danbrown.deceptionpoint-第75部分

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　The　operator　had　already　checked；　but　she　checked　again。　After　several　seconds；　she　said；　〃Nowhere　on　staff　do　we　have　a　Jim　Samiljan。　Under　any　spelling。〃
　The　caller　sounded　oddly　pleased　by　this。　〃So　you　are　certain　the　NRO　employs　no　Jim　Samil…〃
　A　sudden　flurry　of　activity　erupted　on　the　line。　Someone　yelled。　The　caller　cursed　aloud　and　promptly　hung　up。
　　
　Onboard　the　Kiowa；　Delta…One　was　screaming　with　rage　as　he　scrambled　to　reactivate　the　jamming　system。　He　had　made　the　realization　too　late。　In　the　huge　array　of　lighted　controls　in　the　cockpit；　a　tiny　LED　meter　indicated　that　a　SAT　data　signal　was　being　transmitted　from　the　Goya。　But　how？　Nobody　left　the　deck！　Before　Delta…One　could　engage　the　jammer；　the　connection　from　the　Goya　terminated　on　its　own　accord。
　Inside　the　hydrolab；　the　fax　machine　beeped　contentedly。
　CARRIER　FOUND。。。　FAX　SENT
　
　　
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　Kill　or　be　killed。　Rachel　had　discovered　a　part　of　herself　she　never　knew　existed。　Survival　mode…a　savage　fortitude　fueled　by　fear。
　〃What　was　in　that　outbound　fax？〃　the　voice　on　the　CrypTalk　demanded。
　Rachel　was　relieved　to　hear　confirmation　that　the　fax　had　gone　out　as　planned。　〃Leave　the　area；〃　she　demanded；　speaking　into　the　CrypTalk　and　glaring　up　at　the　hovering　chopper。　〃It's　over。　Your　secret　is　out。〃　Rachel　informed　their　attackers　of　all　the　information　she　had　just　sent。　A　half　dozen　pages　of　images　and　text。　Incontrovertible　evidence　that　the　meteorite　was　a　fake。　〃Harming　us　will　only　make　your　situation　worse。〃
　There　was　a　heavy　pause。　〃Who　did　you　send　the　fax　to？〃
　Rachel　had　no　intention　of　answering　that　question。　She　and　Tolland　needed　to　buy　as　much　time　as　possible。　They　had　positioned　themselves　near　the　opening　in　the　deck；　on　a　direct　line　with　the　Triton；　making　it　impossible　for　the　chopper　to　shoot　without　hitting　the　soldier　dangling　in　the　sub's　claws。
　〃William　Pickering；〃　the　voice　guessed；　sounding　oddly　hopeful。　〃You　faxed　Pickering。〃
　Wrong；　Rachel　thought。　Pickering　would　have　been　her　first　choice；　but　she　had　been　forced　to　choose　someone　else　for　fear　her　attackers　had　already　eliminated　Pickering…a　move　whose　boldness　would　be　a　chilling　testimony　to　her　enemy's　resolve。　In　a　moment　of　desperate　decision；　Rachel　had　faxed　the　data　to　the　only　other　fax　number　she　knew　by　heart。
　Her　father's　office。
　Senator　Sexton's　office　fax　number　had　been　painfully　engraved　into　Rachel's　memory　after　her　mother's　death　when　her　father　chose　to　work　out　many　of　the　particulars　of　the　estate　without　having　to　deal　with　Rachel　in　person。　Rachel　never　imagined　she　would　turn　to　her　father　in　a　time　of　need；　but　tonight　the　man　possessed　two　critical　qualities…all　the　correct　political　motivations　to　release　the　meteorite　data　without　hesitation；　and　enough　clout　to　call　the　White　House　and　blackmail　them　into　calling　off　this　kill　squad。
　Although　her　father　was　most　certainly　not　in　the　office　at　this　hour；　Rachel　knew　he　kept　his　office　locked　like　a　vault。　Rachel　had；　in　effect；　faxed　the　data　into　a　time…lock　safe。　Even　if　the　attackers　knew　where　she　had　sent　it；　chances　were　slim　they　could　get　through　the　tight　federal　security　at　the　Philip　A。　Hart　Senate　Office　Building　and　break　into　a　senator's　office　without　anyone　noticing。
　〃Wherever　you　sent　the　fax；〃　the　voice　from　above　said。　〃You've　put　that　person　in　danger。〃
