p&c.icelimit-第10章
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one into a pile of scale。 So if it somehow did survive the impact； why is it still there？ How do you explain this geological report that says it fell thirty million years ago； was buried in sediment； and is only now being exposed through erosion？〃
McFarlane settled back in his chair。 She waited； raising her eyebrows quizzically。
〃Have you ever read Sherlock Holmes？〃 McFarlane asked with a smile of his own。
Amira rolled her eyes。 〃You're not going to quote that old saw about how once you've eliminated the impossible； whatever remains； no matter how improbable； must be the truth … are you？〃
McFarlane shot a surprised glance at her。 〃Well； isn't it true？〃
Amira smirked her triumph； while Rochefort shook his head。
〃So； Dr。 McFarlane；〃 Amira said brightly； 〃is that your source of scientific authority？ Sir Arthur Conan Doyle？〃
McFarlane exhaled slowly。 〃Someone else collected the base data。 I can't vouch for it。 All I can say is； if that data's accurate； there's no other explanation： it's a meteorite。〃
There was a silence。 〃Someone else's data；〃 Amira said； cracking another shell and popping the nuts into her mouth。 〃Would that be a Dr。 Masangkay； by chance？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃You knew each other； I believe？〃
〃We were partners。〃
〃Ah。〃 Amira nodded； as if hearing this for the first time。 〃And so； if Dr。 Masangkay collected this data； you have a high degree of confidence in it？ You trust him？〃
〃Absolutely。〃
〃I wonder if he'd say the same about you；〃 Rochefort said in his quiet； high； clipped voice。
McFarlane turned his head and looked steadily at the engineer。
〃Let's proceed；〃 Glinn said。
McFarlane looked away from Rochefort and tapped his portfolio with the back of one hand。 〃There's an enormous circular deposit of shocked and fused coesite on that island。 Right in the center is a dense mass of ferromagnetic material。〃
〃A natural deposit of iron ore；〃 said Rochefort。
〃The flyover indicates a reversal of the sedimentary strata around the site。〃
Amira looked puzzled。 〃A what？〃
〃Flipped sedimentary layers。〃
Rochefort sighed heavily。 〃Signifying。。。 ？〃
〃When a large meteorite strikes sedimentary layers； the layers get reversed。〃
Rochefort continued tapping his pencil。 〃How？ By magic？〃
McFarlane looked at him again； longer this time。 〃Perhaps Mr。 Rochefort would like a demonstration？〃
〃I would；〃 said Rochefort。
McFarlane picked up his sandwich。 He examined it； smelled it。 〃Peanut butter and jelly？〃 He made a face。
〃May we just have the demonstration； please？〃 Rochefort asked in a tight； exasperated voice。
〃Of course。〃 McFarlane placed the sandwich on the table between himself and Rochefort。 Then he tilted his coffee cup and carefully poured liquid over it。
〃What is he doing？〃 said Rochefort； turning to Glinn； his voice high。 〃I knew this was a mistake。 We should have required one of the principals to e in。〃
McFarlane held up his hand。 〃Bear with me。 We're just preparing our sedimentary deposit here。〃 He reached for another sandwich and placed it on top； then tipped on more coffee until it was saturated。 〃There。 This sandwich is the sedimentary deposit： bread； peanut butter； jelly； more bread； in layers。 And my fist〃 … he raised his hand above his head … 〃is the meteorite。〃
He brought his fist down on the sandwich with a jarring crash。
〃For Christ's sake！〃 Rochefort cried； jumping back； his shirt splattered with peanut butter。 He stood up； flicking bits of sodden bread from his arms。
At the far end of the table； Garza sat with an astonished look on his face。 Glinn was expressionless。
〃Now； let us examine the remains of the sandwich on the table；〃 McFarlane continued as calmly as if he were giving a college lecture。 〃Please note that all the pieces have been flipped over。 The bottom layer of bread is now on the top； the peanut butter and jelly have reversed places； and the top layer of bread is now on the bottom。 It's what a meteorite does when it hits sedimentary rock： it pulverizes the layers； flips them over； and lays them back down in reversed sequence。〃 He glanced at Rochefort。 〃Any further questions or ments？〃
