jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第23章

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　Nearly　everything　Coop　did　irritated　Chief　Peters。　For　example；　the　way　Coop　talked。　〃Fiscal　underachievers〃　were　poor　people；　〃non…goal…oriented　members　of　society〃　were　street　people；　and　〃transients〃　referred　to　anyone　who　ran　into　trouble　with　the　law　but　didn't　live　in　the　city。　Coop　once　sent　a　letter　to　the　editor　of　the　local　newspaper　plaining　of　〃fiscal　advanced　downward　adjustments〃　in　the　police　department　and　〃downsizing　personnel。〃　Peters　wondered　how　many　readers　knew　he　was　talking　about　budget　cuts　and　layoffs。　There　was　even　an　officer　who　swore　on　a　Bible　he　heard　Coop　refer　to　a　pencil　as　a　〃portable　hand…held　munications　inscriber。〃　Peters　doubted　the　story。　Still；　with　Coop　you　never　knew　for　sure。
　〃It　is　imperative；　Chief；　that　we　plan　for　such　a　contingent　upsizing　of　personnel。　We　don't　want　to　make　last…minute　hasty　decisions　that　might　be　regretted　later。　We　need　to　do　some　thinking　now；　establish　a　line　of　ascension；　and　stick　to　it　when　the　time　es。〃
　〃Any　ideas；　Coop；　on　who　should　be　on　the　hiring　list？〃
　〃Chief；　you　know　I　got　more　experience　and　know…how　than　any　other　reserve　officer。　I've　paid　my　own　way　through　three　special　training　schools；　done　extra　duty；　why　I　even　learned　how　to　type。　I'm　not　expecting　anything　in　return　for　all　this；　you　understand；　I'm　just　pointing　out　my　qualifications。〃　
　Coop's　resume　was　interrupted　with　an　ear…shattering　noise　that　shook　the　restaurant；　knocking　the　copper　skillet　on　the　wall　behind　the　cashier's　counter　to　the　floor。　The　windows　rattled；　and　startled　gasps　came　from　the　other　two　customers。
　〃What　the　hell？〃　Coop　said；　with　a　half…grin　on　his　face。　〃I　do　believe　we　just　experienced　an　unauthorized　sonic　excess。〃
　If　it　was　a　sonic　boom；　the　jet　must　have　broken　the　sound　barrier　right　over　the　town。　Chief　Peters　walked　outside　to　look　around；　with　Coop　following。　The　sky　was　clear　directly　overhead　and　filled　with　stars。　Any　jet　would　have　already　disappeared；　so　he　didn't　expect　to　see　one。　He　looked　up　and　down　the　main　street　to　find　nothing　unusual　except　house　lights　blinking　on　here　and　there。
　〃Look　at　that；　Chief；〃
　Peters　turned　to　follow　Coop's　pointing　finger。　West　of　town；　there　was　a　boiling　mass　of　clouds　shooting　thousands　of　feet　up　into　the　air；　as　if　buffeted　by　strong　winds。　Peters　had　never　seen　anything　like　it。。　Something　had　whipped　the　sky　into　a　frothing　madness。　As　they　watched；　lightning　flashes　added　to　the　show；　quickly　followed　by　the　boom　of　thunder。　Soon　they　moved　back　into　the　restaurant。
　〃What　do　you　think　caused　that；　Chief；　a　little　ultimate　high…intensity　warfare？〃
　Peters　knew　〃ultimate　high…intensity　warfare〃　meant　nuclear　war　to　Coop。
　〃I　hope　not；〃　Peters　said。
　Coop　was　clearly　disappointed。
　
　POSTQUILT
　16。　THE　PRESIDENT
　
　！t　is　the　ability　to　successfully　draw　on　the　experience　of　others；　as　well　as　their　own；　that　distinguishes　great　leaders。　However；　once　faced　with　something　outside　human　experience；　they　bee　ordinary　with　surprising　rapidity。
　…Carl　stock；　Decision　Makers
　
　Washington；　D。C。
　POSTQUILT：　SUNDAY；　4：37　A。M。　EST
　
　　President　Scott　McIntyre　was　shaken　to　consciousness　by　a　secret　service　agent　and　his　chief　of　staff。　McIntyre　knew　instantly　that　it　was　serious。　As　chief　of　staff；　Elizabeth　Hawthorne　had　the　authority　to　decide　what　needed　the　president's　immediate　attention　and　what　could　wait。　Elizabeth　believed　a　rested　President　was　the　best　kind　to　make　important　decisions；　so　for　her　no　emergency　required　waking　the　President。　Even　when　two　terrorist　bombs　went　off　in　New　York　City　and　the　terrorists　demanded　the　release　of　political　prisoners；　she　let　the　President　sleep　and　wake　to　a　fully　briefed　staff　ready　for　a　crisis　meeting。　When　a　Russian　bomber　and　an　American　chase　plane　collided　off　the　coast　of　South　Carolina；　he　again　awoke　to　a　meeting　of　an　already　summoned　Security　Council。　So；　if　Elizabeth　Hawthorne　was　waking　him；　it　must　he　serious。　He　dressed　quickly。
