Chapter 10 Chapter 7 ABC Television Studios

"ABC Television Studios," she said to the driver, "come on." Michael Tolland lay on his side on the ice, his head resting on one outstretched arm, in a position he no longer felt himself in.He managed to keep his eyes open even though he felt his eyelids were heavy.From this unusual vantage point, Tolland took one last look at a world that tilted eerily to one side—only sea and glaciers now.It seemed fitting to end a day where nothing seemed normal. Half conscious, half unconscious, Tolland stared intently at the distant waves.The wind roared around him. That's when Tolland started hallucinating.A monstrous figure rose from the water next to the iceberg, leaping out of the water with an ominous hiss.The thing gradually approached, and then dragged the person away.

Rachel... Tolland felt someone grab him roughly. After that, he doesn't remember anything. Gabrielle came to ABC to meet Yolanda Kerr. Typically, one would find Yolanda in the studio's high-rent rooms—those glass-walled offices reserved for decision makers who really needed a quiet place to think things through.But tonight, Yolanda was very busy in the exchange-like room outside.Seeing Gabrielle, Yolanda let out an enthusiastic scream as usual. "Garbus!" Yolanda was wearing a batik coat and tawny glasses.She was the same, with pounds of tacky costume jewelry hanging like gold wire.She waved her hand and walked over, "Hug!"

Yolanda Cole worked for ABC in Washington for sixteen years as a content editor for news programming.Yolanda once sheltered Gabrielle and helped her get through the relationship.Now every few months, Gabrielle comes over to say hello. Yolanda looks skeptical when Gabrielle tells Yolanda she knows what the president's press conference was about.However, seeing the red White House envelope in Gabrielle's hand, Yolanda led Gabrielle into her office for a talk. In Yolanda's secluded glass office, Gabrielle confided in her trusted friend about her one-night stand with Sexton, and Tench had photographs to prove it.She also told Yolanda Tench that Sexton was accusing Sexton of taking bribes from the airline, and that the secret meeting of the Space Frontier Foundation she had just overheard confirmed the authenticity of the bribery incident.In this regard, Yolanda still did not show the slightest surprise or worry—she was not disturbed until Gabrielle told her what she had planned.

Yolanda looked worried at this point, "Gabrielle, if you're going to hand over a legal paper that says you had an affair with a U.S. Senator and you sit back and watch while he lies about it, that's fine. It's your business. But listen to me, it's a very unwise move on your part. You've got to think about the long term and think about what it means to you." Immediately afterwards, Yolanda not only pointed out that Tench's actions were just an act of intimidation, but she assured Gabrielle that she had dealt with the White House for sixteen years and knew that Zach Hurney would never Called in the world's media just to tell them he suspected Senator Sexton of taking shady campaign money or having an affair with his female aide.

Just as Gabrielle was about to defend herself, Yolanda's cell phone rang.Yolanda learned that the press conference had something to do with NASA. Before going out, Yolanda forcibly took the red White House envelope from Gabrielle. Yolanda carefully locked the photo in a desk drawer and put the key in her pocket. "You'll thank me, Garbus. I'm sure." She played with Gabrielle's hair on the way out. "Just wait and see. I think good news is coming. " Gabrielle sat alone in her glass office, trying to infect her with Yolanda's optimism and lift her spirits.But all Gabrielle could think of was the self-satisfied smile on Marjorie Tench's face this afternoon.Gabrielle couldn't imagine what the president was about to tell the world, but it wouldn't be good news for Senator Sexton.

Rachel Sexton felt like she was being burned alive. The sky is on fire! Rachel tried to open her eyes, but all she could see were blurred figures and dizzy lights.It's raining all around now.Hot raindrops fell one after another, hitting her bare skin.Lying on her side, she could feel the warm tiles beneath her.She curled her body even tighter, into a fetal position, trying to protect herself from being scalded by the boiling water falling from the sky.She smelled a chemical, probably chlorine.She wanted to crawl away, but couldn't leave.A pair of strong hands pressed down on her shoulders and pushed her to the ground.

At this time, the past resurfaces one after another, and the mind feels dull.In this state of confusion and bewilderment, a thought came to her: Michael and Corky... where are they? Rachel tried to see the blurry outlines, but only saw the people standing above her.They are all wearing the same blue jumpsuit.She wanted to speak, but not a single word could come out of her mouth.The burning sensation on the skin gradually disappeared at this moment, and suddenly turned into bursts of severe pain, which spread throughout the body like tremors caused by an earthquake. Gradually, Rachel's limbs could move a little.After the injection, the pain gradually disappeared, and she felt that she could breathe normally again.Eventually, the water above stopped.Rachel opened her eyes, her vision clearer than before.

