danbrown.deceptionpoint-第30部分

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ster　resembling　a　large　scuba　tank。
　〃Inhale；〃　Norah　said；　opening　the　valve。
　Rachel　heard　a　hiss　and　felt　gel　being　injected　into　the　suit。　The　memory　foam　expanded；　and　the　suit　pressed　around　her；　pressing　down　on　her　inner　layer　of　clothing。　The　sensation　reminded　her　of　sticking　her　hand　underwater　while　wearing　a　rubber　glove。　As　the　hood　inflated　around　her　head；　it　pressed　in　on　her　ears；　making　everything　sound　muffled。　I'm　in　a　cocoon。
　〃Best　thing　about　the　Mark　IX；〃　Norah　said；　〃is　the　padding。　You　can　fall　on　your　ass　and　not　feel　a　thing。〃
　Rachel　believed　it。　She　felt　like　she　was　trapped　inside　a　mattress。
　Norah　handed　Rachel　a　series　of　tools…an　ice　ax；　tether　snaps；　and　carabiners；　which　she　affixed　to　the　belt　harnessed　on　Rachel's　waist。
　〃All　this？〃　Rachel　asked；　eyeing　the　gear。　〃To　go　two　hundred　yards？〃
　Norah's　eyes　narrowed。　〃You　want　to　e　or　not？〃
　Tolland　gave　Rachel　a　reassuring　nod。　〃Norah's　just　being　careful。〃
　Corky　connected　to　the　infusion　tank　and　inflated　his　suit；　looking　amused。　〃I　feel　like　I'm　wearing　a　giant　condom。〃
　Norah　gave　a　disgusted　groan。　〃Like　you'd　know；　virgin　boy。〃
　Tolland　sat　down　next　to　Rachel。　He　gave　her　a　weak　smile　as　she　donned　her　heavy　boots　and　crampons。　〃You　sure　you　want　to　e？〃　His　eyes　had　a　protective　concern　that　drew　her　in。
　Rachel　hoped　her　confident　nod　belied　her　growing　trepidation。　Two　hundred　yards。。。　not　far　at　all。　〃And　you　thought　you　could　find　excitement　only　on　the　high　seas。〃
　Tolland　chuckled；　talking　as　he　attached　his　own　crampons。　〃I've　decided　I　like　liquid　water　much　better　than　this　frozen　stuff。〃
　〃I've　never　been　a　big　fan　of　either；〃　Rachel　said。　〃I　fell　through　the　ice　as　a　kid。　Water's　made　me　nervous　ever　since。〃
　Tolland　glanced　over；　his　eyes　sympathetic。　〃Sorry　to　hear　that。　When　this　is　over；　you'll　have　to　e　out　and　visit　me　on　the　Goya。　I'll　change　your　mind　about　water。　Promise。〃
　The　invitation　surprised　her。　The　Goya　was　Tolland's　research　ship…well…known　both　from　its　role　in　Amazing　Seas　as　well　as　its　reputation　as　one　of　the　strangest…looking　ships　on　the　ocean。　Although　a　visit　to　the　Goya　would　be　unnerving　for　Rachel；　she　knew　it　would　be　hard　to　pass　up。
　〃She's　anchored　twelve　miles　off　the　coast　of　New　Jersey　at　the　moment；〃　Tolland　said；　struggling　with　his　crampon　latches。
　〃Sounds　like　an　unlikely　spot。〃
　〃Not　at　all。　The　Atlantic　seaboard　is　an　incredible　place。　We　were　gearing　up　to　shoot　a　new　documentary　when　I　was　so　rudely　interrupted　by　the　President。〃
　Rachel　laughed。　〃Shooting　a　documentary　on　what？〃
　〃Sphyrna　mokarran　and　megaplumes。〃
　Rachel　frowned。　〃Glad　I　asked。〃
　Tolland　finished　attaching　his　crampons　and　looked　up。　〃Seriously；　I'll　be　filming　out　there　for　a　couple　weeks。　Washington's　not　that　far　from　the　Jersey　coast。　e　out　when　you　get　back　home。　No　reason　to　spend　your　life　afraid　of　the　water。　My　crew　would　roll　out　the　red　carpet　for　you。〃
　Norah　Mangor's　voice　blared。　〃Are　we　going　outside；　or　should　I　get　you　two　some　candles　and　champagne？〃
　
　　
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　Gabrielle　Ashe　had　no　idea　what　to　make　of　the　documents　now　spread　out　before　her　on　Marjorie　Tench's　desk。　The　pile　included　photocopied　letters；　faxes；　transcripts　of　phone　conversations；　and　they　all　seemed　to　support　the　allegation　that　Senator　Sexton　was　in　covert　dialogue　with　private　space　panies。
