danbrown.deceptionpoint-第41部分

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　〃Just　watched　it；〃　Herney　said。　〃He　did　a　fantastic　job。〃
　〃Yes。　You　made　a　good　call　bringing　him　in。〃
　〃Still　mad　at　me　for　involving　civilians？〃
　〃Hell；　yes。〃　The　administrator　growled　good…naturedly；　his　voice　with　the　usual　strength　to　it。
　It　made　Herney　feel　better。　Ekstrom's　fine；　Herney　thought。　Just　a　little　tired。　〃Okay；　I'll　see　you　in　an　hour　via　satellite。　We'll　give　'em　something　to　talk　about。〃
　〃Right。〃
　〃Hey；　Lawrence？〃　Herney's　voice　grew　low　and　solemn　now。　〃You've　done　a　hell　of　a　thing　up　there。　I　won't　ever　forget　it。〃
　　
　Outside　the　habisphere；　buffeted　by　wind；　Delta…Three　struggled　to　right　and　repack　Norah　Mangor's　toppled　equipment　sled。　Once　all　the　equipment　was　back　onboard；　he　battened　down　the　vinyl　top　and　draped　Mangor's　dead　body　across　the　top；　tying　her　down。　As　he　was　preparing　to　drag　the　sled　off　course；　his　two　partners　came　skimming　up　the　glacier　toward　him。
　〃Change　of　plans；〃　Delta…One　called　out　above　the　wind。　〃The　other　three　went　over　the　edge。〃
　Delta…Three　was　not　surprised。　He　also　knew　what　it　meant。　The　Delta　Force's　plan　to　stage　an　accident　by　arranging　four　dead　bodies　on　the　ice　shelf　was　no　longer　a　viable　option。　Leaving　a　lone　body　would　pose　more　questions　than　answers。　〃Sweep？〃　he　asked。
　Delta…One　nodded。　〃I'll　recover　the　flares　and　you　two　get　rid　of　the　sled。〃
　While　Delta…One　carefully　retraced　the　scientists'　path；　collecting　every　last　clue　that　anyone　had　been　there　at　all；　Delta…Three　and　his　partner　moved　down　the　glacier　with　the　laden　equipment　sled。　After　struggling　over　the　berms；　they　finally　reached　the　precipice　at　the　end　of　the　Milne　Ice　Shelf。　They　gave　a　push；　and　Norah　Mangor　and　her　sled　slipped　silently　over　the　edge；　plummeting　into　the　Arctic　Ocean。
　Clean　sweep；　Delta…Three　thought。
　As　they　headed　back　to　base；　he　was　pleased　to　see　the　wind　obliterating　the　tracks　made　by　their　skis。
　
　　
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　The　nuclear　submarine　Charlotte　had　been　stationed　in　the　Arctic　Ocean　for　five　days　now。　Its　presence　here　was　highly　classified。
　A　Los　Angeles…class　sub；　the　Charlotte　was　designed　to　〃listen　and　not　be　heard。〃　Its　forty…two　tons　of　turbine　engines　were　suspended　on　springs　to　dampen　any　vibration　they　might　cause。　Despite　its　requirement　for　stealth；　the　LA…class　sub　had　one　of　the　largest　footprints　of　any　reconnaissance　sub　in　the　water。　Stretching　more　than　360　feet　from　nose　to　stern；　the　hull；　if　placed　on　an　NFL　football　field；　would　crush　both　goalposts　and　then　some。　Seven　times　the　length　of　the　U。S。　Navy's　first　Holland…class　submarine；　the　Charlotte　displaced　6；927　tons　of　water　when　fully　submerged　and　could　cruise　at　an　astounding　thirty…five　knots。
　The　vessel's　normal　cruising　depth　was　just　below　the　thermocline；　a　natural　temperature　gradient　that　distorted　sonar　reflections　from　above　and　made　the　sub　invisible　to　surface　radar。　With　a　crew　of　148　and　max　dive　depth　of　over　fifteen　hundred　feet；　the　vessel　represented　the　state…of…the…art　submersible　and　was　the　oceanic　workhorse　of　the　United　States　Navy。　Its　evaporative　electrolysis　oxygenation　system；　two　nuclear　reactors；　and　engineered　provisions　gave　it　the　ability　to　circumnavigate　the　globe　twenty…one　times　without　surfacing。　Human　waste　from　the　crew；　as　on　most　cruise　ships；　was　pressed　into　sixty…pound　blocks　and　ejected　into　the　ocean…the　huge　bricks　of　feces　jokingly　referred　to　as　〃whale　turds。〃
