rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第39节

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idors。　The　door　to　Reed's　office　was　ajar；　the　light　slanting　into　the　hall。　Megan　knocked　and　entered。
　The　office　was　divided　into　a　working　space　and　a　much　larger　conference　area　dominated　by　a　long；　oval　table。　Megan　blinked。　Seated　at　the　table　were　the　shuttle　mission　pilot；　Frank　Stone；　and　the　mander；　Bill　Karol。　Next　to　them　sat　the　mission　director；　Harry　Landon；　and　the　deputy　director　of　NASA；　Lorne　Allenby。　The　latter　two　appeared　tired；　their　clothes　rumpled　as　if　they'd　just　gotten　off　a　long　flight。　Megan　thought　that　might　actually　be　the　case。　With　the　launch　date　less　than　forty…eight　hours　away；　Landon　and　Allenby　should　have　been　at　the　Cape。
　〃Megan；〃　Dylan　Reed　said。　〃Thanks　for　ing　on　such　short　notice。　I　think　you　know　everyone　here。〃
　Megan　exchanged　murmured　greetings　as　she　slipped　into　a　chair　beside　the　mission　pilot；　Frank　Stone。
　Reed　massaged　the　back　of　his　neck；　then　braced　himself　on　the　table　with　both　arms；　his　attention　focused　on　her。
　〃Have　you　heard？〃
　Megan　shook　her　head。　〃Heard　what？〃
　〃Adam　Treloar　was　killed　this　afternoon　in　Washington。〃　He　paused。　〃A　mugging　gone　bad。〃
　〃Oh　my　God！　How？　What　happened？〃
　〃The　D。C。　police　don't　have　a　lot　to　give　us…　or　to　go　on；〃　Reed　replied。　〃Adam　had　just　returned　from　Russia…　his　mother　is　buried　there。　He　had　a　reservation　at　a　hotel　so　I　assume　he　was　going　to　stay　overnight　before　flying　down　to　the　Cape。　He　was　walking　near　Wisconsin　Avenue…　not　a　bad　area；　I'm　told…　when　the　son　of　a　bitch　accosted　him。〃　Reed　ran　his　fingers　through　his　hair。　〃What　happened　next　is　anyone's　guess。　No　one　saw　or　heard　anything。　Adam　was　dead　by　the　time　a　passerby　finally　happened　upon　him　and　called　the　police。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃Such　an　incredible　waste！〃
　〃Dylan；　we're　all　pretty　shook　up　over　what　happened；〃　Lorne　Allenby；　the　NASA　executive　said。　〃But　we　have　to　move　things　along。〃
　Reed　waved　his　hand　to　acknowledge　as　much。　When　he　turned　to　her；　Megan　felt　her　heart　pounding。
　〃You're　Treloar's　backup。　Because　of　the　situation；　you're　being　moved　up　to　active　duty　as　one　of　the　mission　specialists。　Are　you　ready；　Megan？〃
　Her　mouth　went　dry；　but　she　thought　her　words　sounded　strong　and　confident。　〃Absolutely。　It's　not　the　way　I　wanted　to　get　the　slot；　but　yes；　I'm　ready。〃
　〃You　don't　know　how　glad　all　of　us　are　to　hear　that；〃　Reed　said。　He　looked　around　the　table。　〃Questions？〃
　Frank　Stone；　the　mission　pilot；　spoke　up。　〃No　questions；　just　a　vote　of　confidence。　I've　trained　with　Megan。　I　know　she's　ready。〃
　〃Second　that；〃　added　Bill　Karol；　the　mander。
　〃Landon？〃　Reed　asked。
　The　mission　director　shifted　in　his　seat。　〃I've　read　the　training　reports。　I　know　that　Megan　can　handle　the　experiments　Adam　and　you　set　up。〃　He　offered　a　thumbs…up。
　〃Glad　to　hear　it；〃　Allenby　said。　〃The　bean　counters　in　Congress　are　watching　this　mission　like　vultures。　Having　played　up　what　we　expect　to　glean　from　these　experiments；　I　have　to　pony　up　results。〃　He　turned　to　Megan。　〃Bring　back　something　that　makes　all　of　us　look　good。〃