　Tench　pushed　a　couple　of　grainy　black…and…white　photographs　toward　Gabrielle。　〃I　assume　this　is　news　to　you？〃
　Gabrielle　looked　at　the　photos。　The　first　candid　shot　showed　Senator　Sexton　getting　out　of　a　taxi　in　some　kind　of　underground　garage。　Sexton　never　takes　taxis。　Gabrielle　looked　at　the　second　shot…a　telephoto　of　Sexton　climbing　into　a　parked　white　minivan。　An　old　man　appeared　to　be　in　the　van　waiting　for　him。
　〃Who　is　that？〃　Gabrielle　said；　suspicious　the　photos　might　be　faked。
　〃A　big　shot　from　the　SFF。〃
　Gabrielle　was　doubtful。　〃The　Space　Frontier　Foundation？〃
　The　SFF　was　like　a　〃union〃　for　private　space　panies。　It　represented　aerospace　contractors；　entrepreneurs；　venture　capitalists…any　private　entity　that　wanted　to　go　into　space。　They　tended　to　be　critical　of　NASA；　arguing　that　the　U。S。　space　program　employed　unfair　business　practices　to　prevent　private　panies　from　launching　missions　into　space。
　〃The　SFF；〃　Tench　said；　〃now　represents　over　a　hundred　major　corporations；　some　very　wealthy　enterprises　who　are　waiting　eagerly　for　the　Space　mercialization　Promotions　Act　to　be　ratified。〃
　Gabrielle　considered　it。　For　obvious　reasons　the　SFF　was　a　vocal　supporter　of　Sexton's　campaign；　although　the　senator　had　been　careful　not　to　get　too　close　to　them　because　of　their　controversial　lobbying　tactics。　Recently　the　SFF　had　published　an　explosive　rant　charging　that　NASA　was　in　fact　an　〃illegal　monopoly〃　whose　ability　to　operate　at　a　loss　and　still　stay　in　business　represented　unfair　petition　to　private　firms。　According　to　the　SFF；　whenever　AT&T　needed　a　telem　satellite　launched；　several　private　space　panies　offered　to　do　the　job　at　a　reasonable　50　million。　Unfortunately；　NASA　always　stepped　in　and　offered　to　launch　AT&T's　satellites　for　a　mere　twenty…five　million；　even　though　it　cost　NASA　five　times　that　to　do　the　job！　Operating　at　a　loss　is　one　way　NASA　keeps　its　grip　on　space；　the　SFF　lawyers　accused。　And　taxpayers　pick　up　the　tab。
　〃This　photo　reveals；〃　Tench　said；　〃that　your　candidate　is　holding　secret　meetings　with　an　organization　that　represents　private　space　enterprises。〃　Tench　motioned　to　several　other　documents　on　the　table。　〃We　also　have　internal　SFF　memos　calling　for　huge　sums　of　money　to　be　collected　from　SFF　member　panies…in　amounts　mensurate　with　their　net　worth…and　transferred　to　accounts　controlled　by　Senator　Sexton。　In　effect；　these　private　space　agencies　are　anteing　up　to　put　Sexton　in　office。　I　can　only　assume　he　has　agreed　to　pass　the　mercialization　bill　and　privatize　NASA　if　elected。〃
　Gabrielle　looked　at　the　pile　of　papers；　unconvinced。　〃Do　you　expect　me　to　believe　that　the　White　House　has　evidence　that　its　opponent　is　engaged　in　profoundly　illegal　campaign　finance…and　yet；　for　some　reason；　you　are　keeping　it　secret？〃
　〃What　would　you　believe？〃
　Gabrielle　glared。　〃Frankly；　considering　your　skills　for　manipulation；　a　more　logical　solution　seems　that　you　are　plying　me　somehow　with　phony　documents　and　photos　produced　by　some　enterprising　White　House　staffer　and　his　desktop　publishing　puter。〃
　〃Possible；　I　admit。　But　not　true。〃
　〃No？　Then　how　did　you　get　all　these　internal　documents　from　corporations？　The　resources　required　to　steal　all　of　this　evidence　from　so　many　panies　certainly　exceeds　the　grasp　of　the　White　House。〃
　〃You're　right。　This　information　arrived　here　as　an　unsolicited　gift。〃
　Gabrielle　was　now　lost。
