jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第54章

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soon　shocked　to　find　that　not　only　someone　had　noticed　it；　but　someone　at　the　top。
　
　46。　　　OPERATION　MEND
　
　It　happened　as　we　were　boarding　the　coach。　Benjamin　went　to　check　the　horses　and　never　came　back。　The　coachman　soys　he　never　saw　my　husband；　and　we　have　not　seen　him　since。　Ifs　as　if　God　lifted　him　off　the　face　of　the　earth。
　…Lucy　Bathurst；　November　29；　1809
　
　Washington；　D。C。
　POSTQUILT：　TUESDAY；　5：00　P。M。　EST
　
　　Nick　had　to　admit　that　Gogh　had　a　better　grasp　than　he　did　of　the　mathematics　that　physics　required；　Gogh　had　been　exchanging　ideas　with　a　physicist　at　the　Fermi　particle　accelerator　plex　in　Illinois　over　the　PresNet…but　the　physicist；　Dr。　Gomez；　had　almost　immediately　rejected　Nick's　model　and　substituted　one　of　her　own；　which　involved　plex　equations。　He　could　only　follow　the　math　to　a　point；　but　to　Nick　it　seemed　both　to　confirm　and　disconfirm　his　theory。
　He　considered　another　factor：　Maria　Gomez　had　somewhat　of　a　reputation　in　physics。　She　wasn't　known　for　her　contributions　to　the　field　as　much　as　for　her　ability　to　show　the　weaknesses　in　the　contributions　of　others。
　Nick　admitted　to　himself　that　the　Oregon　model；　as　it　was　now　being　called；　was　inadequate。　It　had　good　predictive　validity　but　it　lacked　proper　theoretical　underpinnings。　Like　Zorastrus；　Kenny　Randall　and　his　friends　had　observed　peculiar　phenomena；　detected　a　pattern；　and　used　the　pattern　to　predict　a　future　event。　He　would　receive　well…deserved　recognition　for　his　acplishment。　But　also　like　Zorastrus；　Kenny；　and　whoever　the　others　were；　had　not　really　understood　what　caused　the　effect。　Kenny　had　correctly　traced　it　to　the　nuclear　detonations；　but　that　was　not　the　same　as　explaining　it。　Nick　had　been　influenced　by　Kenny's　ripples…in…a…pond　idea；　attracted　to　its　predictive　power　and　its　theoretical　simplicity。　Gomez；　however；　had　shredded　the　idea　mathematically　and　substituted　her　own。
　The　Oregon　model　assumed　the　time　displacement　occurred　sequentially　and　was　a　function　of　time　and　distance　from　the　source。　It　was　an　assumption　rooted　in　the　human　experience　of　linear　time。　The　Gomez　model　assumed　that　all　time　displacement　events　occurred　simultaneously；　in　all　the　affected　times　and　locations。
　Because　four…dimensional　thought　did　not　e　easily　to　Nick；　he　struggled　with　Gomez's　idea。　However；　when　Gomez　also　hypothesized　the　existence　of　transient　superdense　matter　as　the　root　of　the　phenomena；　Nick　felt　some　satisfaction　in　having　his　contribution　to　the　Oregon　model　supported。　It　was　the　coexistence　of　these　dense　strings　of　matter　that　created　the　time/space　disruption；　the　black　ripples。　Apparently　Gogh　was　hypothesizing　that　the　effects　radiate　out　from　the　source　much　like　a　field　around　a　magnet；　except；　in　this　case；　the　field　radiates　four　dimensionally。　The　fields　are　created　at　the　moment　of　detonation；　but　Nick；　and　the　rest　of　the　people　on　the　planet　who　must　experience　time　sequentially；　have　to　live　through　the　effect。　The　major　time　displacement　they　had　just　experienced　had　been　there　since　the　explosions　in　the　sixties；　waiting　for　the　human　inhabitants　to　live　through　the　event。
　As　the　exchanges　between　Gomez　and　Gogh　continued；　Nick　became　uneasy。　Gomez　continued　to　talk　about　the　original　detonations　and　the　time　displacement　as　concurrent　events。　Gomez　was　supplying　equations　to　support　her　theory　but　cautioning　Gogh　that　the　theory　was　little　more　than　speculation　at　this　point。　Gogh；　however；　ignored　the　cautions　and　pushed　Gomez　to　speculate　further。　Nick　did　not　like　the　direction　of　Gogh's　pushes；　but　knew　that　intruding　would　only　make　Gogh　more　protective　of　his　convictions。
