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le。 Underground transmission lines were left intact； as were transatlantic and transpacific cables。 Cities untouched by the effect kept local phone； TV； and radio； and some long…distance； while those in or near cities sliced by the effect were hardest hit。 Some lost everything； others kept some local radio or TV。 Military bases were similar but reestablished satellite munication sooner； then mandeered civilian lines； further snarling civilian munication。
As a resuit some sat riveted to TVs witnessing the bizarre unfold before them； while others only heard rumors and half truths。 Still others in rural pockets continued their lives pletely unaware of the drama unfolding across the face of the planet。
Nick Paulson's encounter with the masturbator left him wary of any more of Elizabeth's prognosticators。 Additional psychics； religious fanatics； and nuts were still being rounded up； but Nick delegated the interviewing to the CIA。 Instead； Nick bed the PresNet。
Nick used the directory to get a rough map of which parts of the network were lost。 The northeastern part of the country was mostly off…line； although a terminal at the University of Delaware and one in New Hampshire were listed。 The Chicago area was well represented as were the states surrounding Illinois。 The southeast was another near…total loss。 There was nothing from Georgia； Mississippi； and Louisiana； and precious little from the rest of the South。 There were three terminals listed from Florida State University but none from the University of Miami。 There were few advisors in the far West except for California； but functioning terminals were listed in Houston； Galveston； Reno； Cheyenne； and several in the Southern California basin。 Only Seattle was represented in the northwest； with terminals at the University of Washington and Boeing。 Nothing was showing for Alaska； Puerto Rico； or Guam。 Three stations were listed as on…line in Hawaii。 After his survey Nick estimated only a third of the network was still functioning。
The reports on PresNet described the kinds of impossible topographical changes Nick heard described on the radio。 One posted message was from a scientist named Robert Cory in Houston； who was bounced off the highway when his car was hit by a pressure wave。 Back on the road； he rounded a curve to find a red hot lava field。 Fires were spreading along the highway。 Another report came from a Mavis Famsworth in Minneapolis； who described a loud whooshing sound in the middle of the night； and opened her drapes to find herself staring at a jungle。 The network was filled with these kinds of reports； but Nick was frustrated with them。 They were too descriptive and not analytical。 The PresNet advisors were acting like tourists； not scientists。
Nick sent an all…points message requesting direct analysis of any topographical changes the associates had access to。 He also asked for continued reports on 〃unusual events；〃 but to look for mon denominators。 Nick hoped this would begin to focus the work of the network scientists。 At first he had been tempted to ask for reports on dinosaurs or other prehistoric life…forms； but he knew if he suggested what to look for； that would limit the observations。
The phone beeped several times before Nick picked it up。 A guard announced an insistent air force colonel named Conrad was at the gate with a psychologist； and a sergeant； claiming they had vital information。 Nick remembered that the college kid from Elizabeth's list was to be acpanied by a psychologist and a colonel。 Frustrated by the lack of information on the PresNet； he agreed to see them but swore he'd personally castrate any of them that started masturbating。
That wasn't necessary。 The men were all…business。 None of them was wearing a uniform； but the colonel's military bearing and demeanor set him apart instantly。 The other two seemed to wear rumpled casual clothes； although on closer inspection it appeared the taller man wore rumpled clothes； and the shorter Asian was a rumpled man in well…pressed clothes。
The colonel took charge and ordered Sergeant Yamamoto to set up their puter equipment。 The sergeant； protesting； looked lustfully at Nick's console； so Nick invited the sergeant to help himself。 After brief introductions； the colonel said abruptlyt 〃I think we know what's happened。〃
Nick's hopes sank。 The colonel was as confident as the psychics； and experience told Nick that no one that confident was ever right。 His explanation made a good story though。 A psychotic college student； hostages in a cave； the mountain in the middle of the freeway； and then the search of Kenny's room。
As Bill described what they had collected； Terry handed examples of articles and showed sections of books to Nick。 Dr。 Paulson showed none of the skepticism Terry had expected。
〃You think these events have something to do with what happened？〃 Nick asked。
〃Kenny Randall certainly did and he worked out a model。。。 Phil； you ready？〃 Colonel Conrad asked。
〃Yeah； here we go。 Remember though； this thing's a piece of crap and I had nothing to do with the programming。 The colonel here won't even let me clean it up。〃 Phil shook his head and punched a key。
As they presented it； Nick's own ideas were confirmed and expanded。 Yet when they were finished he was left wanting to know more。
〃There must be something else。 Weren't there equations or notes somewhere？〃
Colonel Conrad described the rest of the materials and then named a Dr。 Piltcher； a Dr。 Coombs； and someone named Phat as colleagues of Kenny's。 He also spoke of a manuscript from a Babylonian prophet named Zorastrus； which wasn't among Kenny's things。 Colonel Conrad's people were already searching for Kenny's friends； so Nick made a mental note to get a copy of the manuscript。 It was a long shot； but no more impossible than what was happening in the streets。 Nick asked a guard to bring the rest of Kenny Randall's possessions。 He was going to take this to the Security Council； and if he was going to convince them； he first needed to convince himself。
〃Okay； let's start with the puter programs。 Show me everything；〃 he said。
Nick found out how efficient government could be when a young marine delivered a cardboard box containing the plete known works of Zorastrus； the Prophet of Babylon。 There were copies in multiple languages。 Selecting the English copies； they scanned them。 Colonel Conrad found what they were looking for。
〃Here； in this one called the Apocrypha of Zorastrus。 He writes about things falling from the sky： water； fish； rocks； and a whole tree。 There's one about a strange animal appearing。 He describes it as a huge beast that came walking on two legs and ate whole cattle。〃
〃Is this in the program？〃 Nick asked。
〃I don't think so；〃 Colonel Conrad said。 〃The dates on most of this stuff are too vague to work in the program。 Here； let's cheek it against the list。〃 While Phil； Terry； and Colonel Conrad worked with the program； Nick dug out a copy of the Zo…rastrus text in a German translation。 Nick found Zorastrus had done more than just list the strange events； he had tried to explain them。 His predictions were specific and described events much like they had experienced。