jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第36章

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　　Emmett　Puglisi　reclined　in　Professor　Wang's　new　blue　executive　chair　and　gently　rocked　and　swiveled；　admiring　the　smooth　motion　and　the　deep　blue　padded　armrests。　He　wondered　vaguely　if　he　would　someday　have　this　chair　too。　He'd　inherited　Dr。　Wang's　old　chair。　When　the　new　one　had　been　delivered；　Emmett　happened　to　be　walking　down　the　hall。　Emmett　had　asked　for　the　old　chair；　and　she　gave　it　to　him。　Of　course　jealous　colleagues　claimed　he　kissed　up　to　Dr。　Wang　for　the　chair；　but　it　had　been　a　matter　of　timing；　not　brownnosing。　Dr。　Wang　had　taken　pity　on　him；　even　though　half　a　dozen　associate　professors；　with　seniority　on　lowly　Assistant　Professor　Puglisi；　would　have　liked　the　chair。　But　Emmett　had　been　in　the　right　place　at　the　right　time。　It　had　been　like　that　for　much　of　his　life。
　Emmett　had　been　wait…listed　for　the　graduate　program　in　astrophysics　at　the　University　of　Hawaii；　and　only　been　adnutted　late　in　August；　just　two　weeks；　before　the　start　of　the　semester。　He　fared　well　in　his　studies；　but　as　graduation　approached　his　efforts　at　finding　a　job　had　not　gone　well。　He　received　two　phone　interviews　for　instructor　positions　on　the　mainland；　but　no　offers　and　had　serious　prospects　until　one　of　the　faculty　at　the　University　had　taken　ill。　Then　Emmett　agreed　to　fill　in　on　a　one…year　appointment。　That　appointment　was　followed　by　another　to　fill　a　vacancy　created　by　a　sabbatical。　Another　sabbatical　followed　and　another　appointment。　That　year　Emmett　won　a　teaching　award　and　co…authored　a　successful　National　Science　Foundation　grant。　When　a　tenure…track　position　opened　up　for　the　next　year　Emmett　had　advance　information　and　successfully　campaigned　for　the　position。
　That　was　two　years　ago；　and　now　he　found　himself　in　the　right　place　at　the　right　time　again。　Although　this　time　he　wasn't　sure　it　wasn't　the　right　place　at　the　wrong　time。
　Dr。　Wang　had　disappeared　along　with　four　of　their　colleagues。　Now　there　were　five　empty　offices　on　Emmett's　floor；　but　only　Dr。　Wang's　was　part　of　PresNet。　Emmett　had　resisted　at　first；　but　the　news　reports　of　widespread　disaster　didn't　ring　true　to　him；　and　his　thirst　for　understanding　grew　until　he　could　no　longer　resist。
　Emmett　wasn't　authorized　to　access　the　PresNet；　but　he　knew　Dr。　Wang's　puter　was　networked　and　would　automatically　access　the　system。　Once　into　the　system　he　could　read　the　posted　messages；　but　to　send　you　needed　a　security　code。　He　had　ransacked　Dr。　Wang's　office　until　he　found　it　taped　to　the　bottom　of　her　new　chair。　The　little　news　the　islands　were　getting　was　confused　and　impossible　to　believe。　Floods；　avalanches；　disappearing　cities；　none　of　it　made　sense。　As　far　as　he　knew；　Hawaii　had　been　spared　a　disaster　like　those　described　on　the　network。
　Emmett　had　hoped　the　PresNet　would　have　more　information；　something　that　could　make　sense　of　it。　He　was　disappointed。　It　was　filled　with　the　same　kinds　of　reports　being　carried　on　the　news；　but　with　more　detail　and　in　more　variety。　The　mystery　was　only　getting　bigger。
　So　he　sat　in　total　frustration；　watching　the　scientific　parade　pass　him　by；　his　self…pity　interrupted　only　when　he　heard　a　tapping　at　the　partially　closed　door。
　Associate　Professor　Carrollee　Chen…Slater　came　through　the　door　holding　two　paper　cups　of　coffee。　Emmett　had　his　usual　mixed　reaction。　He　was　happy　to　see　her　again；　but　also　a　little　apprehensive。
　She　was　the　only　woman　in　the　botany　department　and　was　highly　regarded　for　her　petence。　Carrollee　was　also　valued　because　of　her　multicultural　background。　Her　mother　was　half　Nez　Perce　and　a　quarter　each　of　Polish　and　Hispanic；　and　her　father　was　a　mix　of　Chinese　and　Swedish。　The　Slater　name　came　from　his　stepfather；　who　adopted　him。　On　her　office　desk　was　a　sign　that　read　simply　MELTED　POT。