　Other　physicists　tried　to　break　in　on　the　discussion；　but　Gogh　only　responded　to　those　who　seemed　supportive　of　the　model。　Nick　corresponded　with　some　of　the　others　but　lacked　the　expertise　to　follow　the　arguments。
　He　was　about　to　turn　off　the　network　when　he　noticed　a　new　flag。　The　name　E。　Puglisi　was　unfamiliar　to　him；　but　what　caught　his　attention　was　the　description　of　his　model　variation：　〃Projects　temporal　disruption　to　near　space；　and　hypothesizes　a　temporal　inversion。〃　Nick　called　up　the　file　and　was　pleased　to　see　the　sophisticated　mathematics　were　represented　with　a　model。　Nick　skipped　right　to　it　and　was　impressed　with　the　graphics。　The　model　showed　a　ball　labeled　as　the　earth　surrounded　by　an　ovoid　made　up　of　a　tangled　web　of　lines；　labeled　with　a　mathematical　equation　Nick　recognized　as　the　time　waves。　After　another　page　of　graphics　Nick　scrolled　on。　This　following　graphic　showed　a　slice　of　the　previous　page；　with　the　earth　apparently　in　a　cone。　On　top　of　that　cone　sat　another　cone　with　a　smaller　sphere　sitting　in　it。　The　two　cones　were　point　to　point。　The　second　sphere　was　labeled　the　moon。　Nick　stared　at　the　model　for　a　minute　and　then　scrolled　back　to　the　equations。　It　couldn't　be　right；　could　it？　The　model　projected　the　time　disruption　into　the　space　around　earth；　that　was　the　first　cone。　Then　Puglisi's　model　showed　another　cone　indicat…ing　a　reversal　of　the　time　flow；　and　the　moon　was　in　the　second　cone。　If　this　Puglisi　was　right；　any　time　disruption　on　the　moon　would　be　in　the　opposite　direction　of　that　on　the　earth。　On　the　moon　the　future　came　to　the　past；　not　the　past　to　the　future。　Nick　checked　his　list　of　PresNet　advisors；　but　there　was　no　Puglisi。　He　checked　the　access　code　of　Puglisi's　puter；　and　it　showed　it　was　ing　from　the　puter　of　Dr。　Connie　Wang；　of　the　University　of　Hawaii。　Whoever　Puglisi　was；　he　was　not　authorized　to　use　the　system。　Nick　realized　he　was　beginning　to　judge　the　worth　of　Puglisi's　model　on　the　unknown　person's　credentials；　yet　Kenny　Randall's　own　lack　of　credentials　had　kept　his　warnings　from　being　heeded　in　the　first　place。　Nick　vowed　not　to　repeat　that　mistake。　Instead；　he　typed　in　a　message　to　Puglisi　and　sent　it。
　
　Elizabeth　appeared　in　Nick's　office　again；　just　before　he　was　about　to　leave　for　the　Security　Council　meeting。　She　didn't　try　to　look　casual　this　time　but　came　right　to　the　point。
　〃The　President's　not　himself。〃　；
　〃In　what　way？〃
　〃When　he　makes　a　decision；　he　normally　listens　to　all　points　of　view；　and　even　solicits　dissenting　opinion。　Ever　since　I've　known　him；　he　has　insisted　on　having　all　alternatives　before　him　before　he　makes　a　decision。　But　he　isn't　listening　now…〃
　〃To　you？〃　Nick　was　sure　that　part　of　Elizabeth's　concern　involved　her　personal　loss　of　influence　with　the　President。
　Elizabeth　looked　stung　by　Nick's　suggestion　but　didn't　deny　it。
　〃Not　to　me；　not　to　any　of　his　advisors。　Even　Samuel　Cannon；　who's　been　a　friend　for　years；　can't　get　through　to　him。　He　only　listens　to　one　person；　Dr。　Gogh。〃
　Nick's　stomach　knotted　at　the　mention　of　Gogh's　name；　remembering　the　messages　exchanged　on　the　PresNet　system…He　didn't　like　the　direction　of　Gogh's　reasoning…even　less　so　now　that　the　man　had　direct　access　to　the　President。
　〃The　President　respects　you；　Nick。　He　and　the　others　were　impressed　by　the　way　you　figured　out　what　happened。〃
　Nick　swallowed　back　a　protest。　A　college　kid　from　Oregon　and　a　mysterious　group　of　others　had　seen　what　scientists　with　multiple　degrees　and　decades　of　grant…supported　research　had　overlooked。　Nick　had　no　intention　of　taking　credit　for　the　discovery。
　〃I　know　what　Gogh　has　in　mind；　Elizabeth；　and　I'm　going　to　argue　against　it；〃
