danbrown.deceptionpoint-第21部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


een　in　front　of　Rachel。
　00：60　SECONDS
　The　technician　gave　a　satisfied　nod　as　the　timer　began　to　count　down。　〃One　minute　until　connection。〃　He　turned　and　left；　slamming　the　door　behind　him。　Rachel　could　hear　the　bolt　lock　outside。
　Great。
　As　she　waited　in　the　dark；　watching　the　sixty…second　clock　slowly　count　down；　she　realized　that　this　was　the　first　moment　of　privacy　she'd　had　since　early　that　morning。　She'd　woken　up　today　without　the　slightest　inkling　of　what　lay　ahead。　Extraterrestrial　life。　As　of　today；　the　most　popular　modern　myth　of　all　time　was　no　longer　a　myth。
　Rachel　was　just　now　starting　to　sense　how　truly　devastating　this　meteorite　would　be　to　her　father's　campaign。　Although　NASA　funding　had　no　business　being　on　a　political　par　with　abortion　rights；　welfare；　and　health　care；　her　father　had　made　it　an　issue。　Now　it　was　going　to　blow　up　in　his　face。
　Within　hours；　Americans　would　feel　the　thrill　of　a　NASA　triumph　all　over　again。　There　would　be　teary…eyed　dreamers。　Slack…jawed　scientists。　Children's　imaginations　running　free。　Issues　of　dollars　and　cents　would　fade　away　as　petty；　overshadowed　by　this　monumental　moment。　The　President　would　emerge　like　a　phoenix；　transforming　himself　into　a　hero；　while　in　the　midst　of　the　celebration；　the　businesslike　senator　would　suddenly　appear　small…minded；　a　penny…pinching　Scrooge　with　no　American　sense　of　adventure。
　The　puter　beeped；　and　Rachel　glanced　up。
　00：05　SECONDS
　The　screen　in　front　of　her　flickered　suddenly；　and　a　blurry　image　of　the　White　House　seal　materialized　on…screen。　After　a　moment；　the　image　dissolved　into　the　face　of　President　Herney。
　〃Hello；　Rachel；〃　he　said；　a　mischievous　glint　in　his　eye。　〃I　trust　you've　had　an　interesting　afternoon？〃
　
　　
　29
　The　office　of　Senator　Sedgewick　Sexton　was　located　in　the　Philip　A。　Hart　Senate　Office　Building　on　C　Street　to　the　northeast　of　the　Capitol。　The　building　was　a　neo…modern　grid　of　white　rectangles　that　critics　claimed　looked　more　like　a　prison　than　an　office　building。　Many　who　worked　there　felt　the　same。
　On　the　third　floor；　Gabrielle　Ashe's　long　legs　paced　briskly　back　and　forth　in　front　of　her　puter　terminal。　On　the　screen　was　a　new　e…mail　message。　She　was　not　sure　what　to　make　of　it。
　The　first　two　lines　read：
　SEDGEWICK　WAS　IMPRESSIVE　ON　CNN。
I　HAVE　MORE　INFORMATION　FOR　YOU。
　Gabrielle　had　been　receiving　messages　like　this　for　the　last　couple　of　weeks。　The　return　address　was　bogus；　although　she'd　been　able　to　track　it　to　a　〃whitehouse。gov〃　domain。　It　seemed　her　mysterious　informant　was　a　White　House　insider；　and　whoever　it　was　had　bee　Gabrielle's　source　for　all　kinds　of　valuable　political　information　recently；　including　the　news　of　a　covert　meeting　between　the　NASA　administrator　and　the　President。
　Gabrielle　had　been　leery　of　the　e…mails　at　first；　but　when　she　checked　out　the　tips；　she　was　amazed　to　find　the　information　consistently　accurate　and　helpful…classified　information　on　NASA　overexpenditures；　costly　uping　missions；　data　showing　that　NASA's　search　for　extraterrestrial　life　was　grossly　overfunded　and　pathetically　unproductive；　even　internal　opinion　polls　warning　that　NASA　was　the　issue　turning　voters　away　from　the　President。
