danbrown.deceptionpoint-第84部分

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　waiting　press。　He　watched　the　envelopes　disseminate　rapidly　through　the　crowd。　He　could　hear　the　seals　being　broken；　the　envelopes　being　torn　apart　like　Christmas　presents。
　A　sudden　hush　came　over　the　crowd。
　In　the　silence；　Sexton　could　hear　the　defining　moment　of　his　career。
　The　meteorite　is　a　fraud。　And　I　am　the　man　who　revealed　it。
　Sexton　knew　it　would　take　the　press　a　moment　to　understand　the　true　implications　of　what　they　were　looking　at：　GPR　images　of　an　insertion　shaft　in　the　ice；　a　living　ocean　species　almost　identical　to　the　NASA　fossils；　evidence　of　chondrules　that　formed　on　earth。　It　all　led　to　one　shocking　conclusion。
　〃Sir？〃　one　reporter　stammered；　sounding　stunned　as　he　looked　in　his　envelope。　〃Is　this　for　real？〃
　Sexton　gave　a　somber　sigh。　〃Yes；　I'm　afraid　it's　very　real　indeed。〃
　Murmurs　of　confusion　now　spread　through　the　crowd。
　〃I'll　give　everyone　a　moment　to　look　through　these　pages；〃　Sexton　said；　〃and　then　I'll　take　questions　and　attempt　to　shed　some　light　on　what　you're　looking　at。〃
　〃Senator？〃　another　reporter　asked；　sounding　utterly　bewildered。　〃Are　these　images　authentic？。。。　Unretouched？〃
　〃One　hundred　percent；〃　Sexton　said；　speaking　more　firmly　now。　〃I　would　not　present　the　evidence　to　you　otherwise。〃
　The　confusion　in　the　crowd　seemed　to　deepen；　and　Sexton　thought　he　even　heard　some　laughter…not　at　all　the　reaction　he　had　expected。　He　was　starting　to　fear　he　had　overestimated　the　media's　ability　to　connect　the　obvious　dots。
　〃Um；　senator？〃　someone　said；　sounding　oddly　amused。　〃For　the　record；　you　stand　behind　the　authenticity　of　these　images？〃
　Sexton　was　getting　frustrated。　〃My　friends；　I　will　say　this　one　last　time；　the　evidence　in　your　hands　is　one…hundred…percent　accurate。　And　if　anyone　can　prove　otherwise；　I'll　eat　my　hat！〃
　Sexton　waited　for　the　laugh；　but　it　never　came。
　Dead　silence。　Blank　stares。
　The　reporter　who　had　just　spoken　walked　toward　Sexton；　shuffling　through　his　photocopies　as　he　came　forward。　〃You're　right；　senator。　This　is　scandalous　data。〃　The　reporter　paused；　scratching　his　head。　〃So　I　guess　we're　puzzled　as　to　why　you've　decided　to　share　it　with　us　like　this；　especially　after　denying　it　so　vehemently　earlier。〃
　Sexton　had　no　idea　what　the　man　was　talking　about。　The　reporter　handed　him　the　photocopies。　Sexton　looked　at　the　pages…and　for　a　moment；　his　mind　went　totally　blank。
　No　words　came。
　He　was　staring　at　unfamiliar　photographs。　Black…and…white　images。　Two　people。　Naked。　Arms　and　legs　intertwined。　For　an　instant；　Sexton　had　no　idea　what　he　was　looking　at。　Then　it　registered。　A　cannonball　to　the　gut。
　In　horror；　Sexton's　head　snapped　up　to　the　crowd。　They　were　laughing　now。　Half　of　them　were　already　phoning　in　the　story　to　their　news　desks。
　Sexton　felt　a　tap　on　his　shoulder。
　In　a　daze；　he　wheeled。
　Rachel　was　standing　there。　〃We　tried　to　stop　you；〃　she　said。　〃We　gave　you　every　chance。〃　A　woman　stood　beside　her。
　Sexton　was　trembling　as　his　eyes　moved　to　the　woman　at　Rachel's　side。　She　was　the　reporter　in　the　cashmere　coat　and　mohair　beret…the　woman　who　had　knocked　over　his　envelopes。　Sexton　saw　her　face；　and　his　blood　turned　to　ice。
　Gabrielle's　dark　eyes　seemed　to　bore　right　through　him　as　she　reached　down　and　opened　her　coat　to　reveal　a　stack　of　white　envelopes　tucked　neatly　beneath　her　arm。
　
　　
