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f daring that day。 And night。
〃Those weren't just fundamentalists and anti…abortionists；〃 he growled。 〃You saw their signs。 All the Luddites were there in force。 Greenpeace； Earth First； WAAKE…UP； the animal rights people； the AFLCIO goons。 It was a lynch mob。〃
〃And you provoked it；〃 she said。
〃Good grief； Elise； they just attacked a childrens' schoolbus。〃
〃They attacked an idea。〃
〃Driven by demagogues and talk radio and tabloid nonsense。〃
〃Admit it； Paul；〃 she said more quietly。 〃You're mad because your plan backfired。〃
〃What plan；〃 he said。
〃You used us。〃 Her eyes flashed like grey steel。 She had a low tolerance for falseness of any kind。 Shenanigans； she called it。 It was why he'd placed Miranda under her guidance。 Elise was an ethics lesson in motion。 〃You drew a line in the sand。 They crossed it。 It's that simple。 Politics。 You're just as guilty as they are。 You wanted to make a statement； and it bit you on the ass。 It got ugly。 Thank goodness no one got hurt。 These windows aren't bulletproof； you know。〃
〃Now we have to ask the rabble's permission to do science？〃 he blustered。 〃Someone has to take a stand； Elise。 It's not just gen…tech they're after； you know。 All the sciences are under fire。 I see it on the editorial pages； in the budget cuts； in the empty classrooms。 We're sliding backwards into the Dark Ages。 Next they'll be burning books。 Or us。〃
〃You want them to love you。〃
〃Of course not；〃 he snorted。
She continued。 〃You do。 You want them to feel the spark of discovery and be awed and thank us。 And one day； Paul； they will again。 Maybe we'll give them a new energy source。 Or a cure for the mon cold。 Or a vaccine for this Mediterranean thing。 These things move in cycles。 But you have to accept that for every glorious Apollo moon landing there's some Galileo upsetting their apple cart。 For every Salk or Curie； there's a Darwin calling them monkeys。 For every Carl Sagan or Stephen Hawking trying to illuminate the masses； there's a Mengele or Teller giving them nightmares。 We're not in the hugging phase right now； that's all。 And hosting a convention of geneticists in their backyard won't get you there。〃
〃Backyard？ We're in the middle of nowhere。〃
〃You know what I mean。 You arranged headlines。 You gave that20/20 woman an interview last week。 You could have focused her on the search for this Mediterranean virus； you could have made us heroes。 Instead you talked about evolution。 What was all that about mutation as God's plan？ And why on earth did you pick a ranch in the desert instead of just housing these people at Los Alamos where it's secure？〃
Just yesterday； Abbot had seen classified reports from the National Security Agency and Homeland Security remending an immediate three…month shutdown of U。S。 borders。 He was on the inside of that call。 It would be a draconian measure…no air； sea or land travel； no shipping； no business trips back and forth to Paris； no spring breaks in Cancun…and it would have to be done by Presidential directive。 Politicians and bureaucrats would stonewall it until doomsday。 The economy would plunge。 The President was wavering。 But the foot…and…mouth epidemic and the mad cow scare in Europe a few years back； and more recently America's brush with anthrax； were turning out to be handy lessons in rapid response。 The President was close to signing the directive。 For now； however； there no sense panicking the public。 It was agreed at the very top levels； business as usual。 Even Elise was out of the loop。
〃The Med outbreak is a million miles away to most Americans。 Besides the Europeans are handling it。 That's not our story here。 It's a free country； Elise。 That's my point。 Science is still part of the world。〃
〃And to make your point； you put us at risk。 We were lucky。〃
She had him。 In a sense； they were his； each of them； from these biologists to the astronomers and robotics wonks and butterfly chasers and all the other scientists he represented。 As the so…called Science Czar； he nurtured them with funding which he enchanted from Congress； corporations； and true believers。 He sheltered them with his fixers and spinmeisters and his Mosaic influence。 He shaped their research with his master plans。 He rewarded them for their genius。 Even those from other countries moved within his orbit； ambassadors to his empire。 And yes； he did feel guilty about the mob。 He was their king； and it was his job to safeguard each and every one of them。 Elise was right。 They were lucky。 Those paintballs could have been bullets。
〃I love this hour of the morning；〃 she suddenly announced； and he glanced at her。 She was pretending to look out the window glutinous with egg and spittle。 The mob had frightened her。 Now she simply wished to get on with the day。
Over the years； Abbot had refined his version of why they had not married back in the beginning； and she had； too。 They talked about it sometimes。 If only you'd said this or done that； they would say。 The bottom line was that they had not married。 They had drifted on to other lives； found mates； made families； then lost their mates。 Death had taken her Victor just six months ago； and tried to take her； too。 The surgeons had repaired her broken heart； but she was still frail。 Impulsively Abbot wanted to take her hand in his； to hold it without the excuse of fear or consolation； just to remind them both of what might have been。 But he did not。 If they were younger and it mattered； perhaps。 But neither of them would marry again。 That's how it was。
The bus wound toward the mesa top。 They passed through Los Alamos； and its plain buildings and green park could have been anywhere in 1970s Middle America。 It was a pany town。 Their business was simple： Big Science。
The bus stopped at a bridge above a sheer canyon。 Traffic normally flowed into the research plex beyond。 But this morning； following the demonstration outside Rancho Encantado； heavily armed Pro Force soldiers were ready and waiting。 An officer with a clipboard mounted the bus and walked down the aisle to where Abbot and Golding sat。 Golding knew right where to sign the paperwork。 He said； 〃Thank you； ma'am；〃 and started handing out security badges and dosimeters。 Soldiers waved the bus through a makeshift barricade。 As they crossed the bridge； the air of tension relaxed。 The sight of machine guns on hummers was a novelty to many of the scientists。 They treated the security badges and radiation tags like tickets to a James Bond theme park。
Occupying some twenty square miles； the laboratory grounds were hived off into technical areas containing research facilities and office buildings。 Back in the early '50s； when Godzilla and the Blob were leaving wakes of fear； the U。S。 Atomic Energy mission had been tasked to study mutations caused by ionizing radiation。 If they were going to start dropping H…bombs or building nuclear reactors； the government wanted to know the consequences。 With time； the Mesa had gotten a makeover of sorts。 The Atomic Energy mission had bee the Department of Energy。 Los Alamos had e under the administration of the University of California。 Genetic research morphed into the Human Genome Project。 And now two former peaceniks； Elise Goldin