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f you'd like to refresh your memory？〃
Gabrielle needed no refresher。 She remembered the press conference all too well。 Sexton's denial was as adamant as it was heartfelt。
〃It's unfortunate；〃 Tench said； sounding not at all disappointed； 〃but Senator Sexton looked the American people in the eye and told a bald…faced lie。 The public has a right to know。 And they will know。 I'll see to it personally。 The only question now is how the public finds out。 We believe it's best ing from you。〃
Gabrielle was stunned。 〃You really think I'm going to help lynch my own candidate？〃
Tench's face hardened。 〃I am trying to take the high ground here； Gabrielle。 I'm giving you a chance to save everyone a lot of embarrassment by holding your head high and telling the truth。 All I need is a signed statement admitting your affair。〃
Gabrielle stopped short。 〃What！〃
〃Of course。 A signed statement gives us the leverage we need to deal with the senator quietly； sparing the country this ugly mess。 My offer is simple： Sign a statement for me； and these photos never need to see the light of day。〃
〃You want a statement？〃
〃Technically； I would need an affidavit； but we have a notary here in the building who could…〃
〃You're crazy。〃 Gabrielle was walking again。
Tench stayed at her side； sounding more angry now。 〃Senator Sexton is going down one way or another； Gabrielle； and I'm offering you a chance to get out of this without seeing your own naked ass in the morning paper！ The President is a decent man and doesn't want these photos publicized。 If you just give me an affidavit and confess to the affair on your own terms； then all of us can retain a little dignity。〃
〃I'm not for sale。〃
〃Well； your candidate certainly is。 He's a dangerous man； and he's breaking the law。〃
〃He's breaking the law？ You're the ones breaking into offices and taking illegal surveillance pictures！ Ever heard of Watergate？〃
〃We had nothing to do with gathering this dirt。 These photos came from the same source as the SFF campaign…funding information。 Someone's been watching you two very closely。〃
Gabrielle tore past the security desk where she had gotten her security badge。 She ripped off the badge and tossed it to the wide…eyed guard。 Tench was still on her tail。
〃You'll need to decide fast； Ms。 Ashe；〃 Tench said as they neared the exit。 〃Either bring me an affidavit admitting you slept with the senator； or at eight o'clock tonight； the president will be forced to go public with everything…Sexton's financial dealings； the photos of you； the works。 And believe me； when the public sees that you stood idly by and let Sexton lie about your relationship； you'll go down in flames right beside him。〃
Gabrielle saw the door and headed for it。
〃On my desk by eight o'clock tonight； Gabrielle。 Be smart。〃 Tench tossed her the folder of photographs on her way out。 〃Keep them； sweetie。 We've got plenty more。〃
48
Rachel Sexton felt a growing chill inside as she moved down the ice sheet into a deepening night。 Disquieting images swirled in her mind…the meteorite； the phosphorescent plankton； the implications if Norah Mangor had made a mistake with the ice cores。
A solid matrix of freshwater ice； Norah had argued； reminding them all that she had drilled cores all around the area as well as directly over the meteorite。 If the glacier contained saltwater interstices filled with plankton； she would have seen them。 Wouldn't she？ Nonetheless； Rachel's intuition kept returning to the simplest solution。
There are plankton frozen in this glacier。
Ten minutes and four flares later； Rachel and the others were approximately 250 yards from the habisphere。 Without warning； Norah stopped short。 〃This is the spot；〃 she said； sounding like a water…witch diviner who had mystically sensed the perfect spot to drill a well。
Rachel turned and glanced up the slope behind them。 The habisphere had long since disappeared into the dim； moonlit night； but the line of flares was clearly visible； the farthest one twinkling reassuringly like a faint star。 The flares were in a perfectly straight line； like a carefully calculated runway。 Rachel was impressed with Norah's skills。
〃Another reason we let the sled go first；〃 Norah called out when she saw Rachel admiring the line of flares。 〃The runners are straight。 If we let gravity lead the sled and we don't interfere； we're guaranteed to travel in a straight line。〃
〃Neat trick；〃 Tolland yelled。 〃Wish there were something like that for the open sea。〃
This IS the open sea； Rachel thought； picturing the ocean beneath them。 For a split second； the most distant flame caught her attention。 It had disappeared； as if the light had been blotted out by a passing form。 A moment later； though； the light reappeared。 Rachel felt a sudden uneasiness。 〃Norah；〃 she yelled over the wind； 〃did you say there were polar bears up here？〃
The glaciologist was preparing a final flare and either did not hear or was ignoring her。
〃Polar bears；〃 Tolland yelled； 〃eat seals。 They only attack humans when we invade their space。〃
〃But this is polar bear country； right？〃 Rachel could never remember which pole had bears and which had penguins。
〃Yeah；〃 Tolland shouted back。 〃Polar bears actually give the Arctic its name。 Arktos is Greek for bear。〃
Terrific。 Rachel gazed nervously into the dark。
〃Antarctica has no polar bears；〃 Tolland said。 〃So they call it Anti…arktos。〃
〃Thanks； Mike；〃 Rachel yelled。 〃Enough talk of polar bears。〃
He laughed。 〃Right。 Sorry。〃
Norah pressed a final flare into the snow。 As before； the four of them were engulfed in a reddish glow； looking bloated in their black weather suits。 Beyond the circle of light emanating from the flare； the rest of the world became totally invisible； a circular shroud of blackness engulfing them。
As Rachel and the others looked on； Norah planted her feet and used careful overhand motions to reel the sled several yards back up the slope to where they were standing。 Then； keeping the rope taut； she crouched and manually activated the sled's talon brakes…four angled spikes that dug into the ice to keep the sled stationary。 That done； she stood up and brushed herself off； the rope around her waist falling slack。
〃All right；〃 Norah shouted。 〃Time to go to work。〃
The glaciologist circled to the downwind end of the sled and began unfastening the butterfly eyelets holding the protective canvas over the gear。 Rachel； feeling like she had been a little hard on Norah； moved to help by unfastening the rear of the flap。
〃Jesus； NO！〃 Norah yelled； her head snapping up。 〃Don't ever do that！〃
Rachel recoiled； confused。
〃Never unfasten the upwind side！〃 Norah said。 〃You'll create a wind sock！ This sled would have taken off like an umbrella in a wind tunnel！〃
Rachel backed off。 〃I'm sorry。 I。。。 〃
She glared。 〃You and space boy shouldn't be out here。〃
None of us should； Rachel thought。
Amateurs； Norah seethed； cursing the administrator's insistence on sending Corky and Sexton along。 These clowns are going to get someone killed out here。 The last thing Norah wanted right now was to play baby…sitter。
〃Mike；〃 she said； 〃I need help lifting the