jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第20章

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er　the　sugar；　and　when　its　sweet　tooth　started　calling　it　would　e　home　to　her；　and　she　would　be　there。
　
　19。　　SECURITY　COUNCIL
　
　If　there　is　a　mon　denominator　among　these　strange　falls　from　the　sky；　it　is　the　disruption　of　electric　power。　Such　failures　have　not　been　explained　by　engineers。
　…Constance　Jones；　Fortiology　and　the　Modern　Age
　
　Washington；　DX。　POSTQUILT：　SUNDAY；　7：50　A。M。　EST
　
　The　Security　Council　met　in　the　basement　of　the　White　House　in　the　Situation　Room；　brightly　lit　with　banks　of　fluorescent　bulbs　built　into　the　ceiling。　Nick　had　seen　operating　rooms　with　less　light。　A　table　held　doughnuts；　coffee；　and　orange　juice。　The　orange　juice　was　untouched；　but　the　coffee　pots　had　already　been　refilled　once。　Nick　helped　himself　to　a　cup。
　Elizabeth's　chair　was　next　to　the　President's　but　pushed　back　so　that　she　had　to　lean　forward　to　whisper　in　his　ear；　which　she　did　frequently。　Nick　did　not　have　a　regular　seat；　but　Elizabeth　motioned　him　to　a　chair　near　the　far　end　of　the　rectangular　table。
　The　meeting　was　about　to　begin　when　Dr。　Gogh　arrived。　Under　his　arm　he　held　a　folder　identical　to　the　one　Nick　had　received　from　Elizabeth。　Expressions　of　surprise　spread　around　the　table；　but　Dr。　Gogh　sat　down　and　immediately　began　poring　over　his　notes。　Nick　noticed　that　Gogh's　seat　was　closer　to　the　President's　than　Nick's。
　Because　the　situation　was　treated　as　a　military　emergency；　the　CIA；　NSA；　and　defense　intelligence　reports　were　at　the　top　of　the　agenda。　Nick's　report　would　be　last。　After　making　sure　the　armed　forces　were　on　full　alert　and　that　all　SAC　bombers　were　either　in　the　air　or　on　the　flight　line；　the　President　began　taking　more　detailed　reports。　The　various　intelligence　reports　all　focused　on　the　state　of　readiness　of　the　U。S。　armed　forces　and　threat　assessment。　The　immediate　concern　was　the　loss　of　the　ELF　system…the　network　of　buried　transmission　lines　that　made　up　the　extreme　low　frequency　transmission　system；　designed　to　keep　the　nation's　fleet　of　nuclear　submarines　in　contact　with　the　military　authorities。　The　loss　of　the　system　would　mean　dependence　on　less　reliable　and　more　vulnerable　systems　requiring　the　submarines　to　approach　the　surface　to　municate　via　satellites。　One　of　the　naval　aides　estimated　30　percent　of　the　ELF　system　was　in　terrain　that　was　farmland　and　forest　one　minute；　and　arctic　tundra　the　next。　Like　the　others　present；　the　President　ignored　the　incredible　changes　in　the　terrain　and　focused　on　the　relatively　inconsequential　loss　of　the　munications　system。
　From　all　over　the　country　had　e　reports　of　huge　tracts　of　land　disappearing　and　being　replaced　by　other　terrain；　often　radically　different　in　climate。　Nick　new　that　part　of　New　York　had　vanished；　apparently　replaced　by　grasslands；　but　other　reports　confirmed　a　huge　sheet　of　ice　had　appeared　in　Iowa；　a　tropical　jungle　in　Georgia；　and　a　desert　in　Ohio。　Massive　floods　were　occurring　in　East　St。　Louis　and　other　locales。　The　flooding　gave　Nick　an　idea；　and　he　nursed　it；　temporarily　oblivious　to　the　meeting　around　him。
　〃No；　Mr。　President；　we　have　no　estimate　of　the　extent　of　the　loss　although　we　have　some　reports　that　part　of　the　system　we　thought　was　lost　may　still　be　intact　but　dysfunctional。　Although　the　topography　has　changed；　the　ELF　lines　may　remain　under　the　surface。　We　are　organizing　teams　to　check　on　that　now。〃
　After　Elizabeth　leaned　forward　and　whispered　in　the　President's　ear　again；　he　asked；　〃Colonel；　do　you　have　an　estimate　of　when　the　results　of　that　assessment　will　be　available？　When　you　do；　would　you　see　that　my　chief　of　staff　has　that？　Thank　you。〃
