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〃Excellent。 Spirits high； I hope。〃
〃Very high。 My staff's excited。 In fact； we just shared some beers。〃
Herney laughed。 〃Glad to hear it。 Look； I wanted to call and thank you before we do this thing。 Tonight's going to be one hell of a night。〃
The administrator paused； sounding uncharacteristically uncertain。 〃That it will； sir。 We've been waiting a long time for this。〃
Herney hesitated。 〃You sound exhausted。〃
〃I need some sunlight and a real bed。〃
〃One more hour。 Smile for the cameras； enjoy the moment； and then we'll get a plane up there to bring you back to D。C。〃
〃Looking forward to it。〃 The man fell silent again。
As a skilled negotiator； Herney was trained to listen； to hear what was being said between the lines。 Something in the administrator's voice sounded off somehow。 〃You sure everything's okay up there？〃
〃Absolutely。 All systems go。〃 The administrator seemed eager to change the subject。 〃Did you see the final cut of Michael Tolland's documentary？〃
〃Just watched it；〃 Herney said。 〃He did a fantastic job。〃
〃Yes。 You made a good call bringing him in。〃
〃Still mad at me for involving civilians？〃
〃Hell； yes。〃 The administrator growled good…naturedly； his voice with the usual strength to it。
It made Herney feel better。 Ekstrom's fine； Herney thought。 Just a little tired。 〃Okay； I'll see you in an hour via satellite。 We'll give 'em something to talk about。〃
〃Right。〃
〃Hey； Lawrence？〃 Herney's voice grew low and solemn now。 〃You've done a hell of a thing up there。 I won't ever forget it。〃
Outside the habisphere； buffeted by wind； Delta…Three struggled to right and repack Norah Mangor's toppled equipment sled。 Once all the equipment was back onboard； he battened down the vinyl top and draped Mangor's dead body across the top； tying her down。 As he was preparing to drag the sled off course； his two partners came skimming up the glacier toward him。
〃Change of plans；〃 Delta…One called out above the wind。 〃The other three went over the edge。〃
Delta…Three was not surprised。 He also knew what it meant。 The Delta Force's plan to stage an accident by arranging four dead bodies on the ice shelf was no longer a viable option。 Leaving a lone body would pose more questions than answers。 〃Sweep？〃 he asked。
Delta…One nodded。 〃I'll recover the flares and you two get rid of the sled。〃
While Delta…One carefully retraced the scientists' path； collecting every last clue that anyone had been there at all； Delta…Three and his partner moved down the glacier with the laden equipment sled。 After struggling over the berms； they finally reached the precipice at the end of the Milne Ice Shelf。 They gave a push； and Norah Mangor and her sled slipped silently over the edge； plummeting into the Arctic Ocean。
Clean sweep； Delta…Three thought。
As they headed back to base； he was pleased to see the wind obliterating the tracks made by their skis。
61
The nuclear submarine Charlotte had been stationed in the Arctic Ocean for five days now。 Its presence here was highly classified。
A Los Angeles…class sub； the Charlotte was designed to 〃listen and not be heard。〃 Its forty…two tons of turbine engines were suspended on springs to dampen any vibration they might cause。 Despite its requirement for stealth； the LA…class sub had one of the largest footprints of any reconnaissance sub in the water。 Stretching more than 360 feet from nose to stern； the hull； if placed on an NFL football field； would crush both goalposts and then some。 Seven times the length of the U。S。 Navy's first Holland…class submarine； the Charlotte displaced 6；927 tons of water when fully submerged and could cruise at an astounding thirty…five knots。
The vessel's normal cruising depth was just below the thermocline； a natural temperature gradient that distorted sonar reflections from above and made the sub invisible to surface radar。 With a crew of 148 and max dive depth of over fifteen hundred feet； the vessel represented the state…of…the…art submersible and was the oceanic workhorse of the United States Navy。 Its evaporative electrolysis oxygenation system； two nuclear reactors； and engineered provisions gave it the ability to circumnavigate the globe twenty…one times without surfacing。 Human waste from the crew； as on most cruise ships； was pressed into sixty…pound blocks and ejected into the ocean…the huge bricks of feces jokingly referred to as 〃whale turds。〃
The technician sitting at the oscillator screen in the sonar room was one of the best in the world。 His mind was a dictionary of sounds and waveforms。 He could distinguish between the sounds of several dozen Russian submarine propellers； hundreds of marine animals； and even pinpoint underwater volcanoes as far away as Japan。
At the moment； however； he was listening to a dull； repetitive echo。 The sound； although easily distinguishable； was most unexpected。
〃You aren't going to believe what's ing through my listening cans；〃 he said to his catalog assistant； handing over the headphones。
His assistant donned the headphones； an incredulous look crossing his face。 〃My God。 It's clear as day。 What do we do？〃
The sonar man was already on the phone to the captain。
When the submarine's captain arrived in the sonar room； the technician piped a live sonar feed over a small set of speakers。
The captain listened； expressionless。
THUD。 THUD。 THUD。
THUD。。。 THUD。。。 THUD。。。
Slower。 Slower。 The pattern was being looser。 More and more faint。
〃What are the coordinates？〃 the captain demanded。
The technician cleared his throat。 〃Actually； sir； it's ing from the surface； about three miles to our starboard。〃
62
In the darkened hallway outside Senator Sexton's den； Gabrielle Ashe's legs were trembling。 Not so much out of exhaustion from standing motionless； but from disillusionment over what she was listening to。 The meeting in the next room was still going； but Gabrielle didn't have to hear another word。 The truth seemed painfully obvious。
Senator Sexton is taking bribes from private space agencies。 Marjorie Tench had been telling the truth。
The revulsion Gabrielle felt spreading through her now was one of betrayal。 She had believed in Sexton。 She'd fought for him。 How can he do this？ Gabrielle had seen the senator lie publicly from time to time to protect his private life； but that was politics。 This was breaking the law。
He's not even elected yet； and he's already selling out the White House！
Gabrielle knew she could no longer support the senator。 Promising to deliver the NASA privatization bill could be done only with a contemptuous disregard for both the law and the democratic system。 Even if the senator believed it would be in everyone's best interest； to sell that decision flat out； in advance； slammed the door on the checks and balances of government； ignoring potentially persuasive arguments from Congress； advisers； voters； and lobbyists。 Most important； guaranteeing the privatization of NASA； Sexton had paved the way for endless abuses of that advanced knowledge…insider trading the most mon…blatantly favoring the wealthy； inside cadre at the expense of honest public investors。
Feeling sick to her s