按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Shouldn't we take steps to protect the residents near the displaced segments？〃 Nick prodded；
Still the President ignored him。 Nick caught Elizabeth's eye； and she shook her head briefly； indicating they had done nothing about this。
Finally Gogh spoke。 〃I'm sure the local authorities are taking care of that problem； but as you will see there may not be any need for federal action。 Next slide； please。 This slide shows New York an hour later。 Notice that the missing segment is back。〃
Instantly the room erupted into a mixture of relief； disbelief； and hope。 For a minute Gogh enjoyed the effect of his pronouncement； then pushed on。
〃Notice the fuzzy sections around the displaced segment。 This next slide shows a blowup of the fuzzy section。〃
Another picture Nick had not seen appeared on the screen。 It was an aerial shot of buildings； but they were transparent and the golden color of the grassland showed through them。 More discussion rippled around the room； though the President sat quietly lost in his own thoughts。 Elizabeth tried to whisper to him again； but he dismissed her with another wave。
〃Notice the indefinite state of this section。〃 Gogh walked to the screen and pointed at the transparent section。 〃Notice also this ring。〃 He traced a thin golden section。 〃This is a section of grassland around the outer edge of the displaced segment。 The next photo was taken two hours later； and the next was taken an hour after that。〃
The next slide showed a New York City with a clearly missing section。 It was quickly followed by a slide showing New York with the piece back。 It took Nick a minute to notice the change。
〃You will see；〃 Dr。 Gogh said； pointing with a pen； 〃that the amount of city in the displaced segment is smaller and the indefinite area has pulled toward the center。 Notice also that the ring of grassland has grown larger。〃 Again he traced the golden ring around the oval。 〃This phenomena tells us two things。 First； that the effect appears to be in an indefinite state。 Second； that the effect is reaching a state of equilibrium； and doing so rather quickly。 The oscillations between city and prairie are irregular； but the growth of the stabilized time…displaced sections is increasing logarithmically。 We have little time to act。 Fortunately； we have developed a plan of action to deal with the problem。〃
Everyone at the table leaned forward at that point except the secretary of defense； who kept her eyes down and looked distinctly unfortable。
〃We have accepted the theory that the time displacement occurred as a result of time disruption created by the detonation of nuclear devices。 However； the idea that waves are sweeping across the surface of the planet has been rejected。 Instead； in conjunction with Dr。 Gomez； at the Fermi Institute； I have developed a model that shows that the current effects and the originating explosions are actually connected。〃
〃Connected how？〃 the CIA director asked。 〃The bomb testing you are talking about happened in the sixties； maybe even the fifties。〃
〃The explosions created an effect that crosses space and time。 The effect we have today is happening because the explosions are happening right now in the sixties。〃
Cannon shook his head in confusion but kept quiet。
〃Since the events in the past and the current event are linked； it means we have an opportunity to manipulate the event。 We intend to disrupt the effect before it has a chance to reach equilibrium by creating another time wave to counteract the effects of the one that produced our current problems。〃
Nick was confused for a moment。 He knew of no way to create a time wave except with dense matter； and the only human way to create dense matter was with a nuclear explosion。 Then he realized what Gogh was planning and a sick feeling swept over him。 A moment later Gogh confirmed what Nick was thinking。
〃We intend to use a nuclear detonation to create another wave。〃
As chaotic discussion followed； Gogh and the President waited it out。 Most of the questions directed at the President were the 〃Why wasn't I consulted？〃 type。 When order returned Nick managed to get the floor。
〃We don't know this will work。 We don't even know for sure this is caused by the nuclear explosions。 For all we know； it could be some factor interacting with the detonations to produce the effect。 Besides； what's happened to us wasn't pro…duced by a single bomb； it was the accumulative effects of hundreds of explosions。〃
〃That's why we intend to use more than one device。〃 Gogh waited； making Nick ask the obvious question。
〃How many more than one？〃
