Alyssa Popov shrugs. ‘With HOPE’s resources, we can have the first of these AGMs pumping within three years. In a decade, we’ll have hundreds, enough to produce the gases necessary for a Martian atmosphere. Some of the colony’s materials can be mined from the planet’s two moons—our probes have detected usable concentrations of iridium and aluminum just beneath the surface of the Mars moon, Phobos. If all goes well, by 2070, the inhabitants of our colony might even be able to breathe Martian air without the use of pressurized suits.’

Zwawa stands. Paces. ‘How many? How many lives can we save before the doomsday event takes place?’

Alyssa looks at Lilith, then back at the president. ‘With the discovery of a second Mars aquifer, the colony can support as many as ten thousand people.’

‘Ten thousand? Ten thousand out of seven billion? And who decides who goes? You, Ms. Popov? You, Lilith?’

‘Actually, yes.’ Lilith’s azure eyes sparkle violet in the light.

‘This is barbaric.’

‘It is what it is. Face facts, John. This planet’s been overpopulated for decades. In a sense, an ice age is Earth’s way of cleansing itself. If history has taught us anything, it’s that those who can adapt survive, while the weak among us perish. It’s nature’s way.’

‘How can you be so cold-hearted?’

‘Sir, those chosen will be contributing members of New Earth. Scientists and high-tech farmers, engineers, physicians, and skilled laborers. We’ll start humanity over again using the best of the best—’

‘—and the wealthiest, of course,’ Lilith chimes in. ‘To pull this off requires vast sums of money—money that cannot be allocated through Congress, unless you want planetwide anarchy. I’ve already started dialogue with CEOs of the Fortune 100s and a dozen private bankers, all of whom are dying—excuse the pun—to invest in HOPE’s Mars Colony.’

Zwawa sits back in his chair, the blood draining from his face. ‘If you don’t need federal funding, then why are you even coming to me?’

‘First,’ Alyssa says, ‘because we need your support in shutting down the handful of government and private agencies who might accidentally stumble across the truth. Yellowstone must be shut down to all nonessential personnel. We have a few emergency scenarios in mind, toxic sulfur leak, that sort of thing.’

‘Second,’ Lilith says, ‘because HOPE requires information and access that only you can provide.’

‘I’m listening.’

‘Sir, to build Mars colony will take hundreds of supply missions. At present, it still takes NASA six full months and a helluva a lot of fuel to reach Mars. But if we could harness a different source of fuel, say … zero-point energy—’

‘—then,’ finishes Lilith, ‘we could cut the costs and travel time by a huge margin.’

‘Zero-point energy? Don’t know anything about that—’