　Carrollee　was　as　popular　with　students　as　Emmett　was。　She'd　won　a　campus　teaching　award　and　two　departmental　awards。　Carroilee　was　also　popular　among　the　faculty。　She　was　friendly　toward　everyone；　and　everyone　appreciated　her　ready　smile　and　sense　of　humor。　The　faculty　was　also　generally　amused　by　the　outlandish　clothes　she　wore。　Today　her　brown　curly　hair　was　pushed　to　the　right　side　of　her　face　and　held　in　place　with　a　large　silver　barrette。　Under　her　unbuttoned　lab　coat；　Emmett　could　see　a　one…piece　black　jumpsuit　with　an　oversize　silver　belt　with　a　huge　oval　buckle。　He　often　wondered　if　those　cover…up　lab　coats　weren't　keeping　Carroilee　on　tenure　track。
　〃You　know；　Emmett；　it's　customary　to　wait　until　a　person　is　declared　dead　before　you　move　into　their　office。　Have　you　no　respect？〃
　Emmett　took　Carrollee's　coffee　and　ments　as　she　meant　them；　good…naturedly。　Carroilee　was　as　amiable　a　person　as　Emmett　had　ever　met。　He　knew　she　had　personally　called　the　families　of　the　missing　faculty；　and　visited　some。　She　was　respectful　and　somber　when　proper；　and　genuine　tears　of　empathy　came　readily。　But　Carroilee　preferred　to　live　her　life　with　a　smile　and　rarely　lost　it　when　she　was　with　Emmett。
　〃I　respect　the　dead；　but　I　covet　the　position　and　power　of　this　office。〃
　〃I　wouldn't　say　that　to　too　many　people。　The　way　it　looks　you'll　bee　department　head　by　default。　They　start　putting　two　and　two　together　and　you　could　end　up　at　the　top　of　the　suspect　list。〃
　〃Suspect？　You　think　some　lowly　assistant　professor　wreaked　worldwide　havoc　to　bee　department　chairman？　I'm　flattered　you　think　I　have　the　wherewithal　to　acplish　this。〃
　〃I　don't　think　you　have　the　wherewithal　to　remember　to　keep　your　fly　closed。　Others　just　don't　know　you　as　well　as　I　do。〃
　〃Thanks；　Carrollee；〃　Emmett　said；　surreptitiously　checking　his　zipper。　〃It's　nice　to　know　that　no　matter　how　bad　things　get；　you　can　always　make　them　worse。　Of　course　this　time　I　may　have　made　things　worse　by　myself。　Take　a　look　at　this。〃　Emmett　swiveled　the　monitor　around　to　make　it　easier　for　Carrollee　to　read。　Her　eyebrows　went　up　when　she　realized　he　was　on　the　PresNet。　Then　she　clucked　her　tongue　and　shook　her　head。
　〃Let　me　summarize　the　situation；〃　she　said；　plopping　down　into　one　of　the　visitors'　chairs。　〃You've　broken　into　a　private　office；　accessed　a　puter　network　you　are　not　authorized　to　use…that's　theft　of　services；　I　think…and　are　in　possession　of　sensitive　information　you're　not　cleared　for。　And　now　you　are　impersonating　someone　with　enough　brains　to　be　part　of　PresNet。　Did　I　leave　anything　out？〃
　〃Yeah；　I　ate　a　package　of　Tic　Tacs　I　found　in　Dr。　Wang's　desk。〃
　〃Of　course。　I　was　wondering　why　I　could　get　this　close　to　you。　I　don't　suppose　a　busy　lawbreaker　like　you　has　time　to　lend　a　hand　to　a　lady？　I　had　a　proposition　for　you。〃
　〃You　really　shouldn't　make　a　habit　of　propositioning　people。〃
　〃Hey；　it　keeps　me　from　streetwalking。〃　Carrollee　looked　around　the　room。　〃Does　Dr。　Wang　have　a　radio　in　here？　No；　then　you　may　not　have　heard　the　news。〃
　Emmett　rocked　forward。　Had　something　new　happened？
　Carrollee　began。　〃First；　there　have　been　some　ugly　incidents　at　grocery　stores　throughout　the　islands。　I　drove　by　a　Safeway　on　the　way　in　and　they've　got　police　stationed　all　around　it。〃
　Even　a　big　island　like　Oahu　was　overstocked　with　people　and　understocked　with　resources。　Without　supplies　from　the　mainland　there　wasn't　enough　food　to　last　thirty　days。　Pineapple；　sugar；　and　fish　would　only　go　so　far　among　a　million　people。　Gas　and　oil　would　dwindle　just　as　fast。　The　implications　of　being　cut　off　from　supplies　were　staggering；　and　the　consequences　could　be　ugly。　But　they　weren't　cut　off　pletely；　were　they？　Only　interisland　flights　were　still　operating　because　of　what　had　happened　to　the　three　flights　from　the　mainland；　but　for　how　long？　What　of　shipping？　Emmett　realized　he　needed　to　e　back　to　reality。
