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armed airmen who questioned them thoroughly。 Bill was given a badge； but Terry had to have his photo ID made on the spot。
Bill knew his way around and led Terry to a conference room。 He had the guards spill the bags onto the oversize table and then began sifting through the contents。 He found the puter disks； and the hard drive； then led Terry down the hall through another security check and into a room filled with puter terminals and work stations。 One station was occupied by a pretty black woman who didn't look much older than Terry's daughter； Carolyn。 She smiled when Bill headed directly for her。 She wasn't wearing a uniform but Bill called her Lieutenant Gillespie。
〃I thought you were on vacation； sir。〃
〃I was； but something brought me back。〃
〃It wouldn't be a few missing cities； three air bases； an aircraft carrier group； not to mention the loss of the ELF system？〃
Terry had a sudden urge to run to the nearest airport and catch a flight home。 One missing city had bee two； and now a 〃few。〃 Bill must have been equally shocked but merely said calmly； 〃I need an analysis of these as soon as possible。〃 As always； he was the consumate professional。
〃Colonel； I'll give if highest priority； but it will take at least several hours。〃
Bill and Terry waited while Lieutenant Gillespie copied the disks and the files from the hard drive。 When she returned them Bill asked her if she had ever heard of an ancient prophet called Zorastrus。
〃I've heard of Zorro；〃 she said with a smile。
Bill thanked her and then led Terry through another door。 At the end of a hall Bill turned into a room that was filled with puter parts and repair equipment。 He exchanged a few words with the counter man and then led Terry to the back； past shelves filled with parts。 In a small room filled with more bits and pieces of puters was an Asian man of about thirty； with thick black hair and rumpled clothes。 His nose was six inches away from a puter screen。 Several Styrofoam cups of old coffee surrounded him。 Monitors； puters； and keyboards were lying everywhere。 The beeps of a puter game filled the room。
〃Phil； I need a favor。〃
Phil punched the tab button with his little finger and the game froze on the screen。
〃Official or unofficial？〃
〃An unofficial favor but official business。〃
〃Classified； top secret stuff？〃 Phil asked eagerly。
〃Tip top secret。 I shouldn't even be showing it to you。〃
〃All right！ Let me see。〃
Bill handed him two boxes of disks and the hard drive。 Phil soon had a screen full of icons。
〃What gives？ You promised me something secret。 This isn't even access protected。 No challenge； no deal。〃
〃The challenge is figuring out what it all means。 No one else has been able to figure it out。〃
〃No one？〃 Phil asked hopefully。
〃Two CIA cryptographers got canned because they couldn't figure it out；〃 Bill lied。
〃Hot damn。 I'm on it。 What should I look for？ A message？ Diagrams？ Plans？〃
〃I wouldn't want to send you down the wrong path。 I'll check back with you。 Call me if you get something。〃
They started to leave； but then Bill turned back。
〃Hey； Phil。 You ever hear of Zorastrus？〃
〃Yeah； the prophet of Babylon；〃 Phil said without taking his eyes from the puter screen。 〃Pretty astute guy。 Not as well known as Nostradamus。 Probably because his career got cut short。 Some of his short…sighted contemporaries thought he was a little too smart。 They put him in a pit and stoned him。〃 Phil looked up at Bill and Terry with a serious face。 〃Does he have anything to do with what's happened？ He made some pretty scary predictions。〃
〃Don't know； Phil。 Honestly。〃
As they left； Bill directed Terry to a phone so he could call his daughter； Carolyn； who was full of questions Terry couldn't or wouldn't answer； but otherwise she was fine。 After assuring Carolyn he would call as soon as he found out about John； Terry caught up with Bill。
〃You really think that Phil will turn up anything？〃
〃Terry； there's two ways to pick a lock。 One is to work through it systematically。 Start with zero right； zero left； zero right； and then try zero right； zero left； one right。 Eventually you will open that lock。 Lieutenant Gillespie's people will do it that way。 Phil…well； he's an unguided missile with an uncanny record of hitting targets； targets he wasn't aiming for。 He knew about Zorastrus； didn't he？〃
〃So why is he fixing puters？〃
〃Partly by choice； but mostly because he's the biggest blabbermouth in the service。 He couldn't keep a secret if his life depended on it； but in this case it doesn't matter。 Even God couldn't cover this up。〃
28。 THE BROOD
The lost age of Man will be the great transfiguration and society； and the world； will never be the same； I can see no further ages； not because they will not e； but because the future is confused。
…The Prophecies of Melchi…Zedek
Warm Springs Indian Reservation； Oregon
POSTQUILT： MONDAY； 6：50 A。M。 PST
Colter was the first out of the RV in the morning； looking for a place to relieve himself。 But as soon as he stepped out he started cussing。 Sid and three of his friends were waiting under the RV and darted out when Colter stepped down； nearly making him wet his pants。 Still cussing over the scare； he placed his bare foot in psittacosaurus droppings。 Colter loosed another barrage of profanity while wiping his foot on the grass。 When he finally got far enough away to urinate； Sid and friends ran around harassing him。 Colter pissed at them as they ran by but missed them and sprinkled his foot by mistake。 He cussed some more and began wiping his foot again。 His cussing was so loud and long； the others were up when he got back。 Colter intended to climb back into his sleeping bag； but someone had rolled it up while he was gone。
Dr。 Coombs cooked bacon and eggs and sour dough biscuits while the others cleaned up the RV and prepared for the morning activities。
The morning was cool but fortable； so they ate outside under the tarp。 Sid and two other psittacosauri circled around the table； darting in and out； snatching up any scraps as soon as they hit the ground。 The animals were being a nuisance； but the group； despite their better judgment； couldn't help but feed the unusual little creatures。 Partway through the meal Petra remembered Moose and took him some eggs and part of a biscuit。
After breakfast they started their study by examining the edge of the meadow。 Dr。 Piltcher had Colter dig down where the green meadow met the desert。 The edge of the turf came up easily； and soon Dr。 Piltcher was finger…bing his hair。 Dr。 Coombs spoke first。
〃Everything is intact。 There is not a root broken。 And look along the edge here。 There isn't a broken blade of grass anywhere along the edge。〃
〃Yes； I see；〃 said Dr。 Piltcher。 〃Somewhere a hundred million years in the past is a piece of turf that would match up perfectly with this edge。 Very odd。 I would have expected something violent。 But this seems tender。 Not a blade of grass torn or uprooted。〃
〃Yes；〃 Dr。 Coombs agreed； 〃gentle but perhaps too gentle。 Look at how easily the roots were exposed。 They weren't embedded in the soil。 They need to take root again or these grasses will not survive； not to mention the bushes or trees；〃
Petra had been listening silently； absorbing each word。 Since she rarely broke into their discussions； they listened when she did。
〃They won't live anyway。 This is tropical vegetation； or at least subtropical。 This climate won't even support a pine forest； let alone a jungle。 These grasses are going to start drying up soon； and when the vegetation dies； so will Sid and his friends； and any other animals we might find in here。〃
〃She's right；〃 Dr。 Piltcher said。 〃We need to identify as many species as we can as quickly as possible。 Once we know what we are dealing with we need to get help to relocate the plant and animal life。〃
〃What？〃 Colter cut in。 〃Moose is okay； we can't seem to get him out； but if you're thinking of carrying Sid and his friends along； think again。 Did you smell that mess he made in the RV？〃
Petra quickly stepped in to smooth things over。
〃It may happen again。 You know how badly Sid reacts when he feels trapped。〃
〃One way or a