〃One hundred。〃
Even the stoic military officers gasped at the thought of detonating a hundred hydrogen bombs。 Nick was stunned by the thought but slowly realized if you were going to take this course of action you had little choice but to use such megatonnage。 The time wave that had disrupted Nick's present and sent millions； if not billions； of people spinning off into time wasn't caused by one or two bombs。 There had been nearly a thousand British and American bombs tested at the New Mexico test site alone。 From that perspective a hundred bombs was even conservative； but no human or natural event could match the power of one hundred warheads detonated in the atmosphere。 Krakatoa and Mount Saint Helens would pale in parison。 Nick recalled the nuclear winter concerns of a few years ago。 Even if they got the missing people back； they could lose them again to starvation。 Nick quickly assessed the benefits and costs and took his stand。
〃You can't do this。 We don't understand what we're dealing with yet。 All we have is a rudimentary theory and there is no evidence that this will return things to normal。 At best all you will do is create more time displacement and at worst 。 。 。 who knows？ We know it will cause vast destruction； and may have long…term effects。 You have heard of nuclear winter？〃
〃A discredited theory；〃
〃It won't be theory if we detonate that many warheads； and then it could be too late。〃
Nick was surprised to find the President and not Gogh responding。 〃We know what will happen if we don't do anything。 We will lose millions of our citizens； billions of dollars in prop…erty； not to mention the cost of rebuilding。 This country already has more debt than most of the rest of the world bined。 How will we rebuild from this？ You see； Dr。 Paulson； I am thinking of the human factor。 The human factor on a worldwide scale。〃
〃Mr。 President…〃 Nick began； but found himself cut off by the President。
〃We've considered the risks； Dr。 Paulson； as well as safety and other issues。〃 The President motioned for Gogh to continue； then picked up a paper clip and began twisting it into a shape he could twirl。
Gogh returned to his presentation with a new air of confidence and self…importance。 〃As the President indicated we have considered the consequences of this action and have taken steps to reduce risk。 First； we must select a displaced segment suitable to our needs。 The potential detonation sites are limited by several factors。 They must be U。S。 territory and must not require an overflight of another country to reach the site。 We have too little time to pursue diplomatic channels for overflight permission。 Second； the site should be located as far west as possible。 The effect spread from the east to the west； so there will be more instability in a western site。〃
The east…to…west spread was a new idea to Nick。 He hadn't seen that on the PresNetr and Gomez had not mentioned it。 Did the idea originate with Gogh？
〃Third； since the detonation will take place in our past it must be in an era that will not disrupt our present。 So far all the confirmed data suggests the displaced segments are from the Cretaceous period； but we can't be sure of all。 Some could be from more recent time periods and possibly even the future。〃
〃Dr。 Gogh；〃 Nick interrupted； 〃what do you mean the detonations will take place in our past？〃
〃We will select a displaced segment that is clearly not from the future； or the near past。〃
〃But all these segments are in the present now。〃
〃When the bombs go off they will return to the past。〃
〃What do you base that prediction on？〃
〃I've been in consultation with colleagues who agree that a new ripple could return the time segments back to where they came from。 Therefore； the explosions will take place in the past and remain in the past； and not affect our present。〃
〃Isn't it more accurate to say that your colleagues agree that time displacement is likely to occur again； but they are not sure whether the displaced segments will return to their own time or whether new displacement will occur？〃
〃There is some disagreement； yes。 However； it is a course of action with little or no risk and the potential of great gain。〃
〃No risk to you 。 。 。 to us 。。。 only if you're right about the detonations taking place in the past。 But what about whoever is at ground zero？〃
〃No one will be at ground zero。 Perhaps some animals； yes； but unless you're a radical antivivisectionist I can't believe you would exchange the lives of a few animals for millions of people。〃
Gogh's last sentence was spoken as if from a pulpit。 The President's eyes looked glassy an