　Megan　managed　a　weak　smile。　〃I'll　do　my　best。〃　She　looked　around　the　table。　〃And　thank　you　all　for　your　vote　of　confidence。〃
　〃Okay；　then；〃　Reed　said。　〃I'll　call　the　rest　of　the　team　tomorrow。　I　know　that　some　of　you　are　jet…lagged；　so　why　don't　we　call　it　a　night　and　meet　again　tomorrow　morning　before　flying　out？〃
　Everyone　nodded　gratefully　and　the　room　emptied　quickly；　leaving　only　Reed　and　Megan。
　〃You're　the　chief　of　the　biomedical　research　program；　Dylan；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃You　and　Treloar　were　pretty　close。　How　do　you　feel　about　my　being　onboard？〃
　〃At　the　end　of　the　day；　I　can't　say　that　I　knew　Adam　all　that　well。　You　know　how　he　was…　taciturn；　kept　to　himself　mostly。　Not　the　kind　of　guy　who　went　for　a　few　beers　after　work　or　played　Saturday　softball。　But　he　was　part　of　the　team…　a　vital　part…　and　I　will　miss　him。〃　He　paused。　〃As　far　as　you're　concerned；　I　couldn't　ask　for　a　better　backup　up　there。〃
　Megan　tried　to　harness　her　conflicting　emotions。　A　part　of　her　was　already　racing　ahead　to　all　the　details　that　had　to　be　looked　after：　preparation　at　the　Cape；　integrating　herself　into　the　team　and　the　launch　procedure。　She　knew　that　normally　the　crew　was　quarantined　for　seven　days　prior　to　launch；　although　recently　the　period　had　been　shortened。　Still；　she　would　have　to　undergo　an　extensive　physical　to　make　sure　she　wasn't　harboring　any　bugs。
　Another　part　of　her　couldn't　get　the　image　of　the　odd…looking　Treloar　out　of　her　mind。　Reed　was　right：　Treloar　had　been　something　of　a　loner。　Not　having　known　him　personally　made　it　easier　to　accept　the　fact　of　his　death。　Still；　the　way　he　had　died　made　her　shudder。
　〃You　okay？〃　Reed　asked。
　〃Fine。　Just　trying　to　take　it　all　in。〃
　〃e　on。　I'll　walk　you　to　your　car。　Try　to　get　a　good　night's　sleep。　Tomorrow；　you　hit　the　ground　running。〃
　
　
　Megan　had　a　small　unit　in　an　apartment　plex　that　catered　to　short…term　NASA　personnel。　After　a　restless；　toss…filled　sleep；　she　woke　up　and　hit　the　pool　before　anyone　else　was　there。　Returning　to　her　apartment；　she　discovered　a　note　taped　to　her　door。
　Getting　over　her　initial　shock；　Megan　dressed　quickly　and　made　her　way　downstairs。　Setting　a　fast　pace；　she　reached　the　coffee　shop　on　the　next　block　a　few　minutes　later。　Given　the　hour；　the　place　was　almost　empty。　She　had　no　problem　spotting　him。
　〃Jon！〃
　He　rose　from　a　booth　in　the　corner。　〃Hello；　Megan。〃
　〃My　God；　what　are　you　doing　here？〃　she　asked；　slipping　into　the　seat　across　from　him。
　〃I'll　tell　you　in　a　minute。〃　He　paused。　〃I　heard　about　your　being　assigned　to　the　mission。　You　deserve　the　shot；　no　matter　the　circumstances。〃
　〃Thank　you。　Obviously　I'd　rather　it　didn't　happen　this　way；　but…〃
　The　waitress　came　by　and　they　ordered　breakfast。
　〃I　wish　you'd　called；〃　she　said。　〃I　leave　for　the　Cape　in　a　few　hours。〃
　〃I　know。〃
　She　studied　him　carefully。　〃You　didn't　e　all　this　way　just　to　congratulate　me…　although　I'd　like　to　think　so。〃
　〃I'm　here　because　of　what　happened　to　Treloar；〃　Smith　said。
　〃Why？　According　to　the　media；　D。C。　homicide　is　handling　the　case。
