danbrown.deceptionpoint-第44部分

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nce。　I　doubt　he's　taking　personal　phone　calls。〃
　Rachel　stood　as　straight　as　she　could　on　her　wobbly　legs　and　fixed　her　eyes　on　the　captain。　〃Sir；　you　do　not　have　the　clearance　for　me　to　explain　the　situation；　but　the　President　is　about　to　make　a　terrible　mistake。　I　have　information　he　desperately　needs　to　hear。　Now。　You　need　to　trust　me。〃
　The　captain　stared　at　her　a　long　moment。　Frowning；　he　checked　the　clock　again。　〃Nine　minutes？　I　can't　get　you　a　secure　connection　to　the　White　House　in　that　short　a　time。　All　I　could　offer　is　a　radiophone。　Unsecured。　And　we'd　have　to　go　to　antenna　depth；　which　will　take　a　few…〃
　〃Do　it！　Now！〃
　
　　
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　The　White　House　telephone　switchboard　was　located　on　the　lower　level　of　the　East　Wing。　Three　switchboard　operators　were　always　on　duty。　At　the　moment；　only　two　were　seated　at　the　controls。　The　third　operator　was　at　a　full　sprint　toward　the　Briefing　Room。　In　her　hand；　she　carried　a　cordless　phone。　She'd　tried　to　patch　the　call　through　to　the　Oval　Office；　but　the　President　was　already　en　route　to　the　press　conference。　She'd　tried　to　call　his　aides　on　their　cellulars；　but　before　televised　briefings；　all　cellular　phones　in　and　around　the　Briefing　Room　were　turned　off　so　as　not　to　interrupt　the　proceedings。
　Running　a　cordless　phone　directly　to　the　President　at　a　time　like　this　seemed　questionable　at　best；　and　yet　when　the　White　House's　NRO　liaison　called　claiming　she　had　emergency　information　that　the　President　must　get　before　going　live；　the　operator　had　little　doubt　she　needed　to　jump。　The　question　now　was　whether　she　would　get　there　in　time。
　　
　In　a　small　medical　office　onboard　the　U。S。S。　Charlotte；　Rachel　Sexton　clutched　a　phone　receiver　to　her　ear　and　waited　to　talk　to　the　President。　Tolland　and　Corky　sat　nearby；　still　looking　shaken。　Corky　had　five　stitches　and　a　deep　bruise　on　his　cheekbone。　All　three　of　them　had　been　helped　into　Thinsulate　thermal　underwear；　heavy　navy　flight　suits；　oversized　wool　socks；　and　deck　boots。　With　a　hot　cup　of　stale　coffee　in　her　hand；　Rachel　was　starting　to　feel　almost　human　again。
　〃What's　the　holdup？〃　Tolland　pressed。　〃It's　seven　fifty…six！〃
　Rachel　could　not　imagine。　She　had　successfully　reached　one　of　the　White　House　operators；　explained　who　she　was　and　that　this　was　an　emergency。　The　operator　seemed　sympathetic；　had　placed　Rachel　on　hold；　and　was　now；　supposedly；　making　it　her　top　priority　to　patch　Rachel　through　to　the　President。
　Four　minutes；　Rachel　thought。　Hurry　up！
　Closing　her　eyes；　Rachel　tried　to　gather　her　thoughts。　It　had　been　one　hell　of　a　day。　I'm　on　a　nuclear　submarine；　she　said　to　herself；　knowing　she　was　damned　lucky　to　be　anywhere　at　all。　According　to　the　submarine　captain；　the　Charlotte　had　been　on　a　routine　patrol　in　the　Bering　Sea　two　days　ago　and　had　picked　up　anomalous　underwater　sounds　ing　from　the　Milne　Ice　Shelf…drilling；　jet　noise；　lots　of　encrypted　radio　traffic。　They　had　been　redirected　and　told　to　lie　quietly　and　listen。　An　hour　or　so　ago；　they'd　heard　an　explosion　in　the　ice　shelf　and　moved　in　to　check　it　out。　That　was　when　they　heard　Rachel's　SOS　call。
　〃Three　minutes　left！〃　Tolland　sounded　anxious　now　as　he　monitored　the　clock。
　Rachel　was　definitely　getting　nervous　now。　What　was　taking　so　long？　Why　hadn't　the　President　taken　her　call？　If　Zach　Herney　went　public　with　the　data　as　it　stood…