　President　McIntyre　had　been　twirling　a　twisted　paper　clip　in　his　fingers　but　put　it　down　to　run　his　finger　down　the　agenda。　Before　he　could　find　his　place　Elizabeth　leaned　forward　and　pointed。　The　President　seemed　unconcerned　about　Elizabeth's　blatant　intrusion。
　The　head　of　the　CIA　gave　the　next　report。　Samuel　Cannon　was　another　of　the　President's　old　friends。　He'd　had　a　rough　ride　through　the　confirmation　hearings。　The　Congress　was　leery　of　making　a　former　auto　executive　head　of　the　CIA；　but　the　President　had　his　man　in　the　CIA；　qualified　or　not。
　〃As　I　understand　your　reports；　Sam；　the　events　are　random　and　not　targeted　at　military　installations。　Both　civilian　and　military　targets　have　been　hit？〃
　〃That's　right；　sir；〃　the　CIA　director　confirmed。　〃Whatever　the　weapon　is；　it　missed　our　strategic　capabilities。　Although　we　have　lost　munication　with　some　facilities。〃
　Lost　munication　or　lost　facilities？　Nick　wondered。
　〃Could　the　strategy　be　to　take　out　civilian　targets？〃　the　President　asked。
　〃If　the　targets　were　civilian　then　the　weapon　was　just　as　inaccurate。　We　have　unconfirmed　reports　of　even　nearly　uninhabited　areas　being　affected。　Whatever　it　was；　was　powerful　but　not　accurate。〃
　Cannon　said　it　with　satisfaction；　as　if　a　weapon　that　could　make　a　third　of　New　York　City　disappear；　never　mind　three　million　people；　was　no　threat　if　it　could　not　be　aimed　accurately。
　Elizabeth　leaned　forward　again　and　whispered　in　the　President's　ear。
　〃I　know　you　don't　believe　the　Russians　are　technologically　capable　of　such　an　attack；〃　McIntyre　said；　〃but　it　seems　even　less　likely　that　any　other　country　would　have　the　technology　to　do　this。　Is　it　possible　something　has　escaped　our　scrutiny？　What　about　the　project　they　have　going　at　the　old　Chernobyl　site　in　the　Ukraine？〃
　The　CIA　director　and　Elizabeth　flinched　at　the　mention　of　Chernobyl。　It　was　clear　the　President　had　mitted　a　breach　of　security　just　by　saying　the　name。
　〃Sir；〃　Cannon　began　cautiously；　〃I　don't　think　this　is　the　place　to　discuss　the　。　。　。　ah　。　。　。　other　matter。〃
　〃I'm　not　asking　you　to　discuss　it；　I'm　asking　you　to　assess　the　possibility　that　it　has　something　to　do　with　what　has　happened　to　our　country。〃
　The　CIA　director　looked　at　his　assistant　behind　him；　who　leaned　forward　and　whispered　a　la　Elizabeth　Hawthorne。　While　they　whispered　Nick　noticed　that　Gogh　was　still　engrossed　in　the　reports。
　〃Our　best　information　suggests　there　is　no　connection　between　this　latest　event　and　the　other　matter。〃
　〃Is　it　possible　that　one　of　our　own　projects　could　have　inadvertently　produced　this　effect？　Possibly　the　fusion　project；　or　maybe　that　muon　particle　projector　。。。　or　what　about　the　antimatter　space　drive？　I　always　had　doubts　about　that　project；〃　McIntyre　said　dryly。
　〃Mr。　President！　If　you　wish　to　discuss　these　projects　we　should　dismiss　all　those　with　inadequate　security　clearance。〃
　Nick　found　this　discussion　particularly　interesting。　Whatever　these　black　bag　projects　were；　spilling　the　beans　had　the　CIA　director　white…faced　with　rage。
　〃Calm　down；　Sam；　I'm　more　concerned　with　finding　out　about　what　has　happened　than　I　am　about　leaking　information　on　pie…in…the…sky　secret　weapons。　I　only　want　to　know　whether　these　projects　could　in　some　way　have　produced　the　。　。　。　the　。　。　。　whatever　it　is　that　happened　today。〃
　The　President　was　visibly　angry　at　the　CIA　director's　resistance　to　his　questions。　Elizabeth　whispered　in　the　chief　executive's　ear　again。
　〃Sam；　we　have　dozens　of　highly　classified　projects　going　on　right　this　minute。　I　mentioned　only　three。　I　am　ordering　that　all　of　these　projects　be　shut　down　immediately。　You　understand　me？　No　testing；　no　operation；　no　experimentation。　Until　we　know　what　has　happened　we're　not　going　to　risk　having　it　happen　again。〃
　〃But　Mr。　President…〃
　〃No　buts；　Sam；　shut　everything　down。〃
