danbrown.deceptionpoint-第42部分

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longer　able　to　fight　off　the　pressing　sensation　that　acpanied　his　own　blood　racing　from　his　extremities　like　a　crew　abandoning　ship；　flowing　instinctively　to　his　vital　organs　in　a　last…ditch　effort　to　keep　him　conscious。
　A　losing　battle；　he　knew。
　Strangely；　there　was　no　pain　anymore。　He　had　passed　through　that　stage。　The　sensation　now　was　that　of　having　been　inflated。　Numbness。　Floating。　As　the　first　of　his　reflexive　operations…blinking…began　to　shut　down；　Tolland's　vision　blurred。　The　aqueous　humor　that　circulated　between　his　cornea　and　lens　was　freezing　repeatedly。　Tolland　gazed　back　toward　the　blur　of　the　Milne　Ice　Shelf；　now　only　a　faint　white　form　in　the　hazy　moonlight。
　He　felt　his　soul　admitting　defeat。　Teetering　on　the　brink　between　presence　and　absence；　he　stared　out　at　the　ocean　waves　in　the　distance。　The　wind　howled　all　around　him。
　It　was　then　that　Tolland　began　hallucinating。　Strangely；　in　the　final　seconds　before　unconsciousness；　he　did　not　hallucinate　rescue。　He　did　not　hallucinate　warm　and　forting　thoughts。　His　final　delusion　was　a　terrifying　one。
　A　leviathan　was　rising　from　the　water　beside　the　iceberg；　breaching　the　surface　with　an　ominous　hiss。　Like　some　mythical　sea　monster；　it　came…sleek；　black；　and　lethal；　with　water　foaming　around　it。　Tolland　forced　himself　to　blink　his　eyes。　His　vision　cleared　slightly。　The　beast　was　close；　bumping　up　against　the　ice　like　a　huge　shark　butting　a　small　boat。　Massive；　it　towered　before　him；　its　skin　shimmering　and　wet。
　As　the　hazy　image　went　black；　all　that　was　left　were　the　sounds。　Metal　on　metal。　Teeth　gnashing　at　the　ice。　ing　closer。　Dragging　bodies　away。
　Rachel。。。　
　Tolland　felt　himself　being　grabbed　roughly。
　And　then　everything　went　blank。
　
　　
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　Gabrielle　Ashe　was　at　a　full　jog　when　she　entered　the　third…floor　production　room　of　ABC　News。　Even　so；　she　was　moving　slower　than　everyone　else　in　the　room。　The　intensity　in　production　was　at　a　fever　pitch　twenty…four　hours　a　day；　but　at　the　moment　the　cubicle　grid　in　front　of　her　looked　like　the　stock　exchange　on　speed。　Wild…eyed　editors　screamed　to　one　another　over　the　tops　of　their　partments；　fax…waving　reporters　darted　from　cubicle　to　cubicle　paring　notes；　and　frantic　interns　inhaled　Snickers　and　Mountain　Dew　between　errands。
　Gabrielle　had　e　to　ABC　to　see　Yolanda　Cole。
　Usually　Yolanda　could　be　found　in　production's　high…rent　district…the　glass…walled　private　offices　reserved　for　the　decision　makers　who　actually　required　some　quiet　to　think。　Tonight；　however；　Yolanda　was　out　on　the　floor；　in　the　thick　of　it。　When　she　saw　Gabrielle；　she　let　out　her　usual　shriek　of　exuberance。
　〃Gabs！〃　Yolanda　was　wearing　a　batik　body…wrap　and　tortoiseshell　glasses。　As　always；　several　pounds　of　garish　costume　jewelry　were　draped　off　her　like　tinsel。　Yolanda　waddled　over；　waving。　〃Hug！〃
　Yolanda　Cole　had　been　a　content　editor　with　ABC　News　in　Washington　for　sixteen　years。　A　freckle…faced　Pole；　Yolanda　was　a　squat；　balding　woman　whom　everyone　affectionately　called　〃Mother。〃　Her　matronly　presence　and　good　humor　disguised　a　street…savvy　ruthlessness　for　getting　the　story。　Gabrielle　had　met　Yolanda　at　a　Women　in　Politics　mentoring　seminar　she'd　attended　shortly　after　her　arrival　in　Washington。　They'd　chatted　about　Gabrielle's　background；　the　challenges　of　being　a　woman　in　D。C。；　and　finally　about　Elvis　Presley…a　passion　they　were　surprised　to　discover　they　shared。　Yolanda　had　taken　Gabrielle　under　her　wing　and　helped　her　make　connections。　Gabrielle　still　stopped　by　every　month　or　so　to　say　hello。
