jdavid.footprintsofthunder-µÚ72²¿·Ö
°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡û »ò ¡ú ¿É¿ìËÙÉÏÏ·ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉ쵀 Enter ¼ü¿É»Øµ½±¾ÊéĿ¼ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡ü ¿É»Øµ½±¾Ò³¶¥²¿£¡
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªÎ´ÔĶÁÍꣿ¼ÓÈëÊéÇ©ÒѱãÏ´μÌÐøÔĶÁ£¡
¡¡
¡¡Washington£»¡¡D¡£C¡£
¡¡POSTQUILT£º¡¡TUESDAY£»¡¡11£º15¡¡A¡£M¡£¡¡¡¡EST
¡¡
¡¡¡¡Speaking¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Security¡¡Council¡¡had¡¡terrified¡¡Terry¡£¡¡He¡¡considered¡¡himself¡¡a¡¡good¡¡counselor¡¡on¡¡a¡¡one¡to¡one¡¡basis£»¡¡and¡¡good¡¡with¡¡small¡¡groups¡¡of¡¡parents¡¡or¡¡teachers£»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡was¡¡never¡¡fortable¡¡as¡¡a¡¡public¡¡speaker¡£¡¡And¡¡nothing¡¡in¡¡his¡¡experience¡¡had¡¡prepared¡¡him¡¡to¡¡speak¡¡to¡¡the¡¡movers¡¡and¡¡the¡¡shakers¡¡of¡¡government¡£¡¡Now¡¡he¡¡realized¡¡he'd¡¡made¡¡the¡¡last¡¡meaningful¡¡contribution¡¡he¡¡could¡¡make¡¡in¡¡Washington£»¡¡It¡¡was¡¡time¡¡to¡¡call¡¡in¡¡Bill's¡¡promise¡¡and¡¡get¡¡to¡¡his¡¡son¡£
¡¡As¡¡they¡¡left¡¡the¡¡White¡¡House¡¡in¡¡the¡¡vanv¡¡Terry¡¡turned¡¡to¡¡Bill¡¡and¡¡said¡¡simply£»¡¡¡¨It's¡¡time¡£¡¨¡¡Bill¡¡turned¡¡his¡¡face¡¡to¡¡the¡¡window¡¡and¡¡watched¡¡the¡¡buildings¡¡race¡¡by£»¡¡then¡¡leaned¡¡forward¡¡to¡¡whisper¡¡in¡¡the¡¡driver's¡¡ear¡£
¡¡Terry¡¡sank¡¡back¡¡into¡¡his¡¡seat¡¡and¡¡reexamined¡¡his¡¡decisions¡£¡¡He¡¡had¡¡been¡¡only¡¡minimally¡¡helpful¡¡with¡¡Kenny¡¡Randall¡£¡¡Of¡¡course¡¡he¡¡couldn't¡¡have¡¡known¡¡that¡¡when¡¡he¡¡decided¡¡to¡¡e£»¡¡but¡¡in¡¡retrospect£»¡¡Ellen¡¡had¡¡been¡¡right¡£
¡¡
¡¡Nick¡¡was¡¡exchanging¡¡information¡¡on¡¡the¡¡PresNet¡¡when¡¡Elizabeth¡¡Hawthorne¡¡appeared¡¡at¡¡his¡¡door¡£¡¡It¡¡wasn't¡¡like¡¡Elizabeth¡¡to¡¡show¡¡up¡¡without¡¡an¡¡appointment¡£¡¡She¡¡was¡¡carrying¡¡a¡¡bright¡¡blue¡¡file¡¡folder¡¡filled¡¡to¡¡overflowing¡¡and¡¡leaned¡¡against¡¡the¡¡doorway¡¡trying¡¡to¡¡act¡¡casual¡£¡¡Unfortunately£»¡¡¡¨casual¡¨¡¡was¡¡not¡¡in¡¡her¡¡vocabulary¡¡of¡¡body¡¡language¡£¡¡However£»¡¡she¡¡spoke¡¡with¡¡characteristic¡¡bluntness¡£
¡¡¡¨They're¡¡going¡¡to¡¡blame¡¡the¡¡Russians¡¡for¡¡this¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨Excuse¡¡me£¿¡¨
