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esident was about to be ousted from office； to offer quiet favors to the apparent successor in hopes of securing power or another position after the changeover。 It seemed someone smelled Sexton victory and was buying stock early。
The message currently on Gabrielle's screen made her nervous。 It was like none other she had ever received。 The first two lines didn't bother her so much。 It was the last two：
EAST APPOINTMENT GATE； 4：30 P。M。 E ALONE。
Her informant had never before asked to meet in person。 Even so； Gabrielle would have expected a more subtle location for a face…to…face meeting。 East Appointment Gate？ Only one East Appointment Gate existed in Washington； as far as she knew。 Outside the White House？ Is this some kind of joke？
Gabrielle knew she could not respond via e…mail； her messages were always bounced back as undeliverable。 Her correspondent's account was anonymous。 Not surprising。
Should I consult Sexton？ She quickly decided against it。 He was in a meeting。 Besides； if she told him about this e…mail； she'd have to tell him about the others。 She decided her informant's offer to meet in public in broad daylight must be to make Gabrielle feel safe。 After all； this person had done nothing but help her for the last two weeks。 He or she was obviously a friend。
Reading the e…mail one last time； Gabrielle checked the clock。 She had an hour。
30
The NASA administrator was feeling less edgy now that the meteorite was successfully out of the ice。 Everything is falling into place； he told himself as he headed across the dome to the work area of Michael Tolland。 Nothing can stop us now。
〃How's it ing？〃 Ekstrom asked； striding up behind the television scientist。
Tolland glanced up from his puter； looking tired but enthusiastic。 〃Editing is almost done。 I'm just overlaying some of the extraction footage your people shot。 Should be done momentarily。〃
〃Good。〃 The President had asked Ekstrom to upload Tolland's documentary to the White House as soon as possible。
Although Ekstrom had been cynical about the President's desire to use Michael Tolland on this project； seeing the rough cuts of Tolland's documentary had changed Ekstrom's mind。 The television star's spirited narrative； bined with his interviews of the civilian scientists； had been brilliantly fused into a thrilling and prehensible fifteen minutes of scientific programming。 Tolland had achieved effortlessly what NASA so often failed to do…describe a scientific discovery at the level of the average American intellect without being patronizing。
〃When you're done editing；〃 Ekstrom said； 〃bring the finished product over to the press area。 I'll have someone upload a digital copy to the White House。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 Tolland went back to work。
Ekstrom moved on。 When he arrived at the north wall； he was encouraged to find the habisphere's 〃press area〃 had e together nicely。 A large blue carpet had been rolled out on the ice。 Centered on the rug sat a long symposium table with several microphones； a NASA drape； and an enormous American flag as a backdrop。 To plete the visual drama； the meteorite had been transported on a palette sled to its position of honor； directly in front of the symposium table。
Ekstrom was pleased to see the mood in the press area was one of celebration。 Much of his staff was now crowded around the meteorite； holding their hands out over its still…warm mass like campers around a campfire。
Ekstrom decided that this was the moment。 He walked over to several cardboard boxes sitting on the ice behind the press area。 He'd had the boxes flown in from Greenland this morning。
〃Drinks are on me！〃 he yelled； handing out cans of beer to his cavorting staff。
〃Hey； boss！〃 someone yelled。 〃Thanks！ It's even cold！〃
Ekstrom gave a rare smile。 〃I've been keeping it on ice。〃
Everyone laughed。
〃Wait a minute！〃 someone else yelled； scowling good…naturedly at his can。 〃This stuff's Canadian！ Where's your patriotism？〃
〃We're on a budget； here； folks。 Cheapest stuff I could find。〃
More laughter。
〃Attention shoppers；〃 one of the NASA television crew yelled into a megaphone。 〃We're about to switch to media lighting。 You may experience temporary blindness。〃
〃And no kissing in the dark；〃 someone yelled。 〃This is a family program！〃
Ekstrom chuckled； enjoying the raillery as his crew made final adjustments to the spotlights and accent lighting。
〃Switching to media lighting in five； four； three； two。。。 〃
The dome's interior dimmed rapidly as the halogen lamps shut down。 Within seconds； all the lights were off。 An impenetrable darkness engulfed the dome。
Someone let out a mock scream。
〃Who pinched my ass？〃 someone yelled； laughing。
The blackness lasted only a moment before it was pierced by the intense glare of media spotlights。 Everyone squinted。 The transformation was now plete； the north quadrant of the NASA habisphere had bee a television studio。 The remainder of the dome now looked like a gaping barn at night。 The only light in the other sections was the muted reflection of the media lights reflecting off the arched ceiling and throwing long shadows across the now deserted work stations。
Ekstrom stepped back into the shadows； gratified to see his team carousing around the illuminated meteorite。 He felt like a father at Christmas； watching his kids enjoy themselves around the tree。
God knows they deserve it； Ekstrom thought； never suspecting what calamity lay ahead。
31
The weather was changing。
Like a mournful harbinger of impending conflict； the katabatic wind let out a plaintive howl and gusted hard against the Delta Force's shelter。 Delta…One finished battening down the storm coverings and went back inside to his two partners。 They'd been through this before。 It would soon pass。
Delta…Two was staring at the live video feed from the microbot。 〃You better look at this；〃 he said。
Delta…One came over。 The inside of the habisphere was in total darkness except for the bright lighting on the north side of the dome near the stage。 The remainder of the habisphere appeared only as a dim outline。 〃It's nothing；〃 he said。 〃They're just testing their television lighting for tonight。〃