　The　technician　sitting　at　the　oscillator　screen　in　the　sonar　room　was　one　of　the　best　in　the　world。　His　mind　was　a　dictionary　of　sounds　and　waveforms。　He　could　distinguish　between　the　sounds　of　several　dozen　Russian　submarine　propellers；　hundreds　of　marine　animals；　and　even　pinpoint　underwater　volcanoes　as　far　away　as　Japan。
　At　the　moment；　however；　he　was　listening　to　a　dull；　repetitive　echo。　The　sound；　although　easily　distinguishable；　was　most　unexpected。
　〃You　aren't　going　to　believe　what's　ing　through　my　listening　cans；〃　he　said　to　his　catalog　assistant；　handing　over　the　headphones。
　His　assistant　donned　the　headphones；　an　incredulous　look　crossing　his　face。　〃My　God。　It's　clear　as　day。　What　do　we　do？〃
　The　sonar　man　was　already　on　the　phone　to　the　captain。
　When　the　submarine's　captain　arrived　in　the　sonar　room；　the　technician　piped　a　live　sonar　feed　over　a　small　set　of　speakers。
　The　captain　listened；　expressionless。
　THUD。　THUD。　THUD。
　THUD。。。　THUD。。。　THUD。。。　
　Slower。　Slower。　The　pattern　was　being　looser。　More　and　more　faint。
　〃What　are　the　coordinates？〃　the　captain　demanded。
　The　technician　cleared　his　throat。　〃Actually；　sir；　it's　ing　from　the　surface；　about　three　miles　to　our　starboard。〃
　
　　
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　In　the　darkened　hallway　outside　Senator　Sexton's　den；　Gabrielle　Ashe's　legs　were　trembling。　Not　so　much　out　of　exhaustion　from　standing　motionless；　but　from　disillusionment　over　what　she　was　listening　to。　The　meeting　in　the　next　room　was　still　going；　but　Gabrielle　didn't　have　to　hear　another　word。　The　truth　seemed　painfully　obvious。
　Senator　Sexton　is　taking　bribes　from　private　space　agencies。　Marjorie　Tench　had　been　telling　the　truth。
　The　revulsion　Gabrielle　felt　spreading　through　her　now　was　one　of　betrayal。　She　had　believed　in　Sexton。　She'd　fought　for　him。　How　can　he　do　this？　Gabrielle　had　seen　the　senator　lie　publicly　from　time　to　time　to　protect　his　private　life；　but　that　was　politics。　This　was　breaking　the　law。
　He's　not　even　elected　yet；　and　he's　already　selling　out　the　White　House！
　Gabrielle　knew　she　could　no　longer　support　the　senator。　Promising　to　deliver　the　NASA　privatization　bill　could　be　done　only　with　a　contemptuous　disregard　for　both　the　law　and　the　democratic　system。　Even　if　the　senator　believed　it　would　be　in　everyone's　best　interest；　to　sell　that　decision　flat　out；　in　advance；　slammed　the　door　on　the　checks　and　balances　of　government；　ignoring　potentially　persuasive　arguments　from　Congress；　advisers；　voters；　and　lobbyists。　Most　important；　guaranteeing　the　privatization　of　NASA；　Sexton　had　paved　the　way　for　endless　abuses　of　that　advanced　knowledge…insider　trading　the　most　mon…blatantly　favoring　the　wealthy；　inside　cadre　at　the　expense　of　honest　public　investors。
　Feeling　sick　to　her　stomach；　Gabrielle　wondered　what　she　should　do。
　A　telephone　rang　sharply　behind　her；　shattering　the　silence　of　the　hallway。　Startled；　Gabrielle　turned。　The　sound　was　ing　from　the　closet　in　the　foyer…a　cellphone　in　the　pocket　of　one　of　the　visitors'　coats。
　〃'Scuse　me；　friends；〃　a　Texas　drawl　said　in　the　den。　〃That's　me。〃
　Gabrielle　could　hear　the　man　get　up。　He's　ing　this　way！　Wheeling；　she　dashed　back　up　the　carpet　the　way　she'd　e。　Halfway　up　the　hall；　she　cut　left；　ducking　into　the　darkened　kitchen　just　as　the　Texan　exited　the　den　and　turned　up　the　hall。　Gabrielle　froze；　motionless　in　the　shadows。