　〃Oh　yes；〃　Tench　said；　〃we　get　a　lot　of　it。　The　President　has　many　powerful　political　allies　who　would　like　to　see　him　stay　in　office。　Remember；　your　candidate　is　suggesting　cuts　all　over　the　place…a　lot　of　them　right　here　in　Washington。　Senator　Sexton　certainly　has　no　qualms　about　citing　the　FBI's　bloated　budget　as　an　example　of　government　overspending。　He's　taken　some　potshots　at　the　IRS；　too。　Maybe　someone　at　the　bureau　or　at　the　service　got　a　little　annoyed。〃
　Gabrielle　got　the　implication。　People　at　the　FBI　and　IRS　would　have　ways　of　getting　this　kind　of　information。　They　might　then　send　it　to　the　White　House　as　an　unsolicited　favor　to　help　the　President's　election。　But　what　Gabrielle　could　not　make　herself　believe　was　that　Senator　Sexton　would　ever　be　engaged　in　illegal　campaign　funding。　〃If　this　data　is　accurate；〃　Gabrielle　challenged；　〃which　I　strongly　doubt　it　is；　why　haven't　you　gone　public？〃
　〃Why　do　you　think？〃
　〃Because　it　was　gathered　illegally。〃
　〃How　we　got　it　makes　no　difference。〃
　〃Of　course　it　makes　a　difference。　It's　inadmissible　in　a　hearing。〃
　〃What　hearing？　We'd　simply　leak　this　to　a　newspaper；　and　they'd　run　it　as　a　'credible…source'　story　with　photos　and　documentation。　Sexton　would　be　guilty　until　proven　innocent。　His　vocal　anti…NASA　stance　would　be　virtual　proof　that　he　is　taking　bribes。〃
　Gabrielle　knew　it　was　true。　〃Fine；〃　she　challenged；　〃then　why　haven't　you　leaked　the　information？〃
　〃Because　it's　a　negative。　The　President　promised　not　to　go　negative　in　the　campaign　and　he　wants　to　stick　to　that　promise　as　long　as　he　can。〃
　Yeah；　right！　〃You're　telling　me　the　President　is　so　upstanding　that　he　refuses　to　go　public　with　this　because　people　might　consider　it　a　negative？〃
　〃It's　a　negative　for　the　country。　It　implicates　dozens　of　private　panies；　many　of　which　are　made　up　of　honest　people。　It　besmirches　the　office　of　the　U。S。　Senate　and　is　bad　for　the　country's　morale。　Dishonest　politicians　hurt　all　politicians。　Americans　need　to　trust　their　leaders。　This　would　be　an　ugly　investigation　and　would　most　likely　send　a　U。S。　senator　and　numerous　prominent　aerospace　executives　to　jail。〃
　Although　Tench's　logic　did　make　sense；　Gabrielle　still　doubted　the　allegations。　〃What　does　any　of　this　have　to　do　with　me？〃
　〃Simply　put；　Ms。　Ashe；　if　we　release　these　documents；　your　candidate　will　be　indicted　for　illegal　campaign　financing；　lose　his　Senate　seat；　and　most　likely　do　prison　time。〃　Tench　paused。　〃Unless。。。　〃
　Gabrielle　saw　a　snakelike　glint　in　the　senior　adviser's　eyes。　〃Unless　what？〃
　Tench　took　a　long　drag　on　her　cigarette。　〃Unless　you　decide　to　help　us　avoid　all　that。〃
　A　murky　silence　settled　over　the　room。
　Tench　coughed　roughly。　〃Gabrielle；　listen；　I　decided　to　share　this　unfortunate　information　with　you　for　three　reasons。　First；　to　show　you　Zach　Herney　is　a　decent　man　who　considers　the　government's　well…being　before　his　personal　gain。　Second；　to　inform　you　that　your　candidate　is　not　as　trustworthy　as　you　might　think。　And　third；　to　persuade　you　to　accept　the　offer　I　am　about　to　make。〃
　〃That　offer　being？〃
　〃I'd　like　to　offer　you　a　chance　to　do　the　right　thing。　The　patriotic　thing。　Whether　you　know　it　or　not；　you're　in　a　unique　position　to　spare　Washington　all　kinds　of　unpleasant　scandal。　If　you　can　do　what　I　am　about　to　ask；　perhaps　you　could　even　earn　yourself　a　place　on　the　President's　team。〃
　A　place　on　the　President's　team？　Gabrielle　couldn't　believe　what　she　was　h