Chapter 5 third chapter

When a forest fire or plague starts, for a very short period of time, a little bit of the right action can bring the situation under control, otherwise it can be catastrophic.Science folks describe this phase with exponential equations, but no math can understand this.The most important thing is to make early judgments and take decisive measures before things get out of control.The old man knew long ago what the president had to do—declare a national emergency, lock down the Des Moines area, shoot anyone who tried to escape, whether it was a hunting terrier or an old granny with a cracker bucket.Then, let the people inside come out one by one, take off their clothes, and look for parasites.Meanwhile, the guys in charge of the rocket and the space station use radar to identify new landing sites, crushing any new landing attempts.

To warn others and ask for their help - this is not the time to fret over the letter of international law, this is the time to fight the survival of the race against invaders from outer space.Right now, it doesn't matter where they come from—whether it's Mars, Venus, Jupiter, or simply outside our solar system.The most important thing is to repel the invasion. The old man solved the problem, analyzed the case, and got the correct answer in a little over twenty-four hours.He can reason logically on the basis of unfamiliar and implausible facts as if they were based on familiar and commonplace events.This is the talent that others can't match.does not matter?I have never met a man who put this method of reasoning into practice with all his heart.As long as they are faced with facts that conflict with basic tenets, most people will be stunned and their thinking will stagnate.Whether a fool or a person who thinks he is highly educated, the reaction to this situation is the same, and he can only spit out one sentence: "I can't believe it."

But the old man wasn't like that—and, besides, the President always listened to him. The Secret Service guards in charge of the President's security checked us carefully and were very polite. The X-ray machine beeped and I handed over the pistol.Although Mary was wearing clothes that couldn't hide a tax bill, she was a mobile arsenal: the machine beeped four times, plus a sound like a hiccup.The old man handed over his cane without waiting for orders.I could see that he didn't want to have his cane X-rayed. Our implantable talker took a lot of work for them.Both x-rays and metal detectors showed intercoms, but it was impossible for these guards to perform surgery on us.An immediate meeting was held between the captain of the guard and the presidential secretary, and it was decided that anything implanted in the skin could not be considered a potential weapon.

They took our fingerprints, left a photo of our retinas, and ushered us into the reception room.The old man was immediately taken away and presented to the president alone. "We have to be brought along for some reason," I said to Mary. "Everything we know the old man knows." She didn't answer and after a while we were ushered in.I found that I was so stage fright that I stumbled on my feet.When the old man introduced us, I stammered something.Mary bowed. The president said he was glad to see us, and he was smiling, the kind of smile you see on 3D TV - making us think he was really happy to see us.I felt warm in my heart, and I no longer felt awkward.

I don't worry anymore either.The president will take action with the help of the old man, and the disgusting and alarming things we have seen will be completely removed. The old man ordered me to report on everything I've done on this mission, and what I've seen and heard.I made a brief report. When it came to shooting Barnes, I tried to catch his eye.But he didn't show any expression - so I didn't mention the old man ordered the shooting and made it clear that I shot to protect another agent - Mary - because I saw Barnes reach for his gun.The old man interrupted me: "Report in full."

So, I said that old man Jian ordered to shoot.The president gave the old man's correction a look of approval, which was the only expression he showed.I went on about the parasite, and I went on because no one had told me to stop so far. Followed by Mary's report.She awkwardly tries to explain to the president why she expects a certain kind of reaction from ordinary people -- a reaction that doesn't come from the McLean brothers, the sheriff, and Barnes.The President gave her a hand, smiled gently at her, bowed slightly to her without changing his sitting posture, and said: "My dear young lady, I fully believe it."

Mary blushed and continued to report, while the President listened seriously.After she finished speaking, he asked a few questions, then sat in silence for several minutes without saying a word. He raised his head and said to the old man: "Andrew, your department has always been unmatched. At a critical juncture in history, your reports have broken the balance at least twice." The old man snorted. "So your answer is 'no.' Right?" "I didn't say that." "That's what you're going to say." The president shrugged, "I originally wanted to suggest that these two young men of yours go out for a while, but there is no need for it now. Andrew, you are a genius, but even geniuses make mistakes, such as overwork, loss of Judgment. I'm not a genius, but I learned to relax forty years ago. How long has it been since your last vacation?"

"To hell with your vacation! Listen, Tom, I expected that; that's why I brought in witnesses. They weren't drugged or ordered. Call in your psychoanalytic team, See if what they say is true or false." The President shook his head. "You don't bring in weak witnesses. I'm sure you're far smarter than anyone I've got to test them on this kind of thing. Take this young man for example. —he was willing to risk murder charges in order to protect you. You are a great way to inspire loyalty in your subordinates, Andrew. As for this young lady, Andrew, I cannot start a war on a woman's instincts."

