Part 42 (1/2)
”Yeah, that's it, a nuke,” Scott said excitedly ”A nuke knocks out power Of course”
”Right,” Ben said ly ”I can hear it now: Portion of 17th Floor of Exchange Devastated by Nuclear Bomb News at Eleven”
”Never et up there?” He pointed at the ceiling ”See the place?”
Ben pulled a few strings and spent a couple of hundred of Scott's dollars but succeeded in getting to the corpse-less site of the explosion Scott visually poked around the debris and noticed a curved porcelain remnant near his feet He wasn't supposed to touch, but, as it? And the ruby colored chunks of glass?
In the few seconds they were left alone, they snapped a quick roll of film and made a polite but hasty departure At 200 afor
”Ben, I need these photos blown up, to say, 11 X 17? ASAP”
The press conference at 4:15 in theto open Thursday The lobby of the Stock Exchange was aflood with TV cahts, police and the media hoards Voices echoed loudly, between thedifficult
”We don't want to predict ill happen over the next 24 hours,” the exhausted stocky spokese said loudly, to make himself heard over the din ”We have every reason to expect that we can make a quick transition to another system”
”How is that done?”
”We have extensive tape vaults where we store everything froe computers daily We will either use one of our backup computers, or move the center to a temporary location We don't anticipate any delays”
”What about the power problem?” A female reporter from a local TV news station asked
”Con Ed is on the job,” the spokes on sos up and flying soon”
”What caused the power outage?”
”We don't have the answer to that now”
Scott edged to the front of the crowd to ask a question ”What if,” Scott asked the spokesman ”if the tapes were destroyed?”
”Thank God they weren't” he said haltingly
”Isn't it true,” Scott ventured accusingly, ”that in fact you already know that every coency power backup systems and batteries failed and that every computer tape or disk has been completely erased?” The other reporters stood open mouthed at the unexpected question
Scott spoke confidently, knowing that he was being filmed by the networks The spokesman nervously fumbled with some papers in his hand The press pool waited for the answer that had silenced the spokesman He stammered, ”We have nountil power is restored a full detere cannot be made”
Scott pressed the point ”What would happen if the tapes were all erased?”
”Uh, I, well” he glanced fro dark blue suits, white shi+rts and sunglasses ”It is best not to speculate until we have more information”
”Computer experts have said that if the tapes are erased it would take at least thirty days to recreate theain Is that correct?” Scott exaggerated He was the computer expert to whom he referred Journalistic license
”Under the conditions,” the spokese to front for his lies, ”I also have heard soerated estimates Let me assure you,” the politician in hie on its fiduciary responsibilities to the world financial colanced at his watch ”I'ain at 9:00 AM for a further briefing Thank you” He quickly exited under the protection of New York's finest as the reporters all shouted their last questions Scott didn't bother It never works
One of the men in the blue suits leaned over to the other and spoke quietly in his ear ”Who is that guy asking all those ques- tions?”