¡¡¡¨You¡¡said¡¡that¡¡it¡¡takes¡¡bombs¡¡of¡¡a¡¡certain¡¡megatonnage¡¡to¡¡produce¡¡the¡¡effect¡£¡¡They're¡¡putting¡¡together¡¡a¡¡press¡¡release¡¡claiming¡¡only¡¡the¡¡old¡¡Soviet¡¡Union¡¡detonated¡¡enough¡¡of¡¡these¡¡bombs¡¡often¡¡enough¡¡to¡¡produce¡¡the¡¡effect¡£¡¨
¡¡Nick¡¡didn't¡¡know¡¡how¡¡to¡¡respond¡£¡¡Politicians¡¡specialized¡¡in¡¡covering¡¡their¡¡asses£»¡¡so¡¡why¡¡should¡¡this¡¡case¡¡be¡¡any¡¡different£»¡¡and¡¡why¡¡would¡¡Elizabeth¡¡bring¡¡this¡¡piece¡¡of¡¡news¡¡to¡¡him£¿¡¡Did¡¡Elizabeth¡¡care¡¡who¡¡got¡¡blamed¡¡for¡¡the¡¡disaster£¿¡¡Did¡¡she¡¡think¡¡Nick¡¡could¡¡do¡¡something¡¡about¡¡it£¿
¡¡¡¨It's¡¡not¡¡true£»¡¡Elizabeth¡£¡¡Either¡¡everyone¡¡involved¡¡in¡¡nuclear¡¡testing¡¡is¡¡to¡¡blame£»¡¡or¡¡no¡¡one¡¡is¡£¡¨
¡¡Elizabeth¡¡nodded¡¡and¡¡finally¡¡entered¡¡the¡¡room£»¡¡walking¡¡closer¡¡to¡¡Nick¡¡and¡¡watching¡¡the¡¡messages¡¡scrolling¡¡across¡¡his¡¡puter¡¡screen¡£
¡¡After¡¡another¡¡full¡¡minute¡¡she¡¡stopped¡¡reading¡¡the¡¡messages¡¡and¡¡turned¡¡to¡¡leave¡£
¡¡¡¨Oh£»¡¡is¡¡that¡¡psychologist¡¡still¡¡around£¿¡¨
¡¡¡¨Dr¡£¡¡Roberts£¿¡¡No£»¡¡he¡¡left¡¡with¡¡Colonel¡¡Conrad¡¡after¡¡the¡¡meeting¡£¡¨
¡¡Elizabeth's¡¡face¡¡showed¡¡just¡¡a¡¡hint¡¡of¡¡disappointment¡£¡¡Then¡¡she¡¡took¡¡the¡¡blue¡¡folder¡¡out¡¡from¡¡under¡¡her¡¡arm¡¡and¡¡handed¡¡it¡¡to¡¡Nick¡£
¡¡¡¨These¡¡are¡¡the¡¡satellite¡¡photos¡¡you¡¡wanted¡£¡¨
¡¡As¡¡she¡¡walked¡¡out¡¡the¡¡door¡¡Nick¡¡began¡¡to¡¡understand¡¡what¡¡had¡¡happened¡£¡¡The¡¡satellite¡¡photos¡¡normally¡¡would¡¡have¡¡been¡¡delivered¡¡by¡¡a¡¡staff¡¡member¡£¡¡Elizabeth£»¡¡Nick¡¡realized£»¡¡had¡¡actually¡¡e¡¡to¡¡ask¡¡about¡¡Dr¡£¡¡Roberts¡£¡¡Why¡¡would¡¡Elizabeth¡¡Hawthorne¡¡want¡¡a¡¡psychologist£¿¡¡It¡¡seemed¡¡so¡¡unlikely¡£¡¡Elizabeth¡¡Hawthorne's¡¡life¡¡had¡¡focused¡¡on¡¡getting¡¡and¡¡exercising¡¡power¡£¡¡She¡¡thrived¡¡on¡¡crisis¡¡management¡£¡¡But¡¡if¡¡Elizabeth¡¡did¡¡not¡¡want¡¡to¡¡see¡¡the¡¡psychologist¡¡for¡¡herself£»¡¡then¡¡who£¿¡¡The¡¡President£¿¡¡Nick¡¡thought¡¡back¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Security¡¡Council¡¡meeting¡£¡¡He¡¡had¡¡noted¡¡a¡¡change¡¡in¡¡the¡¡President¡£¡¡He¡¡still¡¡functioned£»¡¡he¡¡ran¡¡the¡¡meeting£»¡¡with¡¡Elizabeth's¡¡whispered¡¡help£»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡seemed¡¡uncharacteristically¡¡single¡minded¡£¡¡He¡¡wanted¡¡to¡¡know¡¡what¡¡had¡¡happened¡¡and¡¡what¡¡could¡¡be¡¡done¡¡about¡¡it¡£¡¡Still£»¡¡wouldn't¡¡any¡¡President¡¡respond¡¡the¡¡same¡¡way£¿
