danbrown.deceptionpoint-第74部分

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ened　her　focus。　Finding　a　pen　and　paper；　she　scrawled　a　two…line　message。　The　words　were　blunt　and　awkward；　but　eloquence　was　not　a　luxury　she　had　time　for　at　the　moment。　She　added　the　note　to　the　incriminating　stack　of　papers　in　her　hand…the　GPR　printout；　images　of　Bathynomous　giganteus；　photos　and　articles　regarding　oceanic　chondrules；　an　electron　microscan　printout。　The　meteorite　was　a　fake；　and　this　was　the　proof。
　Rachel　inserted　the　entire　stack　into　the　hydrolab's　fax　machine。　Knowing　only　a　few　fax　numbers　by　heart；　she　had　limited　choices；　but　she　had　already　made　up　her　mind　who　would　be　receiving　these　pages　and　her　note。　Holding　her　breath；　she　carefully　typed　in　the　person's　fax　number。
　She　pressed　〃send；〃　praying　she　had　chosen　the　recipient　wisely。
　The　fax　machine　beeped。
　ERROR：　NO　DIAL　TONE
　Rachel　had　expected　this。　The　Goya's　munications　were　still　being　jammed。　She　stood　waiting　and　watching　the　machine；　hoping　it　functioned　like　hers　at　home。
　e　on！
　After　five　seconds；　the　machine　beeped　again。
　REDIALING。。。　
　Yes！　Rachel　watched　the　machine　lock　into　an　endless　loop。
　ERROR：　NO　DIAL　TONE
　REDIALING。。。　
　ERROR：　NO　DIAL　TONE
　REDIALING。。。　
　Leaving　the　fax　machine　in　search　of　a　dial　tone；　Rachel　dashed　out　of　the　hydrolab　just　as　helicopter　blades　thundered　overhead。
　
　　
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　One　hundred　and　sixty　miles　away　from　the　Goya；　Gabrielle　Ashe　was　staring　at　Senator　Sexton's　puter　screen　in　mute　astonishment。　Her　suspicions　had　been　right。
　But　she　had　never　imagined　how　right。
　She　was　looking　at　digital　scans　of　dozens　of　bank　checks　written　to　Sexton　from　private　space　panies　and　deposited　in　numbered　accounts　in　the　Cayman　Islands。　The　smallest　check　Gabrielle　saw　was　for　fifteen　thousand　dollars。　Several　were　upward　of　half　a　million　dollars。
　Small　potatoes；　Sexton　had　told　her。　All　the　donations　are　under　the　two…thousand…dollar　cap。
　Obviously　Sexton　had　been　lying　all　along。　Gabrielle　was　looking　at　illegal　campaign　financing　on　an　enormous　scale。　The　pangs　of　betrayal　and　disillusionment　settled　hard　now　in　her　heart。　He　lied。
　She　felt　stupid。　She　felt　dirty。　But　most　of　all　she　felt　mad。
　Gabrielle　sat　alone　in　the　darkness；　realizing　she　had　no　idea　what　to　do　next。
　
　　
　120
　Above　the　Goya；　as　the　Kiowa　banked　over　the　stern　deck；　Delta…One　gazed　down；　his　eyes　fixating　on　an　utterly　unexpected　vision。
　Michael　Tolland　was　standing　on　deck　beside　a　small　submersible。　Dangling　in　the　sub's　robotic　arms；　as　if　in　the　clutches　of　a　giant　insect；　hung　Delta…Two；　struggling　in　vain　to　free　himself　from　two　enormous　claws。
　What　in　the　name　of　God！？
　Equally　as　shocking　an　image；　Rachel　Sexton　had　just　arrived　on　deck；　taking　up　a　position　over　a　bound　and　bleeding　man　at　the　foot　of　the　submersible。　The　man　could　only　be　Delta…Three。　Rachel　held　one　of　the　Delta　Force's　machine　guns　on　him　and　stared　up　at　the　chopper　as　if　daring　them　to　attack。
　Delta…One　felt　momentarily　disoriented；　unable　to　fathom　how　this　possibly　could　have　happened。　The　Delta　Force's　errors　on　the　ice　shelf　earlier　had　been　a　rare　but　explainable　occurrence。　This；　however；　was　unimaginable。
　Delta…One's　humiliation　would　have　been　excruciating　enough　under　normal　circumstances。　But　tonight　his　shame　was　magnified　by　the　presence　of　another　individual　riding　with　him　inside　the　chopper；　a　person　whose　presence　here　was　highly　unconventional。
