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the unusual seaweeds； but Emmett held back what he knew about other dinosaurs from the PresNet。 Then they discussed who would succeed Dr。 Wang as department chair； and who might be recruited to replace the missing faculty。 They recognized that issues of hiring； tenure； and promotion were part of the old world； but they refused to acknowledge the new order。
As they climbed the extinct volcano Mauna Kea； the air cooled and Emmett soon turned on the seldom…used car heater。 Mauna Kea towered over Hawaii； the peak reaching 14；000 feet above sea level。 At half the height of Mount Everest it was a nearly ideal location for the university to build an observatory。 Several instruments sponsored by a variety of nations now speckled the lunarlike landscape that made up the peak。 Emmett and Carrollee's destination was the Canada…France…Hawaii telescope； but any other optical instrument would serve their purpose。
The wind picked up as they climbed above the last of the vegetation into the broken lava fields that made up the mountain's dome。 The car was warm enough； but outside it was cold enough to snow； and indeed frost speckled the ground。 Emmett knew blizzards were frequent here in winter； and that somewhere in a maintenance shed was the only snowplow in the islands。 Even in the controlled climate of the car they began to feel the effects of the elevation and cold。 The dry air made them lick their lips frequently。
〃I've heard the air's so dry up here； they have trouble with the electronics。 Sometimes they boil pans of water to keep things working。〃
Carrollee nodded her head。
〃When do we break out the oxygen masks？〃 she asked。
〃They fall down from the ceiling in an emergency。 Seriously； are you feeling all right？ It's getting pretty thin。 We're two miles above sea level。〃
〃I'm okay。 I was just thinking about one time we went skiing in Colorado。 It took some time to get used to the altitude。 I would get sick if I exercised too much。〃
〃Yeah； altitude sickness。 We shouldn't have a problem though； I don't plan on skiing； or even walking much。 Just watching them take the pictures and then getting off this frigid rock。〃
〃With Bree…geet up here I bet it's not frigid。〃
Emmett felt the prick。
〃Some of those who work up here have trouble adjusting。 The air is dry and oxygen poor。 Thinking can be affected。 A problem you might solve in fifteen minutes at the university can take an hour up here。 But if you are going to build an observatory this is one of the best places in the world to do it。〃
Emmett leaned toward the windshield and looked up at the sky。 Carrollee did likewise； and they both found themselves lost in the speckled black ink。 After a few minutes she turned to Emmett。
〃We'll be there soon。 Don't you think it's time to tell me what's going on？ You didn't seem all that surprised by what we found on the beach。 I know I'm not security cleared or anything； but neither are you。 After all； I'm a coconspirator in whatever it is we're doing。〃
Emmett had no real reason not to tell her everything he knew。 The reports on the news were filling in enough pieces of the puzzle to make it obvious to anyone。 He worried briefly about the legal implications but suspected there were enough problems in the world now to keep even the most officious bureaucrat busy and away from Carrollee。 So； he told her。 She knew of the various floods； fires； avalanches； tidal waves； and blackouts； and she had her own experience with the plesiosaur； but like most of the public； she had no idea how widespread these events were。 When he finished explaining； Emmett found Carrollee wasn't frightened by the idea of dinosaurs。 Instead she seemed tickled。
〃Imagine；〃 Carrollee said； 〃Tyrannosaurus rex roaming the earth again。 How would you contain something like that？ Electric wire three stories tall？ Trenches？ Fire？ Oh； man…oh…man wait until my brother； Richard； hears about this。 He's going to want a hunting license。 Of course he'd need a trophy room the size of a barn to put the head on the wall。〃
After fifteen minutes she came to the fundamental questions。
〃Why did this happen？ Is it over？ Will it happen again？ Where did the people go who were where the dinosaurs are now？〃
Puglisi explained as best he could about the effect of dense matter； the time waves and the displacement。 He told her about the various theories and the extension he made in the Gomez model and how it might affect the moon。 When he reported his contact with Dr。 Paulson； Carrollee looked at him skeptically but seemed to realize that was no more impossible than dinosaurs showing up in the modern age。
〃So what are you looking for up here？〃 she asked。
〃Support for the theory。 Evidence that the effect on the moon is reversed。 Any data that can help fill in the picture。 Dr。 Paulson seemed particularly interested in the data。 He didn't say getting it was urgent； but he put some time into arranging it； time he could have used for any number of tasks。 So if it's important to him； it's important enough for me to climb this ugly Popsicle to get it。〃
Carrollee； silent； slipped into one of her rare pensive moods。 After a few minutes Emmett missed her conversation。
〃What are you thinking； Carrollee？〃
Carrollee shook herself out of her mood and sat straight up in her seat。
〃I'm thinking about my family on the mainland…my mother and my sister。 I haven't been able to reach them； but I know there have been telephone problems。 I figured they were probably safe。 Now I'm thinking they may not be there at all。 Not dead； just gone。 Gone somewhere in time。 Is that what you're saying？ It makes me wonder if it could happen again？ If it did； I wouldn't want to be sent off to the future by myself。 So； I guess I should stick pretty close to someone I would want to disappear with。〃
〃I don't think it will happen again； not if we don't start nuclear testing again。〃
But Emmett began thinking of people he would want to be near if he were displaced。 He didn't have any immediate family； only an uncle in Iowa。 After considering and discarding several names； he realized he was sitting with the only person who had a certain spot on the list。
The switchbacks became sharper and more irregular； telling them they were near the summit。 The landscape was a monotony of frosted； cracked； black lava。 The winds continued to pick up； blowing white granular material across the road。
〃Is that snow？〃 Carrollee asked。 〃Incredible。 Snow in the tropics。 I knew it was up here of course； but I guess I never really believed it。〃
The summit appeared suddenly。 The flat of the barren lava dome was sprinkled with the high technology toys of civilization。 Half a dozen observatory domes were spaced across the peak； most perched on square bases that housed support facilities。 Other support buildings were situated nearby。 It gave an altogether eerie effect； as if time displacement had shifted the trappings of a high…tech civilization to the cooling lava of the ancient earth。 Each of the domes they could see had a four…wheel…drive vehicle or two parked at it； but Emmett was unsure of where Bridgette might be。 Four cars were parked in a level area at the end of the road by the administrative buil