According to the address provided by Pamarot, Lynn came to Hughes's house alone. The American owns a small auto repair shop in the northern suburbs of downtown Roslunas, and Hughes and his son are busy repairing a beat-up pickup truck early in the morning. The elder Hughes was not tall but had strong arms, which was the common surname of the old drivers in the era of mechanical steering wheels, and he did not speak loudly, but there was a fierce expression on his face. Little Hughes was a young man about the size of Pamarot, with freckles on his cheeks, a tank top and shorts, and his hands were stained with oil, but he could still tell a little bookishness.

In front of old Hughes, Lynn didn't explain his intentions, but said to little Hughes, "You are Karenger. Mr. Hughes! I'm from California and a friend introduced me to you. ”

"California? Pamarote? Little Hughes actually guessed the person as soon as he heard the name of the place.

Lynn smiled and shook her head, "Can you talk about it alone?" Coffee I please! ”

Although it is a suburb, Lynn paid special attention when she came, and there was a typical country restaurant more than 100 meters away - the kind that served pastries, coffee, and liquor.

Hughes Jr. did not refuse the invitation because of Lynn's abrupt visit, he picked up a dirty rag from the side, wiped his hands, and said to old Hughes, "Dad, this is a friend from California, let's go have a cup of coffee!" ”

"Oh!" Old Hughes glanced at Lynn, and saw that this guy was young and well-dressed, but he didn't show any wariness.

The two of them walked together towards the restaurant, and little Hughes rummaged through his pockets, found an empty pack of cigarettes, and threw it on the ground in a ball of frustration.

Cigarettes have long become an important prop in Lynn's life, and the cigarettes that I used to smoke in Germany were some cigarettes that I had never heard of the name, and the taste was not good, but this time I came to the United States, and finally saw the familiar Marlboro and camel again. In this case, he naturally took out a cigarette from his pocket, shook one out and gave it to Hughes Jr., introducing him by the way: "My name is Carter. Holm, an exchange scholar recommended from the National University of La Plata in Argentina to the University of California, majoring in molecular physics, is friends with Pamarote, but ...... I don't want him to get involved in this, so I'll just ask for your address from a passerby! ”

Hughes Jr. smoked a cigarette very calmly: "Want to ride a hot air balloon? ”

It was always easier to talk to someone who understood, and Lynn replied, "Yes, take a hot air balloon ride around the desert, money is not an issue." ”

"Of course money is not an issue." Little Hughes said meaningfully, he pushed the door and walked into the restaurant, and there were two ladies standing behind the bar, one was a and still charming, and the other was young but already eyebrows.

"A cup of coffee, a bottle of beer, and a meal." Hughes Jr. was obviously very familiar with the restaurant in front of his house, and he didn't ask Lynn if he wanted to eat something too, but just found a window seat and sat down.

"Damn Axe forced me to buy my hot air balloon for $50, you know, such a craft would cost at least $150."

Then, without waiting for Lynn, who had just sat down, to say a word of relief, Hughes Jr. angrily spat out smoke rings: "They also warned me not to build and use any flying machines until the ban is lifted, what the hell! ”

Such a young and impulsive lover is a good talker, Lynn thought, and then whispered, "But as far as I know...... You still made one in private, right? ”

"Before the ban was issued, I paid US$10 for a short sightseeing trip in a balloon, US$30 for a trip around the desert, and basically two or three times a month when the weather was nice. What the hell! ”

After Hughes said "what the hell" for the second time, the still charming hostess twisted her waist and brought coffee, beer, and a meal of meat, vegetables and bread, especially the smell of baked potatoes.

"Stop dreaming!" The older mature woman accurately placed the coffee in front of Lynn, the beer and food on Hughes's side, and jokingly interjected: "As soon as your balloon was launched, the custody was shot down by the U.S. Army's machine guns, and if you were caught in jail, your debt here would have to be paid by your father." ”

Little Hughes said disapprehantly: "It's only a few dollars, as if I'm afraid I won't pay it back." ”

Two young Americans of almost the same age, one went to college, the other entered the society, in just a few years, one is polite and ambitious, the other is world-weary and uninhibited, this is the wonder of life. At this time, Lynn was not in a hurry to speak, but silently drank country coffee, watched little Hughes eat a large piece of beer, and waited until he had finished eating, and then said to the bar, "Give me two packs of camel cigarettes." ”

When the hostess brought the cigarettes, Lynn pushed one of the packs to Little Hughes, opened the other pack herself, and said tentatively: "I want to buy your hot air balloon, on the condition that you help me drive it once for free, if you can successfully return from a trip around the desert, the hot air balloon will be returned to you for free, how about it?" ”

Little Hughes didn't think much about such conditions, he lit a second cigarette and didn't mind talking about something serious on such an occasion:

"Only a fool would refuse such an offer, but ...... You're obviously not just here for sightseeing! ”

Lynn smiled calmly: "Actually, I'm here to find someone, to find someone who can answer the question, he is in the desert, but I have no way of knowing his exact location." ”

Hughes Jr. still had a disapproving expression: "In this way, the possibility that we were shot down by the military is really not small, and it is better to buy another insurance." ”

"Yes." Lynn replied, "How many people can you seat in your hot air balloon?" ”

Hughes Jr. replied: "In the past, it could seat four or five people, but now it is smaller, and you and I are fine, but I am afraid it will not work if you want to carry bombs or other heavy objects." ”

When it comes to bombs, Lynn's heart is tight, this guy is really open-mouthed, isn't he afraid that the people around him will mistakenly think it is true and run to tell the military? Or is this guy so much that his neighbors are used to it?