　The　controller。
　Following　the　Delta's　kill　at　the　FDR　Memorial；　the　controller　had　ordered　Delta…One　to　fly　to　a　deserted　public　park　not　far　from　the　White　House。　On　the　controller's　mand；　Delta…One　had　set　down　on　a　grassy　knoll　among　some　trees　just　as　the　controller；　having　parked　nearby；　strode　out　of　the　darkness　and　boarded　the　Kiowa。　They　were　all　en　route　again　in　a　matter　of　seconds。
　Although　a　controller's　direct　involvement　in　mission　operations　was　rare；　Delta…One　could　hardly　plain。　The　controller；　distressed　by　the　way　the　Delta　Force　had　handled　the　kills　on　the　Milne　Ice　Shelf　and　fearing　increasing　suspicions　and　scrutiny　from　a　number　of　parties；　had　informed　Delta…One　that　the　final　phase　of　the　operation　would　be　overseen　in　person。
　Now　the　controller　was　riding　shotgun；　witnessing　in　person　a　failure　the　likes　of　which　Delta…One　had　never　endured。
　This　must　end。　Now。
　　
　The　controller　gazed　down　from　the　Kiowa　at　the　deck　of　the　Goya　and　wondered　how　this　could　possibly　have　happened。　Nothing　had　gone　properly…the　suspicions　about　the　meteorite；　the　failed　Delta　kills　on　the　ice　shelf；　the　necessity　of　the　high…profile　kill　at　the　FDR。
　〃Controller；〃　Delta…One　stammered；　his　tone　one　of　stunned　disgrace　as　he　looked　at　the　situation　on　the　deck　of　the　Goya。　〃I　cannot　imagine。。。　〃
　Nor　can　I；　the　controller　thought。　Their　quarry　had　obviously　been　grossly　underestimated。
　The　controller　looked　down　at　Rachel　Sexton；　who　stared　up　blankly　at　the　chopper's　reflective　windshield　and　raised　a　CrypTalk　device　to　her　mouth。　When　her　synthesized　voice　crackled　inside　the　Kiowa；　the　controller　expected　her　to　demand　that　the　chopper　back　off　or　extinguish　the　jamming　system　so　Tolland　could　call　for　help。　But　the　words　Rachel　Sexton　spoke　were　far　more　chilling。
　〃You're　too　late；〃　she　said。　〃We're　not　the　only　ones　who　know。〃
　The　words　echoed　for　a　moment　inside　the　chopper。　Although　the　claim　seemed　far…fetched；　the　faintest　possibility　of　truth　gave　the　controller　pause。　The　success　of　the　entire　project　required　the　elimination　of　all　those　who　knew　the　truth；　and　as　bloody　as　the　containment　had　turned　out　to　be；　the　controller　had　to　be　certain　this　was　the　conclusion。
　Someone　else　knows。。。　
　Considering　Rachel　Sexton's　reputation　for　following　strict　protocol　of　classified　data；　the　controller　found　it　very　hard　to　believe　that　she　would　have　decided　to　share　this　with　an　outside　source。
　Rachel　was　on　the　CrypTalk　again。　〃Back　off　and　we'll　spare　your　men。　e　any　closer　and　they　die。　Either　way；　the　truth　es　out。　Cut　your　losses。　Back　off。〃
　〃You're　bluffing；〃　the　controller　said；　knowing　the　voice　Rachel　Sexton　was　hearing　was　an　androgynous　robotic　tone。　〃You　have　told　no　one。〃
　〃Are　you　ready　to　take　that　chance？〃　Rachel　fired　back。　〃I　couldn't　get　through　to　William　Pickering　earlier；　so　I　got　spooked　and　took　out　some　insurance。〃
　The　controller　frowned。　It　was　plausible。
　　
　〃They're　not　buying　it；〃　Rachel　said；　glancing　at　Tolland。
　The　soldier　in　the　claws　gave　a　pained　smirk。　〃Your　gun　is　empty；　and　the　chopper's　going　to　blow　you　to　hell。　You're　both　going　to　die。　Your　only　hope　is　to　let　us　go。〃