〃This is outrageous；〃 said Rochefort； wiping his glasses with a handkerchief。
〃Sit down； please； Mr。 Rochefort；〃 said Glinn quietly。 To McFarlane's surprise； Amira began to laugh： a deep； smooth laugh。 〃That was very good； Dr。 McFarlane。 Very entertaining。 We need a little excitement in our meetings。〃 She turned to Rochefort。 〃If you had ordered club sandwiches like I suggested； this wouldn't have happened。〃
Rochefort scowled as he returned to his seat。
〃Anyway；〃 said McFarlane； sitting back and wiping his hand with a napkin； 〃strata reversal means only one thing： a massive impact crater。 Taken together； everything points to a meteorite strike。 Now if you have a better explanation for what is down there； I'd like to hear it。〃
He waited。
〃Perhaps it's an alien spaceship？〃 Garza asked hopefully。
〃We considered that； Manuel；〃 Amira replied dryly。
〃And？〃
〃Occam's razor。 It seemed unlikely。〃
Rochefort was still cleaning the peanut butter from his glasses。 〃Speculation is useless。 Why not send a ground party to check it out； and get some better data？〃
McFarlane glanced at Glinn； who was listening with halflidded eyes。 〃Mr。 Lloyd and I trust the data we have in hand。 And he doesn't want to draw any more attention to the site than he has already。 With good reason。〃
Garza suddenly spoke up。 〃Yeah； and that brings up the second problem we need to discuss： how we're going to get whatever it is out of Chile。 I believe you're familiar with that sort of … shall we say … operation？〃
More polite than calling it smuggling； McFarlane thought。 Aloud； he said； 〃More or less。〃
〃And your thoughts？〃
〃It's metal。 It's basically an ore body。 It doesn't fall under the laws of cultural patrimony。 At my remendation； Lloyd created a pany that is in the process of acquiring mineral leases to the island。 I suggested that we go down there as a mining operation； dig it up； and ship it home。 There's nothing illegal in it … according to the lawyers。〃
Amira smiled again。 〃But if the government of Chile realized this was the world's largest meteorite and not just some ordinary iron deposit； it might take a dim view of your operation。〃
〃A 'dim view' is an understatement。 We might all get shot。〃
〃A fate you barely escaped smuggling the Atacama tektites out of the country； right？〃 Garza asked。
Throughout the meeting； Garza had remained friendly； showing none of Rochefort's hostility or Amira's sardonic attitude。 Still； McFarlane found himself coloring。 〃We took a few chances。 It's part of the job。〃
〃So it seems。〃 Garza laughed； turning over the sheets in his folder。 〃I'm amazed you'd consider going back there。 This project could create an international incident。〃
〃Once Lloyd unveils the meteorite in his new museum；〃 McFarlane replied； 〃I can guarantee you there will be an international incident。〃
〃The point；〃 Glinn interjected smoothly； 〃is that this must be carried out in secrecy。 What happens after we conclude our part of the business is up to Mr。 Lloyd。〃
Nobody spoke for a moment。
〃There is one other question；〃 Glinn continued at last。 〃About your ex…partner； Dr。 Masangkay。〃
Here it es； McFarlane thought。 He steeled himself。
〃Any idea what killed him？〃
McFarlane hesitated。 This was not the question he'd expected。 〃No idea；〃 he said after a moment。 〃The body hasn't been recovered。 It could well have been exposure or starvation。 That climate isn't exactly hospitable。〃
〃But there were no medical problems？ No history that might have contributed？〃
〃Malnutrition as a kid。 Nothing else。 Or if there was； I didn't know about it。 There was no mention of illness or starvation in the diary。〃
McFarlane watched Glinn page through his folder。 The meeting seemed to be over。 〃Lloyd told me to bring back an answer；〃 he said。
Glinn put the folder aside。 〃It's going to cost a million dollars。〃
McFarlane was momentarily taken aback。 The amount was less than he had expected。 But what surprised him most was how quickly Glinn had arrived at it。 〃Naturally； Mr。 Lloyd will have to sign off； but that seems very