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　The　Oval　Office　was　dark；　lit　only　by　the　soft　glow　of　the　brass　lamp　on　President　Herney's　desk。　Gabrielle　Ashe　held　her　chin　high　as　she　stood　before　the　President。　Outside　the　window　behind　him；　dusk　was　gathering　on　the　west　lawn。
　〃I　hear　you're　leaving　us；〃　Herney　said；　sounding　disappointed。
　Gabrielle　nodded。　Although　the　President　had　graciously　offered　her　indefinite　sanctuary　inside　the　White　House　away　from　the　press；　Gabrielle　preferred　not　to　ride　out　this　particular　storm　by　hiding　out　in　the　eye。　She　wanted　to　be　as　far　away　as　possible。　At　least　for　a　while。
　Herney　gazed　across　his　desk　at　her；　looking　impressed。　〃The　choice　you　made　this　morning；　Gabrielle。。。　〃　He　paused；　as　if　at　a　loss　for　words。　His　eyes　were　simple　and　clear…nothing　pared　to　the　deep；　enigmatic　pools　that　had　once　drawn　Gabrielle　to　Sedgewick　Sexton。　And　yet；　even　in　the　backdrop　of　this　powerful　place；　Gabrielle　saw　true　kindness　in　his　gaze；　an　honor　and　dignity　she　would　not　soon　forget。
　〃I　did　it　for　me；　too；〃　Gabrielle　finally　said。
　Herney　nodded。　〃I　owe　you　my　thanks　all　the　same。〃　He　stood；　motioning　for　her　to　follow　him　into　the　hall。　〃I　was　actually　hoping　you'd　stick　around　long　enough　that　I　could　offer　you　a　post　on　my　budgeting　staff。〃
　Gabrielle　gave　him　a　dubious　look。　〃Stop　spending　and　start　mending？〃
　He　chuckled。　〃Something　like　that。〃
　〃I　think　we　both　know；　sir；　that　I'm　more　of　a　liability　to　you　at　the　moment　than　an　asset。〃
　Herney　shrugged。　〃Give　it　a　few　months。　It　will　all　blow　over。　Plenty　of　great　men　and　women　have　endured　similar　situations　and　gone　on　to　greatness。〃　He　winked。　〃A　few　of　them　were　even　U。S。　presidents。〃
　Gabrielle　knew　he　was　right。　Unemployed　for　only　hours；　Gabrielle　had　already　turned　down　two　other　job　offers　today…one　from　Yolanda　Cole　at　ABC；　and　the　other　from　St。　Martin's　Press；　who　had　offered　her　an　obscene　advance　if　she　would　publish　a　tell…all　biography。　No　thanks。
　As　Gabrielle　and　the　President　moved　down　the　hallway；　Gabrielle　thought　of　the　pictures　of　herself　that　were　now　being　splashed　across　televisions。
　The　damage　to　the　country　could　have　been　worse；　she　told　herself。　Much　worse。
　Gabrielle；　after　going　to　ABC　to　retrieve　the　photos　and　borrow　Yolanda　Cole's　press　pass；　had　snuck　back　to　Sexton's　office　to　assemble　the　duplicate　envelopes。　While　inside；　she　had　also　printed　copies　of　the　donation　checks　in　Sexton's　puter。　After　the　confrontation　at　the　Washington　Monument；　Gabrielle　had　handed　copies　of　the　checks　to　the　dumbstruck　Senator　Sexton　and　made　her　demands。　Give　the　President　a　chance　to　announce　his　meteorite　mistake；　or　the　rest　of　this　data　goes　public　too。　Senator　Sexton　took　one　look　at　the　stack　of　financial　evidence；　locked　himself　in　his　limousine；　and　drove　off。　He　had　not　been　heard　from　since。
　Now；　as　the　President　and　Gabrielle　arrived　at　the　backstage　door　of　the　Briefing　Room；　Gabrielle　could　hear　the　waiting　throngs　beyond。　For　the　second　time　in　twenty…four　hours；　the　world　was　assembled　to　hear　a　special　presidential　broadcast。
　〃What　are　you　going　to　tell　them？〃　Gabrielle　asked。
　Herney　sighed；　his　expression　remarkably　calm。　〃Over　the　years；　I've　learned　one　thing　over　and　over。。。　〃　He　put　a　hand　on　her　shoulder　and　smiled。　〃There's　just　no　substitute　for　the　truth。〃
　Gabrielle　was　filled　with　an　unexpected　pride　as　she　watched　him　stride　toward　the　stage。　Zach　Herney　was　on　his　way　to　admit　the　biggest　mistake　of　his　life；　and　oddly；　he　had　never　looked　more　presidential。
