Deception Point (Точка обмана)

Slowly, it all started coming back... the megaplume... this morning at the Washington Monument... the President's invitation to stay at the White House. I'm at the White House, Rachel realized. I slept here all day. The Coast Guard chopper, at the President's command, had transported an exhausted Michael Tolland, Corky Marlinson, and Rachel Sexton from the Washington Monument to the White House, where they had been fed a sumptuous breakfast, been seen to by doctors, and been offered any of the building's fourteen bedrooms in which to recuperate. All of them had accepted. Rachel could not believe she had slept this long. Turning on the television, she was stunned to see that President Herney had already completed his press conference. Rachel and the others had offered to stand beside him when he announced the meteorite disappointment to the world. We all made the mistake together. But Herney had insisted on shouldering the burden alone. "Sadly," one political analyst on TV was saying, "it seems NASA has discovered no signs of life from space after all. This marks the second time this decade that NASA has incorrectly classified a meteorite as showing signs of extraterrestrial life. This time, however, a number of highly respected civilians were also among those fooled." "Normally," a second analyst chimed in, "I would have to say that a deception of the magnitude the President described this evening would be devastating for his career... and yet, considering the developments this morning at the Washington Monument, I would have to say Zach Herney's chances of taking the presidency look better than ever." The first analyst nodded. "So, no life in space, but no life in Senator Sexton's campaign either. And now, as new information surfaces suggesting deep financial troubles plaguing the senator-"	Мысли начали медленно разворачивать последовательность событий...
A knock on the door drew Rachel's attention. Michael, she hoped, quickly turning off the television.	Раздался стук в дверь, и Рейчел быстро выключила телевизор.
She hadn't seen him since breakfast.	Она не видела Майкла с самого завтрака.
On their arrival at the White House, Rachel had wanted nothing more than to fall asleep in his arms.	Войдя в Белый дом, Рейчел мечтала лишь об одном: уснуть в его объятиях.
Although she could tell Michael felt the same, Corky had intervened, parking himself on Tolland's bed and exuberantly telling and retelling his story about urinating on himself and saving the day.	Наверняка и Майкл думал о том же. Однако ничего не получилось - в спальню Толланда заявился знаменитый астрофизик, беспрерывно и с безмерной гордостью повествуя о том, как ему удалось спастись от акул, перебив запах крови запахом собственной мочи.
Finally, utterly exhausted, Rachel and Tolland had given up, heading for separate bedrooms to sleep.	Наконец измученные Майкл и Рейчел сдались, и она ушла в свою комнату.
Now, walking toward the door, Rachel checked herself in the mirror, amused to see how ridiculously she was dressed.	Подходя к двери, Рейчел взглянула на себя в зеркало и увидела, как смешно одета.