danbrown.deceptionpoint-第47部分

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sprang　to　life；　and　Rachel　saw　Director　Pickering　in　the　NRO　conference　room。　He　was　alone。　His　head　snapped　up　and　he　looked　into　Rachel's　eyes。
　She　felt　oddly　relieved　to　see　him。
　〃Ms。　Sexton；〃　he　said；　his　expression　perplexed　and　troubled。　〃What　in　the　world　is　going　on？〃
　〃The　meteorite；　sir；〃　Rachel　said。　〃I　think　we　may　have　a　serious　problem。〃
　
　　
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　Inside　the　Charlotte's　dead　room；　Rachel　Sexton　introduced　Michael　Tolland　and　Corky　Marlinson　to　Pickering。　Then　she　took　charge　and　launched　into　a　quick　account　of　the　day's　incredible　chain　of　events。
　The　NRO　director　sat　motionless　as　he　listened。
　Rachel　told　him　about　the　bioluminescent　plankton　in　the　extraction　pit；　their　journey　onto　the　ice　shelf　and　discovery　of　an　insertion　shaft　beneath　the　meteorite；　and　finally　of　their　sudden　attack　by　a　military　team　she　suspected　was　Special　Ops。
　William　Pickering　was　known　for　his　ability　to　listen　to　disturbing　information　without　so　much　as　flinching　an　eye；　and　yet　his　gaze　grew　more　and　more　troubled　with　each　progression　in　Rachel's　story。　She　sensed　disbelief　and　then　rage　when　she　talked　about　Norah　Mangor's　murder　and　their　own　near…death　escape。　Although　Rachel　wanted　to　voice　her　suspicions　of　the　NASA　administrator's　involvement；　she　knew　Pickering　well　enough　not　to　point　fingers　without　evidence。　She　gave　Pickering　the　story　as　cold　hard　facts。　When　she　was　finished；　Pickering　did　not　respond　for　several　seconds。
　〃Ms。　Sexton；〃　he　finally　said；　〃all　of　you。。。　〃　He　moved　his　gaze　to　each　of　them。　〃If　what　you're　saying　is　true；　and　I　cannot　imagine　why　three　of　you　would　lie　about　this；　you　are　all　very　lucky　to　be　alive。〃
　They　all　nodded　in　silence。　The　President　had　called　in　four　civilian　scientists。。。　and　two　of　them　were　now　dead。
　Pickering　heaved　a　disconsolate　sigh；　as　if　he　had　no　idea　what　to　say　next。　The　events　clearly　made　little　sense。　〃Is　there　any　way；〃　Pickering　asked；　〃that　this　insertion　shaft　you're　seeing　in　that　GPR　printout　is　a　natural　phenomenon？〃
　Rachel　shook　her　head。　〃It's　too　perfect。〃　She　unfolded　the　soggy　GPR　printout　and　held　it　up　in　front　of　the　camera。　〃Flawless。〃
　Pickering　studied　the　image；　scowling　in　agreement。　〃Don't　let　that　out　of　your　hands。〃
　〃I　called　Marjorie　Tench　to　warn　her　to　stop　the　President；〃　Rachel　said。　〃But　she　shut　me　down。〃
　〃I　know。　She　told　me。〃
　Rachel　looked　up；　stunned。　〃Marjorie　Tench　called　you？〃　That　was　fast。
　〃Just　now。　She's　very　concerned。　She　feels　you　are　attempting　some　kind　of　stunt　to　discredit　the　President　and　NASA。　Perhaps　to　help　your　father。〃
　Rachel　stood　up。　She　waved　the　GPR　printout　and　motioned　to　her　two　panions。　〃We　were　almost　killed！　Does　this　look　like　some　kind　of　stunt？　And　why　would　I…〃
　Pickering　held　up　his　hands。　〃Easy。　What　Ms。　Tench　failed　to　tell　me　was　that　there　were　three　of　you。〃
　Rachel　could　not　recall　if　Tench　had　even　given　her　time　to　mention　Corky　and　Tolland。
　〃Nor　did　she　tell　me　you　had　physical　evidence；〃　Pickering　said。　〃I　was　skeptical　of　her　claims　before　I　spoke　to　you；　and　now　I　am　convinced　she　is　mistaken。　I　do　not　doubt　your　claims。　The　question　at　this　point　is　what　it　all　means。〃
　There　was　a　long　silence。
