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Having circled the bow and e back down the port side； Delta…One now stood in the hydrolab from which he had seen Rachel emerge as the chopper had flown in。 A puter in the lab displayed an unsettling image…a polychromatic rendering of the pulsating； deepwater vortex that was apparently hovering over the ocean floor somewhere beneath the Goya。
Another reason to get the hell out of here； he thought； moving now toward his target。
The fax machine was on a counter on the far side of the wall。 The tray was filled with a stack of papers； exactly as Pickering had guessed it would be。 Delta…One picked up the stack。 A note from Rachel was on top。 Only two lines。 He read it。
To the point； he thought。
As he flipped through the pages； he was both amazed and dismayed by the extent to which Tolland and Rachel had uncovered the meteorite deception。 Whoever saw these printouts would have no doubt what they meant。 Fortunately； Delta…One would not even need to hit 〃redial〃 to find out where the printouts had gone。 The last fax number was still displayed in the LCD window。
A Washington； D。C。； prefix。
He carefully copied the fax number down； grabbed all the papers； and exited the lab。
Tolland's hands felt sweaty on the machine gun as he gripped it； aiming the muzzle at William Pickering's chest。 The NRO director was still pressuring Rachel to tell him where the data had been sent； and Tolland was starting to get the uneasy feeling that Pickering was simply trying to buy time。 For what？
〃The White House and NASA are innocent；〃 Pickering repeated。 〃Work with me。 Don't let my mistakes destroy what little credibility NASA has left。 NASA will look guilty if this gets out。 You and I can e to an arrangement。 The country needs this meteorite。 Tell me where you faxed the data before it's too late。〃
〃So you can kill someone else？〃 Rachel said。 〃You make me sick。〃
Tolland was amazed with Rachel's fortitude。 She despised her father； but she clearly had no intention of putting the senator in any danger whatsoever。 Unfortunately； Rachel's plan to fax her father for help had backfired。 Even if the senator came into his office； saw the fax； and called the President with news of the meteorite fraud and told him to call off the attack； nobody at the White House would have any idea what Sexton was talking about； or even where they were。
〃I will only say this one more time；〃 Pickering said； fixing Rachel with a menacing glare。 〃This situation is too plex for you to fully understand。 You've made an enormous mistake by sending that data off this ship。 You've put your country at risk。〃
William Pickering was indeed buying time； Tolland now realized。 And the reason was striding calmly toward them up the starboard side of the boat。 Tolland felt a flash of fear when he saw the soldier sauntering toward them carrying a stack of papers and a machine gun。
Tolland reacted with a decisiveness that shocked even himself。 Gripping the machine gun； he wheeled； aimed at the soldier； and pulled the trigger。
The gun made an innocuous click。
〃I found the fax number；〃 the soldier said； handing Pickering a slip of paper。 〃And Mr。 Tolland is out of ammunition。〃
124
Sedgewick Sexton stormed up the hallway of the PhilipA。 Hart Senate Office Building。 He had no idea how Gabrielle had done it； but she had obviously gotten into his office。 While they were speaking on the phone； Sexton had clearly heard the distinctive triple…click of his Jourdain clock in the background。 All he could imagine was that Gabrielle's eavesdropping on the SFF meeting had undermined her trust in him and she had gone digging for evidence。
How the hell did she get into my office！
Sexton was glad he'd changed his puter password。
When he arrived at his private office； Sexton typed in his code to deactivate the alarm。 Then he fumbled for his keys； unlocked the heavy doors； threw them open； and burst in； intent on catching Gabrielle in the act。
But the office was empty and dark； lit only by the glow of his puter screensaver。 He turned on the lights； his eyes scanning。 Everything looked in place。 Dead silence except for the triple…tick of his clock。
Where the hell is she？
He heard something rustle in his private bathroom and raced over； turning on the light。 The bathroom was empty。 He looked behind the door。 Nothing。
Puzzled； Sexton eyed himself in the mirror； wondering if he'd had too much to drink tonight。 I heard something。 Feeling disoriented and confused； he walked back into his office。
〃Gabrielle？〃 he called out。 He went down the hall to her office。 She wasn't there。 Her office was dark。
A toilet flushed in the ladies' room； and Sexton spun； striding now back in the direction of the restrooms。 He arrived just as Gabrielle was exiting； drying her hands。 She jumped when she saw him。
〃My God！ You scared me！〃 she said； looking genuinely frightened。 〃What are you doing here？〃
〃You said you were getting NASA documents from your office；〃 he declared； eyeing her empty hands。 〃Where are they？〃
〃I couldn't find them。 I looked everywhere。 That's what took so long。〃
He stared directly into her eyes。 〃Were you in my office？〃
I owe my life to his fax machine； Gabrielle thought。
Only minutes ago she'd been sitting at Sexton's puter； trying to make printouts of the images of illegal checks on his puter。 The files were protected somehow； and she was going to need more time to figure out how to print them。 She would probably still be trying right now if Sexton's fax machine had not rung； startling her and snapping her back to reality。 Gabrielle took it as her cue to get out。 Without taking time to see what the ining fax was； she logged off Sexton's puter； tidied up； and headed out the way she had e。 She was just climbing out of Sexton's bathroom when she heard him ing in。
Now； with Sexton standing before her； staring down； she sensed him searching her eyes for a lie。 Sedgewick Sexton could smell untruths like nobody Gabrielle had ever met。 If she lied to him； Sexton would know。
〃You've been drinking；〃 Gabrielle said； turning away。 How does he know I was in his office？
