jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第87章

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　〃Yeah；　altitude　sickness。　We　shouldn't　have　a　problem　though；　I　don't　plan　on　skiing；　or　even　walking　much。　Just　watching　them　take　the　pictures　and　then　getting　off　this　frigid　rock。〃
　〃With　Bree…geet　up　here　I　bet　it's　not　frigid。〃
　Emmett　felt　the　prick。
　〃Some　of　those　who　work　up　here　have　trouble　adjusting。　The　air　is　dry　and　oxygen　poor。　Thinking　can　be　affected。　A　problem　you　might　solve　in　fifteen　minutes　at　the　university　can　take　an　hour　up　here。　But　if　you　are　going　to　build　an　observatory　this　is　one　of　the　best　places　in　the　world　to　do　it。〃
　Emmett　leaned　toward　the　windshield　and　looked　up　at　the　sky。　Carrollee　did　likewise；　and　they　both　found　themselves　lost　in　the　speckled　black　ink。　After　a　few　minutes　she　turned　to　Emmett。
　〃We'll　be　there　soon。　Don't　you　think　it's　time　to　tell　me　what's　going　on？　You　didn't　seem　all　that　surprised　by　what　we　found　on　the　beach。　I　know　I'm　not　security　cleared　or　anything；　but　neither　are　you。　After　all；　I'm　a　coconspirator　in　whatever　it　is　we're　doing。〃
　Emmett　had　no　real　reason　not　to　tell　her　everything　he　knew。　The　reports　on　the　news　were　filling　in　enough　pieces　of　the　puzzle　to　make　it　obvious　to　anyone。　He　worried　briefly　about　the　legal　implications　but　suspected　there　were　enough　problems　in　the　world　now　to　keep　even　the　most　officious　bureaucrat　busy　and　away　from　Carrollee。　So；　he　told　her。　She　knew　of　the　various　floods；　fires；　avalanches；　tidal　waves；　and　blackouts；　and　she　had　her　own　experience　with　the　plesiosaur；　but　like　most　of　the　public；　she　had　no　idea　how　widespread　these　events　were。　When　he　finished　explaining；　Emmett　found　Carrollee　wasn't　frightened　by　the　idea　of　dinosaurs。　Instead　she　seemed　tickled。
　〃Imagine；〃　Carrollee　said；　〃Tyrannosaurus　rex　roaming　the　earth　again。　How　would　you　contain　something　like　that？　Electric　wire　three　stories　tall？　Trenches？　Fire？　Oh；　man…oh…man　wait　until　my　brother；　Richard；　hears　about　this。　He's　going　to　want　a　hunting　license。　Of　course　he'd　need　a　trophy　room　the　size　of　a　barn　to　put　the　head　on　the　wall。〃
　After　fifteen　minutes　she　came　to　the　fundamental　questions。
　〃Why　did　this　happen？　Is　it　over？　Will　it　happen　again？　Where　did　the　people　go　who　were　where　the　dinosaurs　are　now？〃
　Puglisi　explained　as　best　he　could　about　the　effect　of　dense　matter；　the　time　waves　and　the　displacement。　He　told　her　about　the　various　theories　and　the　extension　he　made　in　the　Gomez　model　and　how　it　might　affect　the　moon。　When　he　reported　his　contact　with　Dr。　Paulson；　Carrollee　looked　at　him　skeptically　but　seemed　to　realize　that　was　no　more　impossible　than　dinosaurs　showing　up　in　the　modern　age。
　〃So　what　are　you　looking　for　up　here？〃　she　asked。
　〃Support　for　the　theory。　Evidence　that　the　effect　on　the　moon　is　reversed。　Any　data　that　can　help　fill　in　the　picture。　Dr。　Paulson　seemed　particularly　interested　in　the　data。　He　didn't　say　getting　it　was　urgent；　but　he　put　some　time　into　arranging　it；　time　he　could　have　used　for　any　number　of　tasks。　So　if　it's　important　to　him；　it's　important　enough　for　me　to　climb　this　ugly　Popsicle　to　get　it。〃
　Carrollee；　silent；　slipped　into　one　of　her　rare　pensive　moods。　After　a　few　minutes　Emmett　missed　her　conversation。
　〃What　are　you　thinking；　Carrollee？〃
　Carrollee　shook　herself　out　of　her　mood　and　sat　straight　up　in　her　seat。
　〃I'm　　thinking　about　my　family　on　　the　mainland…my　mother　and　my　sister。　I　haven't　been　able　to　reach　them；　but　I　know　there　have　been　telephone　problems。　I　figured　they　were　probably　safe。　Now　I'm　thinking　they　may　not　be　there　at　all。　Not　dead；　just　gone。　Gone　somewhere　in　time。　Is　that　what　you're　saying？　It　makes　me　wonder　if　it　could　happen　again？　If　it　did；　I　wouldn't　want　to　be　sent　off　to　the　future　by　myself。　So；　I　guess　I　should　stick　pretty　close　to　someone　I　would　want　to　disappear　with。〃
　〃I　don't　think　it　will　happen　again；　not　if　we　don't　start　nuclear　testing　again。〃
