danbrown.deceptionpoint-第68部分

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　The　interior　was　cramped；　packed　with　cleansers；　mops；　and　shelves　of　paper　supplies。　A　month　ago；　Gabrielle　had　been　searching　for　paper　towels　when　she'd　made　an　unusual　discovery。　Unable　to　reach　the　paper　off　the　top　shelf；　she'd　used　the　end　of　a　broom　to　coax　a　roll　to　fall。　In　the　process；　she'd　knocked　out　a　ceiling　tile。　When　she　climbed　up　to　replace　the　tile；　she　was　surprised　to　hear　Senator　Sexton's　voice。
　Crystal　clear。
　From　the　echo；　she　realized　the　senator　was　talking　to　himself　while　in　his　office's　private　bathroom；　which　apparently　was　separated　from　this　supply　closet　by　nothing　more　than　removable；　fiberboard　ceiling　tiles。
　Now；　back　in　the　closet　tonight　for　far　more　than　toilet　paper；　Gabrielle　kicked　off　her　shoes；　climbed　up　the　shelves；　popped　out　the　fiberboard　ceiling　tile；　and　pulled　herself　up。　So　much　for　national　security；　she　thought；　wondering　how　many　state　and　federal　laws　she　was　about　to　break。
　Lowering　herself　through　the　ceiling　of　Sexton's　private　restroom；　Gabrielle　placed　her　stockinged　feet　on　his　cold；　porcelain　sink　and　then　dropped　to　the　floor。　Holding　her　breath；　she　exited　into　Sexton's　private　office。
　His　oriental　carpets　felt　soft　and　warm。
　
　　
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　Thirty　miles　away；　a　black　Kiowa　gunship　chopper　tore　over　the　scrub　pine　treetops　of　northern　Delaware。　Delta…One　checked　the　coordinates　locked　in　the　auto　navigation　system。
　Although　Rachel's　shipboard　transmission　device　and　Pickering's　cellphone　were　encrypted　to　protect　the　contents　of　their　munication；　intercepting　content　had　not　been　the　goal　when　the　Delta　Force　pulse…snitched　Rachel's　call　from　sea。　Intercepting　the　caller's　position　had　been　the　goal。　Global　Positioning　Systems　and　puterized　triangulation　made　pinpointing　transmission　coordinates　a　significantly　easier　task　than　decrypting　the　actual　content　of　the　call。
　Delta…One　was　always　amused　to　think　that　most　cellphone　users　had　no　idea　that　every　time　they　made　a　call；　a　government　listening　post；　if　so　inclined；　could　detect　their　position　to　within　ten　feet　anywhere　on　earth…a　small　hitch　the　cellphone　panies　failed　to　advertise。　Tonight；　once　the　Delta　Force　had　gained　access　to　the　reception　frequencies　of　William　Pickering's　cellular　phone；　they　could　easily　trace　the　coordinates　of　his　ining　calls。
　Flying　now　on　a　direct　course　toward　their　target；　Delta…One　closed　to　within　twenty　miles。　〃Umbrella　primed？〃　he　asked；　turning　to　Delta…Two；　who　was　manning　the　radar　and　weapons　system。
　〃Affirmative。　Awaiting　five…mile　range。〃
　Five　miles；　Delta…One　thought。　He　had　to　fly　this　bird　well　within　his　target's　radar　scopes　to　get　within　range　to　use　the　Kiowa's　weapons　systems。　He　had　little　doubt　that　someone　onboard　the　Goya　was　nervously　watching　the　skies；　and　because　the　Delta　Force's　current　task　was　to　eliminate　the　target　without　giving　them　a　chance　to　radio　for　help；　Delta…One　now　had　to　advance　on　his　prey　without　alarming　them。
　At　fifteen　miles　out；　still　safely　out　of　radar　range；　Delta…One　abruptly　turned　the　Kiowa　thirty…five　degrees　off　course　to　the　west。　He　climbed　to　three　thousand　feet…small　airplane　range…and　adjusted　his　speed　to　110　knots。
　　
　On　the　deck　of　the　Goya；　the　Coast　Guard　helicopter's　radar　scope　beeped　once　as　a　new　contact　entered　the　ten…mile　perimeter。　The　pilot　sat　up；　studying　the　screen。　The　contact　appeared　to　be　a　small　cargo　plane　headed　west　up　the　coast。
