danbrown.deceptionpoint-第59部分

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　President　before　the　election。〃
　Gabrielle　was　awestruck。　〃And　of　course　you　couldn't　claim　PODS　had　detected　a　meteorite　until　you'd　announced　that　the　PODS　anomaly…detection　software　was　up　and　running。〃
　Harper　nodded。　〃Hence　the　press　conference　lie。　I　was　forced　into　it。　Tench　and　the　administrator　were　ruthless。　They　reminded　me　I'd　let　everyone　down…the　President　had　funded　my　PODS　project；　NASA　had　spent　years　on　it；　and　now　I'd　ruined　the　whole　thing　with　a　programming　blunder。〃
　〃So　you　agreed　to　help。〃
　〃I　didn't　have　a　choice。　My　career　was　essentially　over　if　I　didn't。　And　the　reality　was　that　if　I　hadn't　muffed　the　software；　PODS　would　have　found　that　meteorite　on　its　own。　So；　it　seemed　a　small　lie　at　the　time。　I　rationalized　it　by　telling　myself　that　the　software　would　be　fixed　in　a　few　months　when　the　space　shuttle　went　up；　so　I　would　simply　be　announcing　the　fix　a　little　early。〃
　Gabrielle　let　out　a　whistle。　〃A　tiny　lie　to　take　advantage　of　a　meteoric　opportunity。〃
　Harper　was　feeling　ill　just　talking　about　it。　〃So。。。　I　did　it。　Following　the　administrator's　orders；　I　held　a　press　conference　announcing　that　I'd　found　a　work…around　for　my　anomaly…detection　software；　I　waited　a　few　days；　and　then　I　repositioned　PODS　over　the　administrator's　meteorite　coordinates。　Then；　following　the　proper　chain　of　mand；　I　phoned　the　EOS　director　and　reported　that　PODS　had　located　a　hard　density　anomaly　in　the　Milne　Ice　Shelf。　I　gave　him　the　coordinates　and　told　him　the　anomaly　appeared　to　be　dense　enough　to　be　a　meteorite。　Excitedly；　NASA　sent　a　small　team　up　to　Milne　to　take　some　drill　cores。　That's　when　the　operation　got　very　hush…hush。〃
　〃So；　you　had　no　idea　the　meteorite　had　fossils　until　tonight？〃
　〃Nobody　here　did。　We're　all　in　shock。　Now　everyone　is　calling　me　a　hero　for　finding　proof　of　extraterrestrial　bioforms；　and　I　don't　know　what　to　say。〃
　Gabrielle　was　silent　a　long　moment；　studying　Harper　with　firm　black　eyes。　〃But　if　PODS　didn't　locate　the　meteorite　in　the　ice；　how　did　the　administrator　know　the　meteorite　was　there？〃
　〃Someone　else　found　it　first。〃
　〃Someone　else？　Who？〃
　Harper　sighed。　〃A　Canadian　geologist　named　Charles　Brophy…a　researcher　on　Ellesmere　Island。　Apparently　he　was　doing　geologic　ice　soundings　on　the　Milne　Ice　Shelf　when　he　by　chance　discovered　the　presence　of　what　appeared　to　be　a　huge　meteorite　in　the　ice。　He　radioed　it　in；　and　NASA　happened　to　intercept　the　transmission。〃
　Gabrielle　stared。　〃But　isn't　this　Canadian　furious　that　NASA　is　taking　all　the　credit　for　the　find？〃
　〃No；〃　Harper　said；　feeling　a　chill。　〃Conveniently；　he's　dead。〃
　
　　
　91
　Michael　Tolland　closed　his　eyes　and　listened　to　the　drone　of　the　G4　jet　engine。　He　had　given　up　trying　to　think　anymore　about　the　meteorite　until　they　got　back　to　Washington。　The　chondrules；　according　to　Corky；　were　conclusive；　the　rock　in　the　Milne　Ice　Shelf　could　only　be　a　meteorite。　Rachel　had　hoped　to　have　a　conclusive　answer　for　William　Pickering　by　the　time　they　landed；　but　her　thought　experiments　had　run　into　a　dead　end　with　the　chondrules。　As　suspicious　as　the　meteorite　evidence　was；　the　meteorite　appeared　to　be　authentic。
　So　be　it。
　Rachel　had　obviously　been　shaken　by　the　trauma　in　the　ocean。　Tolland　was　amazed；　though；　by　her　resilience。　She　was　focused　now　on　the　issue　at　hand…trying　to　find　a　way　to　debunk　or　authenticate　the　meteorite；　and　trying　to　assess　who　had　tried　to　kill　them。
