5

He simply couldn't, Mel Bakersfeld decided, go downtown tonight.
Mel was in his office, in the mezzanine administrative suite. His fingers drummed thoughtfully on the surface ,of his desk, from where he had been telephoning, obtaining latest reports on the airport's operating status.
Runway three zero was still out of use, still blocked by the niired A6reo-Mexican jet. As a result, the general runway availability situation was now critical, and traffic delays--both in the air and on the ground-were worsening. The possibility of having to declare the airport closed, some time within the next few hours, was very real.
Meanwhile, aircraft takeoffs were continuing over Meadowood, which was a hornet's nest all its own. The airport switchboard, as well as air traffic control's, was being swamped with bitterly complaining calls from Meadowood householders-those who were at home. A good many others, Mel had been informed, were at the protest meeting he had heard about earlier this evening; and now there was a rumor-which the tower chief had passed along a few minutes ago-that

some kind of public demonstration was being planned, to take place at the airport tonight.
Mel thought glumly: a bunch of demonstrators underfoot was all he needed. One good thing was that the category three emergency had just been declared concluded, the air force KC-135 which caused it, having landed safely. But one emergency ended was no assurance another would not begin. Mel had not forgotten the vague unease, the presentiment of danger he had felt while on the airfield an hour ago. The feeling, impossible to define or justify, still bothered him. Yet even without it, the other cir- cumstances were enough to require his remaining here.
Cindy, of course-still waiting for him at her charity whingding-would raise all bell. But she was angry, anyway, because he was going to be late; he would have to brace himself to absorb the extra wrath as a result of not appearing at all. He supposed he might as well get Cindy's first salvo over with. The slip of paper with the downtown number where he had reached