jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第85部分

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　Elizabeth　exchanged　glances　with　Cannon　again；　and　when　she　gave　him　an　encouraging　look；　he　nodded　reluctantly。　〃There's　something　else　you　should　know；〃　Cannon　continued。　〃This　is　classified；　you　understand？　We　sent　a　team　into　Atlanta　to　try　to　locate　and　recover　the　first　lady。　They　never　came　back。〃
　〃What？　How　did　you　do　it？〃
　〃The　first　attempt　was　an　air　drop。　We　sent　up　an　aircraft　that　orbited　the　Atlanta　site　until　they　got　a　good　solid　image　of　the　city　below　them。　Then　they　parachuted　in。　We　monitored　the　descent　from　the　ground　and　from　the　aircraft。　Everything　went　normal；　their　chutes　opened　and　they　descended　into　the　city。　Then　the　city　was　gone　again　and　we　never　heard　from　them。　We've　been　trying　to　contact　them　ever　since。〃
　Nick's　concern　made　his　voice　quaver。　〃Sorry　about　your　men；　but　that　could　partially　support　Gogh's　theory。　If　we　deliver　the　warheads　when　the　past　is　。。。　present　。　。　。　then　the　warheads　may　go　off　in　the　past　。　。　。　but　of　course　that　would　be　in　this　present　。　。　。　or　would　it？〃　He　berated　himself。　He　had　only　confused　them　and　embarrassed　himself。　Changing　the　subject；　he　asked　about　the　other　incident。
　〃The　ground　team　monitoring　the　drop　had　a　good　vantage　point　and　reported　that　as　the　parachutists　dropped　into　the　city　they　saw　that　kind　of　fuzzy　transparent　look　the　city　has。　The　crazy　thing　is　the　ground　team　reported　that　from　their　vantage　point　the　city　appeared　off　in　the　distance；　but　the　aerial　shots　showed　the　ground　team's　position　as　in　the　city。　Since　we　had　radio　contact　with　the　ground　team；　we　sent　them　toward　the　heart　of　the　effect…Atlanta…and　told　them　to　maintain　radio　contact。　We　had　positive　contact　until；　suddenly；　they　were　gone。〃
　〃We　get　nothing　now；〃　Elizabeth　added；　her　voice　uncharacteristically　tremulous。
　Nick　was　puzzled。　Dinosaurs；　like　the　ankylosaur　in　Montreal；　were　ing　out　of　the　displaced　segments　into　Nick's　present；　but　apparently　the　people　from　the　present　made　only　a　one…way　trip。　Nick　wondered　whether　the　dinosaurs　could　go　back。　Could　movement　be　only　from　past　to　the　future？　That　would　be　consistent　with　time's　arrow。　If　so；　then　was　Atlanta　displaced　to　the　future；　and　was　that　why　Cannon's　people　could　not　e　back？　But　what　of　inanimate　objects？　Would　they　have　the　same　restrictions？　Probably；　Nick　realized。　He　was　thinking　in　terms　of　the　human　disruption　that　could　occur　if　one　traveled　to　his　or　her　own　past。
　Like　most　people；　Nick　was　psychologically　unwilling　to　meet　himself　in　the　past。　But　in　one　sense　people　were　nothing　more　than　organized　chemicals。　Would　chemicals　from　the　future　meeting　themselves　in　the　past　cause　disruption？　Not　likely；　but　if　the　disruption　occurred　in　a　forward　direction；　then　Gogh's　bombs　could　be　carried　into　the　future。　That　is；　if　the　effect　was　not　disrupted　by　the　blast。　He　resisted　speculating　out　loud　again。　Elizabeth　and　Cannon　came　to　him　for　his　expertise。　It's　disquieting　to　people　when　experts　act　human。
　〃I'll　put　this　information　on　PresNet。　Maybe　someone　can　make　sense　of　it。〃
　When　Elizabeth　and　Cannon　looked　as　if　they　wanted　more；　Nick　wasn't　sure　what　to　give　them。
　〃This　means　the　timing　is　crucial；〃　he　added。　〃If　the　bombs　are　delivered　when　the　present　is…present；　then　the　bombs　will　go　off　over　Portland。　If　the　past　is　present；　then　everything　in　the　present　will　be　intact。　Of　course　the　past　will　be　incinerated。〃