　〃You　want　me　to　help　you　get　stocked　up　on　food？〃
　Carrollee　briefly　looked　hurt；　and　Emmett　regretted　his　suggestion。　She　was　one　of　the　most　capable　people　he　knew。
　〃Not　a　problem。　Richard's　navy；　remember？　But　thanks　for　the　offer；〃　she　continued。　〃No；　there's　another　thing　you　might　be　interested　in。　You　know　how　we　thought　Hawaii　had　been　untouched　by　what　happened？　I　mean　by　all　the　disasters。　Well　something　strange　has　been　drifting　ashore。　Mostly　plants　and　a　few　dead　fish。　Nothing　spectacular；　but　a　friend　of　mine　said　it　wasn't　the　usual　kind　of　seaweed　and　grasses。　Thought　you　might　like　to　e　along。〃
　〃You　need　an　astrophysicist？〃
　〃You　don't　have　to　e；　it's　just　for　pany。〃
　Carrollee　made　no　attempt　to　leave　and　sat　unfortably。　Maybe　there　wasn't　chaos　outside　of　the　campus；　but　Emmett　knew　Carrollee；　and　he　understood　her　request　wasn't　for　pany；　it　was　for　safety；　Emmett　wasn't　a　big　guy；　actually　only　five　seven；　so　he　wasn't　being　asked　to　e　along　for　muscle；　only　numbers。　He　realized　he　might　need　to　make　the　same　request　of　her　one　day。
　〃How　long　will　we　be　gone？〃
　〃A　couple　of　hours；　tops。　You'll　be　back　to　mitting　crimes　in　a　jiff。〃
　Emmett　hesitated；　turning　toward　the　puter　screen　with　the　PresNet　messages　still　displayed。　This　trip　with　Carrollee　might　give　him　something　to　put　on　the　network；　if　he　had　the　nerve。
　Emmett　turned　back　to　see　her　looking　at　him　quizzically。
　〃The　puter　will　still　be　here　when　we　get　back。　Besides；　it's　not　like　you　can　use　the　network。　You　need　a　code　to　get　on　it。〃
　Emmett　tried　to　stay　stone…faced；　but　he　blushed　slightly。
　〃You　didn't　break　into　the　network；　did　you？〃
　〃Absolutely　not。　I　found　the　code。〃
　〃Where？〃
　〃On　the　bottom　of　Dr。　Wang's　chair。〃
　〃Her　chair　just　happened　to　fall　over　and　land　upside　down？　Emmett；　you're　shameless。〃
　
　They　took　Carrollee's　car　to　the　beach。　Too　busy　looking　for　signs　of　looting　or　other　potential　danger；　they　didn't　talk　much　on　the　way。　The　stores　they　passed　were　untouched；　however。　A　convoy　of　military　vehicles　on　Kalanianaole　Highway　they　took　as　a　bad　sign；　and　then　realized　they　were　being　paranoid…military　vehicles　were　mon　on　the　highway。
　Wailupe　Beach　turned　out　to　look　as　serene　and　inviting　as　it　always　had　to　Emmett。　It　took　him　a　few　seconds　to　realize　what　was　wrong。　People　were　not　on　the　beach　but　milling　around　in　the　park。　When　they　pulled　in　the　parking　lot　they　spotted　two　squad　cars；　evidence　that　the　police　were　guarding　the　beach。
　As　they　approached　the　beach　Emmett　realized　there　was　an　abnormal　amount　of　debris　there。　A　policewoman　stopped　them　before　they　got　to　the　shore。　She　looked　Carrollee's　outfit　over。
　〃Sorry；　beach　access　is　restricted；〃　the　policewoman　said。
　〃We're　from　the　university。　We　were　called　to　e　down　and　check　things　out；〃　Carrollee　answered　authoritatively　as　if　the　governor　had　called　her。
　Emmett　bit　his　tongue　to　keep　from　smiling　and　dug　his　faculty　ID　card　out　of　his　wallet。　It　was　really　just　a　glorified　library　card；　but　his　name；　picture；　address；　and　official　faculty　ID　number　undoubtably　impressed　the　officer；　who　then　examined　Carrollee's。
　〃Thanks　for　ing；　Dr。　Chen…Slater　and　Dr。　Puglisi。　I　can't　believe　you　got　here　so　fast；　but　we　appreciate　it。　We'll　be　here　if　you　need　us。〃
　The　officer　walked　off。　After　she　sealed　the　entrance　to　the　park　she　came　back　with　two　shotguns　and　handed　one　to　the　other　cop。
　〃Is　there　something　you're　not　telling　me；　Carrollee？〃　Emmett　asked。
　〃No。　I　don't　think　so。　My　friend　called　and　said　there　was　some　unu