¡¡Nick¡¡pushed¡¡his¡¡concerns¡¡about¡¡the¡¡President¡¡to¡¡the¡¡back¡¡of¡¡his¡¡mind¡¡and¡¡opened¡¡the¡¡folder¡£¡¡The¡¡top¡¡photo¡¡was¡¡from¡¡Landsat¡¡of¡¡the¡¡North¡¡American¡¡continent£»¡¡zoomed¡¡in¡¡on¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡£¡¡The¡¡continent¡¡looked¡¡like¡¡a¡¡quilt¡£¡¡Contrasting¡¡topological¡¡colors¡¡were¡¡sprinkled¡¡from¡¡the¡¡East¡¡Coast¡¡to¡¡the¡¡West¡¡Coast£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡sprinkling¡¡continued¡¡into¡¡the¡¡sections¡¡of¡¡both¡¡Canada¡¡and¡¡Mexico¡¡that¡¡were¡¡visible¡¡on¡¡the¡¡photo¡£¡¡Other¡¡photos¡¡showed¡¡similar¡¡effects¡¡in¡¡both¡¡eastern¡¡and¡¡western¡¡Europe¡£¡¡There¡¡were¡¡no¡¡photos¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Southern¡¡Hemisphere£»¡¡but¡¡Nick¡¡had¡¡no¡¡doubt¡¡the¡¡effect¡¡was¡¡worldwide¡£
¡¡Deeper¡¡into¡¡the¡¡pile¡¡of¡¡photos¡¡and¡¡analysis¡¡reports£»¡¡he¡¡found¡¡a¡¡photo¡¡taken¡¡off¡¡the¡¡Florida¡¡coast¡£¡¡An¡¡attached¡¡report¡¡noted¡¡that¡¡a¡¡tidal¡¡wave¡¡had¡¡washed¡¡over¡¡part¡¡of¡¡Florida's¡¡gulf¡¡coast¡£¡¡The¡¡photo¡¡of¡¡the¡¡ocean¡¡showed¡¡massive¡¡amounts¡¡of¡¡debris¡¡in¡¡the¡¡water¡£¡¡The¡¡water¡¡itself¡¡looked¡¡more¡¡like¡¡mud£»¡¡and¡¡there¡¡were¡¡whole¡¡evergreen¡¡trees¡¡mixed¡¡in¡¡the¡¡muck£»¡¡their¡¡roots¡¡and¡¡crowns¡¡jumbled¡¡together¡£¡¡Wherever¡¡this¡¡land¡¡had¡¡been¡¡displaced¡¡from£»¡¡it¡¡had¡¡the¡¡bad¡¡luck¡¡of¡¡being¡¡displaced¡¡into¡¡the¡¡ocean¡£¡¡Whatever¡¡animal¡¡or¡¡human¡¡life¡¡it¡¡had¡¡held¡¡was¡¡lost¡¡now¡£
¡¡There¡¡were¡¡three¡¡sealed¡¡envelopes¡¡at¡¡the¡¡bottom¡¡of¡¡the¡¡pile¡¡marked¡¡SECRET¡¡and¡¡stamped¡¡with¡¡a¡¡red¡¡top¡secret¡¡seal¡£¡¡One¡¡envelope¡¡was¡¡labeled¡¡New¡¡York¡¡City£»¡¡the¡¡second¡¡Atlanta£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡third¡¡Montreal¡£¡¡Each¡¡envelope¡¡carried¡¡a¡¡label¡¡with¡¡the¡¡obligatory¡¡warning¡¡against¡¡unauthorized¡¡access¡¡to¡¡the¡¡information¡¡inside¡¡and¡¡the¡¡requisite¡¡listing¡¡of¡¡penalties¡£¡¡The¡¡first¡¡envelope¡¡included¡¡an¡¡aerial¡¡photo¡¡of¡¡New¡¡York¡¡City¡a¡¡picture¡¡worth¡¡a¡¡thousand¡¡words£»¡¡snowing¡¡what¡¡Nick¡¡had¡¡only¡¡read¡¡about¡£¡¡At¡¡first¡¡glance¡¡it¡¡looked¡¡normal£»¡¡but¡¡scribed¡¡across¡¡one¡¡edge¡¡of¡¡the¡¡city¡¡was¡¡a¡¡neat¡¡line¡£¡¡On¡¡one¡¡side¡¡was¡¡a¡¡dense¡¡urban¡¡setting£»¡¡on¡¡the¡¡other¡¡side£»¡¡nothing¡£¡¡Nick¡¡had¡¡heard¡¡the¡¡devastation¡¡described¡¡as¡¡¡¨prairie¡¨¡¡in¡¡some¡¡reports£»¡¡but¡¡from¡¡an¡¡aerial¡¡photo¡¡it¡¡looked¡¡like¡¡a¡¡void¡£¡¡A¡¡second¡¡photo¡¡showed¡¡more¡¡of¡¡the¡¡city¡¡and¡¡the¡¡surrounding¡¡urban¡¡area¡£¡¡The¡¡shape¡¡of¡¡the¡¡void¡¡approximated¡¡an¡¡oval¡£¡¡Pulling¡¡the¡¡Landsat¡¡photo¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡stack¡¡again£»¡¡Nick¡¡held¡¡it¡¡close¡¡to¡¡his¡¡eyes¡£¡¡Most¡¡of¡¡the¡¡quilt¡¡pieces¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡be¡¡oval¡£
¡¡The¡¡third¡¡photo¡¡confused¡¡him¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡the¡¡same¡¡photo¡¡of¡¡New¡¡York£»¡¡but¡¡in¡¡this¡¡photo¡¡the¡¡section¡¡of¡¡missing¡¡city¡¡was¡¡there¡£¡¡He¡¡looked¡¡closely¡¡at¡¡it£»¡¡noticing¡¡that¡¡part¡¡of¡¡the¡¡photo¡where¡¡the¡¡quilt¡¡section¡¡had¡¡been¡was¡¡fuzzy¡£¡¡There¡¡were¡¡time¡¡notations¡¡in¡¡the¡¡bottom¡¡corner¡¡of¡¡the¡¡photos£»¡¡indicating¡¡that¡¡the¡¡third¡¡was¡¡taken¡¡after¡¡the¡¡photo¡¡with¡¡the¡¡void¡£¡¡Nick¡¡examined¡¡the¡¡photos¡¡again¡£¡¡The¡¡third¡¡photo¡¡showed¡¡the¡¡city¡¡in¡¡the¡¡center¡¡of¡¡the¡¡quilt¡¡section¡¡that¡¡became¡¡fuzzy¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡edges¡£¡¡Was¡¡the¡¡city¡¡ing¡¡back£¿¡¡Nick¡¡turned¡¡to¡¡the¡¡acpanying¡¡report¡¡and¡¡began¡¡to¡¡read¡£¡¡When¡¡he¡¡finished¡¡he¡¡immediately¡¡began¡¡posing¡¡a¡¡message¡¡for¡¡the¡¡PresNet£»¡¡the¡¡top¡¡secret¡¡classification¡¡quickly¡¡forgotten¡£¡¡While¡¡he¡¡typed£»¡¡a¡¡message¡¡appeared¡¡at¡¡the¡¡bottom¡¡of¡¡the¡¡screen¡£¡¡As¡¡it¡¡scrolled¡¡up¡¡Nick¡¡realized¡¡it¡¡was¡¡essentially¡¡the¡¡message¡¡he¡¡was¡¡about¡¡to¡¡send¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡from¡¡Dr¡£¡¡Gogh¡£
¡¡
¡¡44¡£¡¡¡¡OCEAN¡¡RIDE
¡¡
¡¡People¡¡of¡¡all¡¡ages¡¡will¡¡bee¡¡prisoners¡¡of¡¡the¡¡unseen¡£¡¡Good¡¡times¡¡will¡¡bee¡¡times¡¡of¡¡misfortune£»¡¡bitterness¡¡will¡¡replace¡¡sweetness£º¡¡The¡¡wealth¡¡of¡¡nations¡¡will¡¡float¡¡in¡¡the¡¡wind£»