　Nick　meant　it　to　be　reassuring。　There　was　nothing　more　he　could　do。　And　apparently　Cannon　and　Elizabeth　had　lost　their　influence。　What　Nick　needed　was　sweet　lemon　rationalization。　No　matter　how　sour　things　turned　out　he　was　going　to　make　the　best　of　it。
　〃Tell　him　the　rest；　Sam。〃
　〃The　timing　is　the　problem。　Gogh　thinks　the　effect　will　be　disrupted；　but　he　isn't　sure　of　the　oute。　He　thinks　each　segment　will　return　to　its　own　time；　but　he　admits　there　is　a　chance　the　explosions　will　freeze　the　displaced　sections　in　whatever　time　they　are　in。　The　problem　is　the　oscillations　for　various　locations　are　different。〃
　Nick　saw　where　Cannon　was　going；　and　a　horrible　thought　formed　in　his　mind。　Cannon　had　been　looking　Nick　in　the　eye…but　now　Nick's　expression　made　the　CIA　director　drop　his　head　to　study　his　shoes。
　〃Mr。　Cannon；　have　they　timed　the　oscillations　in　Portland？〃
　〃They're　working　on　it；　but　the　data　from　out　west　is　ing　in　slow。　It　won't　matter　though。　They're　going　to　use　the　Atlanta　oscillations　for　the　timing。〃
　〃They　can't　do　that。〃
　〃The　President　can；　and　he's　ordered　it。〃
　〃They　could　kill　everyone　in　Portland。〃
　〃Elizabeth　and　I　argued　that。　The　President　sees　it　as　a　lesser　of　two　evils。　Lose　everyone　in　all　the　affected　locations；　or　risk　the　residents　of　Portland。〃
　〃He　could　minimize　the　risk　by　waiting　for　the　oscillation　analysis。〃
　Cannon　had　no　heart　for　arguing　the　President's　position　and　slumped　back　in　his　chair；　just　as　Elizabeth　leaned　forward。
　〃This　isn't　about　saving　anyone　but　the　President's　wife；〃　she　said　urgently。　〃He's　going　to　time　the　blast　to　freeze　Atlanta　in　the　present。　We　think　it's　a　mistake。〃
　〃It　is；　it's　a　deadly　mistake。〃
　〃We　want　you　to　e　with　us。　We're　going　to　talk　to　the　President　one　more　time。　We　need　you　to　handle　Gogh。〃
　The　President　was　in　the　Oval　office；　his　back　to　his　desk；　staring　out　the　window；　his　fingers　involuntarily　twirling　a　paper　clip。　Gogh　and　Natalie　Matsuda　were　there　too。　As　usual；　Elizabeth　ignored　them　and　took　charge　of　the　meeting。
　〃Mr。　President；　I　think　you　need　to　reconsider　this　plan　to　bomb　Portland。〃
　The　President　whirled　around　in　his　chair　and　threw　the　paper　clip　onto　the　desktop；　it　bounced　onto　the　floor　at　Elizabeth's　feet。
　〃Elizabeth；　I　told　you　before；　we're　not　going　to　bomb　Portland！　We're　going　to　detonate　nuclear　explosions　in　the　distant　past　to　return　things　to　normal。　If　it　works；　and　I'm　confident　that　it　will；　Portland；　and　every　other　city　in　this　country　。　。　。　and　everywhere　in　the　world；　will　return　to　normal。〃
　The　President　spoke　with　venom。
　〃A　decision　had　to　be　made；〃　he　added；　〃and　I　made　it。　The　longer　we　wait　the　less　chance　there　will　be　of　it　working。　Isn't　that　right；　Arnie？〃
　〃The　effect　is　stabilizing；〃　Gogh　said。　〃If　we　don't　act　soon；　we　may　lose　our　only　opportunity。〃
　〃What　about　the　timing？〃　Nick　cut　in。　〃How　will　you　time　the　blast？〃　The　question　reduced　some　of　the　President's　selfrighteousness；　and　he　deferred　to　Gogh。
　〃We　are　timing　the　explosions　with　the　most　accurate　data　available；〃　Gogh　said　crisply。
　〃Portland　data；〃　Nick　offered。
　〃That　is　not　available。　The　best　available　data　is　from　the　Southeast。〃
　〃From　。　。　。　？〃　Nick　prodded。
　〃From　Atlanta！〃　the　President　roared。　〃Is　that　what　you　want　to　hear？　I　ordered　it；　I'll　live　with　it。〃
