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〃Yeah； altitude sickness。 We shouldn't have a problem though； I don't plan on skiing； or even walking much。 Just watching them take the pictures and then getting off this frigid rock。〃
〃With Bree…geet up here I bet it's not frigid。〃
Emmett felt the prick。
〃Some of those who work up here have trouble adjusting。 The air is dry and oxygen poor。 Thinking can be affected。 A problem you might solve in fifteen minutes at the university can take an hour up here。 But if you are going to build an observatory this is one of the best places in the world to do it。〃
Emmett leaned toward the windshield and looked up at the sky。 Carrollee did likewise； and they both found themselves lost in the speckled black ink。 After a few minutes she turned to Emmett。
〃We'll be there soon。 Don't you think it's time to tell me what's going on？ You didn't seem all that surprised by what we found on the beach。 I know I'm not security cleared or anything； but neither are you。 After all； I'm a coconspirator in whatever it is we're doing。〃
Emmett had no real reason not to tell her everything he knew。 The reports on the news were filling in enough pieces of the puzzle to make it obvious to anyone。 He worried briefly about the legal implications but suspected there were enough problems in the world now to keep even the most officious bureaucrat busy and away from Carrollee。 So； he told her。 She knew of the various floods； fires； avalanches； tidal waves； and blackouts； and she had her own experience with the plesiosaur； but like most of the public； she had no idea how widespread these events were。 When he finished explaining； Emmett found Carrollee wasn't frightened by the idea of dinosaurs。 Instead she seemed tickled。
〃Imagine；〃 Carrollee said； 〃Tyrannosaurus rex roaming the earth again。 How would you contain something like that？ Electric wire three stories tall？ Trenches？ Fire？ Oh； man…oh…man wait until my brother； Richard； hears about this。 He's going to want a hunting license。 Of course he'd need a trophy room the size of a barn to put the head on the wall。〃
After fifteen minutes she came to the fundamental questions。
〃Why did this happen？ Is it over？ Will it happen again？ Where did the people go who were where the dinosaurs are now？〃
Puglisi explained as best he could about the effect of dense matter； the time waves and the displacement。 He told her about the various theories and the extension he made in the Gomez model and how it might affect the moon。 When he reported his contact with Dr。 Paulson； Carrollee looked at him skeptically but seemed to realize that was no more impossible than dinosaurs showing up in the modern age。
〃So what are you looking for up here？〃 she asked。
〃Support for the theory。 Evidence that the effect on the moon is reversed。 Any data that can help fill in the picture。 Dr。 Paulson seemed particularly interested in the data。 He didn't say getting it was urgent； but he put some time into arranging it； time he could have used for any number of tasks。 So if it's important to him； it's important enough for me to climb this ugly Popsicle to get it。〃
Carrollee； silent； slipped into one of her rare pensive moods。 After a few minutes Emmett missed her conversation。
〃What are you thinking； Carrollee？〃
Carrollee shook herself out of her mood and sat straight up in her seat。
〃I'm thinking about my family on the mainland…my mother and my sister。 I haven't been able to reach them； but I know there have been telephone problems。 I figured they were probably safe。 Now I'm thinking they may not be there at all。 Not dead； just gone。 Gone somewhere in time。 Is that what you're saying？ It makes me wonder if it could happen again？ If it did； I wouldn't want to be sent off to the future by myself。 So； I guess I should stick pretty close to someone I would want to disappear with。〃
〃I don't think it will happen again； not if we don't start nuclear testing again。〃
But Emmett began thinking of people he would want to be near if he were displaced。 He didn't have any immediate family； only an uncle in Iowa。 After considering and discarding several names； he realized he was sitting with the only person who had a certain spot on the list。
The switchbacks became sharper and more irregular； telling them they were near the summit。 The landscape was a monotony of frosted； cracked； black lava。 The winds continued to pick up； blowing white granular material across the road。
〃Is that snow？〃 Carrollee asked。 〃Incredible。 Snow in the tropics。 I knew it was up here of course； but I guess I never really believed it。〃
The summit appeared suddenly。 The flat of the barren lava dome was sprinkled with the high technology toys of civilization。 Half a dozen observatory domes were spaced across the peak； most perched on square bases that housed support facilities。 Other support buildings were situated nearby。 It gave an altogether eerie effect； as if time displacement had shifted the trappings of a high…tech civilization to the cooling lava of the ancient earth。 Each of the domes they could see had a four…wheel…drive vehicle or two parked at it； but Emmett was unsure of where Bridgette might be。 Four cars were parked in a level area at the end of the road by the administrative building； and Emmett decided to start there。
They parked in the lot and then dressed more warmly。 Car…roilee's red checked； sweater would only be adequate for a short walk in this kind of weather。 When they opened the doors the cold dry air immediately sucked out moisture and warmth。 Carrollee led the way； trotting to the building and bursting through the door。 Inside they found chairs and tables making up a rudimentary lounge。 It was empty； but music drifted down the hall； then a man came toward them； tall and slender； balding； with glasses pushed up on his forehead。 He paused when he saw the visitors； staring at Carrollee； amused。
〃We're here to see Dr。 LaSalle。〃
〃I'll tell her you're here。〃 The man continued to survey Carrollee； but with another amused glance he turned and walked back down the hall。 While they waited； Carrollee wandered around； picking up astronomy journals and leafing through them。 Suddenly the door opened。
Bridgette was as beautiful and sexy as Emmett remembered her。 She was wearing what must have been designer overalls； baby blue and trimmed in white。 Her matching jacket was trimmed in what looked to be needlepoint。 She was as color coordinated as Carrollee； but more understated。 Bridgette would draw attention； Carrollee screamed for it。 Bridgette's figure pushed and pulled at the fabric in ways that made Emmett's body long for their old days together。
When the look on her face said she had none of those old feelings left for Emmett； his lustful reminiscence evaporated。 Then Bridgette turned to look at Carrollee； eyeing her from the big bow on her head to her matching red socks。
〃Qui est…ce que cela pourrait…etre； Emmett？ Elle reassemble a Minnie Mouse。〃
Emmett wanted to laugh； but bit his lip。 He had to admit that Carrollee did look like Minnie Mouse； with the short brown hair； and the red checked outfit topped with a big checked bow。 You wouldn't have to know any French to pick out the reference to Minnie Mouse。 Carrollee's face was red； but with anger； not embarrassment。 You couldn't dress like Carrollee and be easily embarrassed。 Emmett held his breath when Carrollee's mouth opened。
〃It's so nice to meet you； Dr。 LaSalle； I've heard a lot about you from Emmett。 He said you were so 。 。 。 well 。 。 。 easy 。 。 。〃
Emmett waited for Carrollee to add 〃to get to know〃 but she just let her unfinished sentence hang in the air。 Bridgette bristled； but rushed on； as if she had not understood。
〃How did you get Dr。 Paulson to go along with this？ If he hadn't called I never would have consented to 。 。 。 this 。 。 。 abominable waste。〃
〃It was Dr。 Paulson's idea to confirm…〃
〃It doesn't matter whose idea it was； it is a waste of resources。 e here； I want to show you something。〃
Bridgette turned and walked outside。 Emmett turned to follow； catching Carrollee's eyes。
〃Minnie Mouse！ Everyone knows Minnie wears only polka dots and never checks！〃 Carrollee snorted。 〃Warm； isn't she？〃 she continued。 〃She m