　Rachel　knew　she　had　to　speak　from　a　position　of　power　regardless　of　the　fear　she　was　feeling。　She　motioned　to　the　soldier　trapped　in　the　Triton's　claws。　His　legs　dangled　over　the　abyss；　dripping　blood　thirty　feet　to　the　ocean。　〃The　only　person　in　danger　here　is　your　agent；〃　she　said　into　the　CrypTalk。　〃It's　over。　Back　off。　The　data　is　gone。　You've　lost。　Leave　the　area；　or　this　man　dies。〃
　The　voice　on　the　CrypTalk　fired　back；　〃Ms。　Sexton；　you　do　not　understand　the　importance…〃
　〃Understand？〃　Rachel　exploded。　〃I　understand　that　you　killed　innocent　people！　I　understand　that　you　lied　about　the　meteorite！　And　I　understand　that　you　won't　get　away　with　this！　Even　if　you　kill　us　all；　it's　over！〃
　There　was　a　long　pause。　Finally　the　voice　said；　〃I'm　ing　down。〃
　Rachel　felt　her　muscles　tighten。　ing　down？
　〃I　am　unarmed；〃　the　voice　said。　〃Do　not　do　anything　rash。　You　and　I　need　to　talk　face…to…face。〃
　Before　Rachel　could　react；　the　chopper　dropped　onto　the　Goya's　deck。　The　passenger　door　on　the　fuselage　opened　and　a　figure　stepped　out。　He　was　a　plain…looking　man　in　a　black　coat　and　tie。　For　an　instant；　Rachel's　thoughts　went　totally　blank。
　She　was　staring　at　William　Pickering。
　　
　William　Pickering　stood　on　the　deck　of　the　Goya　and　gazed　with　regret　at　Rachel　Sexton。　He　had　never　imagined　today　would　e　to　this。　As　he　moved　toward　her；　he　could　see　the　dangerous　bination　of　emotions　in　his　employee's　eyes。
　Shock；　betrayal；　confusion；　rage。
　All　understandable；　he　thought。　There　is　so　much　she　does　not　understand。
　For　a　moment；　Pickering　flashed　on　his　daughter；　Diana；　wondering　what　emotions　she　had　felt　before　she　died。　Both　Diana　and　Rachel　were　casualties　of　the　same　war；　a　war　Pickering　had　vowed　to　fight　forever。　Sometimes　the　casualties　could　be　so　cruel。
　〃Rachel；〃　Pickering　said。　〃We　can　still　work　this　out。　There's　a　lot　I　need　to　explain。〃
　Rachel　Sexton　looked　aghast；　nauseated　almost。　Tolland　had　the　machine　gun　now　and　was　aiming　at　Pickering's　chest。　He　too　looked　bewildered。
　〃Stay　back！〃　Tolland　yelled。
　Pickering　stopped　five　yards　away；　focusing　on　Rachel。　〃Your　father　is　taking　bribes；　Rachel。　Payoffs　from　private　space　panies。　He　plans　to　dismantle　NASA　and　open　space　to　the　private　sector。　He　had　to　be　stopped；　as　a　matter　of　national　security。〃
　Rachel's　expression　was　blank。
　Pickering　sighed。　〃NASA；　for　all　its　flaws；　must　remain　a　government　entity。〃　Certainly　she　can　understand　the　dangers。　Privatization　would　send　NASA's　best　minds　and　ideas　flooding　into　the　private　sector。　The　brain　trust　would　dissolve。　The　military　would　lose　access。　Private　space　panies　looking　to　raise　capital　would　start　selling　NASA　patents　and　ideas　to　the　highest　bidders　worldwide！
　Rachel's　voice　was　tremulous。　〃You　faked　the　meteorite　and　killed　innocent　people。。。　in　the　name　of　national　security？〃
　〃It　was　never　supposed　to　happen　like　this；〃　Pickering　said。　〃The　plan　was　to　save　an　important　government　agency。　Killing　was　not　part　of　it。〃
　The　meteorite　deception；　Pickering　knew；　like　most　intelligence　proposals；　had　been　the　product　of　fear。　Three　years　ago；　in　an　effort　to　extend　the　NRO　hydrophones　into　deeper　water　where　they　could　not　be　touched　by　enemy　saboteurs；　Pickering　spearheaded　a　program　that　utilized　a　newly　developed　NASA　building　material　to　secretly　design　an　astonishingly　durable　submarine　capable　of　carrying　humans　to　the　deepest　regions　of　the　ocean…including　the　bottom　of　the　Mariana　Trench。
