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〃Sam； we have dozens of highly classified projects going on right this minute。 I mentioned only three。 I am ordering that all of these projects be shut down immediately。 You understand me？ No testing； no operation； no experimentation。 Until we know what has happened we're not going to risk having it happen again。〃
〃But Mr。 President…〃
〃No buts； Sam； shut everything down。〃
Samuel Cannon opened his mouth to speak but then closed it again。 It was clear he was not through arguing； but he knew better then to pursue it in this setting。 Then the President stunned the CIA director again。
〃Have you considered any other sources for this effect？〃
〃Yes； sir； but the most technologically sophisticated countries are all friendly。 We're less certain about the Russian Federation。 We know the Baltic Union wouldn't have the sophistication； but the Federation retained most of the U…S。S。R。's technological capabilities。〃
〃I'm not talking about other countries。 I'm talking about other species。〃
〃Animals 。 。 。 like whales or something？〃
〃Sam； I'm talking about the possibility that this is the result of an act by an alien intelligence。 Have you considered this？ Why not？〃
Gogh had stopped reading and was listening intently to the exchange between the President and the CIA director。 From his face Nick couldn't tell where Gogh stood on the idea。
〃Sir； there is no evidence to support such a theory。〃 The CIA director looked embarrassed for the President。
〃There is no evidence to reject such a theory either； isn't that right？〃
Sam was nonplussed and began whispering back and forth with his aide。
〃We will explore this possibility； sir； perhaps through the SETI people； or Bluebook。〃
Nick's eyes again went wide。 He hadn't heard project Blue…book mentioned for more than a decade。 Was it possible that the air force was still exploring UFO sightings？ Nick began wishing he always had access to Security Council meetings； they were so full of juicy bits of information。
〃Please do； Sam。 I know this sounds crazy but I'm serious。 I've always believed that somewhere in the universe there has to be another form of intelligent life。 This may be the prelude to an invasion； or it could be some kind of friendly gesture。 I know what you're thinking； Sam； but check it out anyway。 All right； let's continue；〃 the President said； running his finger back down the agenda。 This time he found his place without Elizabeth's help。
The next report focused on the civilian situation and contained more reports of terrain changes。 The biggest confirmed loss was part of New York City； but there were other losses in Florida； Texas； Maryland； and South Carolina。 Most of these were known because of military base losses in the same area。 Nick mentally added what he heard on the radio to the list。 Civilian losses hadn't been estimated； but Nick guessed they were already in the tens of millions。
The last part of the civilian assessment dealt with munication problems。 The country still had a munication network but now it resembled a piece of swiss cheese。 Radio and television facilities had disappeared in some regions； while still others had been affected by an electromagnetic pulse。 The EMP was weaker than that which acpanies a nuclear blast but was strong enough to damage some remaining facilities。 Other holes in the munication network were caused by loss of satellites。 What the country was left with was a shattered network where some cities still had local TV； radio； and phone service； while others had long…distance service； but no local。
Nick tried to picture morning in America。 Some would be getting up to find their favorite network morning program absent from the airwaves but local news filling in。 Others would be waking in the dark； using a portable radio trying to find someone still broadcasting。 Everywhere people would be jamming the remaining phone systems to reach loved ones or to request emergency services…services that would be slow in ing。
The report ended with a promise to keep Elizabeth updated。 This time when Elizabeth pointed to the President's agenda he looked up at Nick。
〃Dr。 Paulson； you seem to be next。 Would you please give us your report。〃 The President glanced at Gogh briefly before he turned to Nick； who felt like a second…string quarterback thrown into the big game。
〃Thank you； Mr。 President。 First； this is not an attack on the United States。〃 Then he added； as an afterthought； 〃Not an attack from another country anyway； I will have to consider the possibility of an extraterrestrial source。〃 The President looked pleased that Nick had not thought of his theory； but the corners of Gogh's mouth turned up slightly。
