Dr. West and Neal Danielson had noticed it way back in late October when they were analyzing the entry data. Neither of them had really discussed its implications, but it had been a natural extension of the conversation about how improbable it was for all of them to survive entry that they should comment on how improbable it was that they should all end up in deep waters.

But it was James who placed the final piece of the puzzle. His voice entered the silence after Neal’s last comment, “It is clear we may have found something that is more important than any of us had expected. There is one more thing, though, that may be important here, and I am … sad to say it may also support your final theory, Neal. As I think about the meteors’ locations, I think I can see an additional pattern on top of their landing in oceanic trenches.”

Madeline was starting to freak out a bit and she was unsure if she could take much more of this. But Neal and Laurie were intrigued; where was the naval captain going that neither of them had already gone?

“Think about what land masses they actually landed near.” James continued, and they all recalled the image in their minds again, “Scotland, France, the Eastern Mediterranean, China, Russia, Pakistan, the US, and, of course, here, near India.”

They did not follow him, but his military training led him to an instant connection between the nations in question. “Let me put it this way,” he rephrased as he waited for them to make the jump, “Scotland is part of the UK, and one of the most powerful countries in the Eastern Mediterranean is, I think you’ll agree, Israel. So what do China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Israel, the UK, France, and America have in common?”

“Oh God.” came Laurie’s voice through the speaker, a moment before Neal figured it out. His eyes went slowly wide and his mouth began to drop open as realization came to him.

“WHAT IS IT!” shouted Madeline in frustration, half-crazy with fear and incredulity.

Her outburst shocked Neal out of his stunned state and he looked at her with eyes glazed with the implications of it all. In a quiet, measured tone, he told her what irrepressible fact James had led them to, “The nations James just named make the membership list of the most dangerous and exclusive club in the world.” he said to her, “The capsules landed next to each of the eight countries with stockpiled nuclear weapons.”

* * *