Sexton put his hands on her shoulders and spun her back around。 〃Were you in my office？〃
Gabrielle felt a rising fear。 Sexton had indeed been drinking。 His touch was rough。 〃In your office？〃 she demanded； forcing a confused laugh。 〃How？ Why？〃
〃I heard my Jourdain in the background when I called you。〃
Gabrielle cringed inwardly。 His clock？ It had not even occurred to her。 〃Do you know how ridiculous that sounds？〃
〃I spend all day in that office。 I know what my clock sounds like。〃
Gabrielle sensed she had to end this immediately。 The best defense is a good offense。 At least that's what Yolanda Cole always said。 Placing her hands on her hips； Gabrielle went for him with all she had。 She stepped toward him； getting in his face； glaring。 〃Let me get this straight； senator。 It's four o'clock in the morning； you've been drinking； you heard a ticking on your phone； and that's why you're here？〃 She pointed her finger indignantly down the hall at his door。 〃Just for the record； are you accusing me of disarming a federal alarm system； picking two sets of locks； breaking into your office； being stupid enough to answer my cellphone while in the process of mitting a felony； rearming the alarm system on my way out； and then calmly using the ladies' room before I run off with nothing to show for it？ Is that the story here？〃
Sexton blinked； wide…eyed。
〃There's a reason people shouldn't drink alone；〃 Gabrielle said。 〃Now do you want to talk about NASA； or not？〃
Sexton felt befuddled as he walked back into his office。 He went straight to his wet bar and poured himself a Pepsi。 He sure as hell didn't feel drunk。 Could he really have been wrong about this？ Across the room； his Jourdain ticked mockingly。 Sexton drained his Pepsi and poured himself another； and one for Gabrielle。
〃Drink； Gabrielle？〃 he asked； turning back into the room。 Gabrielle had not followed him in。 She was still standing in the doorway； rubbing his nose in it。 〃Oh； for God's sake！ e in。 Tell me what you found out at NASA。〃
〃I think I've had enough for tonight；〃 she said； sounding distant。 〃Let's talk tomorrow。〃
Sexton was in no mood for games。 He needed this information now； and he had no intention of begging for it。 He heaved a tired sigh。 Extend the bond of trust。 It's all about trust。 〃I screwed up；〃 he said。 〃I'm sorry。 It's been a hell of a day。 I don't know what I was thinking。〃
Gabrielle remained in the doorway。
Sexton walked to his desk and set Gabrielle's Pepsi down on his blotter。 He motioned to his leather chair…the position of power。 〃Have a seat。 Enjoy a soda。 I'm going to go stick my head in the sink。〃 He headed for the bathroom。
Gabrielle still wasn't moving。
〃I think I saw a fax in the machine；〃 Sexton called over his shoulder as he entered the bathroom。 Show her you trust her。 〃Have a look at it for me； will you？〃
Sexton closed the door and filled the sink with cold water。 He splashed it on his face and felt no clearer。 This had never happened to him before…being so sure； and being so wrong。 Sexton was a man who trusted his instincts； and his instincts told him Gabrielle Ashe had been in his office。
But how？ It was impossible。
Sexton told himself to forget about it and focus on the matter at hand。 NASA。 He needed Gabrielle right now。 This was no time to alienate her。 He needed to know what she knew。 Forget your instincts。 You were wrong。
As Sexton dried his face； he threw his head back and took a deep breath。 Relax； he told himself。 Don't get punchy。 He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply again； feeling better。
When Sexton exited the bathroom； he was relieved to see Gabrielle had acquiesced and e back into his office。 Good； he thought。 Now we can get to business。 Gabrielle was standing at his fax machine flipping through whatever pages had e in。 Sexton was confused； however； when he saw her face。 It was a mask of disorientation and fear。
〃What is it？〃 Sexton said； moving toward her。
Gabrielle teetered； as if she were about to pass out。
〃What？〃
〃The meteorite。。。 〃 she choked； her voice frail as her trembling hand held the stack of fax papers out to him。 〃And your daughter。。。 she's in danger。〃
Bewildered； Sexton walked over； and took the fax pages from Gabrielle。 The top sheet was a handwritten note。 Sexton immediately recognized the writing。 The muniqué was awkward and shocking in its simplicity。
Meteorite is fake。 Here's proof。 NASA/
White House trying to kill me。 Help！…RS
The senator seldom felt totally at a loss of understanding； but as he reread Rachel's words； he had no idea what to make of them。
The meteorite is a fake？ NASA and the White House are trying to kill her？
In a deepening haze； Sexton began sifting through the half dozen sheets。 The first page was a puterized image whose heading read 〃Ground Penetrating Radar （GPR）。〃 The picture appeared to be an ice…sounding of some sort。 Sexton saw the extraction pit they had talked about on television。 His eye was drawn to what looked like the faint outline of a body floating in the shaft。 Then he saw something even more shocking…the clear outline of a second shaft directly beneath where the meteorite had been…as if the stone had been inserted from underneath the ice。
What in the world？
Flipping to the next page； Sexton came face…to…face with a photograph of some sort of living ocean species called a Bathynomous giganteus。 He stared in utter amazement。 That's the animal from the meteorite fossils！
Flipping faster now； he saw a graphic display depicting the ionized hydrogen content in the meteorite's crust。 This page had a handwritten scrawl on it： Slush…hydrogen burn？ NASA Expander Cycle Engine？
Sexton could not believe his eyes。 With the room starting to spin around him； he flipped to the final page…a photo of a rock containing metallic bubbles that looked exactly like those in the meteorite。 Shockingly； the acpanying description said the rock was the product of oceanic volcanism。 A rock from the ocean？ Sexton wondered。 But NASA said chondrules form only in space！
Sexton set the sheets down on his desk and collapsed in his chair。 It had taken him only f