　William　Pickering　rarely　looked　confused；　but　he　shook　his　head；　seeming　lost。　〃Let's　assume　for　the　moment　that　someone　did　insert　this　meteorite　beneath　the　ice。　That　begs　the　obvious　issue　of　why。　If　NASA　has　a　meteorite　with　fossils　in　it；　why　would　they；　or　anyone　else　for　that　matter；　care　where　it　is　found？〃
　〃It　appears；〃　Rachel　said；　〃that　the　insertion　was　performed　such　that　PODS　would　make　the　discovery；　and　the　meteorite　would　appear　to　be　a　fragment　from　a　known　impact。〃
　〃The　Jungersol　Fall；〃　Corky　prompted。
　〃But　of　what　value　is　the　meteorite's　association　with　a　known　impact？〃　Pickering　demanded；　sounding　almost　mad。　〃Aren't　these　fossils　an　astounding　discovery　anywhere　and　anytime？　No　matter　what　meteoritic　event　they　are　associated　with？〃
　All　three　nodded。
　Pickering　hesitated；　looking　displeased。　〃Unless。。。　of　course。。。　〃
　Rachel　saw　the　wheels　turning　behind　the　director's　eyes。　He　had　found　the　simplest　explanation　for　placing　the　meteorite　concurrent　with　the　Jungersol　strata；　but　the　simplest　explanation　was　also　the　most　troubling。
　〃Unless；〃　Pickering　continued；　〃the　careful　placement　was　intended　to　lend　credibility　to　totally　false　data。〃　He　sighed；　turning　to　Corky。　〃Dr。　Marlinson；　what　is　the　possibility　that　this　meteorite　is　a　counterfeit。〃
　〃Counterfeit；　sir？〃
　〃Yes。　A　fake。　Manufactured。〃
　〃A　fake　meteorite？〃　Corky　gave　an　awkward　laugh。　〃Utterly　impossible！　That　meteorite　was　examined　by　professionals。　Myself　included。　Chemical　scans；　spectrograph；　rubidium…strontium　dating。　It　is　unlike　any　kind　of　rock　ever　seen　on　earth。　The　meteorite　is　authentic。　Any　astrogeologist　would　agree。〃
　Pickering　seemed　to　consider　this　a　long　time；　gently　stroking　his　tie。　〃And　yet　taking　into　account　the　amount　NASA　has　to　gain　from　this　discovery　right　now；　the　apparent　signs　of　tampering　with　evidence；　and　your　being　attacked。。。　the　first　and　only　logical　conclusion　I　can　draw　is　that　this　meteorite　is　a　well…executed　fraud。〃
　〃Impossible！〃　Corky　sounded　angry　now。　〃With　all　respect；　sir；　meteorites　are　not　some　Hollywood　special　effect　that　can　be　conjured　up　in　a　lab　to　fool　a　bunch　of　unsuspecting　astrophysicists。　They　are　chemically　plex　objects　with　unique　crystalline　structures　and　element　ratios！〃
　〃I　am　not　challenging　you；　Dr。　Marlinson。　I　am　simply　following　a　logical　chain　of　analysis。　Considering　someone　wanted　to　kill　you　to　keep　you　from　revealing　it　was　inserted　under　the　ice；　I'm　inclined　to　entertain　all　kinds　of　wild　scenarios　here。　What　specifically　makes　you　certain　this　rock　is　indeed　a　meteorite？〃
　〃Specifically？〃　Corky's　voice　cracked　in　the　headphones。　〃A　flawless　fusion　crust；　the　presence　of　chondrules；　a　nickel　ratio　unlike　anything　ever　found　on　earth。　If　you're　suggesting　that　someone　tricked　us　by　manufacturing　this　rock　in　a　lab；　then　all　I　can　say　is　that　the　lab　was　about　190　million　years　old。〃　Corky　dug　in　his　pocket　and　pulled　out　a　stone　shaped　like　a　CD。　He　held　it　in　front　of　the　camera。　〃We　chemically　dated　samples　like　this　with　numerous　methods。　Rubidium…strontium　dating　is　not　something　you　can　fake！〃
　Pickering　looked　surprised。　〃You　have　a　sample？〃
　Corky　shrugged。　〃NASA　had　dozens　of　them　floating　around。〃
　〃You　mean　to　tell　me；〃　Pickering　said；　looking　at　Rachel　now；　〃that　NASA　discovered　a　meteorite　they　think　contains　life；　and　they're　letting　people　walk　off　with　samples？〃
　〃The　point；〃　Corky　said；　〃is　that　the　sample　in　my　hands　is　genuine。〃　He　held　the　rock　close　to　the　camera。　〃You　could　give　this　to　any　petrologist　or　geologist　or　astronomer　on　earth；　they　would　run　tests；　and　they　would　tell　you　two　things：　one；　it　is　190　million　years　old；　and　two；　it　is　chemically　dissimilar　from　the　kind　of　rock　we　have　here　on　earth。〃