〃The lighting's not the problem。〃 Delta…Two pointed to the dark blob in the middle of the ice…the water…filled hole from which the meteorite had been extracted。 〃That's the problem。〃
Delta…One looked at the hole。 It was still surrounded by pylons； and the surface of the water appeared calm。 〃I don't see anything。〃
〃Look again。〃 He maneuvered the joystick； spiraling the microbot down toward the surface of the hole。
As Delta…One studied the darkened pool of melted water more closely； he saw something that caused him to recoil in shock。 〃What the。。。 ？〃
Delta…Three came over and looked。 He too looked stunned。 〃My God。 Is that the extraction pit？ Is the water supposed to be doing that？〃
〃No；〃 Delta…One said。 〃It sure as hell isn't。〃
32
Although Rachel Sexton was currently sitting inside a large metal box situated three thousand miles from Washington； D。C。； she felt the same pressure as if she'd been summoned to the White House。 The videophone monitor before her displayed a crystal clear image of President Zach Herney seated in the White House munications room before the presidential seal。 The digital audio connection was flawless； and with the exception of an almost imperceptible delay； the man could have been in the next room。
Their conversation was upbeat and direct。 The President seemed pleased； though not at all surprised； by Rachel's favorable assessment of NASA's find and of his choice to use Michael Tolland's captivating persona as a spokesman。 The President's mood was good…natured and jocular。
〃As I'm sure you will agree；〃 Herney said； his voice growing more serious now； 〃in a perfect world； the ramifications of this discovery would be purely scientific in nature。〃 He paused； leaning forward； his face filling the screen。 〃Unfortunately； we don't live in a perfect world； and this NASA triumph is going to be a political football the moment I announce it。〃
〃Considering the conclusive proof and who you've recruited for endorsements； I can't imagine how the public or any of your opposition will be able to do anything other than accept this discovery as confirmed fact。〃
Herney gave an almost sad chuckle。 〃My political opponents will believe what they see； Rachel。 My concerns are that they won't like what they see。〃
Rachel noted how careful the President was being not to mention her father。 He spoke only in terms of 〃the opposition〃 or 〃political opponents。〃 〃And you think your opposition will cry conspiracy simply for political reasons？〃 she asked。
〃That is the nature of the game。 All anyone needs to do is cast a faint doubt； saying that this discovery is some kind of political fraud concocted by NASA and the White House； and all of a sudden； I'm facing an inquiry。 The newspapers forget NASA has found proof of extraterrestrial life； and the media starts focusing on uncovering evidence of a conspiracy。 Sadly； any innuendo of conspiracy with respect to this discovery will be bad for science； bad for the White House； bad for NASA； and； quite frankly； bad for the country。〃
〃Which is why you postponed announcing until you had full confirmation and some reputable civilian endorsements。〃
〃My goal is to present this data in so incontrovertible a way that any cynicism is nipped in the bud。 I want this discovery celebrated with the untainted dignity it deserves。 NASA merits no less。〃
Rachel's intuition was tingling now。 What does he want from me？
〃Obviously；〃 he continued； 〃you're in a unique position to help me。 Your experience as an analyst as well as your obvious ties to my opponent give you enormous credibility with respect to this discovery。〃
Rachel felt a growing disillusionment。 He wants to use me。。。 just like Pickering said he would！
〃That said；〃 Herney continued； 〃I would like to ask that you endorse this discovery personally； for the record； as my White House intelligence liaison。。。 and as the daughter of my opponent。〃
There it was。 On the table。
Herney wants me to endorse。
Rachel really had thought Zach Herney was above this kind of spiteful politics。 A public endorsement from Rachel would immediately make the meteorite a personal issue for her father； leaving the senator unable to attack the discovery's credibility without attacking the credibility of his own daughter…a death sentence for a 〃families first〃 candidate。
〃Frankly； sir；〃 Rachel said； looking into the monitor； 〃I'm stunned you would ask me to do that。〃
The President looked taken aback。 〃I thought you would be excited to help out。〃
〃Excited？ Sir； my differences with my father aside； this request puts me in an impossible position。 I have enough problems with my father without going head…to…head with him in some kind of public death match。 Despite my admitted dislike of the man； he is my father； and pitting me against him in a public forum frankly seems beneath you。〃
〃Hold on！〃 Herney waved his hands in surrender。
〃Who said anything about a public forum？〃
Rachel paused。 〃I assume you'd like me to join the administrator of NASA on the podium for the eight o'clock press conference。〃
Herney's guffaw boomed in the audio speakers。 〃Rachel； what kind of man do you think I am？ Do you really imagine I'd ask someone to stab her father in the back on national television？〃
〃But； you said…〃
〃And do you think I would make the NASA administrator share the limelight with the daughter of his arch enemy？ Not to burst your bubble； Rachel； but this press conference is a scientific presentation。 I'm not sure your knowledge of meteorites； fossils； or ice structures would lend the event much credibility。〃
Rachel felt herself flush。 〃But then。。。 what endorsement did you have in mind？〃
〃One more appropriate to your position。〃
〃Sir？〃
〃You are my White House intelligence liaison。 You brief my staff on issues of national importance。〃
〃You want me to endorse this for your staff？〃
Herney still looked amused by the misunderstanding。 〃Yes； I do。 The skepticism I'll face outside the White House is nothing pared to what I'm facing from my staff right now。 We're in th