　Rachel　forced　the　thought　from　her　mind　and　shook　the　receiver。　Pick　up！
　　
　As　the　White　House　operator　dashed　toward　the　stage　entrance　of　the　Briefing　Room；　she　was　met　with　a　gathering　throng　of　staff　members。　Everyone　here　was　talking　excitedly；　making　final　preparations。　She　could　see　the　President　twenty　yards　away　waiting　at　the　entrance。　The　makeup　people　were　still　primping。
　〃ing　through！〃　the　operator　said；　trying　to　get　through　the　crowd。　〃Call　for　the　President。　Excuse　me。　ing　through！〃
　〃Live　in　two　minutes！〃　a　media　coordinator　called　out。
　Clutching　the　phone；　the　operator　shoved　her　way　toward　the　President。　〃Call　for　the　President！〃　she　panted。　〃ing　through！〃
　A　towering　roadblock　stepped　into　her　path。　Marjorie　Tench。　The　senior　adviser's　long　face　grimaced　down　in　disapproval。　〃What's　going　on？〃
　〃I　have　an　emergency！〃　The　operator　was　breathless。　〃。。。　phone　call　for　the　President。〃
　Tench　looked　incredulous。　〃Not　now；　you　don't！〃
　〃It's　from　Rachel　Sexton。　She　says　it's　urgent。〃
　The　scowl　that　darkened　Tench's　face　appeared　to　be　more　one　of　puzzlement　than　anger。　Tench　eyed　the　cordless　phone。　〃That's　a　house　line。　That's　not　secure。〃
　〃No；　ma'am。　But　the　ining　call　is　open　anyway。　She's　on　a　radiophone。　She　needs　to　speak　to　the　President　right　away。〃
　〃Live　in　ninety　seconds！〃
　Tench's　cold　eyes　stared；　and　she　held　out　a　spider…like　hand。　〃Give　me　the　phone。〃
　The　operator's　heart　was　pounding　now。　〃Ms。　Sexton　wants　to　speak　to　President　Herney　directly。　She　told　me　to　postpone　the　press　conference　until　she'd　talked　to　him。　I　assured…〃
　Tench　stepped　toward　the　operator　now；　her　voice　a　seething　whisper。　〃Let　me　tell　you　how　this　works。　You　do　not　take　orders　from　the　daughter　of　the　President's　opponent；　you　take　them　from　me。　I　can　assure　you；　this　is　as　close　as　you　are　getting　to　the　President　until　I　find　out　what　the　hell　is　going　on。〃
　The　operator　looked　toward　the　President；　who　was　now　surrounded　by　microphone　technicians；　stylists；　and　several　staff　members　talking　him　through　final　revisions　of　his　speech。
　〃Sixty　seconds！〃　the　television　supervisor　yelled。
　　
　Onboard　the　Charlotte；　Rachel　Sexton　was　pacing　wildly　in　the　tight　space　when　she　finally　heard　a　click　on　the　telephone　line。
　A　raspy　voice　came　on。　〃Hello？〃
　〃President　Herney？〃　Rachel　blurted。
　〃Marjorie　Tench；〃　the　voice　corrected。　〃I　am　the　President's　senior　adviser。　Whoever　this　is；　I　must　warn　you　that　prank　calls　against　the　White　House　are　in　violation　of…〃
　For　Christ's　sake！　〃This　is　not　a　prank！　This　is　Rachel　Sexton。　I'm　your　NRO　liaison　and…〃
　〃I　am　aware　of　who　Rachel　Sexton　is；　ma'am。　And　I　am　doubtful　that　you　are　she。　You've　called　the　White　House　on　an　unsecured　line　telling　me　to　interrupt　a　major　presidential　broadcast。　That　is　hardly　proper　MO　for　someone　with…〃
　〃Listen；〃　Rachel　fumed；　〃I　briefed　your　whole　staff　a　couple　of　hours　ago　on　a　meteorite。　You　sat　in　the　front　row。　You　watched　my　briefing　on　a　television　sitting　on　the　President's　desk！　Any　questions？〃
　Tench　fell　silent　a　moment。　〃Ms。　Sexton；　what　is　the　meaning　of　this？〃
　〃The　meaning　is　that　you　have　to　stop　the　President！　His　meteorite　data　is　all　wrong！　We've　just　learned　the　meteorite　was　inserted　from　beneath　the　ice　shelf。　I　don't　know　by　whom；　and　I　don't　know　why！　But　things　are　not　what　they　seem　up　here！　The　President　is　about　to　endorse　some　seriously　errant　data；　and　I　strongly　advise…〃