　Gabrielle　gave　her　a　big　hug；　Yolanda's　enthusiasm　already　lifting　her　spirits。
　Yolanda　stepped　back　and　looked　Gabrielle　over。　〃You　look　like　you　aged　a　hundred　years；　girl！　What　happened　to　you？〃
　Gabrielle　lowered　her　voice。　〃I'm　in　trouble；　Yolanda。〃
　〃That's　not　the　word　on　the　street。　Sounds　like　your　man　is　on　the　rise。〃
　〃Is　there　some　place　we　can　talk　in　private？〃
　〃Bad　timing；　honey。　The　President　is　holding　a　press　conference　in　about　half　an　hour；　and　we　still　haven't　a　clue　what　it's　all　about。　I've　got　to　line　up　expert　mentary；　and　I'm　flying　blind。〃
　〃I　know　what　the　press　conference　is　about。〃
　Yolanda　lowered　her　glasses；　looking　skeptical。　〃Gabrielle；　our　correspondent　inside　the　White　House　is　in　the　dark　on　this　one。　You　say　Sexton's　campaign　has　advance　knowledge？〃
　〃No；　I'm　saying　I　have　advance　knowledge。　Give　me　five　minutes。　I'll　tell　you　everything。〃
　Yolanda　glanced　down　at　the　red　White　House　envelope　in　Gabrielle's　hand。　〃That's　a　White　House　internal。　Where'd　you　get　that？〃
　〃In　a　private　meeting　with　Marjorie　Tench　this　afternoon。〃
　Yolanda　stared　a　long　moment。　〃Follow　me。〃
　Inside　the　privacy　of　Yolanda's　glass…walled　cubicle；　Gabrielle　confided　in　her　trusted　friend；　confessing　to　a　one…night　affair　with　Sexton　and　the　fact　that　Tench　had　photographic　evidence。
　Yolanda　smiled　broadly　and　shook　her　head　laughing。　Apparently　she　had　been　in　Washington　journalism　so　long　that　nothing　shocked　her。　〃Oh；　Gabs；　I　had　a　hunch　you　and　Sexton　had　probably　hooked　up。　Not　surprising。　He's　got　a　reputation；　and　you're　a　pretty　girl。　Too　bad　about　the　photos。　I　wouldn't　worry　about　it；　though。〃
　Don't　worry　about　it？
　Gabrielle　explained　that　Tench　had　accused　Sexton　of　taking　illegal　bribes　from　space　panies　and　that　Gabrielle　had　just　overheard　a　secret　SFF　meeting　confirming　that　fact！　Again　Yolanda's　expression　conveyed　little　surprise　or　concern…until　Gabrielle　told　her　what　she　was　thinking　of　doing　about　it。
　Yolanda　now　looked　troubled。　〃Gabrielle；　if　you　want　to　hand　over　a　legal　document　saying　you　slept　with　a　U。S。　senator　and　stood　by　while　he　lied　about　it；　that's　your　business。　But　I'm　telling　you；　it's　a　very　bad　move　for　you。　You　need　to　think　long　and　hard　about　what　it　could　mean　for　you。〃
　〃You're　not　listening。　I　don't　have　that　kind　of　time！〃
　〃I　am　listening；　and　sweetheart；　whether　or　not　the　clock　is　ticking；　there　are　certain　things　you　just　do　not　do。　You　do　not　sell　out　a　U。S。　senator　in　a　sex　scandal。　It's　suicide。　I'm　telling　you；　girl；　if　you　take　down　a　presidential　candidate；　you　better　get　in　your　car　and　drive　as　far　from　D。C。　as　possible。　You'll　be　a　marked　woman。　A　lot　of　people　spend　a　lot　of　money　to　put　candidates　at　the　top。　There's　big　finances　and　power　at　stake　here…the　kind　of　power　people　kill　for。〃
　Gabrielle　fell　silent　now。
　〃Personally；〃　Yolanda　said；　〃I　think　Tench　was　leaning　on　you　in　hopes　you'd　panic　and　do　something　dumb…like　bail　out　and　confess　to　the　affair。〃　Yolanda　pointed　to　the　red　envelope　in　Gabrielle's　hands。　〃Those　shots　of　you　and　Sexton　don't　mean　squat　unless　you　or　Sexton　admit　they're　accurate。　The　White　House　knows　if　they　leak　those　photos；　Sexton　will　just　claim　they're　phony　and　throw　them　back　in　the　president's　face。〃