　〃They　are。　But　Treloar　was　the　chief　medical　officer；　an　important　member　of　the　NASA　team。　I　was　sent　down　here　to　find　out　if　something　in　Treloar's　background　and　activities　might　give　us　a　lead　as　to　why　he　was　killed。〃
　Megan's　eyes　narrowed。　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　〃Megan；　listen　to　me。　You're　taking　his　place　on　the　flight。　You　must　have　worked　with　him。　Anything　you　can　tell　me　about　him　would　help。〃
　They　lapsed　into　silence　as　the　waitress　returned　with　their　orders。　The　idea　of　food　suddenly　made　Megan　nauseated。　She　steadied　herself　and　organized　her　thoughts。
　〃First　of　all；　almost　all　my　training　was　supervised　by　Dylan　Reed。　In　a　way；　the　title　of　chief　medical　officer　is　misleading。　It's　not　like　you　go　up　there　to　hand　out　aspirins　or　Band…Aids。　The　duties　are　pure　research。　As　head　of　the　biomedical　research　program；　Dylan　worked　closely　with　his　chief　medical　officer；　Treloar。　And　he　duplicated　those　experiments　with　me；　in　case　I　had　to　take　Treloar's　place。　So　I　never　really　worked　closely　with　Treloar　at　all。〃
　〃What　about　personally？　Was　he　close　to　anyone？　Was　there　any　gossip　about　him？〃
　〃He　was　a　loner；　Jon。　I　never　heard　that　he　dated；　much　less　had　anyone　steady。　I　can　tell　you　that　working　with　him　wasn't　much　fun。　A　brilliant　mind；　but　no　personality；　no　humor；　nothing。　It　was　as　if　a　part　of　him…　the　medical　genius…　flourished；　while　the　rest　of　him　never　grew　up　at　all。〃
　She　paused。　〃Your　investigation　isn't　going　to　impact　the　launch；　is　it？〃
　Smith　shook　his　head。　〃No　reason　it　should。〃
　〃Look；　the　best　I　can　do　is　give　you　the　names　of　the　people　who　worked　directly　with　Treloar。　Maybe　they'll　have　something　for　you。〃
　Smith　was　certain　that　he　already　had　those　names…　and　more。　He'd　spent　half　the　night　going　over　Adam　Treloar's　files；　forwarded　from　the　FBI；　the　NSA；　and　NASA。　Still；　he　listened　carefully　as　Megan　ran　down　her　list。
　〃That's　really　all　I　know；〃　she　concluded。
　〃Plenty　for　me　to　work　with。　Thank　you。〃
　Megan　managed　a　smile。　〃Given　what　you're　doing；　I　don't　suppose　there's　any　chance　of　your　getting　down　to　the　launch？　I　could　get　you　great　seats。〃
　〃I　wish　I　could；〃　he　replied；　and　meant　it。　〃But　maybe　I'll　see　you　at　Edwards　when　you　touch　down。〃　Edwards　Air　Force　base　in　California　was　the　shuttle's　primary　landing　station。
　They　were　silent　for　a　moment；　then　Megan　said；　〃I've　got　to　get　going。
　He　reached　across　the　table　and；　covering　her　hand；　held　it　tightly。　〃e　home　safe。〃
　Lost　in　thought；　Megan　walked　back　to　her　apartment。　Adam　Treloar　was　dead…　murdered…　and　Jon　Smith　had　suddenly　materialized　in　Houston。　He　had　neatly　sidestepped　the　issue　of　who　had　sent　him。　He　had　questioned　her　skillfully　but　had　given　nothing　in　return。　What　was　Smith　really　doing　here？　Who　was　he　after　and　why？　There　was　only　one　way　to　find　out。
　Back　in　her　apartment；　Megan　took　out　her　digitally　encrypted　phone　and　dialed　the　number　she　had　memorized　long　ago。
　〃Klein　here。〃
　〃It's　Megan　Olson。〃
　〃Megan。。。　I　thought　you'd　be　on　your　way　to　the　shuttle　launch　by　now。〃
　〃I'm　leaving　in　a　l