　Like　hell；　Rachel　thought；　trying　to　assess　their　next　move。　She　looked　at　the　bound　and　gagged　man　who　lay　at　her　feet　directly　in　front　of　the　sub。　He　looked　delirious　from　loss　of　blood。　She　crouched　beside　him；　looking　into　the　man's　hard　eyes。　〃I'm　going　to　take　off　your　gag　and　hold　the　CrypTalk；　you're　going　to　convince　the　helicopter　to　back　off。　Is　that　clear？〃
　The　man　nodded　earnestly。
　Rachel　pulled　out　the　man's　gag。　The　soldier　spat　a　wad　of　bloody　saliva　up　into　Rachel's　face。
　〃Bitch；〃　he　hissed；　coughing。　〃I'm　going　to　watch　you　die。　They're　going　to　kill　you　like　a　pig；　and　I'm　going　to　enjoy　every　minute。〃
　Rachel　wiped　the　hot　saliva　from　her　face　as　she　felt　Tolland's　hands　lifting　her　away；　pulling　her　back；　steadying　her　as　he　took　her　machine　gun。　She　could　feel　in　his　trembling　touch　that　something　inside　him　had　just　snapped。　Tolland　walked　to　a　control　panel　a　few　yards　away；　put　his　hand　on　a　lever；　and　locked　eyes　with　the　man　lying　on　the　deck。
　〃Strike　two；〃　Tolland　said。　〃And　on　my　ship；　that's　all　you　get。〃
　With　a　resolute　rage；　Tolland　yanked　down　on　the　lever。　A　huge　trapdoor　in　the　deck　beneath　the　Triton　fell　open　like　the　floor　of　a　gallows。　The　bound　soldier　gave　a　short　howl　of　fear　and　then　disappeared；　plummeting　through　the　hole。　He　fell　thirty　feet　to　the　ocean　below。　The　splash　was　crimson。　The　sharks　were　on　him　instantly。
　The　controller　shook　with　rage；　looking　down　from　the　Kiowa　at　what　was　left　of　Delta…Three's　body　drifting　out　from　under　the　boat　on　the　strong　current。　The　illuminated　water　was　pink。　Several　fish　fought　over　something　that　looked　like　an　arm。
　Jesus　Christ。
　The　controller　looked　back　at　the　deck。　Delta…Two　still　hung　in　the　Triton's　claws；　but　now　the　sub　was　suspended　over　a　gaping　hole　in　the　deck。　His　feet　dangled　over　the　void。　All　Tolland　had　to　do　was　release　the　claws；　and　Delta…Two　would　be　next。
　〃Okay；〃　the　controller　barked　into　the　CrypTalk。　〃Hold　on。　Just　hold　on！〃
　Rachel　stood　below　on　the　deck　and　stared　up　at　the　Kiowa。　Even　from　this　height　the　controller　sensed　the　resolve　in　her　eyes。　Rachel　raised　the　CrypTalk　to　her　mouth。　〃You　still　think　we're　bluffing？〃　she　said。　〃Call　the　main　switchboard　at　the　NRO。　Ask　for　Jim　Samiljan。　He's　in　P&A　on　the　nightshift。　I　told　him　everything　about　the　meteorite。　He　will　confirm。〃
　She's　giving　me　a　specific　name？　This　did　not　bode　well。　Rachel　Sexton　was　no　fool；　and　this　was　a　bluff　the　controller　could　check　in　a　matter　of　seconds。　Although　the　controller　knew　of　no　one　at　the　NRO　named　Jim　Samiljan；　the　organization　was　enormous。　Rachel　could　quite　possibly　be　telling　the　truth。　Before　ordering　the　final　kill；　the　controller　had　to　confirm　if　this　was　a　bluff…or　not。
　Delta…One　looked　over　his　shoulder。　〃You　want　me　to　deactivate　the　jammer　so　you　can　call　and　check　it　out？〃
　The　controller　peered　down　at　Rachel　and　Tolland；　both　in　plain　view。　If　either　of　them　made　a　move　for　a　cellphone　or　radio；　the　controller　knew　Delta…One　could　always　reactivate　and　cut　them　off。　The　risk　was　minimal。
　〃Kill　the　jammer；〃　the　controller　said；　pulling　out　a　cellphone。　〃I'll　confirm　Rachel's　lying。　Then　we'll　find　a　way　to　get　Delta…Two　and　end　this。〃
　　
　In　Fairfax；　the　operator　at　the　NRO's　central　switchboard　was　getting　impatient。　〃As　I　just　told　you；　I　see　no　Jim　Samiljan　in　the　Plans　and　Analysis　Division。〃
　The　caller　was　insistent。　〃Have　you　tried　multiple　spellings？　Have　you　tried　other　departments？〃
　The　operator　had　already　checked；　but　she　checked　again。　After　several　seconds；　she　said；　〃Nowhere