　But　Emmett　began　thinking　of　people　he　would　want　to　be　near　if　he　were　displaced。　He　didn't　have　any　immediate　family；　only　an　uncle　in　Iowa。　After　considering　and　discarding　several　names；　he　realized　he　was　sitting　with　the　only　person　who　had　a　certain　spot　on　the　list。
　The　switchbacks　became　sharper　and　more　irregular；　telling　them　they　were　near　the　summit。　The　landscape　was　a　monotony　of　frosted；　cracked；　black　lava。　The　winds　continued　to　pick　up；　blowing　white　granular　material　across　the　road。
　〃Is　that　snow？〃　Carrollee　asked。　〃Incredible。　Snow　in　the　tropics。　I　knew　it　was　up　here　of　course；　but　I　guess　I　never　really　believed　it。〃
　The　summit　appeared　suddenly。　The　flat　of　the　barren　lava　dome　was　sprinkled　with　the　high　technology　toys　of　civilization。　Half　a　dozen　observatory　domes　were　spaced　across　the　peak；　most　perched　on　square　bases　that　housed　support　facilities。　Other　support　buildings　were　situated　nearby。　It　gave　an　altogether　eerie　effect；　as　if　time　displacement　had　shifted　the　trappings　of　a　high…tech　civilization　to　the　cooling　lava　of　the　ancient　earth。　Each　of　the　domes　they　could　see　had　a　four…wheel…drive　vehicle　or　two　parked　at　it；　but　Emmett　was　unsure　of　where　Bridgette　might　be。　Four　cars　were　parked　in　a　level　area　at　the　end　of　the　road　by　the　administrative　building；　and　Emmett　decided　to　start　there。
　They　parked　in　the　lot　and　then　dressed　more　warmly。　Car…roilee's　red　checked；　sweater　would　only　be　adequate　for　a　short　walk　in　this　kind　of　weather。　When　they　opened　the　doors　the　cold　dry　air　immediately　sucked　out　moisture　and　warmth。　Carrollee　led　the　way；　trotting　to　the　building　and　bursting　through　the　door。　Inside　they　found　chairs　and　tables　making　up　a　rudimentary　lounge。　It　was　empty；　but　music　drifted　down　the　hall；　then　a　man　came　toward　them；　tall　and　slender；　balding；　with　glasses　pushed　up　on　his　forehead。　He　paused　when　he　saw　the　visitors；　staring　at　Carrollee；　amused。
　〃We're　here　to　see　Dr。　LaSalle。〃
　〃I'll　tell　her　you're　here。〃　The　man　continued　to　survey　Carrollee；　but　with　another　amused　glance　he　turned　and　walked　back　down　the　hall。　While　they　waited；　Carrollee　wandered　around；　picking　up　astronomy　journals　and　leafing　through　them。　Suddenly　the　door　opened。
　Bridgette　was　as　beautiful　and　sexy　as　Emmett　remembered　her。　She　was　wearing　what　must　have　been　designer　overalls；　baby　blue　and　trimmed　in　white。　Her　matching　jacket　was　trimmed　in　what　looked　to　be　needlepoint。　She　was　as　color　coordinated　as　Carrollee；　but　more　understated。　Bridgette　would　draw　attention；　Carrollee　screamed　for　it。　Bridgette's　figure　pushed　and　pulled　at　the　fabric　in　ways　that　made　Emmett's　body　long　for　their　old　days　together。
　When　the　look　on　her　face　said　she　had　none　of　those　old　feelings　left　for　Emmett；　his　lustful　reminiscence　evaporated。　Then　Bridgette　turned　to　look　at　Carrollee；　eyeing　her　from　the　big　bow　on　her　head　to　her　matching　red　socks。
　〃Qui　est…ce　que　cela　pourrait…etre；　Emmett？　Elle　reassemble　a　Minnie　Mouse。〃
　Emmett　wanted　to　laugh；　but　bit　his　lip。　He　had　to　admit　that　Carrollee　did　look　like　Minnie　Mouse；　with　the　short　brown　hair；　and　the　red　checked　outfit　topped　with　a　big　checked　bow。　You　wouldn't　have　to　know　any　French　to　pick　out　the　reference　to　Minnie　Mouse。　Carrollee's　face　was　red；　but　with　anger；　not　embarrassment。　You　couldn't　dress　like　Carrollee　and　be　easily　embarrassed。　Emmett　held　his　breath　when　Carrollee's　mouth　opened。
　〃It's　so　nice　to　meet　you；　Dr。　LaSalle；　I've　heard　a　lot　about　you　from　Emmett。　He　said　you　were　so　。　。　。　well　。　。　。　easy　。　。　。〃
　Emmett　waited　for　Carrollee　to　add　〃to　get　to　know〃　but　she　just　let　her　unfinished　sentence　hang　in　the　air。　Bridgette　bristled；　but　rushed　on；　as　if　she　had　not　understood。
　〃How　did　you　get　Dr。　Paulson　to　go　along　with　this？　If　he　hadn't　called　I　never　would　have　consented　to　。　。　。　this　。　　。　　。　abominable　waste。〃
　〃It　was　Dr。　Paulson's　idea　to　confirm…〃
　〃It　doesn't　matter　whose　idea　it　was；　it　is　a　waste　of　resources。　e　here；　I　want　to　show　you　something。〃
　Bridgette　turned　and　walked　outside。　Emmett　turned　to　follow；　catching　Carrollee's　eyes。
　〃Minnie　Mouse！　Everyone　knows　Minnie　wears　only　polka　dots　and　never　checks！〃　Carrollee　snorted。　〃Warm；　isn't　she？〃　she　continued。　〃She　m