〃Nick；〃 the President asked； 〃how do you know this isn't an attack？〃
〃This phenomenon has crossed borders；〃 Nick said simply； 〃and I have seen reports that it may be a worldwide phenomenon。 It seems illogical that someone with hostile intent would release a weapon that seems to act indiscriminantly。〃
The President turned and gave the CIA director an icy stare。 〃That right； Sam？ I didn't hear anything about this happening in other countries in your report。〃
〃I dealt with only confirmed reports。 We have only unconfirmed reports from overseas 。 。 。 there was some speculation that the overseas phenomena might have been a smoke screen…〃
〃That's enough；〃 McIntyre said sternly； cutting the CIA director off。 The President's jaw was set and his eyes were cold。 〃Go on； Dr。 Paulson。〃
〃Second； there is no technological or theoretical basis for producing such phenomena。〃
〃Dr。 Paulson 。 。 。 Nick 。 。 。 saying that what has happened couldn't happen isn't particularly useful〃
〃That's not what I am saying； sir。 I am suggesting that this may be a natural phenomenon。〃
The President was about to speak again when Gogh interrupted。 〃Natural？ There is nothing natural about disappearing cities； and topographical disruption。 There is no record of any similar events ever recorded。〃
〃I know it hasn't happened in the modern era； but there are ancient records that suggest something similar。 Floods； lost continents； missing peoples； a number of events that are not dissimilar。〃
Gogh was giving Nick a hard stare； but the President seemed genuinely interested in Nick's theory； so Nick switched into his 〃explain it to the public〃 mode。 〃We've been on this planet for only a tiny slice of geological time。 If you think of the life of this planet in terms of a twenty…four…hour clock； then the dinosaurs appeared about an hour ago and people have been here for only the last few seconds。 There is over twenty…three hours of clock we are still trying to understand。 This could have happened many； times before； but we would be unaware of it。〃
〃There would be geologic； or fossil records； of such an event；〃 Gogh insisted。
〃There might be such evidence； but without a disciplinary matrix that includes time displacement as part of the theoretical basis such evidence would be explained in terms of existing theory； or dismissed as a theoretical anomaly。 One example that es to mind is the finding of human footprints in the same rock that carries dinosaur footprints。 We have assumed that the footprints could not be human because humans and dinosaurs did not exist in the same era。 Instead of trying to understand how humans and dinosaurs might have ended up together； we hypothesize an unknown dinosaur that makes a human…looking footprint。〃
〃There was such a dinosaur；〃 Gogh interrupted。
〃There was a dinosaur that made a footprint that did resemble a human's； yes。 But to explain the human…looking footprint found in the riverbed rock； you have to add erosion。 Enough erosion to remove the foreclaws。〃
〃It is a reasonable hypothesis；〃 Gogh persisted。
〃Reasonable； yes； but Occam's razor tells us to take the simplest explanation； and 〃that is that those are human footprints。〃
〃It's not simpler at all。 Putting humans and dinosaurs together violates a century of research supporting the theory of evolution。〃
〃Not if time displacement had occurred。 Some dinosaurs could have been displaced and for a short time coexisted with humans。〃
While Nick was talking； Elizabeth whispered in the President's ear。 This time he waved his hand at her in dismissal。
〃Dr。 Paulson； you mentioned time displacement；〃 the President said。 〃What is it you are talking about？〃
Nick was surprised by the question。 It was clear to him what had happened because he had a theory that allowed him to organize the bits and pieces of evidence。 But the meeting's various reports dealt with the impact； not the event。
〃Yes； sir。 I believe that the best way to describe the situation is time displacement。 Sections of our present have been replaced by sections of the past。 Think about the reports： sections of land suddenly snow covered； deserts； lava flows； tundra； jungle…all could be from our past。〃
〃But snow is certainly mon enough even in this age； and lava； and desert。 I see nothing that requires us to assume any kind of time disruption。 Why not topographical displacement？〃
〃There are also reports of dinosaurs。〃
Everyone at the table straightened up and began murmuring。 Nick looked around the table。 All the officials were talking to their aides