With Bollinger's blessings, Feldman and Hunter had returned to the desert the next morning to meet their Japanese eyewitnesses. Outside the perimeter lines of the laboratory ruins, there was nothing more to see in the daylight than had been apparent earlier. Most of the millenarians were gone, but the Israeli military were as entrenched and unyielding as ever. The rival media were also on the scene now.
The morning papers added nothing to what Feldman and Hunter had already known, either. As before, the official word of the Israeli Defense Force was that a hostile missile strike had taken place and that no one as yet had claimed responsibility.
“And that damned defense minister, Shaul Tamin, will never hold a press conference when it comes to Israeli security matters,” Hunter complained aloud to Feldman. Watching the Japanese scientists driving up, the cameraman tossed his newspaper in the back seat and swung out of the Rover to meet them. “We need more than a rehash for our follow-up story. Let's see what our scientist friends here can show us.”
Joined by all four astronomers this time, the reporters formed a hasty caravan and, before the other news teams were on to them, motored out into the desert heading due east.
In less than fifteen minutes, the Japanese identified the ravine where they claimed to have discovered the survivor. True to their account, there were discarded bandage wrappers and gauze, trampled brush, tire and cart tracks and footprints in the gravelly sand. But no sign of the survivor or the Bedouins.
Another hour's sweeping search of the vicinity turned up only a few bands of pilgrims and about twenty more kilograms of what the astronomers claimed were meteorite fragments.
“The couple that picked up the survivor are probably headed toward the main highway, and Jerusalem,” Hunter conjectured, and alerted the Japanese that they were breaking off the search.
Still unsure that their evidence had convinced Feldman and Hunter, the scientists were anxious. “Now you go on TV and tell truth?” the older man pleaded once more.
“You've been very helpful,” Feldman told them all. “We'll give it serious consideration.”
The astronomers thanked both men profusely and headed off to search for more fragments.
After they left, Hunter suggested, “How about we return to the ruins and set up our camera in the same spot as before to cut our follow-up?”
“Fine,” Feldman agreed, “only I don't know exactly how we should handle this. You don't buy into the meteorite crap, do you?”
“Hell no, but I think it's a godsend of a follow-up. The Jesus freaks are gonna have a field day with the news.”
Feldman was not convinced. “I got real problems with that, Breck. That's
“It's not like we're creating the story here, Jon,” Hunter reasoned. “Those astrologers aren't millenarians, man, they're
“Astronomers,” Feldman corrected him, although he found the slip of tongue interesting. “I don't know, Breck, we really need to be responsible here.”
Hunter shook his head. “Okay, look. Let's go ahead and tape two cuts, including a meteor version. Then when we get back, we'll have these meteor samples we found checked. If they test out as fresh, we go with the story. Or at least let Bollinger rule on it. Fair enough? Hell, what if it does check out? We might be preventing a war here!”
Feldman shrugged. “God, I hate to take what amounts to the only hard news we've covered in three months and turn it into tabloid journalism.” He rose from his seat in the Rover, stretched and looked out at the smoke still emanating from the smoldering ruins. “I want to know what was going on over there. I want to find that survivor.”
12
Dyan IDF military base, Jerusalem, Israel 10:00 A.M., Sunday, December 26,1999
Alone in his private office, General Goene's somber mood was interrupted by a knock at the door. An adjutant entered to announce that WNN was telecasting a new development in the Negev Institute story. Swearing, Goene dismissed the assistant with an irritated wave and snatched up his remote control.
Materializing on his TV was a handsome, dark-haired, clean-shaven young man. He was standing in front of the main gate of the shattered Negev installation, a large black rock in his hand, thick smoke twisting up into the sky behind him.
“… substantiated reports from two independent authorities,” the man was saying, and photos of a Tel Aviv University geologist and an Oriental-looking scientist appeared in boxes at the corners of the screen. “The reputed attack on this Israeli research center yesterday may actually have been caused by a natural phenomenon, the impact of a large meteorite.”
The general glowered as the special report cut to taped interviews with the two authorities, who documented their claims with more large specimens of blackened ore.
“In their search for these meteorite fragments,” the reporter continued, “the team of astronomers also came across what they believe to be the only person to survive the disaster. A young female in her early twenties, short in height, slight build, dark hair, suffering from multiple injuries and possibly in a state of shock. She was last seen early yesterday morning near the explosion site, in the care of a Bedouin couple.”
Cursing loudly, Goene smashed the remote control to his desk and grabbed for the phone. “Get me Lazzlo!” he shouted into the receiver, staring at the next news story without seeing it.
A minute later, the voice of Intelligence Commander David Lazzlo came over the speakerphone.
Goene disregarded Lazzlo's greeting. “I presume you caught the TV broadcast?” the general fumed. “They've gotten on to your meteor bullshit, and now they're talking about a survivor. A shell-shocked woman. God knows what information she'll spill! Where are we on a body count? If there is a survivor, I want to know who the hell she is and I want her found.
13
WNN news bureau, Jerusalem, Israel 9:17 A.M., Monday, December 27,1999
You struck a nerve, guys!” Bollinger congratulated Hunter and Feldman at the staff meeting. “The IDF is all hot over your meteorite story! And the survivor thing? Denying it so hard it's gotta be true!”
They'd never seen the bureau chief this enthused.
“We just got an official cable from the defense minister, Shaul Tamin himself,” Bollinger gloated, “personally demanding an immediate retraction. Tamin's releasing official government figures showing that the odds of a celestial object striking their facility are over six billion to one. He's threatening reprisals against Jordan. And Jordan's accusing the Israelis of self-sabotage as a ploy to derail the peace talks.”
“Is there any word from U.S. intelligence on the cause of the explosion?” Cissy asked.
“Nothing,” Bollinger replied. “So far, the allies can't come up with a better explanation than the meteorite. No one's claimed responsibility. Even the Hezbollah and Hamas plead innocent, for once.”
“I thought you might like to know”-Feldman offered up another tidbit-”I got a fax from Dr. Omato and his colleagues complaining that the IDF is attempting to revoke their visas.”
“I'll call our contacts in the Knesset and see what I can do,” Bollinger offered, frowning. “But the good news is,” and the bureau chief resumed his beaming, “WNN viewership is soaring. Our ratings are through the roof and we're getting additional funds and personnel to expand our investigations.”
