“That’s not my fault,” he said, smiling.
She couldn’t help grinning back. “God knows.”
She closed the file and stared off into space, thinking through his calculations. “No chance your observations are off?”
He shook his head with a frown. “Believe me, I’ve been over it a thousand times.”
“You haven’t told NASA?”
“Not yet, but I’m not sure it matters. It’s right on top of us; even if they slam a nuke right into it, the damn thing’s coming at us so fast it won’t even blink. This is an M-class. Mostly iron, so it won’t fragment much.”
“Why do you suppose it’s moving so fast?”
“Well, half a billion years gives it plenty of time to slingshot around planets, stars, black holes…”
“Any chance Jupiter’s gravity will pull it off course?”
“None. It’s coming in at such a high cosine angle, Jupiter’s gravity won’t factor. Not even close.”
She sighed. “Okay. How about I walk you over to JPL?” She got up and gave him the file. “Linda Creasey’s a muckety-muck over there now.”
“I know. I was headed to her next.”
“So why even come to me? You knew there was nothing wrong with your math.”
Marty held her gaze. “You know why, Sue.”
“Still carrying that torch for me after all this time?” she said, slightly incredulous, but then softening. “It’s very sweet, Marty, but you should have put it down by now and found someone else.”
“Bollocks,” he said with a smile. “I hardly ever leave the observatory. I’m a total egghead. And besides…” He shrugged again, suddenly self-conscious.
“I’m listening.”
“Well, it’s selfish, I know, but I was hoping we could spend some time together these last few months… as friends.”
“And then what?” she said quietly. “Imagine we survive the impact and the subsequent firestorm.”
“I could take care of you,” he offered, his voice thickening. “I could make sure you don’t suffer.”
Susan hadn’t had time yet to think that far into it. “I’m sorry for the way I spoke to you in the hall.”
“That’s all right. I’m sorry for grabbing you. I wasn’t thinking.”
She shook her head. “No, I overreacted. I was attacked a year ago. Raped, actually. There’s no way you could’ve… I’ve been jumpy as hell ever since.”
“I’m sorry,” he croaked, staggered by the news and hard-pressed to prevent it from showing on his face.
“He grabbed me from behind,” she went on. “Pulled me down between some parked cars… had a knife. I’ve never told a soul.” She looked him in the eyes then. “I can’t believe how easily I just shared that.”
Marty wasn’t sure what to say. All he knew was that he wanted to hold her. “Anything you ever need, Sue, I’ll be there.”
She felt strangely touched by his devotion. “Can you promise you won’t let it happen again? After things get bad…”
“I promise, Sue. I’ll take care of us both if it gets to that point.”
“Thank you,” she said, amazed at how intimate the conversation had quickly become. “I’m not sure I could… in any event.” She shook her head and forced a smile. “You know what?” she said, suddenly hopeful. “I’m so scared now that if you told me you made this all up just to get in my pants, I’d be so relieved I wouldn’t even be mad.”
He smiled sadly. “You know me, Sue. I’m not nearly clever enough to think up a scheme like that.”
She touched his arm. “Let’s go see Linda.”
“Is she still her sweet self?”
Susan laughed. “Even sweeter.”
When Linda Creasey walked into Conference Room 2B on the far side of campus at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, she was more than a little surprised to see Marty Chittenden sitting at the table beside Susan Denton. “Oh,” she said, noticeably less than pleased. “Hello, Martin. I wasn’t told you were here. It’s been a while.”
“A few years.”
“I read your piece last year in Astronomy Today,” she replied. “It wasn’t bad… for supposition.” She was an attractive yet somehow unpleasant-looking woman with a slender face and straight black hair that stopped at the base of her neck. “So what can I do for the two of you?”
Marty noted the increased air of superiority about her and sat forward in his chair. “I’m sorry to drop in unannounced, but I’ve got something very important to show you.”
“Oh?” Linda said, taking a seat at the table. “What do you have?”
He pushed the red file folder over to her. She flipped it open and began to read. As she scanned the pages, her features visibly tightened. When she was finished, she closed the file and stared straight at Marty.
“How many others have seen this?”
At first Marty thought she was already plotting to steal his thunder, but there was a look about her that changed his mind, something more sinister. “No one,” he replied cautiously.
“You’re sure?”
“The only other person I’ve told is Susan.”
“Well, these findings are huge,” she said. “If accurate. What are your intentions?”
“To get the word out,” he said. “People need to know so they can prepare.”
“Of course,” she said. “Let me make a few calls.” She stood, keeping the file. “May I take this?”
“Just remember where you got it.”
“You don’t have to worry about that, Martin.” She turned and quickly disappeared from the room.
Marty stared suspiciously after her. “What do you make of that?”
“Gut reaction? I think she already knew.”
“Which means the government has to know, right?”
“Yep.” Susan got up from the table and went to the door, peering down the hall. “This may create a problem for them.”
“They’re trying to keep it quiet,” he realized. “Avoid mass panic.”
“Will you do me a favor?”
“Sure.”
“Get the hell out of here,” she said. “I’ll call you later—if I can.”
“What are you talking about?” he said, rising.
“Think about it. How else could they keep this quiet? I mean it’s possible you’re the only astronomer to have spotted this, but what if you’re not? What if there are others and they’ve got them locked up someplace?”
“That’s a little paranoid, don’t you think?”
“Give me your cell number and get out of here. I’m serious.”
“What? But what about you?” he said, giving her his card.
“After you go public with it, they’ll have to release me, won’t they?”
“But she’s got my file,” he said. “And if you’re right, they’ll get to Mesa Station long before I do and seize my computers.”
“True, but you can still tell someone where to look for this thing.”
“Wait a second,” he said, feeling suddenly silly. “Are you sure about this?”
“Linda’s always been a cold fish, Marty, but I’ve never seen her so calculated. Look, if you won’t leave the building, then go wait in the ladies’ room and stay there until I come get you.”
“All right,” he said, “but I’m going to feel pretty stupid if we’re making a big deal over nothing.” He left, entered an empty ladies’ room just up the hall and slipped into a stall to wait.
Barely ten minutes later two men in dark suits appeared in the doorway of the conference room. “Are you Susan Denton?” the taller of the two asked.
“Yes,” she said, her stomach fluttering. “Who are you?”