　The　Texan　strode　by　without　noticing。
　Over　the　sound　of　her　pounding　heart；　Gabrielle　could　hear　him　rustling　in　the　closet。　Finally；　he　answered　the　ringing　phone。
　〃Yeah？。。。　When？。。。　Really？　We'll　switch　it　on。　Thanks。〃　The　man　hung　up　and　headed　back　toward　the　den；　calling　out　as　he　went。　〃Hey！　Turn　on　the　television。　Sounds　like　Zach　Herney's　giving　an　urgent　press　conference　tonight。　Eight　o'clock。　All　channels。　Either　we're　declaring　war　on　China；　or　the　International　Space　Station　just　fell　into　the　ocean。〃
　〃Now　wouldn't　that　be　something　to　toast！〃　someone　called　out。
　Everyone　laughed。
　Gabrielle　felt　the　kitchen　spinning　around　her　now。　An　eight　P。M。　press　conference？　Tench；　it　seemed；　had　not　been　bluffing　after　all。　She　had　given　Gabrielle　until　8：00　P。M。　to　give　her　an　affidavit　admitting　the　affair。　Distance　yourself　from　the　senator　before　it's　too　late；　Tench　had　told　her。　Gabrielle　had　assumed　the　deadline　was　so　the　White　House　could　leak　the　information　to　tomorrow's　papers；　but　now　it　seemed　the　White　House　intended　to　go　public　with　the　allegations　themselves。
　An　urgent　press　conference？　The　more　Gabrielle　considered　it；　though；　the　stranger　it　seemed。　Herney　is　going　live　with　this　mess？　Personally？
　The　television　came　on　in　the　den。　Blaring。　The　news　announcer's　voice　was　bursting　with　excitement。　〃The　White　House　has　offered　no　clues　as　to　the　topic　of　tonight's　surprise　presidential　address；　and　speculation　abounds。　Some　political　analysts　now　think　that　following　the　President's　recent　absence　on　the　campaign　trail；　Zach　Herney　may　be　preparing　to　announce　he　will　not　be　running　for　a　second　term。〃
　A　hopeful　cheer　arose　in　the　den。
　Absurd；　Gabrielle　thought。　With　all　the　dirt　the　White　House　had　on　Sexton　right　now；　there　was　no　way　in　hell　the　President　was　throwing　in　the　towel　tonight。　This　press　conference　is　about　something　else。　Gabrielle　had　a　sinking　feeling　she'd　already　been　warned　what　it　was。
　With　rising　urgency；　she　checked　her　watch。　Less　than　an　hour。　She　had　a　decision　to　make；　and　she　knew　exactly　to　whom　she　needed　to　talk。　Clutching　the　envelope　of　photos　under　her　arm；　she　quietly　exited　the　apartment。
　In　the　hallway；　the　bodyguard　looked　relieved。　〃I　heard　some　cheering　inside。　Sounds　like　you　were　a　hit。〃
　She　smiled　curtly　and　headed　for　the　elevator。
　Outside　in　the　street；　the　settling　night　felt　unusually　bitter。　Flagging　a　cab；　she　climbed　in　and　tried　to　reassure　herself　she　knew　exactly　what　she　was　doing。
　〃ABC　television　studios；〃　she　told　the　driver。　〃And　hurry。〃
　
　　
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　As　Michael　Tolland　lay　on　his　side　on　the　ice；　he　rested　his　head　on　an　outstretched　arm；　which　he　could　no　longer　feel。　Although　his　eyelids　felt　heavy；　he　fought　to　keep　them　open。　From　this　odd　vantage　point；　Tolland　took　in　the　final　images　of　his　world…now　just　sea　and　ice…in　a　strange　sideways　tilt。　It　seemed　a　fitting　end　to　a　day　in　which　nothing　had　been　what　it　seemed。
　An　eerie　calm　had　begun　to　settle　over　the　floating　raft　of　ice。　Rachel　and　Corky　had　both　fallen　silent；　and　the　pounding　had　stopped。　The　farther　from　the　glacier　they　floated；　the　calmer　the　wind　became。　Tolland　heard　his　own　body　getting　quieter　too。　With　the　tight　skullcap　over　his　ears；　he　could　hear　his　own　breathing　amplified　in　his　head。　It　was　getting　slower。。。　shallower。　His　body　was　no　longer　able　to　fight　off　the　pressing　sensation　tha