　〃You　should　know　that　Sandy　McIntyre　is　in　Atlanta…was　in　Atlanta。　The　Secret　Service　can't　contact　or　locate　her。　She　apparently　was　in　the　part　of　the　city　that　is　gone。　The　President　isn't　thinking　clearly；　Nick。　He　only　wants　to　get　her　back；　nothing　else　matters。〃
　Now　Nick　understood：　The　President's　rapport　with　his　wife　was　legendary；　and　a　big　part　of　his　success　in　politics　was　due　to　his　wife。　Sandy　McIntyre　was　witty；　attractive　in　a　motherly　way；　and　the　warmest　person　Nick　had　ever　met。　So　wide　was　her　appeal　there　had　been　half…serious　talk　of　putting　her　on　the　ticket。
　Nick　realized　he　felt　more　of　a　loss　for　Sandy　McIntyre　than　for　the　millions　lost　across　the　country。　He　understood　why：　partly　because　for　the　first　time　he　had　thought　about　the　loss　of　a　particular　individual。　But　mostly　he　grieved　at　losing　the　first　lady's　personal　magnetism。　If　Nick　mourned；　the　President　must　be　devastated。
　
　The　agenda　had　undergone　radical　change。　At　its　top　was　a　plan　of　action　from　Dr。　Arnold　Gogh。　As　Gogh　began；　Elizabeth　leaned　forward　to　whisper　to　the　President；　but　uncharacteristically　he　dismissed　her　with　a　sharp　wave　of　his　hand。
　〃As　the　President　directed　we　have　been　working　on　a　solution　based　on　the　time　displacement　theory；〃　Gogh　stated。
　Nick　noted　he　did　not　give　any　credit　for　the　theory　to　Nick　or　to　anyone　else。　At　Gogh's　direction　the　lights　came　down　and　a　slide　was　projected　on　the　screen。　It　was　the　photo　Nick　had　seen　of　the　quilted　New　York　City。
　〃As　you　can　see　from　this　photo；　approximately　one　third　of　New　York　City　has　experienced　time　displacement。　The　segment　is　grassland　and　is　probably　from　the　Cretaceous　period。〃
　Gasps　and　expressions　of　disbelief　rippled　around　the　table。
　〃Cretaceous　period？　Impossible！〃　Natalie　Matsuda　answered　loudly；　ignoring　the　mounting　evidence。
　Dr。　Gogh　looked　irritated　but　ignored　Matsuda　and　called　for　the　next　slide。
　The　next　slide　was　blurry　but　it　was　an　overhead　shot　of　an　animal。　That　photo　had　not　been　in　Nick's　packet；　and　he　realized　he　had　been　partly　cut　out　of　the　decision　loop；　just　like　Elizabeth。
　〃This　is　a　blowup　of　one　of　the　aerial　photos。　As　you　can　see　there　is　an　animal　in　the　photo。〃
　〃Is　that　another　dinosaur？〃　Cannon　asked。
　〃Yes；　but　one　much　bigger　than　the　ankylosaur　in　your　Quebec　photo。〃
　Gogh　said　it　with　pride；　as　if　he　were　in　a　petition　to　find　the　biggest　dinosaur。　〃Professor　Struthers　of　the　PresNet　has　tentatively　identified　this　as　an　iguanodon。　It's　hard　to　scale　this　photo；　since　there　are　no　familiar　objects　near　the　dinosaur；　but　Professor　Struthers　tells　me　iguanodons　can　be　twenty…five　to　thirty　feet　in　length；　and　when　standing　they　might　be　fifteen　or　twenty　feet　tall。〃
　Gasps　and　soft　whistles　filled　the　room　as　the　occupants　launched　impromptu　discussions。　Some　wondered　if　the　animals　were　aggressive。　Others　speculated　on　what　would　happen　if　one　wandered　into　New　York　City's　midtown　streets。　Nick　listened　to　the　voices　around　him　and　then　asked　that　the　previous　slide　be　put　back　up。　Looking　disgusted　at　the　interruption；　Gogh　nevertheless　reversed　the　projector。
　〃What's　along　the　line　where　the　prehistoric　segment　meets　city？〃
　〃Buildings；　of　course；〃　Gogh　replied　abruptly。
　〃Buildings　with　people　inside！〃　Nick　pointed　out。　〃How　close　are　these　animals　to　the　residents？　We　already　know　some　of　the　animals　in　the　Quebec　displacement　are　wandering　out　of　their　natural　environment。　What　about　here？　There's　a　human　factor　to　consider　here。〃
　Nick　was　embarrassed　he　too　had　never　considered　the　human　factor。　But　now；　that　attention　was　long　overdue。　He　turned　and　looked　at　the　President；　who　studiously　ignored　him。
　〃Shouldn't　we　take　steps　to　protect　the　residents　near　the　displaced　segments？〃　Nick　prodded；
　Still　the　President　ignored　him。　Nick　caught　Elizabeth's　eye；　and　she　shook　her　head　briefly；