　To　enhance　her　perceived　value　to　the　senator；　Gabrielle　had　not　informed　him　she　was　receiving　unsolicited　e…mail　help　from　inside　the　White　House。　Instead；　she　simply　passed　the　information　to　him　as　ing　from　〃one　of　her　sources。〃　Sexton　was　always　appreciative　and　seemed　to　know　better　than　to　ask　who　her　source　was。　She　could　tell　he　suspected　Gabrielle　was　doing　sexual　favors。　Troublingly；　it　didn't　seem　to　bother　him　in　the　least。
　Gabrielle　stopped　pacing　and　looked　again　at　the　newly　arrived　message。　The　connotations　of　all　the　e…mails　were　clear：　Someone　inside　the　White　House　wanted　Senator　Sexton　to　win　this　election　and　was　helping　him　do　it　by　aiding　his　attack　against　NASA。
　But　who？　And　why？
　A　rat　from　a　sinking　ship；　Gabrielle　decided。　In　Washington　it　was　not　at　all　unmon　for　a　White　House　employee；　fearing　his　President　was　about　to　be　ousted　from　office；　to　offer　quiet　favors　to　the　apparent　successor　in　hopes　of　securing　power　or　another　position　after　the　changeover。　It　seemed　someone　smelled　Sexton　victory　and　was　buying　stock　early。
　The　message　currently　on　Gabrielle's　screen　made　her　nervous。　It　was　like　none　other　she　had　ever　received。　The　first　two　lines　didn't　bother　her　so　much。　It　was　the　last　two：
　EAST　APPOINTMENT　GATE；　4：30　P。M。　E　ALONE。
　Her　informant　had　never　before　asked　to　meet　in　person。　Even　so；　Gabrielle　would　have　expected　a　more　subtle　location　for　a　face…to…face　meeting。　East　Appointment　Gate？　Only　one　East　Appointment　Gate　existed　in　Washington；　as　far　as　she　knew。　Outside　the　White　House？　Is　this　some　kind　of　joke？
　Gabrielle　knew　she　could　not　respond　via　e…mail；　her　messages　were　always　bounced　back　as　undeliverable。　Her　correspondent's　account　was　anonymous。　Not　surprising。
　Should　I　consult　Sexton？　She　quickly　decided　against　it。　He　was　in　a　meeting。　Besides；　if　she　told　him　about　this　e…mail；　she'd　have　to　tell　him　about　the　others。　She　decided　her　informant's　offer　to　meet　in　public　in　broad　daylight　must　be　to　make　Gabrielle　feel　safe。　After　all；　this　person　had　done　nothing　but　help　her　for　the　last　two　weeks。　He　or　she　was　obviously　a　friend。
　Reading　the　e…mail　one　last　time；　Gabrielle　checked　the　clock。　She　had　an　hour。
　
　　
　30
　The　NASA　administrator　was　feeling　less　edgy　now　that　the　meteorite　was　successfully　out　of　the　ice。　Everything　is　falling　into　place；　he　told　himself　as　he　headed　across　the　dome　to　the　work　area　of　Michael　Tolland。　Nothing　can　stop　us　now。
　〃How's　it　ing？〃　Ekstrom　asked；　striding　up　behind　the　television　scientist。
　Tolland　glanced　up　from　his　puter；　looking　tired　but　enthusiastic。　〃Editing　is　almost　done。　I'm　just　overlaying　some　of　the　extraction　footage　your　people　shot。　Should　be　done　momentarily。〃
　〃Good。〃　The　President　had　asked　Ekstrom　to　upload　Tolland's　documentary　to　the　White　House　as　soon　as　possible。
　Although　Ekstrom　had　been　cynical　about　the　President's　desire　to　use　Michael　Tolland　on　this　project；　seeing　the　rough　cuts　of　Tolland's　documentary　had　changed　Ekstrom's　mind。　The　television　star's　spirited　narrative；　bined　with　his　interviews　of　the　civilian　scientists；　had　been　brilliantly　fused　into　a　thrilling　and　prehensible　fifteen　minutes　of　scientific　programming。　Tolland　had　achieved　effortlessly　what　NASA　so　often　failed　to　do…describe　a　scientific　discovery　at　the　level　of　the　average　American　intellect　without　being　patronizing。
　〃When　you're　done　editing；〃　Ekstrom　said；　〃bring　the　finished　product　over　to　the　press　area。　I'll　have　someone　upload　a　digital　copy　to　the　White　House。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　Tolland　went　back　to　work。
