jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第50部分

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d　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　unusual　marine　flora　washing　ashore。　That's　all　I　know。〃
　Carrollee　lead　the　way　down　to　the　beach　and　immediately　began　examining　the　seaweeds；　grasses；　and　other　materials。　Emmett　saw　only　a　dark　green　mass　of　smelly　plants　quickly　dehydrating　in　the　sun。　Carrollee's　interest　in　the　material；　however；　seemed　intense。
　He　watched　in　silence　for　a　while；　then　announced　abruptly；　〃Take　a　couple　of　samples；　and　let's　get　out　of　here。〃
　〃Don't　rush　me。　We've　only　been　here　a　few　minutes。　This　is　very　strange。　Take　a　look　at　these；〃　Carrollee　said；　pointing　to　four　pieces　of　seaweed　laid　out　on　the　sand。　〃These　are　all　varieties　of　Laminaria。　Laminaria　is　a　kind　of　seaweed　that　attaches　to　the　bottom　with　roots　and　then　has　one　principal　blade　responsible　for　photosynthesis。〃　Carrollee　pointed　to　the　bottom　of　all　four　plants。　Emmett　noticed　they　all　had　similar　rootlike　ends。
　The　tops　of　the　plants　were　distinctly　different。　One　looked　like　a　fluorescent　tube　attached　to　a　cord　that　ended　in　roots。　One　was　a　large　flat　blade　that　looked　like　a　canoe　paddle。　A　third　had　a　long　stem　that　ended　in　three　clumps　of　whitish　material　that　looked　like　cauliflower。　The　fourth　had　several　thin　strands　that　looked　like　elongated　lawn　grass。
　〃I　see　four　different　plants。　What's　got　you　so　excited？〃
　〃These　are　all　laminaria。　There's　no　doubt　about　that。　But　these　are　four　laminaria　I've　never　seen　before。　This　one；〃　Carrollee　said；　pointing　to　the　one　shaped　like　a　canoe　paddle；　〃might　be　one　I've　seen　in　marine　taxonomy　books。　Maybe　this　one　too；〃　she　said　pointing　at　the　overgrown　lawn　grass。　〃Maybe。　But　these　two　。　。　。　I　don't　think　they've　ever　been　recorded。〃　Then；　glowing　like　a　kid　on　Christmas；　she　said；　〃I　think　I've　got　a　new　variety　here。　At　least　two。　I'll　get　tenure　for　sure。〃
　Happily；　she　went　back　to　sorting　through　the　beached　seaweed。　Emmett　felt　useless　and　saw　the　cops　watching　him　with　puzzlement。　Unfortable；　Emmett　started　up　the　beach　along　the　line　of　seawood；　but　soon　he　heard　the　policewoman　yell。
　〃Look　down　by　the　water；　that's　where　they　saw　it。　At　least　that's　what　the　tourists　said。〃
　The　hair　on　Emmett's　skin　stood　erect　at　the　word　it　and　he　knew　the　police　officer　wasn't　talking　about　seaweed。　Looking　back；　Emmett　saw　Carrollee　still　on　her　knees；　sorting　out　specimens；　unaware　of　anything　else。　To　buy　Carrollee　more　time；　Emmett　walked　slowly　to　the　shore；　watching　the　waves　rhythmically　washing　the　sand。　As　he　approached；　the　surf　seemed　to　be　one　great　green　mass　of　seaweed。
　The　police　were　still　watching　him；　so　he　squatted　as　if　he　were　examining　vegetation。　Instead；　he　watched　the　waves　and　thought　about　the　PresNet。　A　new　variety　of　seaweed　was　hardly　worth　the　risk　of　illegally　using　the　network。
　Emmett　was　still　feeling　sorry　for　himself　when　something　surfaced　to　his　left；　but　by　the　time　he　turned　his　head　it　was　gone。　He　stood；　staring　at　the　spot　to　see　if　it　would　surface　again。
　Suddenly　Carrollee　was　next　to　him；　staring　into　the　surf。　Then　she　unhooked　her　big　silver　buckle　and　unzipped　the　front　of　her　black　jumpsuit。　Emmett　was　both　shocked　and　aroused。　She　stood　in　a　one…piece　swimsuit…black　with　a　few　oversize　silver　sequins。　Emmett　realized　it　matched　the　jumpsuit；　which　she　handed　him　along　with　her　shoes。　〃What　are　you　doing；　Carrollee？〃
　〃I'm　getting　samples。　These　will　be　a　lot　fresher。〃　She　waded　knee…deep　into　the　water　while　Emmett　looked　up　and　down　the　beach　nervously；　still　trying　to　spot　what　he　had　seen　in　the　surf。　Then　he　heard　footsteps　and　turned　to　see　the　two　police　officers　approaching　with　their　shotguns。
　〃You　think　that's　a　good　idea？　Her　getting　in　the　surf　like　that。〃
　〃She's　just　getting　some　samples　of　the　seaweed。　She　wants　fresh　samples。〃
　The　two　police　officers　were　looking　at　each　other　in　confusion。
　〃Why　is　she　getting　seaweed？〃　the　policewoman　asked。　Overhearing　the　conversation；　Carrollee　turned　to　answer；　standing　in　the　surf　in　her　swimsuit。　For　the　first　time；　Emmett　saw　her　as　an　attractive　woman。
　〃I'm　selecting　specimens　for　identification。　That's　what　marine　botanists　do。〃
　〃You're　a　botanist