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n with a brown bone collar around its neck。 Spines； extending from its neck on either side； were folded flat along its body。 Screaming； Ellen knocked it from her shoulder； but its claws snagged her blouse and it hung upside down by its back legs。 Then it extended the spines from its side； stretching the attached webbing wide。 Its claws released and it rolled and glided to the ground； reared on its back legs and ran into the underbrush。 Other lizards landed nearby and ran off； some scrambling up trees and disappearing into the foliage。 Another scored a direct hit on Ellen's head； its claws enmeshed in her hair。 Ellen； in panic； tried to pull it free； and when it came loose with a hunk of hair in each fist； Ellen flung it to the ground； where it ran off with the others。 The lizard flights diminished； and when the air raid ended the helicopter was gone。
Tears filled Ellen's eyes。 She resolved then and there to take no steps that didn't lead out of this hell。 She saw the same desire in her son。 Cubby looked mostly confused； and Ripman was still hiding his emotions。 Ellen regarded the boys in a new light。 They were still young in many ways； struggling for an identity； not sure of their direction。 She had depended on them； and they had saved her。 Ripman had tried to save Angie too； he'd been remarkable； and so had her son。 But now they needed her。 She was going to lead them out of there。
Before she could act； she heard a new sound； growing louder。 Cubby and John looked at each other accusingly。
〃It was your bike；〃 Cubby said。
〃Uh…uh！ It was yours；〃 John replied defensively。
Ellen didn't have time to ask what they were talking about。 Cubby pulled Ripman to his feet and into the forest while John grabbed her arm and dragged her along behind。 The sound grew loud enough for her to recognize。 It was a motorcycle。
63。 OSCILLATIONS
Einstein's failure to explain time's arrow 。 。 。 is closely linked to the concept of causality 。 。 。 the notion that effects never precede their causes。 Consider a world in which causality is violated； it might mean that a pebble could levitate off the ground so that you could grasp it； worse than that； you might be struck down by a stone before it fell； or kill your own grandmother before you were born。
…Peter Coveney and Roger Highfield； the Arrow of Time
Washington； D。C。
POSTQUILT： WEDNESDAY； 1：15 P。M。 EST
The PresNet was rich with data now。 Scientists who had been absent from their labs studying local phenomena were back on…line providing reports。 They were still mostly descriptive but some included analysis and theorizing。 Unidentified plant life； unusual microscopic sea life； dinosaur sightings…the reports went on and on。 They were fascinating and seductive but Nick needed to concentrate on cause； not effects； so he programmed his puter to screen for messages on Gomez's theory。
That theory was receiving both support and criticism。 A physicist at the University of Virginia had organized mentary into confirming responses and invalidating arguments。 Nick skimmed the listings； but there was none for E。 Puglisi。 A few minutes later a messenger delivered an envelope。
It was from E。 Puglisi。 Nick tore it open and extracted a thick stack of photos and a two…page typed report。 Puglisi wrote in an efficient style and； like a good science writer； began with a summary of the entire report。 Nick read the summary； excitement building with each word。 When he finished； he dropped the report and thumbed through the pictures； finding the photo the summary referred to but unable to see the details。 His hands shaking nervously； he brought a magnifying glass down over the crater named Flamsteed until it came into focus。 There it was。
Nick leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling； trying to take in the implications。 He had been somewhat vague when he asked Puglisi to make the survey； but Puglisi had immediately taken the initiative。 Puglisi's report noted that he and his colleague Chen…Slater had reasoned that only three types of changes to an airless body like the moon could be passed from the future to the present。 Changes from internal events； like moonquakes。 Changes from celestial events； like meteorite impact。 Or man…made change。 Puglisi and Chen…Slater found only the third kind。
Nick leaned back over the photo to make sure he hadn't imagined it。 It was there； in the crater。 A rectangular structure； so symmetrical and sharp…edged there was no confusing it with natural phenomena。 Something from the future was now on the moon。 What could it be？ Nick wondered； his mind racing through endless possibilities。 Most likely； he thought； it's part of a permanent moon base。 But in the future we would know the time displacement was going to occur。 Knowing that； wouldn't we take steps to make sure a base would not be constructed in a location to be displaced？ Or at least built under the surface； where the effect doesn't seem to carry？ Of course it could be from such a far future that civilization had lost its collective memory for this time。 Perhaps civilization collapses； only to rise again。 Or perhaps the structure was placed there deliberately to travel to the past…to Nick's present？ Would future scientists be able to predict the time displacement that accurately？
A knock interrupted his thoughts； irritating him。 〃e in！〃
Elizabeth came through again； this time acpanied by Samuel Cannon。 Nick had exchanged pleasantries with the CIA director on occasion； but never had closer contact。 He and Elizabeth pulled chairs up close to Nick's desk and leaned forward； talking in low voices。 As usual Elizabeth's face was impassive； but Cannon's look told Nick this meeting would be all business。 With her usual bluntness； Elizabeth jumped right to the problem。
〃Nick； the President is going ahead with Gogh's plan。 The cruise missiles have been armed and the terrain mapped。 They are going to launch as soon as the timing is right。〃
〃What about the site selection？ Aren't they going back to the Security Council to consider sites？〃
Elizabeth and Samuel Cannon exchanged glances； and then Cannon answered in a subdued voice。 〃There is nothing to be considered。 The site has been selected。 It's the Portland site。 They can't confirm the dinosaur report in Alaska； and the glacier site is too near the Canadian border。 Besides； the glacier might be from the Ice Age。 We have no way of knowing。〃
Nick knew what he meant。 Everything suggested the time displacements were all from the Cretaceous period； but if the glacier was from the Ice Age there might be people somewhere there。 It was unlikely that killing them would alter the present； and if it did who would know？ Nick understood the danger； however。 Severing a lifeline in the ancient past would kill all succeeding generations。 Who might be eliminated from history by such an act？ While you might want to eliminate Hitler or Stalin； you would also risk Jesus； Gandhi； and Einstein。 But if you killed Einstein； would we have nuclear weapons at all？ Perhaps Hitler would have developed them first and won World War II。 And if we didn't have the bomb； how could we drop it to kill Einstein in the first place？ Nick's mind reeled for the second time in a few minutes。 He understood why they were avoiding the Alaskan site…still； risking the population of Portland for an untested theory was immoral。
〃But Portland is a city。 Can't you convince the President to wait for confirmation on the glacier site？〃 Nick argued。
〃Nick； the President is only listening to Gogh。 Gogh is telling him what he wants to hear； and what he wants to hear is that he can get his wife back。 Nick； do you think this will work…this bomb theory？〃
〃I've been monitoring the debate over Gomez's…Gogh's theory； and only one in ten physicists support it。 The rest are suggesting modifications or outright doubt about its validity。 No one is supporting Gogh's idea that simultaneous nuclear detonations will return things to normal。 It's also not clear that the explosions will actually take place in the past。 Those bombs could be delivered to our present。〃
Elizabeth exchanged glances with Cannon again； and when she gave him an encouraging look； he nodded reluctantly。 〃There's so