¡¡¡Zorastrus£»¡¡Prophet¡¡of¡¡Babylon
¡¡
¡¡Off¡¡Naples£»¡¡Florida
¡¡POSTQUILT£º¡¡TUESDAY£»¡¡¡¡12£º00¡¡NOON¡¡EST
¡¡
¡¡¡¡Ron¡¡woke¡¡at¡¡midday¡¡to¡¡find¡¡everyone¡¡else¡¡asleep¡¡on¡¡the¡¡back¡¡of¡¡the¡¡beast¡£¡¡He¡¡was¡¡thirsty£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡water¡¡had¡¡to¡¡be¡¡rationed¡£¡¡Even¡¡with¡¡a¡¡deep¡¡tan£»¡¡the¡¡sun¡¡burned¡¡his¡¡back¡£¡¡He¡¡tried¡¡rolling¡¡over£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡sun¡¡was¡¡too¡¡bright¡£¡¡Sleep¡¡eluded¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡found¡¡himself¡¡studying¡¡the¡¡baby¡£
¡¡It¡¡was¡¡a¡¡magnificent¡¡animal¡£¡¡It¡¡had¡¡a¡¡long¡¡neck¡¡like¡¡an¡¡elephant's¡¡trunk¡£¡¡A¡¡triangular¡¡head¡¡was¡¡covered¡¡with¡¡slick¡¡gray¡green¡¡skin£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡had¡¡large¡¡black¡¡eyes£»¡¡with¡¡eyelids¡¡that¡¡blinked¡¡occasionally£»¡¡clearing¡¡away¡¡the¡¡salt¡¡spray¡£
¡¡Ron¡¡was¡¡staring¡¡into¡¡the¡¡water¡¡looking¡¡for¡¡the¡¡legs¡¡when¡¡he¡¡realized¡¡the¡¡baby¡¡was¡¡moving¡¡toward¡¡him¡£¡¡It¡¡swam¡¡closer¡¡and¡¡fell¡¡a¡¡little¡¡behind¡¡the¡¡mother¡¡and¡¡then¡¡swung¡¡its¡¡head¡¡to¡¡look¡¡at¡¡Ron¡¡square¡¡on¡£¡¡His¡¡heart¡¡started¡¡to¡¡pound£»¡¡but¡¡not¡¡from¡¡fear£»¡¡from¡¡excitement¡£¡¡There¡¡was¡¡curiosity¡¡in¡¡those¡¡huge¡¡round¡¡eyes£»¡¡maybe¡¡even¡¡intelligence¡£¡¡Ron¡¡slowly¡¡raised¡¡his¡¡head¡¡and¡¡smiled¡¡at¡¡the¡¡face£»¡¡almost¡¡ready¡¡to¡¡talk¡¡to¡¡the¡¡baby£»¡¡when¡¡the¡¡mother¡¡turned¡¡her¡¡head¡¡in¡¡a¡¡slow¡¡pendulous¡¡motion¡¡and¡¡made¡¡a¡¡bleating¡¡sound¡£¡¡The¡¡baby¡¡immediately¡¡returned¡¡to¡¡its¡¡position¡¡in¡¡the¡¡mother's¡¡peripheral¡¡vision¡£¡¡Ron¡¡felt¡¡sad¡¡when¡¡it¡¡left¡£
¡¡They¡¡passed¡¡out¡¡water¡¡in¡¡the¡¡early¡¡afternoon£»¡¡each¡¡taking¡¡a¡¡little¡£¡¡It¡¡couldn't¡¡be¡¡more¡¡than¡¡eighty¡¡degrees£»¡¡yet¡¡with¡¡so¡¡little¡¡to¡¡drink¡¡it¡¡seemed¡¡like¡¡a¡¡hundred¡£¡¡Ron¡¡hoped¡¡his¡¡estimate¡¡of¡¡distance¡¡was¡¡correct¡¡because¡¡if¡¡it¡¡took¡¡more¡¡than¡¡a¡¡couple¡¡of¡¡days£»¡¡they¡¡would¡¡be¡¡dead¡¡of¡¡thirst¡£
¡¡As¡¡Ron¡¡took¡¡his¡¡turn¡¡at¡¡drinking¡¡he¡¡noticed¡¡the¡¡baby¡¡had¡¡dropped¡¡back¡¡again¡¡and¡¡was¡¡watching¡¡him¡£¡¡The¡¡baby's¡¡face¡¡was¡¡nothing¡¡but¡¡taught¡¡gray¡green¡¡skin£»¡¡but¡¡Ron¡¡imagined¡¡h