That's when she saw them. Corky and Tolland lay beside them, trembling, half naked, wet.Looking at the expressions on their faces, Rachel realized that they had just been through similar pain to hers.Rachel tried to sit up, wanting to take a closer look at this unusual environment.The three of them, half naked, were lying in a shivering ball on the floor of a small shower room. Several strong arms pulled Rachel up. Rachel found the muscular strangers drying her body and wrapping her in blankets.They put her on what looked like a hospital bed, massaged her arms, legs, and feet vigorously, and gave her another shot in the arm.

At this time, Rachel had a feeling of being resurrected from the dead.This group of mysterious people had saved them just now, and Rachel had no doubts about it. After a brief conversation, Rachel learned that she was on the USS Charlotte submarine.When the captain of the submarine heard Rachel's name, he recognized her immediately.Rachel had analyzed numerous reconnaissance reports from the submarine.When the captain asks how they got there, Rachel offers to speak to NRO Director William Pickering.But she changed her mind when she saw the clock on the sub that hung on the wall above the medicine cabinet.Eastern Standard Time, 7:51 p.m.Rachel also had time to prevent the president from releasing the erroneous data.She immediately made up her mind to speak directly to the president.

A White House operator raced to the press room at full speed, a cordless phone in her hand. In a small infirmary on the USS Charlotte submarine, Rachel Sexton clutched the phone receiver to her ear, looking forward to speaking with the president.There are only four minutes left, and the clock is still ticking. The White House operator sprinted to the press room entrance and was about to squeeze past the president, who was waiting at the entrance twenty yards away, when suddenly a tall barricade blocked her way.Marjorie Tench. Tench stared at the operator with hard eyes, then held out a hand like a spider's claw. "Call me."

