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her in the narrow fuselage； his hips and shoulders touching hers。 Neither made any attempt to shift positions。
〃I know I shouldn't say this；〃 the pilot sputtered suddenly； as if ready to burst with excitement； 〃but you're obviously Michael Tolland； and I've got to say； well； we've been watching you on TV all night！ The meteorite！ It's absolutely incredible！ You must be in awe！〃
Tolland nodded patiently。 〃Speechless。〃
〃The documentary was fantastic！ You know； the networks keep playing it over and over。 None of tonight's duty pilots wanted this gig because everyone wanted to keep watching television； but I drew short straw。 Can you believe it！ Short straw！ And here I am！ If the boys had any idea I'd be flying the actual…〃
〃We appreciate the ride；〃 Rachel interrupted； 〃and we need you to keep our presence here to yourself。 Nobody's supposed to know we're here。〃
〃Absolutely； ma'am。 My orders were very clear。〃 The pilot hesitated； and then his expression brightened。 〃Hey； we aren't by any chance heading for the Goya； are we？〃
Tolland gave a reluctant nod。 〃We are。〃
〃Holy shit！〃 the pilot exclaimed。 〃Excuse me。 Sorry； but I've seen her on your show。 The twin…hull； right？ Strange…looking beast！ I've never actually been on a SWATH design。 I never dreamed yours would be the first！〃
Rachel tuned the man out； feeling a rising uneasiness to be heading out to sea。
Tolland turned to her。 〃You okay？ You could have stayed onshore。 I told you that。〃
I should have stayed onshore； Rachel thought； knowing pride would never have let her。 〃No thanks； I'm fine。〃
Tolland smiled。 〃I'll keep an eye on you。〃
〃Thanks。〃 Rachel was surprised how the warmth in his voice made her feel more secure。
〃You've seen the Goya on television； right？〃
She nodded。 〃It's a。。。 um。。。 an interesting…looking ship。〃
Tolland laughed。 〃Yeah。 She was an extremely progressive prototype in her day； but the design never quite caught on。〃
〃Can't imagine why；〃 Rachel joked； picturing the ship's bizarre profile。
〃Now NBC is pressuring me to use a newer ship。 Something。。。 I don't know； flashier； sexier。 Another season or two； and they'll make me part with her。〃 Tolland sounded melancholy at the thought。
〃You wouldn't love a brand…new ship？〃
〃I don't know。。。 a lot of memories onboard the Goya。〃
Rachel smiled softly。 〃Well； as my mom used to say； sooner or later we've all got to let go of our past。〃
Tolland's eyes held hers for a long moment。 〃Yeah； I know。〃
98
〃Shit；〃 the taxi driver said； looking over his shoulder at Gabrielle。 〃Looks like an accident up ahead。 We ain't going nowhere。 Not for a while。〃
Gabrielle glanced out the window and saw the spinning lights of emergency vehicles piercing the night。 Several policemen stood in the road ahead； halting traffic around the Mall。
〃Must be a hell of an accident；〃 the driver said； motioning toward some flames near the FDR Memorial。
Gabrielle frowned at the flickering glow。 Now； of all times。 She needed to get to Senator Sexton with this new information about PODS and the Canadian geologist。 She wondered if NASA's lies about how they found the meteorite would be a big enough scandal to breathe life back into Sexton's campaign。 Maybe not for most politicians； she thought； but this was Sedgewick Sexton； a man who had built his campaign on amplifying the failures of others。
Gabrielle was not always proud of the senator's ability to put negative ethical spin on opponents' political misfortunes； but it was effective。 Sexton's mastery of innuendo and indignity could probably turn this one partmentalized NASA fib into a sweeping question of character that infected the entire space agency…and by association； the President。
Outside the window； the flames at the FDR Memorial seemed to climb higher。 Some nearby trees had caught fire； and the fire trucks were now hosing them down。 The taxi driver turned on the car radio and began channel…surfing。
Sighing； Gabrielle closed her eyes and felt the exhaustion roll over her in waves。 When she'd first e to Washington； she'd dreamed of working in politics forever； maybe someday in the White House。 At the moment； however； she felt like she'd had enough politics for a lifetime…the duel with Marjorie Tench； the lewd photographs of herself and the senator； all of NASA's lies。。。
A newscaster on the radio was saying something about a car bomb and possible terrorism。
I've got to get out of this town； Gabrielle thought for the first time since ing to the nation's capital。
99
The controller seldom felt weary； but today had taken its toll。 Nothing had gone as anticipated…the tragic discovery of the insertion shaft in the ice； the difficulties of keeping the information a secret； and now the growing list of victims。
Nobody was supposed to die。。。 except the Canadian。
It seemed ironic that the most technically difficult part of the plan had turned out to be the least problematic。 The insertion； pleted months ago； had e off without a hitch。 Once the anomaly was in place； all that remained was to wait for the Polar Orbiting Density Scanner （PODS） satellite to launch。 PODS was slated to scan enormous sections of the Arctic Circle； and sooner or later the anomaly software onboard would detect the meteorite and give NASA a major find。
But the damned software didn't work。
When the controller learned that the anomaly software had failed and had no chance of being fixed until after the election； the entire plan was in jeopardy。 Without PODS； the meteorite would go undetected。 The controller had to e up with some way to surreptitiously alert someone in NASA to the meteorite's existence。 The solution involved orchestrating an emergency radio transmission from a Canadian geologist in the general vicinity of the insertion。 The geologist； for obvious reasons； had to be killed immediately and his death made to look accidental。 Throwing an innocent geologist from a helicopter had been the beginning。 Now things were unraveling fast。
Wailee Ming。 Norah Mangor。 Both dead。
The bold kill that had just taken place at the FDR Memorial。
Soon to be added to the list were Rachel Sexton； Michael Tolland； and Dr。 Marlinson。
There is no other way； the controller thought； fighting the growing remorse。 Far too much is at stake。
100
The Coast Guard Dolphin was still two miles from the Goya's coordinates and flying at three thousand feet when Tolland yelled up to the pilot。
〃Do you have NightSight onboard this thing？〃
The pilot nodded。 〃I'm a rescue unit。〃
Tolland had expected as much。 NightSight was Raytheon's marine thermal imaging system； capable of locating wreck survivors in the dark。 The heat given off by a swimmer's head would appear as a red speck on an ocean of black。
〃Switch it on；〃 Tolland said。
The pilot looked confused。 〃Why？ You missing someone？〃
〃No。 I want everyone to see something。〃
〃We won't see a thing on thermal from this high up unless there's a burning oil slick。〃
〃Just switch it on；〃 Tolland said。
The pilot gave Tolland an odd look and then adjusted some dials； manding the thermal lens beneath the chopper to survey a three…mile swatch of ocean in front o