　
　　
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　When　Rachel　awoke；　the　room　was　dark。
　A　clock　glowed　10：14　P。M。　The　bed　was　not　her　own。　For　several　moments；　she　lay　motionless；　wondering　where　she　was。　Slowly；　it　all　started　ing　back。。。　the　megaplume。。。　this　morning　at　the　Washington　Monument。。。　the　President's　invitation　to　stay　at　the　White　House。
　I'm　at　the　White　House；　Rachel　realized。　I　slept　here　all　day。
　The　Coast　Guard　chopper；　at　the　President's　mand；　had　transported　an　exhausted　Michael　Tolland；　Corky　Marlinson；　and　Rachel　Sexton　from　the　Washington　Monument　to　the　White　House；　where　they　had　been　fed　a　sumptuous　breakfast；　been　seen　to　by　doctors；　and　been　offered　any　of　the　building's　fourteen　bedrooms　in　which　to　recuperate。
　All　of　them　had　accepted。
　Rachel　could　not　believe　she　had　slept　this　long。　Turning　on　the　television；　she　was　stunned　to　see　that　President　Herney　had　already　pleted　his　press　conference。　Rachel　and　the　others　had　offered　to　stand　beside　him　when　he　announced　the　meteorite　disappointment　to　the　world。　We　all　made　the　mistake　together。　But　Herney　had　insisted　on　shouldering　the　burden　alone。
　〃Sadly；〃　one　political　analyst　on　TV　was　saying；　〃it　seems　NASA　has　discovered　no　signs　of　life　from　space　after　all。　This　marks　the　second　time　this　decade　that　NASA　has　incorrectly　classified　a　meteorite　as　showing　signs　of　extraterrestrial　life。　This　time；　however；　a　number　of　highly　respected　civilians　were　also　among　those　fooled。〃
　〃Normally；〃　a　second　analyst　chimed　in；　〃I　would　have　to　say　that　a　deception　of　the　magnitude　the　President　described　this　evening　would　be　devastating　for　his　career。。。　and　yet；　considering　the　developments　this　morning　at　the　Washington　Monument；　I　would　have　to　say　Zach　Herney's　chances　of　taking　the　presidency　look　better　than　ever。〃
　The　first　analyst　nodded。　〃So；　no　life　in　space；　but　no　life　in　Senator　Sexton's　campaign　either。　And　now；　as　new　information　surfaces　suggesting　deep　financial　troubles　plaguing　the　senator…〃
　A　knock　on　the　door　drew　Rachel's　attention。
　Michael；　she　hoped；　quickly　turning　off　the　television。　She　hadn't　seen　him　since　breakfast。　On　their　arrival　at　the　White　House；　Rachel　had　wanted　nothing　more　than　to　fall　asleep　in　his　arms。　Although　she　could　tell　Michael　felt　the　same；　Corky　had　intervened；　parking　himself　on　Tolland's　bed　and　exuberantly　telling　and　retelling　his　story　about　urinating　on　himself　and　saving　the　day。　Finally；　utterly　exhausted；　Rachel　and　Tolland　had　given　up；　heading　for　separate　bedrooms　to　sleep。
　Now；　walking　toward　the　door；　Rachel　checked　herself　in　the　mirror；　amused　to　see　how　ridiculously　she　was　dressed。　All　she　had　found　to　wear　to　bed　was　an　old　Penn　State　football　jersey　in　the　dresser。　It　draped　down　to　her　knees　like　a　nightshirt。
　The　knocking　continued。
　Rachel　opened　the　door；　disappointed　to　see　a　female　U。S。　Secret　Service　agent。　She　was　fit　and　cute；　wearing　a　blue　blazer。　〃Ms。　Sexton；　the　gentleman　in　the　Lincoln　Bedroom　heard　your　television。　He　asked　me　to　tell　you　that　as　long　as　you're　already　awake。。。　〃　She　paused；　arching　her　eyebrows；　clearly　no　stranger　to　night　games　on　the　upper　floors　of　the　White　House。
　Rachel　blushed；　her　skin　tingling。　〃Thanks。〃
　The　agent　led　Rachel　down　the　impeccably　appointed　hallway　to　a　plain…looking　doorway　nearby。
　〃The　Lincoln　Bedroom；〃　the　agent