　Probably　for　Newark。
　Although　this　plane's　current　trajectory　would　bring　it　within　four　miles　of　the　Goya；　the　flight　path　obviously　was　a　matter　of　chance。　Nonetheless；　being　vigilant；　the　Coast　Guard　pilot　watched　the　blinking　dot　trace　a　slow…moving　110…knot　line　across　the　right　side　of　his　scope。　At　its　closest　point；　the　plane　was　about　four　miles　west。　As　expected；　the　plane　kept　moving…heading　away　from　them　now。
　4。1　miles。　4。2　miles。
　The　pilot　exhaled；　relaxing。
　And　then　the　strangest　thing　happened。
　　
　〃Umbrella　now　engaged；〃　Delta…Two　called　out；　giving　the　thumbs…up　from　his　weapons　control　seat　on　the　port　side　of　the　Kiowa　gunship。　〃Barrage；　modulated　noise；　and　cover　pulse　are　all　activated　and　locked。〃
　Delta…One　took　his　cue　and　banked　hard　to　the　right；　putting　the　craft　on　a　direct　course　with　the　Goya。　This　maneuver　would　be　invisible　to　the　ship's　radar。
　〃Sure　beats　bales　of　tinfoil！〃　Delta…Two　called　out。
　Delta…One　agreed。　Radar　jamming　had　been　invented　in　WWII　when　a　savvy　British　airman　began　throwing　bales　of　hay　wrapped　in　tinfoil　out　of　his　plane　while　on　bombing　runs。　The　Germans'　radar　spotted　so　many　reflective　contacts　they　had　no　idea　what　to　shoot。　The　techniques　had　been　improved　on　substantially　since　then。
　The　Kiowa's　onboard　〃umbrella〃　radar…jamming　system　was　one　of　the　military's　most　deadly　electronic　bat　weapons。　By　broadcasting　an　umbrella　of　background　noise　into　the　atmosphere　above　a　given　set　of　surface　coordinates；　the　Kiowa　could　erase　the　eyes；　ears；　and　voice　of　their　target。　Moments　ago；　all　radar　screens　aboard　the　Goya　had　most　certainly　gone　blank。　By　the　time　the　crew　realized　they　needed　to　call　for　help；　they　would　be　unable　to　transmit。　On　a　ship；　all　munications　were　radio…or　microwave…based…no　solid　phone　lines。　If　the　Kiowa　got　close　enough；　all　of　the　Goya's　munications　systems　would　stop　functioning；　their　carrier　signals　blotted　out　by　the　invisible　cloud　of　thermal　noise　broadcast　in　front　of　the　Kiowa　like　a　blinding　headlight。
　Perfect　isolation；　Delta…One　thought。　They　have　no　defenses。
　Their　targets　had　made　a　fortunate　and　cunning　escape　from　the　Milne　Ice　Shelf；　but　it　would　not　be　repeated。　In　choosing　to　leave　shore；　Rachel　Sexton　and　Michael　Tolland　had　chosen　poorly。　It　would　be　the　last　bad　decision　they　ever　made。
　Inside　the　White　House；　Zach　Herney　felt　dazed　as　he　sat　up　in　bed　holding　the　telephone　receiver。　〃Now？　Ekstrom　wants　to　speak　to　me　now？〃　Herney　squinted　again　at　the　bedside　clock。　3：17　A。M。
　〃Yes；　Mr。　President；〃　the　munications　officer　said。　〃He　says　it's　an　emergency。〃
　
　　
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　While　Corky　and　Xavia　huddled　over　the　electron　microprobe　measuring　the　zirconium　content　in　the　chondrules；　Rachel　followed　Tolland　across　the　lab　into　an　adjoining　room。　Here　Tolland　turned　on　another　puter。　Apparently　the　oceanographer　had　one　more　thing　he　wanted　to　check。
　As　the　puter　powered　up；　Tolland　turned　to　Rachel；　his　mouth　poised　as　if　he　wanted　to　say　something。　He　paused。
　〃What　is　it？〃　Rachel　asked；　surprised　how　physically　drawn　to　him　she　felt；　even　in　the　midst　of　all　this　chaos。　She　wished　she　could　block　it　all　out　and　be　with　him…just　for　a　minute。
　〃I　owe　you　an　apology；〃　Tolland　said；　looking　remorseful。
　〃For　what？〃
