No."
The yellow streaks began, and the black lines writhed like snakes. The stonefall rattled heavily upon the roof and the hood. More water began to fall, and a fog rose up. Tanner was forced to slow, and then it seemed as if sledgehammers beat upon the car.
"We won't make it," she said.
"The hell you say. This thing's built to take it, and what's that off in the distance?"
"The bridge!" she said, moving forward. "That's it! Pull off the road to the left and go down. That's a dry riverbed beneath."
Then the lightning began to fall. It flamed, flashed about them. They passed a burning tree, and there were still fish in the roadway.
Tanner turned left as he approached the bridge. He slowed to a crawl and made his way over the shoulder and down the slick, muddy grade.
When he hit the damp riverbed, he turned right. He nosed it in under the bridge, and they were all alone there. Some waters trickled past them, and the lightnings continued to flash. The sky was a shifting kaleidoscope, and constant came the thunder. He could hear a sound like hail on the bridge above them.
"We're safe," he said, and killed the engine.
"Are the doors locked?"
"They do it automatically."
Tanner turned off the outside lights.
"Wish I could buy you a drink, besides coffee."
"Coffee'd be good."
"Okay, it's on the way," and he cleaned out the pot and filled it and plugged it in.
They sat there and smoked as the storm raged, and he said, "You know, it's a kind of nice feeling being all snug as a rat in a hole while everything goes to hell outside. Listen to that bastard come down! And we couldn't care less."
"I suppose so," she said. "What're you going to do after you make it in to Boston?"
"Oh, I don't know... . Maybe get a job, scrape up some loot, and maybe open a bike shop or a garage. Either one'd be nice."
"Sounds good. You going to ride much yourself?"
"You bet. I don't suppose they have any good clubs in town?"
"No. They're all roadrunners."
"Thought so. Maybe I'll organize my own."
He reached out and touched her hand, then squeezed it.
"I can buy _you_ a drink."
"What do you mean?"
She drew a plastic flask from the right side pocket of her jacket. She uncapped it and passed it to him.
"Here."
He took a mouthful and gulped it, coughed, took a second, then handed it back.
"Great! You're a woman of unsuspected potential and like that. Thanks."
"Don't mention it," and she took a drink herself and set the flask on the dash.
"Cigarette?"
"Just a minute."
He lit two, passed her one.
"There you are, Corny."
"Thanks. I'd like to help you finish this run."
"How come?"
"I got nothing else to do. My crowd's all gone away, and I've got nobody else to run with now. Also, if you make it, you'll be a big man. Like capital letters. Think you might keep me around after that?"
"Maybe. What are you like?"
"Oh, I'm real nice. I'll even rub your shoulders for you when they're sore."
"They're sore now."
"I thought so. Give me a lean."
He bent toward her, and she began to rub his shoulders. Her hands were quick and strong.
"You do that good, girl.
"Thanks."
He straightened up, leaned back. Then he reached out, took the flask, and had another drink. She took a small sip when he passed it to her.
The furies rode about them, but the bridge above stood the siege. Tanner turned off the lights.
"Let's make it," he said, and he seized her and drew her to him.
She did not resist him, and he found her belt buckle and unfastened it. Then he started on the buttons. After a while he reclined her seat.
"Will you keep me?' she asked him.