　〃People　may　die　with　it；　sir。　I've　been　monitoring　the　debate　over　Gogh's　plan　on　the　PresNet。　There　is　no　support　for　it。〃
　The　President　sank　back　in　his　chair　and　picked　up　another　paper　clip。
　〃There　is　debate；　I　know。　But　what　else…〃
　〃We're　only　asking　you　to　wait　a　little　longer。　Data　are　ing　in　rapidly　now。　We　might　get　the　timing　information　you　need。〃
　The　President　didn't　answer　and　wouldn't　look　Nick　in　the　eye。　Nick　glanced　at　Gogh；　but　he　too　turned　away。　Reluctantly；　he　handed　the　Puglisi　photo　to　the　President。
　〃There's　been　a　new　development；　sir。　The　time　displacement　has　been　from　the　past　to　the　future　on　earth；　but　on　the　moon　the　future　es　to　the　past。〃　The　President's　eyes　remained　on　the　paper　clip　in　his　hands。　〃I　have　evidence　something　from　the　future　is　now　on　our　moon。　You　can　see　it　in　this　photo。〃
　The　President　looked　up　at　Nick；　confusion　in　his　eyes。
　〃Here；　sir。　In　this　crater。〃
　〃We　should　investigate；　sir；　before　we　do　anything　else。　It　may　be　something　that　helps　us。〃
　Finally　the　President　spoke。
　〃Investigate　with　what？　The　Florida　launch　facilities　are　gone。　Only　two　shuttles　remain；　and　they're　strictly　close　orbit　vehicles。〃
　〃This　is　nothing　but　a　shadow；〃　Gogh　cut　in。　〃This　is　nonsense；　Mr。　President。　You've　made　the　right　decision。〃
　〃A　rectangular　shadow？〃　Nick　protested。
　〃Not　impossible。　There　is　a　face　shadow　on　Mars；　you　know。〃
　〃It　should　be　investigated…〃
　〃Too　late；〃　the　President　said；　and　then　turned　his　chair　back　to　the　window。　He　twisted　the　new　paper　clip　into　a　crank　and　began　to　twirl　it　furiously。　〃The　decision　has　been　made；　and　the　order　has　been　given。〃
　
　Endless　PresNet　messages　scrolled　before　Nick's　eyes。　He　had　no　interest。　Gogh's　bombs　were　on　their　way…everything　else　paled　in　parison。　Images　of　children　playing　in　Portland　streets　and　people　strolling　in　parks　occupied　Nick。
　The　moon　photo　was　tacked　on　Nick's　bulletin　board。　The　ultimate　mystery　out　of　his　reach…maybe　forever。　If　Gogh's　plan　worked；　whatever　was　in　that　crater　would　disappear。　If　it　failed；　in　a　decade　maybe；　they　might　be　able　to　explore　Flam…steed　crater。　Guiltily；　Nick　realized　a　part　of　him　wanted　Gogh　to　fail。
　The　puter　beeped　for　his　attention；　as　something　he'd　requested　came　across　the　screen。　It　was　another　variation　of　the　Gomez　model。　Nick　looked　it　over　for　the　differences；　but　found　himself　thinking　about　the　beep　the　puter　made。　He　wondered　if　he　could　program　it　to　jangle　instead。
　
　64。　　　LANDFALL
　
　We　were　out　on　the　ice　trying　to　free　the　Terra　Nova。　Suddenly　the　pack　of　killer　whales　attacked。　They　smashed　their　backs　against　the　ice　trying　to　knock　us　into　the　water。　Such　was　their　power　that　the　ice　exploded；　showering　us　with　fragments。　We　were　lucky　to　scramble　to　more　solid　ice。
　…Captain　Robert　Falcon　Scott；　January　5；　1911
　
　West　of　Naples；　Florida
　POSTQUILT：　WEDNESDAY；　1：20　P。M。　EST
　
　　Patty's　crimson　trail　steamed　into　the　distance　as　far　as　Ron　could　see。　She　was　losing　massive　amounts　of　blood；　yet　she　kept　swimming。　Her　breathing　was　labored　and　she　was　wheezing；　and　Ron　regretted　the　burden　he　and　his　family　were　to　her。　Still；　they　had　no　choice　but　to　stay。
　No　one　had　slept　since　Pat　had　been　killed；　but　weak　from　thirst　and　hunger；　they　sat　quietly　on　Patty's　back；　with　no　energy　for　talking。　Ron　had　no　desire　to　sleep；　fearful　of　the　nightmares　Pat's　grisly　death　might　generate。
　Ron　sat　up　an