　Elizabeth　was　in　the　Oval　Office　with　Colonel　Winfield；　the　President's　special　military　advisor。　The　President　was　amazed　at　how　both　of　them　looked　well　rested　and　well　pressed。　Colonel　Winfield's　uniform　was　stiff　and　smooth；　as　if　it　had　never　been　worn；　his　graying　temples　neatly　bed；　and　his　dark　face　shaved　clean　and　smooth。　Elizabeth　was　just　as　well　groomed。　How　the　two　of　them　could　wake　in　the　middle　of　the　night　and　pull　themselves　together　so　quickly　the　President　couldn't　understand。　Elizabeth　at　least　had　the　advantage　of　age。　She　was　still　in　her　thirties；　but　Colonel　Winfield　was　well　into　his　fifties　and　managed　the　same　trick。　To　look　presidential；　McIntyre　pulled　himself　erect　as　he　walked　into　the　room。
　All　the　lights　were　on；　including　the　green　shaded　reading　light　on　his　desk。　Still　the　room　looked　dark　to　the　President；　perhaps　because　of　the　dark　windows　behind　the　desk。　Why　is　it；　the　President　thought；　that　the　dark　of　morning　is　different　than　the　dark　of　night？
　He　sat　behind　his　desk；　picked　up　a　paper　clip　and　twisted　it　into　a　miniature　crank；　which　he　would　fiddle　with　all　through　the　meeting。　The　paper　clip　signaled　he　was　ready　and　Elizabeth　began。
　〃Something　has　happened　。　。　。　something　strange。〃
　That　was　all　she　said。　The　President　looked　at　her　with　surprise。　Elizabeth　Hawthorne　at　a　loss　for　words？　She　and　Colonel　Winfield　exchanged　glances；　but　neither　spoke。
　〃What　has　happened？〃　he　prompted。　〃Have　the　Russians　invaded　the　Baltic　states？　Did　California　shake　into　the　sea？　Have　I　been　impeached？〃
　〃Parts　of　the　country　have　。。。　are　。。。　experiencing　munication　disruptions；　blackouts；　and　there　have　been　some　disappearances；〃　Elizabeth　said。
　〃Disappearances？　Who　has　disappeared？〃
　〃It's　not　a　matter　of　who　。　。　。　well；　I　don't　mean　to　overlook　the　human　dimension　but　。　。　。　Mr。　President；　it　appears　that　a　large　section　of　New　York　City　has　disappeared。〃
　President　McIntyre　was　baffled。
　〃What　do　you　mean　'disappeared'？　I　can　understand　devastated；　or　vaporized；　or　flooded；　but　what　the　hell　does　disappeared　mean？〃
　〃It　means；　Mr。　President；　that　where　there　were　buildings；　streets；　cars；　and　people；　there　is　now　nothing；〃
　〃Nothing？　Nothing　means　an　absence　of　anything　。　。　。　a　void。〃
　〃What　Ms。　Hawthorne　means；　sir；〃　Colonel　Winfield　cut　in；　〃is　where　there　was　a　city；　there　is　now　countryside。〃
　The　President　sat　back　in　his　desk　chair；　reclining。　He　was　considering　the　possibility　of　a　practical　joke；　but　Elizabeth　was　humorless。　President　Mcintyre　had　never　heard　her　utter　anything　more　than　a　polite　courtesy　chuckle　now　and　then。　But　if　this　wasn't　a　joke；　then　what？　Cities　don't　disappear；　at　least　they　never　had。
　〃I'm　still　having　trouble　understanding　this　。。。　a　section　of　New　York　City　is　now　devoid　of　buildings　and　streets　。　。　。　and　people　。　。　。　and　is　now　farmland；　or　something？〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Colonel　Winfield　said；　〃and　the　rest　of　the　city　is　blacked　out。　The　reports　are　unofficial；　but　they　do　seem　to　he　consistent。　Inbound　mercial　flights　to　Kennedy　International　have　been　rerouted　。　。　。　and　at　least　one　aircraft　has　been　lost。　Kennedy　International　is　gone…we've　confirmed　it　with　our　own　flyover。〃
　The　President　was　lost　in　thought；　thinking　about　what　Colonel　Winfield　was　saying。　The　paper　clip　in　his　hands　slowed　its　twirl　to　a　near　stop。　From　experience　Elizabeth　and　the　colonel　knew　not　to　interrupt；　the　President　processed　slowly　but　thoroughly。　Finally　the　paper　clip　picked　up　speed　and　the　President　looked　up。
　〃You　said　'parts　of　the　country'　and　'disappearances。'　You　used　the　plural；　didn't　you？〃
　Elizabeth　stood　and　walked　over　to　the　President's　desk。
　〃Mr。　President；　there　are　similar　reports　from　other　regions　of　the　country。　Blackouts；　tornadoes；　sonic　booms；　and　sudden　disappearances　of　roads　and　even　whole　towns。　We　don't　know　how　widespread　it　is；　but　it　is　not　an　isolated　incident。〃
　〃Colonel　Winfield；　I　want　flyovers　of　as　many　areas　as　possible　and　satellite　reconnaissance　if　you　can　get　it；　I've　got　to　see　this　for　myself。　If　the　military　hasn't　gone　to　full　alert　then　it　should　immediately。　I　want　a　full　intelligence　briefing　at　the　staff　meetin