　〃On　the　deck？　The　hammerheads？　I　was　excited。　Sometimes　I　forget　how　frightening　the　ocean　can　be　to　a　lot　of　people。〃
　Face…to…face　with　him；　Rachel　felt　like　a　teenager　standing　on　the　doorstep　with　a　new　boyfriend。　〃Thanks。　No　problem　at　all。　Really。〃　Something　inside　her　sensed　Tolland　wanted　to　kiss　her。
　After　a　beat；　he　turned　shyly　away。　〃I　know。　You　want　to　get　to　shore。　We　should　get　to　work。〃
　〃For　now。〃　Rachel　smiled　softly。
　〃For　now；〃　Tolland　repeated；　taking　a　seat　at　the　puter。
　Rachel　exhaled；　standing　close　behind　now；　savoring　the　privacy　of　the　small　lab。　She　watched　Tolland　navigate　a　series　of　files。　〃What　are　we　doing？〃
　〃Checking　the　database　for　big　ocean　lice。　I　want　to　see　if　we　can　find　any　prehistoric　marine　fossils　that　resemble　what　we　saw　in　the　NASA　meteorite。〃　He　pulled　up　a　search　page　with　bold　letters　across　the　top：　PROJECT　DIVERSITAS。
　Scrolling　through　the　menus；　Tolland　explained；　〃Diversitas　is　essentially　a　continuously　updated　index　of　oceanic　biodata。　When　a　marine　biologist　discovers　a　new　ocean　species　or　fossil；　he　can　toot　his　horn　and　share　his　find　by　uploading　data　and　photos　to　a　central　databank。　Because　there's　so　much　new　data　discovered　on　a　weekly　basis；　this　is　really　the　only　way　to　keep　research　up…to…date。〃
　Rachel　watched　Tolland　navigating　the　menus。　〃So　you're　accessing　the　Web　now？〃
　〃No。　Internet　access　is　tricky　at　sea。　We　store　all　this　data　onboard　on　an　enormous　array　of　optical　drives　in　the　other　room。　Every　time　we're　in　port；　we　tie　into　Project　Diversitas　and　update　our　databank　with　the　newest　finds。　This　way；　we　can　access　data　at　sea　without　a　Web　connection；　and　the　data　is　never　more　than　a　month　or　two　out　of　date。〃　Tolland　chuckled　as　he　began　typing　search　keywords　into　the　puter。　〃You've　probably　heard　of　the　controversial　music　file…sharing　program　called　Napster？〃
　Rachel　nodded。
　〃Diversitas　is　considered　the　marine　biologist's　version　of　Napster。　We　call　it　LOBSTER…Lonely　Oceanic　Biologists　Sharing　Totally　Eccentric　Research。〃
　Rachel　laughed。　Even　in　this　tense　situation；　Michael　Tolland　exuded　a　wry　humor　that　eased　her　fears。　She　was　beginning　to　realize　she'd　had　entirely　too　little　laughter　in　her　life　lately。
　〃Our　database　is　enormous；〃　Tolland　said；　pleting　the　entry　of　his　descriptive　keywords。　〃Over　ten　tera…bytes　of　descriptions　and　photos。　There's　information　in　here　nobody　has　ever　seen…and　nobody　ever　will。　Ocean　species　are　simply　too　numerous。〃　He　clicked　the　〃search〃　button。　〃Okay；　let's　see　if　anyone　has　ever　seen　an　oceanic　fossil　similar　to　our　little　space　bug。〃
　After　a　few　seconds；　the　screen　refreshed；　revealing　four　listings　of　fossilized　animals。　Tolland　clicked　on　each　listing　one　by　one　and　examined　the　photos。　None　looked　remotely　like　the　fossils　in　the　Milne　meteorite。
　Tolland　frowned。　〃Let's　try　something　else。〃　He　removed　the　word　〃fossil〃　from　his　search　string　and　hit　〃search。〃　〃We'll　search　all　living　species。　Maybe　we　can　find　a　living　descendant　that　has　some　of　the　physiological　characteristics　of　the　Milne　fossil。〃
　The　screen　refreshed。
　Again　Tolland　frowned。　The　puter　had　returned　hundreds　of　entries。　He　sat　a　moment；　stroking　his　now　stubble…darkened　chin。　〃Okay；　this　is　too　much。　Let's　refine　the　search。〃
　Rachel　watched　as　he　accessed　a　drop…down　menu　marked　〃habitat。〃　The　list　of　options　looked　endless：　tide　pool；　marsh；　lagoon；　reef；　mid…oceanic　ridge；　sulfur　vents。　Tolland　scrolled　down　the　lis