　〃I　thought　of　that；　but　still　the　campaign　finance　bribery　issue　is…〃
　〃Honey；　think　about　it。　If　the　White　House　hasn't　gone　public　yet　with　bribery　allegations；　they　probably　don't　intend　to。　The　President　is　pretty　serious　about　no　negative　campaigning。　My　guess　is　he　decided　to　save　an　aerospace　industry　scandal　and　sent　Tench　after　you　with　a　bluff　in　hopes　he　might　scare　you　out　of　hiding　on　the　sex　thing。　Make　you　stab　your　candidate　in　the　back。〃
　Gabrielle　considered　it。　Yolanda　was　making　sense；　and　yet　something　still　felt　odd。　Gabrielle　pointed　through　the　glass　at　the　bustling　news　room。　〃Yolanda；　you　guys　are　gearing　up　for　a　big　presidential　press　conference。　If　the　President　is　not　going　public　about　bribery　or　sex；　what's　it　all　about？〃
　Yolanda　looked　stunned。　〃Hold　on。　You　think　this　press　conference　is　about　you　and　Sexton？〃
　〃Or　the　bribery。　Or　both。　Tench　told　me　I　had　until　eight　tonight　to　sign　a　confession　or　else　the　President　was　going　to　announce…〃
　Yolanda's　laughter　shook　the　entire　glass　cubicle。　〃Oh　please！　Wait！　You're　killing　me！〃
　Gabrielle　was　in　no　mood　for　joking。　〃What！〃
　〃Gabs；　listen；〃　Yolanda　managed；　between　laughs；　〃trust　me　on　this。　I've　been　dealing　with　the　White　House　for　sixteen　years；　and　there's　no　way　Zach　Herney　has　called　together　the　global　media　to　tell　them　he　suspects　Senator　Sexton　is　accepting　shady　campaign　financing　or　sleeping　with　you。　That's　the　kind　of　information　you　leak。　Presidents　don't　gain　popularity　by　interrupting　regularly　scheduled　programming　to　bitch　and　moan　about　sex　or　alleged　infractions　of　cloudy　campaign　finance　laws。〃
　〃Cloudy？〃　Gabrielle　snapped。　〃Flat　out　selling　your　decision　on　a　space　bill　for　millions　in　ad　money　is　hardly　a　cloudy　issue！〃
　〃Are　you　sure　that's　what　he　is　doing？〃　Yolanda's　tone　hardened　now。　〃Are　you　sure　enough　to　drop　your　skirt　on　national　TV？　Think　about　it。　It　takes　a　lot　of　alliances　to　get　anything　done　these　days；　and　campaign　finance　is　plex　stuff。　Maybe　Sexton's　meeting　was　perfectly　legal。〃
　〃He's　breaking　the　law；〃　Gabrielle　said。　Isn't　he？
　〃Or　so　Marjorie　Tench　would　have　you　believe。　Candidates　accept　behind…the…scenes　donations　all　the　time　from　big　corporations。　It　may　not　be　pretty；　but　it's　not　necessarily　illegal。　In　fact；　most　legal　issues　deal　not　with　where　the　money　es　from　but　how　the　candidate　chooses　to　spend　it。〃
　Gabrielle　hesitated；　feeling　uncertain　now。
　〃Gabs；　the　White　House　played　you　this　afternoon。　They　tried　to　turn　you　against　your　candidate；　and　so　far　you've　called　their　bluff。　If　I　were　looking　for　someone　to　trust；　I　think　I'd　stick　with　Sexton　before　jumping　ship　to　someone　like　Marjorie　Tench。〃
　Yolanda's　phone　rang。　She　answered；　nodding；　uh…huh…ing；　taking　notes。　〃Interesting；〃　she　finally　said。　〃I'll　be　right　there。　Thanks。〃
　Yolanda　hung　up　and　turned　with　an　arched　brow。　〃Gabs；　sounds　like　you're　off　the　hook。　Just　as　I　predicted。〃
　〃What's　going　on？〃
　〃I　don't　have　a　specific　yet；　but　I　can　tell　you　this　much…the　president's　press　conference　has　nothing　to　do　with　sex　scandals　or　campaign　finance。〃
　Gabrielle　felt　a　flash　of　hope　and　wanted　badly　to　believe　her。　〃How　do　you　know　that？〃
　〃Someone　on　the　inside　just　leaked　that　the　press　conference　is　NASA…related。〃
　Gabrielle　sat　up　suddenly。　〃NASA？〃
　Yolanda　winked。　〃This　could　be　your　lucky　night。　My　bet　is　President　He