　Pickering　leaned　forward；　studying　the　fossil　embedded　in　the　rock。　He　seemed　momentarily　transfixed。　Finally；　he　sighed。　〃I　am　not　a　scientist。　All　I　can　say　is　that　if　that　meteorite　is　genuine；　which　it　appears　it　is；　I　would　like　to　know　why　NASA　didn't　present　it　to　the　world　at　face　value？　Why　has　someone　carefully　placed　it　under　the　ice　as　if　to　persuade　us　of　its　authenticity？〃
　　
　At　that　moment；　inside　the　White　House；　a　security　officer　was　dialing　Marjorie　Tench。
　The　senior　adviser　answered　on　the　first　ring。　〃Yeah？〃
　〃Ms。　Tench；〃　the　officer　said；　〃I　have　the　information　you　requested　earlier。　The　radiophone　call　that　Rachel　Sexton　placed　to　you　earlier　this　evening。　We　have　the　trace。〃
　〃Tell　me。〃
　〃Secret　Service　ops　says　the　signal　originated　aboard　the　naval　submarine　U。S。S。　Charlotte。〃
　〃What！〃
　〃They　don't　have　coordinates；　ma'am；　but　they　are　certain　of　the　vessel　code。〃
　〃Oh；　for　Christ's　sake！〃　Tench　slammed　down　the　receiver　without　another　word。
　
　　
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　The　muted　acoustics　of　the　Charlotte's　dead　room　were　starting　to　make　Rachel　feel　mildly　nauseated。　On…screen；　William　Pickering's　troubled　gaze　moved　now　to　Michael　Tolland。　〃You're　quiet；　Mr。　Tolland。〃
　Tolland　glanced　up　like　a　student　who　had　been　called　on　unexpectedly。　〃Sir？〃
　〃You　just　gave　quite　a　convincing　documentary　on　television；〃　Pickering　said。　〃What's　your　take　on　the　meteorite　now？〃
　〃Well；　sir；〃　Tolland　said；　his　disfort　obvious；　〃I　have　to　agree　with　Dr。　Marlinson。　I　believe　the　fossils　and　meteorite　are　authentic。　I'm　fairly　well　versed　in　dating　techniques；　and　the　age　of　that　stone　was　confirmed　by　multiple　tests。　The　nickel　content　as　well。　These　data　cannot　be　forged。　There　exists　no　doubt　the　rock；　formed　190　million　years　ago；　exhibits　nonterrestrial　nickel　ratios　and　contains　dozens　of　confirmed　fossils　whose　formation　is　also　dated　at　190　million　years。　I　can　think　of　no　other　possible　explanation　than　that　NASA　has　found　an　authentic　meteorite。〃
　Pickering　fell　silent　now。　His　expression　was　one　of　quandary；　a　look　Rachel　had　never　before　seen　on　William　Pickering。
　〃What　should　we　do；　sir？〃　Rachel　asked。　〃Obviously　we　need　to　alert　the　President　there　are　problems　with　the　data。〃
　Pickering　frowned。　〃Let's　hope　the　President　doesn't　already　know。〃
　Rachel　felt　a　knot　rise　in　her　throat。　Pickering's　implication　was　clear。　President　Herney　could　be　involved。　Rachel　strongly　doubted　it；　and　yet　both　the　President　and　NASA　had　plenty　to　gain　here。
　〃Unfortunately；〃　Pickering　said；　〃with　the　exception　of　this　GPR　printout　revealing　an　insertion　shaft；　all　of　the　scientific　data　points　to　a　credible　NASA　discovery。〃　He　paused；　dire。　〃And　this　issue　of　your　being　attacked。。。　〃　He　looked　up　at　Rachel。　〃You　mentioned　special　ops。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　She　told　him　again　about　the　Improvised　Munitions　and　tactics。
　Pickering　looked　more　and　more　unhappy　by　the　moment。　Rachel　sensed　her　boss　was　contemplating　the　number　of　people　who　might　have　access　to　a　small　military　kill　force。　Certainly　the　President　had　access。　Probably　Marjorie　Tench　too；　as　senior　adviser。　Quite　possibly　NASA　administrator　Lawrence　Ekstrom　with　his　ties　to　the　Pentagon。　Unfortunately；　as　Rachel　con