　Ekstrom　moved　on。　When　he　arrived　at　the　north　wall；　he　was　encouraged　to　find　the　habisphere's　〃press　area〃　had　e　together　nicely。　A　large　blue　carpet　had　been　rolled　out　on　the　ice。　Centered　on　the　rug　sat　a　long　symposium　table　with　several　microphones；　a　NASA　drape；　and　an　enormous　American　flag　as　a　backdrop。　To　plete　the　visual　drama；　the　meteorite　had　been　transported　on　a　palette　sled　to　its　position　of　honor；　directly　in　front　of　the　symposium　table。
　Ekstrom　was　pleased　to　see　the　mood　in　the　press　area　was　one　of　celebration。　Much　of　his　staff　was　now　crowded　around　the　meteorite；　holding　their　hands　out　over　its　still…warm　mass　like　campers　around　a　campfire。
　Ekstrom　decided　that　this　was　the　moment。　He　walked　over　to　several　cardboard　boxes　sitting　on　the　ice　behind　the　press　area。　He'd　had　the　boxes　flown　in　from　Greenland　this　morning。
　〃Drinks　are　on　me！〃　he　yelled；　handing　out　cans　of　beer　to　his　cavorting　staff。
　〃Hey；　boss！〃　someone　yelled。　〃Thanks！　It's　even　cold！〃
　Ekstrom　gave　a　rare　smile。　〃I've　been　keeping　it　on　ice。〃
　Everyone　laughed。
　〃Wait　a　minute！〃　someone　else　yelled；　scowling　good…naturedly　at　his　can。　〃This　stuff's　Canadian！　Where's　your　patriotism？〃
　〃We're　on　a　budget；　here；　folks。　Cheapest　stuff　I　could　find。〃
　More　laughter。
　〃Attention　shoppers；〃　one　of　the　NASA　television　crew　yelled　into　a　megaphone。　〃We're　about　to　switch　to　media　lighting。　You　may　experience　temporary　blindness。〃
　〃And　no　kissing　in　the　dark；〃　someone　yelled。　〃This　is　a　family　program！〃
　Ekstrom　chuckled；　enjoying　the　raillery　as　his　crew　made　final　adjustments　to　the　spotlights　and　accent　lighting。
　〃Switching　to　media　lighting　in　five；　four；　three；　two。。。　〃
　The　dome's　interior　dimmed　rapidly　as　the　halogen　lamps　shut　down。　Within　seconds；　all　the　lights　were　off。　An　impenetrable　darkness　engulfed　the　dome。
　Someone　let　out　a　mock　scream。
　〃Who　pinched　my　ass？〃　someone　yelled；　laughing。
　The　blackness　lasted　only　a　moment　before　it　was　pierced　by　the　intense　glare　of　media　spotlights。　Everyone　squinted。　The　transformation　was　now　plete；　the　north　quadrant　of　the　NASA　habisphere　had　bee　a　television　studio。　The　remainder　of　the　dome　now　looked　like　a　gaping　barn　at　night。　The　only　light　in　the　other　sections　was　the　muted　reflection　of　the　media　lights　reflecting　off　the　arched　ceiling　and　throwing　long　shadows　across　the　now　deserted　work　stations。
　Ekstrom　stepped　back　into　the　shadows；　gratified　to　see　his　team　carousing　around　the　illuminated　meteorite。　He　felt　like　a　father　at　Christmas；　watching　his　kids　enjoy　themselves　around　the　tree。
　God　knows　they　deserve　it；　Ekstrom　thought；　never　suspecting　what　calamity　lay　ahead。
　
　　
　31
　The　weather　was　changing。
　Like　a　mournful　harbinger　of　impending　conflict；　the　katabatic　wind　let　out　a　plaintive　howl　and　gusted　hard　against　the　Delta　Force's　shelter。　Delta…One　finished　battening　down　the　storm　coverings　and　went　back　inside　to　his　two　partners。　They'd　been　through　this　before。　It　would　soon　pass。
　Delta…Two　was　staring　at　the　live　video　feed　from　the　microbot。　〃You　better　look　at　this；〃　he　said。
　Delta…One　came　over。　The　inside　of　the　habisphere　was　in　total　darkness　except　for　the　bright　lighting　on　the　north　side　of　the　dome　near　the　stage。　The　remainder　of　the　habisphere　appeared　only　as　a　dim　outline。　〃It's　nothing；〃　he　said。　〃They're　just　testing　their　television　lightin