Mary took a step forward and said very earnestly: "Mr. President, I really know this kind of thing, every time. Although I can't explain to you how I know-but those people are by no means normal men .” The President hesitated, then replied: "I'm not arguing with you. But you're not considering the obvious explanation - namely, that they were, uh, 'eunuchs.' Forgive me, miss. There was always In such unfortunate people. According to the law of chance, you meet four in one day." Mary was silent, but not the old man. "Damn it, Tom—" I startled.That's not okay to talk to the President like, "—I've known you since you were on the Senate investigative committee, and I was a key member of the investigation you chaired. You know, if this thing makes sense, use Any other way to explain it, I would never let you listen to such a fairy tale. But the facts cannot be ignored; they must be eliminated and must be taken seriously. What is that ship? What is in it? Can't get any closer?" He pulls out a photo taken from space station Beta and pokes it right under the president's nose.

The president is unperturbed. "Oh, yes, facts. Andrew, you and I are always fond of facts. But besides your department, I have a few other sources of information. Just take this picture - you put a lot of emphasis on this picture when you called .I have already checked. According to the local court records, the boundary of McLean Farm exactly matches the latitude and longitude of the triangulation on this photo." The president looked up, "Once I turned a corner early absent-mindedly, Got lost in the place where I live. That place is far from the area you know, Andrew." "Tom—"

"What, Andrew?" "You didn't go out there and check the courthouse map yourself?" "of course not." "Thank God—otherwise you'd have a three-pound throbbing jelly-like thing growing between your shoulder blades right now—God bless America! One thing you can be sure of: That court clerk, or you sent Anyone who goes there is at this moment firmly under the control of this nasty, filthy parasite." The old man stared at the ceiling, "Yeah, the sheriff of Des Moines, the newspaper editor, the traffic dispatcher Well, the police, all the key people from all walks of life are there. Tom, I don't know what we're dealing with, but they know us well. Before we get the real situation, they control the nerve cells of our social body —covering the real report with a false report, the same way they did with Barnes. Mr. President, you must immediately order the strictest quarantine of the entire district. There is no other way!" "Barnes," the President repeated softly, as if he didn't hear the old man's other words, "Andrew, I hoped I wouldn't get to this point, but—" He stopped, pressed a key on his desk, "Get me the Stereo in Des Moines, Manager's Office." The screen on the desk quickly lit up.He pressed another key, and the 3D screen on the wall lit up, revealing the same room we had been in hours earlier. The room is seen over a man's shoulder.This man takes up nearly the entire frame—Barnes. Maybe his twin brother.If I killed a man, I naturally thought he would be his dead man, and I was shocked, but I still believed in myself--and my pistol. The man on the screen said, "Are you looking for me, Mr. President?" It sounded like he was stunned by the honor. "Yes, thank you. Mr. Barnes, do you recognize any of these people?" He looked surprised. "I'm afraid not. Should I recognize them?" The old man interrupted: "Let him call everyone in the office to the camera," The president was a little puzzled, but he did as he was told. "Barnes" looked puzzled, but complied. They walk in.Most of them are girls.I recognized the secretary sitting outside the door of the manager's office.One of them screamed, "Wow—it's the President." There was a buzzing whisper. No one recognized us - no wonder the old man didn't recognize me, but Mary's appearance was the same as in that office, and I'm sure her appearance would impress any woman who saw her impression. But I noticed one thing - all of them had round shoulders. The President walked out with us, and he put his arms around the old man's shoulders and said, "Take a vacation, Andrew, I'm serious." There was a familiar smile on his face, "The Republican Party will not fall—look at me .Despite all my fears, I can hold out till you come back." Ten minutes later we were standing on the Rock Creek platform.The old man was languid, and for the first time he looked old. "What now, boss?" "Huh? For the two of you, it's okay. Vacation." "I'd like to see Barnes' office again." "Don't go near that place. Don't go to Iowa. That's an order." "Well—what are you going to do, may I ask?" "You heard what the President said. I'm going to Florida, laying in the sun, waiting for the end of the world to come. If you have any brains, you will be like me. Time to enjoy, hell." He straightened up and walked away with heavy steps. I turned to speak to Mary, but she was gone. The old man's proposal sounded very good.It popped into my head that waiting for the end of the world wouldn't be so bad as long as I was with her. I glanced around quickly, but didn't see her.I ran forward and caught up with the old man. "Excuse me, boss. Where's Mary?" "Huh? It's a holiday, no doubt. Don't harass her." I was about to get in touch with her on the department line.It occurred to me that I didn't know her real name, nor her code and ID number.I tried to find her by describing her features, but that was stupid.The only way to know what an agent looked like is through the files of the Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery Department - and they won't tell you.Of her, all I know is that she's redheaded twice, at least once by choice.This is very much to my liking, I think, she is the so-called "reason why men fight".I really want to use this sentence as a query condition! I didn't do that and just found a room for the night.After finding the room I thought, why not leave the capital and go back to my own apartment?Then I wondered if that blonde girl was still in my apartment.I thought again, who the hell is that blonde?Then I fell asleep.