　〃Wait　one　goddamned　minute！〃　Tench　lowered　her　voice。　〃Do　you　realize　what　you　are　saying？〃
　〃Yes！　I　suspect　the　NASA　administrator　has　orchestrated　some　kind　of　large…scale　fraud；　and　President　Herney　is　about　to　get　caught　in　the　middle。　You've　at　least　got　to　postpone　ten　minutes　so　I　can　explain　to　him　what's　been　going　on　up　here。　Someone　tried　to　kill　me；　for　God's　sake！〃
　Tench's　voice　turned　to　ice。　〃Ms。　Sexton；　let　me　give　you　a　word　of　warning。　If　you　are　having　second　thoughts　about　your　role　in　helping　the　White　House　in　this　campaign；　you　should　have　thought　of　that　long　before　you　personally　endorsed　that　meteorite　data　for　the　President。〃
　〃What！〃　Is　she　even　listening？
　〃I'm　revolted　by　your　display。　Using　an　unsecured　line　is　a　cheap　stunt。　Implying　the　meteorite　data　has　been　faked？　What　kind　of　intelligence　official　uses　a　radiophone　to　call　the　White　House　and　talk　about　classified　information？　Obviously　you　are　hoping　someone　intercepts　this　message。〃
　〃Norah　Mangor　was　killed　over　this！　Dr。　Ming　is　also　dead。　You've　got　to　warn…〃
　〃Stop　right　there！　I　don't　know　what　you're　playing　at；　but　I　will　remind　you…and　anyone　else　who　happens　to　be　intercepting　this　phone　call…that　the　White　House　possesses　videotaped　depositions　from　NASA's　top　scientists；　several　renowned　civilian　scientists；　and　yourself；　Ms。　Sexton；　all　endorsing　the　meteorite　data　as　accurate。　Why　you　are　suddenly　changing　your　story；　I　can　only　imagine。　Whatever　the　reason；　consider　yourself　relieved　of　your　White　House　post　as　of　this　instant；　and　if　you　try　to　taint　this　discovery　with　any　more　absurd　allegations　of　foul　play；　I　assure　you　the　White　House　and　NASA　will　sue　you　for　defamation　so　fast　you　won't　have　a　chance　to　pack　a　suitcase　before　you　go　to　jail。〃
　Rachel　opened　her　mouth　to　speak；　but　no　words　came。
　〃Zach　Herney　has　been　generous　to　you；〃　Tench　snapped；　〃and　frankly　this　smacks　of　a　cheap　Sexton　publicity　stunt。　Drop　it　right　now；　or　we'll　press　charges。　I　swear　it。〃
　The　line　went　dead。
　Rachel's　mouth　was　still　hanging　open　when　the　captain　knocked　on　the　door。
　〃Ms。　Sexton？〃　the　captain　said；　peering　in。　〃We're　picking　up　a　faint　signal　from　Canadian　National　Radio。　President　Zach　Herney　has　just　begun　his　press　conference。〃
　
　　
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　Standing　at　the　podium　in　the　White　House　Briefing　Room；　Zach　Herney　felt　the　heat　of　the　media　lights　and　knew　the　world　was　watching。　The　targeted　blitz　performed　by　the　White　House　Press　Office　had　created　a　contagion　of　media　buzz。　Those　who　did　not　hear　about　the　address　via　television；　radio；　or　on…line　news　invariably　heard　about　it　from　neighbors；　coworkers；　and　family。　By　8：00　P。M。；　anyone　not　living　in　a　cave　was　speculating　about　the　topic　of　the　President's　address。　In　bars　and　living　rooms　over　the　globe；　millions　leaned　toward　their　televisions　in　apprehensive　wonder。
　It　was　during　moments　like　these…facing　the　world…that　Zach　Herney　truly　felt　the　weight　of　his　office。　Anyone　who　said　power　was　not　addictive　had　never　really　experienced　it。　As　he　began　his　address；　however；　Herney　sensed　something　was　amiss。　He　was　not　a　man　prone　to　stage　fright；　and　so　the　tingle　of　apprehension　now　tightening　in　his　core　startled　him。
　It's　the　magnitude　of　the　audience；　he　told　himself。　And　yet　he　knew　something　else。　Instinct。　Something　he　had　seen。
　It　had　been　such　a　little　thing；　and　yet。。。　
　He　told