　Samuel　Cannon　opened　his　mouth　to　speak　but　then　closed　it　again。　It　was　clear　he　was　not　through　arguing；　but　he　knew　better　then　to　pursue　it　in　this　setting。　Then　the　President　stunned　the　CIA　director　again。
　〃Have　you　considered　any　other　sources　for　this　effect？〃
　〃Yes；　sir；　but　the　most　technologically　sophisticated　countries　are　all　friendly。　We're　less　certain　about　the　Russian　Federation。　We　know　the　Baltic　Union　wouldn't　have　the　sophistication；　but　the　Federation　retained　most　of　the　U…S。S。R。's　technological　capabilities。〃
　〃I'm　not　talking　about　other　countries。　I'm　talking　about　other　species。〃
　〃Animals　。　。　。　like　whales　or　something？〃
　〃Sam；　I'm　talking　about　the　possibility　that　this　is　the　result　of　an　act　by　an　alien　intelligence。　Have　you　considered　this？　Why　not？〃
　Gogh　had　stopped　reading　and　was　listening　intently　to　the　exchange　between　the　President　and　the　CIA　director。　From　his　face　Nick　couldn't　tell　where　Gogh　stood　on　the　idea。
　〃Sir；　there　is　no　evidence　to　support　such　a　theory。〃　The　CIA　director　looked　embarrassed　for　the　President。
　〃There　is　no　evidence　to　reject　such　a　theory　either；　isn't　that　right？〃
　Sam　was　nonplussed　and　began　whispering　back　and　forth　with　his　aide。
　〃We　will　explore　this　possibility；　sir；　perhaps　through　the　SETI　people；　or　Bluebook。〃
　Nick's　eyes　again　went　wide。　He　hadn't　heard　project　Blue…book　mentioned　for　more　than　a　decade。　Was　it　possible　that　the　air　force　was　still　exploring　UFO　sightings？　Nick　began　wishing　he　always　had　access　to　Security　Council　meetings；　they　were　so　full　of　juicy　bits　of　information。
　〃Please　do；　Sam。　I　know　this　sounds　crazy　but　I'm　serious。　I've　always　believed　that　somewhere　in　the　universe　there　has　to　be　another　form　of　intelligent　life。　This　may　be　the　prelude　to　an　invasion；　or　it　could　be　some　kind　of　friendly　gesture。　I　know　what　you're　thinking；　Sam；　but　check　it　out　anyway。　All　right；　let's　continue；〃　the　President　said；　running　his　finger　back　down　the　agenda。　This　time　he　found　his　place　without　Elizabeth's　help。
　The　next　report　focused　on　the　civilian　situation　and　contained　more　reports　of　terrain　changes。　The　biggest　confirmed　loss　was　part　of　New　York　City；　but　there　were　other　losses　in　Florida；　Texas；　Maryland；　and　South　Carolina。　Most　of　these　were　known　because　of　military　base　losses　in　the　same　area。　Nick　mentally　added　what　he　heard　on　the　radio　to　the　list。　Civilian　losses　hadn't　been　estimated；　but　Nick　guessed　they　were　already　in　the　tens　of　millions。
　The　last　part　of　the　civilian　assessment　dealt　with　munication　problems。　The　country　still　had　a　munication　network　but　now　it　resembled　a　piece　of　swiss　cheese。　Radio　and　television　facilities　had　disappeared　in　some　regions；　while　still　others　had　been　affected　by　an　electromagnetic　pulse。　The　EMP　was　weaker　than　that　which　acpanies　a　nuclear　blast　but　was　strong　enough　to　damage　some　remaining　facilities。　Other　holes　in　the　munication　network　were　caused　by　loss　of　satellites。　What　the　country　was　left　with　was　a　shattered　network　where　some　cities　still　had　local　TV；　radio；　and　phone　service；　while　others　had　long…distance　service；　but　no　local。
　Nick　tried　to　picture　morning　in　America。　Some　would　be　getting　up　to　find　their　favorite　network　morning　program　absent　from　the　airwaves　but　local　news　filling　in。　Others　would　be　waking　in　the　dark；　using　a　portable　radio　trying　to　find　someone　still　broadcasting。　Everywhere　people　would　be　jamming　the　remaining　phone　systems　to　reach　loved　ones　or　to　request　emergency　services…services　that　would　be　slow　in　ing。
　The　report　ended　with　a　promise　to　keep　Elizabeth　updated。　This　time　when　Elizabeth　pointed　to　the　President's　agenda　he　looked　up　at　Nick。
　〃Dr。　Paulson；　you　seem　to　be　next。　Would　you　please　give　u