　Forged　from　a　revolutionary　ceramic；　this　two…man　submarine　was　designed　from　blueprints　hacked　from　the　puter　of　a　California　engineer　named　Graham　Hawkes；　a　genius　sub　designer　whose　life　dream　was　to　build　an　ultra…deepwater　submersible　he　called　Deep　Flight　II。　Hawkes　was　having　trouble　finding　funding　to　build　a　prototype。　Pickering；　on　the　other　hand；　had　an　unlimited　budget。
　Using　the　classified　ceramic　submersible；　Pickering　sent　a　covert　team　underwater　to　affix　new　hydrophones　to　the　walls　of　the　Mariana　Trench；　deeper　than　any　enemy　could　possibly　look。　In　the　process　of　drilling；　however；　they　uncovered　geologic　structures　unlike　any　that　scientists　had　ever　seen。　The　discoveries　included　chondrules　and　fossils　of　several　unknown　species。　Of　course；　because　the　NRO's　ability　to　dive　this　deep　was　classified；　none　of　the　information　could　ever　be　shared。
　It　was　not　until　recently；　driven　yet　again　by　fear；　that　Pickering　and　his　quiet　team　of　NRO　science　advisers　had　decided　to　put　their　knowledge　of　the　Mariana's　unique　geology　to　work　to　help　save　NASA。　Turning　a　Mariana　rock　into　a　meteorite　had　proven　to　be　a　deceptively　simple　task。　Using　an　ECE　slush…hydrogen　engine；　the　NRO　team　charred　the　rock　with　a　convincing　fusion　crust。　Then；　using　a　small　payload　sub；　they　had　descended　beneath　the　Milne　Ice　Shelf　and　inserted　the　charred　rock　up　into　the　ice　from　beneath。　Once　the　insertion　shaft　refroze；　the　rock　looked　like　it　had　been　there　for　over　three　hundred　years。
　Unfortunately；　as　was　often　the　case　in　the　world　of　covert　operations；　the　grandest　of　plans　could　be　undone　by　the　smallest　of　snags。　Yesterday；　the　entire　illusion　had　been　shattered　by　a　few　bioluminescent　plankton。。。　
　From　the　cockpit　of　the　idling　Kiowa；　Delta…One　watched　the　drama　unfold　before　him。　Rachel　and　Tolland　appeared　to　be　in　clear　control；　although　Delta…One　almost　had　to　laugh　at　the　hollowness　of　the　illusion。　The　machine　gun　in　Tolland's　hands　was　worthless；　even　from　here　Delta…One　could　see　the　cocking　bar　assembly　had　kicked　back；　indicating　the　clip　was　empty。
　As　Delta…One　gazed　out　at　his　partner　struggling　in　the　Triton's　claws；　he　knew　he　had　to　hurry。　The　focus　on　deck　had　turned　pletely　to　Pickering；　and　now　Delta…One　could　make　his　move。　Leaving　the　rotors　idling；　he　slipped　out　of　the　rear　of　the　fuselage　and；　using　the　chopper　for　cover；　made　his　way　unseen　onto　the　starboard　gangway。　With　his　own　machine　gun　in　hand；　he　headed　for　the　bow。　Pickering　had　given　him　specific　orders　before　they　landed　on　deck；　and　Delta…One　had　no　intention　of　failing　at　this　simple　task。
　In　a　matter　of　minutes；　he　knew；　this　will　all　be　over。
　
　　
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　Still　wearing　his　bathrobe；　Zach　Herney　sat　at　his　desk　in　the　Oval　Office；　his　head　throbbing。　The　newest　piece　of　the　puzzle　had　just　been　revealed。
　Marjorie　Tench　is　dead。
　Herney's　aides　said　they　had　information　suggesting　Tench　had　driven　to　the　FDR　Memorial　for　a　private　meeting　with　William　Pickering。　Now　that　Pickering　was　missing；　the　staff　feared　Pickering　too　might　be　dead。
　The　President　and　Pickering　had　endured　their　battles　lately。　Months　ago　Herney　learned　that　Pickering　had　engaged　in　illegal　activity　on　Herney's　behalf　in　an　attempt　to　save　Herney's　floundering　campaign。
　Employing　NRO　assets；　Pickering　had　discreetly　obtained　enough　dirt　on　Sen