　For　most　of　the　trip；　Rachel　had　been　in　the　seat　beside　Tolland。　He'd　enjoyed　talking　to　her；　despite　the　trying　circumstances。　Several　minutes　ago；　she'd　headed　back　to　the　restroom；　and　now　Tolland　was　surprised　to　find　himself　missing　her　beside　him。　He　wondered　how　long　it　had　been　since　he'd　missed　a　woman's　presence…a　woman　other　than　Celia。
　〃Mr。　Tolland？〃
　Tolland　glanced　up。
　The　pilot　was　sticking　his　head　into　the　cabin。　〃You　asked　me　to　tell　you　when　we　were　in　telephone　range　of　your　ship？　I　can　get　you　that　connection　if　you　want。〃
　〃Thanks。〃　Tolland　made　his　way　up　the　aisle。
　Inside　the　cockpit；　Tolland　placed　a　call　to　his　crew。　He　wanted　to　let　them　know　he　would　not　be　back　for　another　day　or　two。　Of　course；　he　had　no　intention　of　telling　them　what　trouble　he'd　run　into。
　The　phone　rang　several　times；　and　Tolland　was　surprised　to　hear　the　ship's　SHIN　2100　munications　system　pick　up。　The　outgoing　message　was　not　the　usual　professional…sounding　greeting　but　rather　the　rowdy　voice　of　one　of　Tolland's　crew；　the　onboard　joker。
　〃Hiya；　hiya；　this　is　the　Goya；〃　the　voice　announced。　〃We're　sorry　nobody's　here　right　now；　but　we've　all　been　abducted　by　very　large　lice！　Actually；　we've　taken　temporary　shore　leave　to　celebrate　Mike's　huge　night。　Gosh；　are　we　proud！　You　can　leave　your　name　and　number；　and　maybe　we'll　be　back　tomorrow　when　we're　sober。　Ciao！　Go；　ET！〃
　Tolland　laughed；　missing　his　crew　already。　Obviously　they'd　seen　the　press　conference。　He　was　glad　they'd　gone　ashore；　he'd　abandoned　them　rather　abruptly　when　the　President　called；　and　their　sitting　idle　at　sea　was　crazy。　Although　the　message　said　everyone　had　gone　ashore；　Tolland　had　to　assume　they　would　not　have　left　his　ship　unattended；　particularly　in　the　strong　currents　where　it　was　now　anchored。
　Tolland　pressed　the　numeric　code　to　play　any　internal　voice　mail　messages　they'd　left　for　him。　The　line　beeped　once。　One　message。　The　voice　was　the　same　rowdy　crewmember。
　〃Hi　Mike；　hell　of　a　show！　If　you're　hearing　this；　you're　probably　checking　your　messages　from　some　swanky　White　House　party　and　wondering　where　the　hell　we　are。　Sorry　we　abandoned　ship；　buddy；　but　this　was　not　a　dry…celebration　kind　of　night。　Don't　worry；　we　anchored　her　really　good　and　left　the　porch　light　on。　We're　secretly　hoping　she　gets　pirated　so　you'll　let　NBC　buy　you　that　new　boat！　Just　kidding；　man。　Don't　worry；　Xavia　agreed　to　stay　onboard　and　mind　the　fort。　She　said　she　preferred　time　alone　to　partying　with　a　bunch　of　drunken　fishmongers？　Can　you　believe　that？〃
　Tolland　chuckled；　relieved　to　hear　someone　was　aboard　watching　the　ship。　Xavia　was　responsible；　definitely　not　the　partying　type。　A　respected　marine　geologist；　Xavia　had　the　reputation　for　speaking　her　mind　with　a　caustic　honesty。
　〃Anyhow；　Mike；〃　the　message　went　on；　〃tonight　was　incredible。　Kind　of　makes　you　proud　to　be　a　scientist；　doesn't　it？　Everyone's　talking　about　how　good　this　looks　for　NASA。　Screw　NASA；　I　say！　This　looks　even　better　for　us！　Amazing　Seas　ratings　must　have　gone　up　a　few　million　points　tonight。　You're　a　star；　man。　A　real　one。　Congrats。　Excellent　job。〃
　There　was　hushed　talking　on　the　line；　and　the　voice　came　back。　〃Oh；　yeah；　and　speaking　of　Xavia；　just　so　you　don't　get　too　big　a　head；　she　wants　to　razz　you　about　something。　Here　she　is。〃