At this point, the press conference has all been prepared. "Sixty seconds to go!" shouted the TV supervisor. Aboard the Charlotte, Rachel Sexton was pacing impatiently in the sealed sub when she finally heard a click on the phone.However, to her surprise, it was Marjorie Tench who answered the phone. Tench criticized Rachel on the other end of the phone.She decided that it was ill-intentioned for Rachel to call the White House on an unprotected line in an attempt to interrupt a major presidential televised speech at this critical moment.When Rachel told her that there was a problem with the meteorite data, Tench became even more furious and threatened to go to jail.No matter what Rachel said, Tench didn't believe it at all.She thinks Rachel's approach is a bit like a publicity stunt used by mean Sexton. Rachel's mouth was still open in shock, when the captain knocked on the door. "Ms. Sexton," said the captain, squinting his eyes into the house, "we have a weak signal from the Canadian National Radio. President Zach Hurney has just started his press conference." Standing on the podium in the White House press room, Zach Herney felt the temperature of the media spotlight and was sure that the whole world was watching this scene.This purposeful propaganda war orchestrated by the White House press office caused a commotion among the major media outlets. When Zhun Ben was on the stage to give a speech just now, Herney noticed Marjorie Tench's strange behavior.She was actually answering the call with a cordless phone in the yellow hallway.Herney didn't have time to think about it, so he was prompted to step onto the podium. "Good evening," Herney began, sounding strangely prim, "my fellow countrymen and friends from all over the world . . . " In NASA's sojourn sphere on Ellesmere Island, Administrator Lawrence Extron stared intently at the blackened monolith looming prominently in front of him.He sat waiting for the signal, feeling a deep sense of shame lodged in him. He lied... and lied. But somehow those lies seemed irrelevant at the moment.Something much more important weighed on Extron's mind. In the chaotic ABC studio, Gabrielle Ash stood shoulder to shoulder with strangers, craning her neck to stare at the row of TV screens hanging from the ceiling.There was silence before the big moment.Gabrielle closed her eyes, praying that she wouldn't see herself naked when she opened them. The atmosphere in Senator Sexton's study was exhilarating.All the guests stood up at this moment, their eyes fixed on the big-screen TV. "Two weeks ago," Herney said, "NASA's new polar-orbiting density-scanning satellite swept over the Milne Ice Shelf on Ellesmere Island and detected a block buried two hundred feet beneath the ice. Meteorite. A few hours ago, NASA hauled an eight-ton meteorite out of the Arctic ice that contained..." The president paused again, allowing time for the world to gather Come, "A meteorite containing fossilized organisms, and many such fossils. It proves beyond a doubt that alien life exists." Just at this moment, a vivid picture lit up on the screen behind the president—a burnt black rock, embedded in the rock was a giant insect fossil with a very clear outline. In Sexton's study, the six entrepreneurs startled, eyes wide with horror.Sexton also stood there dumbfounded. "Friends," said the President, "the fossil behind me is 190 million years old. It was found in a fragment of a meteorite known as the Jong Sol Fall, Jong Sol. Thor fell into the Arctic Ocean about three hundred years ago. NASA's exciting new polar-orbiting density-scanning satellite found the meteorite fragment buried beneath an ice shelf. NASA and the government of this country are in Every aspect of this momentous discovery has been confirmed with the utmost care over the past fortnight before it is made public, and for the next half hour you will see, in addition to a short documentary film by a familiar figure - who I'm sure you all know - will also hear from numerous NASA and unofficial scientists. But before going any further, I must welcome someone live via satellite broadcast over the Arctic Circle , his outstanding leadership, vision and hard work are the only reasons for this historic moment. It is with great honor that I introduce Nasa Administrator Lawrence Extron." Extron spoke enthusiastically about NASA and the discovery.After bragging about patriotism and brilliance, he aptly shifted the scene to a documentary hosted by Michael Tolan, an unofficial scientist and celebrity. Senator Sexton was watching the TV, then knelt down in front of the TV, clutching his silver hair tightly with his fingers.No!God, no! Furious, Marjorie Tench walked away from the jubilant and chaotic crowd outside the press room and hurried back to her secluded corner of the West Wing.She was in no mood to celebrate.Rachel Sexton's call came out of nowhere. Extremely disappointing. Tench slammed the office door, stalked over to his desk, and dialed the White House operator. "Pick me up for William Pickering, NRO." Concerned that Rachel Sexton was enlisting the help of some powerful allies in antagonizing the White House and NASA, Tench warned Pickering on the phone not to have anything to do with Rachel. Call him and notify her immediately. Pickering gets a call from Tench, still upset that NASA had concealed the meteor incident from him, and on the other hand, he learns that Rachel Sexton has been sent by the President to Mill En ice shelf research first-hand information, and she also found that there are serious errors in the meteorite data. On the top floor of the NRO, William Pickering stood at the window gazing out at the Virginia night.A call from Marjorie Tench is deeply worrying.He bit his lip, trying to sort out the messy thoughts in his head. "Director?" His secretary said, knocking lightly on the door, "You still have a phone call." "Not now," said Pickering absently. "It's Rachel Sexton." Pickering turned sharply, and Tench was clearly a fortune-teller. "Okay, get her on the phone right away." "Honestly, sir, that's an encrypted video and audio stream. Are you going to watch it in the conference room?" Video audio streaming? "Where is she calling from?" The secretary told him. Pickering's eyes widened.Bewildered, he hurried down the corridor to the conference room.This is what he must see. In the anechoic room on the Charlotte, the submarine staff connected Rachel to Chief William Pickering.With a burst of quick beeps and clicks, the video screen in front of them suddenly flashed a startlingly clear image of Director Pickering in the NRO conference room.Alone, he jerked his head up to meet Rachel's gaze. Rachel felt a strange wave of relief at the sight of him. "Ms. Sexton," he said, looking puzzled and anxious, "what's the matter?" "Meteor, sir," said Rachel, "I think we may have a big problem." In the Charlotte's anechoic chamber, Rachel Sexton introduced Michael Tolan and Corky Marlinson to Pickering.Immediately afterwards, Rachel took over the topic and quickly talked about a series of incredible things that happened that day. The NRO director sat still and listened. After listening to Rachel's narration, Pickering wondered if the channel stuffed into the meteorite might be a natural phenomenon, but Rachel showed Pickering the ground-penetrating radar printout, which showed that the There is no gap in the passage.Rachel is shocked to learn that Tench has called Pickering. As for Pickering's question of why NASA has gone so far as to stuff a meteorite containing fossils under the ice in the North Pole, Rachel believes that they did so for the Polar Orbit Density Scan satellite to discover, and that A meteorite appears to be a fragment from the famous Jong Sol fall collision.In this regard, Pickering suspects that the meteorite itself may be fake.Facing Pickering's speculation, Corky Mallinson overturned Pickering's hypothesis from his profound professional perspective, and also took out a meteorite specimen from his pocket to prove the authenticity of the meteorite. That's when a police officer in the White House called Marjorie Tench.They had tracked down the source of the radio call Rachel Sexton had made to her earlier in the evening.The phone signal came from the USS Charlotte Navy submarine.