"For this hot air balloon, I spent $44 on the cost, and the labor cost is converted into $36, and how about $120 if you count the employment fee, insurance fee, etc.?"

When negotiating the price, Hughes Jr. finally deliberately lowered his tone.

$120 for a hot air balloon with a pilot is not expensive at all, but Lynn is still unsure of how long the operation will last and what will be added considering that it is not a single flight to get critical intelligence. He weighed one or two in his mind, although the other party did not have an obvious price to sit on the ground, but the guy who drank in the morning did not seem to be so reliable, so he made a "installment" proposal: "If I make sure that the hot air balloon can fly, I will pay $50, pay another $50 after takeoff, and settle the last $20 when I land." ”

"This is the way Argentines are used to trading?" Hughes Jr. took a cigarette in one hand and drained the last sip of the beer bottle in the other, and replied cheerfully, "Deal!" When are you going to go? ”

"The sooner the better, of course!" Lynn said, "Can I go see your hot air balloon now?" ”

Hughes Jr. got up: "You can't see it when you sit here!" ”

Before leaving the restaurant, Lynn settled the bill for the meal, and he had to pay 35 cents for $1 in change, and the country was still cheaper than he could have imagined. Little Hughes, apparently deliberately avoiding his father's gaze, took Lynn around in a big circle, and finally came to the warehouse located at the back of the auto repair shop, opened the side door lightly, and took Lynn in and looked at the repair shop with extra vigilance.

In the dim light, Lynn saw a warehouse piled high with various parts and miscellaneous items, the smell of motor oil and rubber in the air, and little Hughes lifted the canvas that covered the pile of things in the corners. This seems to be the simplest open heated hot air balloon, without a closed balloon, the bottom area of the gondola is less than 1 square meter, and it can only accommodate two people standing or sitting.

"What kind of fabric is this balloon made of?" From a safety point of view, Lynn asked seriously.

"Certainly not with papier-mâché like the French!" Hughes Jr. unceremoniously joked that since the defeat of 1940, the proud France seemed to have become the object of ridicule all over the world - the French did invent hot air balloons made of papier-mâché, but that was more than a century ago, and the Maginot Line, which they had built at great expense, was not much better than papier-mâché, although it was made of real materials.

Lynn stepped forward and touched it, it was supposed to be a parachute-like nylon or polyester fabric, very light and strong, and made of many single pieces of fabric. This is often the most expensive part of a hot air balloon compared to a rudimentary gondola and burner.

Seeing Lynn curiously and carefully looking at the handicrafts he made, Hughes Jr. said: "Although this hot air balloon has never actually flown before, with my previous 4 years of flying experience, it can completely achieve a flight around the desert." Even the slightest air leak ensures our safety. ”

Lynn nodded: "What am I worried about being able to praise Saul?" What is the fastest time to depart? ”

"If my dad isn't there, I can go any day." Hughes Jr. said helplessly, "But he won't go to Albuquerke until the day after tomorrow to buy goods." ”

With another two days of delay, Lynn was really reluctant: "Can I go and talk to him?" This time there is indeed something important. ”

"No kidding!" Hughes Jr. shook his head again and again, "Until the military lifts the ban, he will not agree to let me fly a hot air balloon." Everyone thinks that if you violate the ban, you will be shot down by the military's machine guns, it's ridiculous! ”

Lynn really thought it was funny that his strict father's supervision had become the biggest obstacle at the moment, and he thought about it, since the military ban on flying was all over the city in New Mexico, there would always be many rumors about the secret test base!

"Test base?" Hughes Jr. scratched his face, "I heard that there are many places, a roadcar, a barbed wire fence, even if it is a military base, who knows where the person you are looking for is?" Ay...... I said, even if I take you around in the air, you can't be sure! ”

This was an obvious logical flaw, but Lynn was not alarmed, he calmly replied: "We physics students say nothing else, just look at the shape of the test base from a high place, and basically determine its purpose." If I can't leave the day after tomorrow, then I'd rather rent a car and go around one place at a time, slower or slower, but sooner or later I can find it. ”

When the rare business is in hand, the fool will give up in vain, and Hughes Jr. hurriedly said: "The car ride is slow enough, fortunately, the weather is good enough in these days, and it will take up to four days to fly a circle." Take advantage of these two days, you should also prepare the food you want to eat on the way, and you can't stop at random on the way. ”

(To be continued)