　Xavia's　razor　voice　came　on　the　machine。　〃Mike；　Xavia；　you're　a　God；　yada　yada。　And　because　I　love　you　so　much；　I've　agreed　to　baby…sit　this　antediluvian　wreck　of　yours。　Frankly；　it　will　be　nice　to　be　away　from　these　hoodlums　you　call　scientists。　Anyhow；　in　addition　to　baby…sitting　the　ship；　the　crew　has　asked　me；　in　my　role　as　onboard　bitch；　to　do　everything　in　my　power　to　keep　you　from　turning　into　a　conceited　bastard；　which　after　tonight　I　realize　is　going　to　be　difficult；　but　I　had　to　be　the　first　to　tell　you　that　you　made　a　boo…boo　in　your　documentary。　Yes；　you　heard　me。　A　rare　Michael　Tolland　brain　fart。　Don't　worry；　there　are　only　about　three　people　on　earth　who　will　notice；　and　they're　all　anal…retentive　marine　geologists　with　no　sense　of　humor。　A　lot　like　me。　But　you　know　what　they　say　about　us　geologists…always　looking　for　faults！〃　She　laughed。　〃Anyhow；　it's　nothing；　a　minuscule　point　about　meteorite　petrology。　I　only　mention　it　to　ruin　your　night。　You　might　get　a　call　or　two　about　it；　so　I　thought　I'd　give　you　the　heads…up　so　you　don't　end　up　sounding　like　the　moron　we　all　know　you　really　are。〃　She　laughed　again。　〃Anyhow；　I'm　not　much　of　a　party　animal；　so　I'm　staying　onboard。　Don't　bother　calling　me；　I　had　to　turn　on　the　machine　because　the　goddamned　press　have　been　calling　all　night。　You're　a　real　star　tonight；　despite　your　screwup。　Anyhow；　I'll　fill　you　in　on　it　when　you　get　back。　Ciao。〃
　The　line　went　dead。
　Michael　Tolland　frowned。　A　mistake　in　my　documentary？
　　
　Rachel　Sexton　stood　in　the　restroom　of　the　G4　and　looked　at　herself　in　the　mirror。　She　looked　pale；　she　thought；　and　more　frail　than　she'd　imagined。　Tonight's　scare　had　taken　a　lot　out　of　her。　She　wondered　how　long　it　would　be　before　she　would　stop　shivering；　or　before　she　would　go　near　an　ocean。　Removing　her　U。S。S。　Charlotte　cap；　she　let　her　hair　down。　Better；　she　thought；　feeling　more　like　herself。
　Looking　into　her　eyes；　Rachel　sensed　a　deep　weariness。　Beneath　it；　though；　she　saw　the　resolve。　She　knew　that　was　her　mother's　gift。　Nobody　tells　you　what　you　can　and　can't　do。　Rachel　wondered　if　her　mother　had　seen　what　happened　tonight。　Someone　tried　to　kill　me；　Mom。　Someone　tried　to　kill　all　of　us。。。　
　Rachel's　mind；　as　it　had　for　several　hours　now；　scrolled　through　the　list　of　names。
　Lawrence　Ekstrom。。。　Marjorie　Tench。。。　President　Zach　Herney。　All　had　motives。　And；　more　chillingly；　all　had　means。　The　President　is　not　involved；　Rachel　told　herself；　clinging　to　her　hope　that　the　President　she　respected　so　much　more　than　her　own　father　was　an　innocent　bystander　in　this　mysterious　incident。
　We　still　know　nothing。
　Not　who。。。　not　if。。。　not　why。
　Rachel　had　wanted　to　have　answers　for　William　Pickering　but；　so　far；　all　she'd　managed　to　do　was　raise　more　questions。
　When　Rachel　left　the　restroom；　she　was　surprised　to　see　Michael　Tolland　was　not　in　his　seat。　Corky　was　dozing　nearby。　As　Rachel　looked　around；　Mike　stepped　out　of　the　cockpit　as　the　pilot　hung　up　a　radiophone。　His　eyes　were　wide　with　concern。
　〃What　is　it？〃　Rachel　asked。
　Tolland's　voice　was　heavy　as　he　told　her　about　the　phone　message。
　A　mistake　in　his　presentation？　Rachel　thought　Tolland　was　overreacting。　〃It's　probably　nothing。　She　didn't　tell　you　specifically　what　the　error　was？〃
　〃Something　to　do　with　meteorite　petrology。〃
　〃Rock　structure？〃
　〃Yeah。　She　said　the　only　people　who　would　notice　the　mistake　were　a　few　other　geologists。　It　sounds　like　whatever　error　I　made　was　rel