rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第60节

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。　He　had　seen　the　effects　of　an　explosion　in　a　place　as　confined　as　an　air　lock。
　Reed　reached　mid…deck　and　was　about　to　keep　going　when　he　caught　movement　out　the　corner　of　his　eye。
　My　God；　she's　alive！
　Reed　watched　as　Megan；　her　back　to　him；　worked　the　submarine…type　wheel　on　the　tunnel　door。　Moving　to　a　tool　case；　he　opened　a　drawer　and　pulled　out　a　specially　designed　saw。
　
　Seated　in　the　lead　manche；　Jon　Smith　looked　at　the　other　grim…faced　RAID　agents。　Right　now；　they　all　wore　flight　overalls。　That　would　change　as　soon　as　they　arrived　at　Groome　Lake；　where　they　would　don　their　Level　Four　protective　gear　before　entering　the　bunker。
　Turning　to　Jack　Riley；　he　spoke　into　his　flight…helmet　microphone。　〃How　far　out　are　we？〃
　Riley　held　up　a　finger　and　municated　with　the　pilot。　〃Forty　minutes；〃　he　replied。　〃You　can　bet　that　Groome　Lake　already　has　us　on　radar。　Another　few　miles　and　they'll　scramble　their　own　chopper；　or　even　a　couple　of　F…16s；　for　a　look…see。〃
　He　raised　his　eyebrows。　〃What's　the　president　waiting　for？　Air　Force　One　has　been　on　the　ground　for　almost　a　half　hour。〃
　As　though　on　cue；　a　new　voice　came　over　Smith's　headset。
　〃This　is　Bluebird　calling　RAID　One。〃
　Smith　responded　instantly。　〃This　is　RAID　One。　Go　ahead；　Bluebird。〃　Bluebird　was　the　designation　for　Nathaniel　Klein。
　〃Jon？〃
　〃Right　here；　sir。　We　were　wondering　when　you'd　call。〃
　〃We　had　a。。。　a　situation　here。　The　president　just　ordered　your　flight　cleared　for　touchdown。　For　the　purpose　of　this　mission；　you　and　your　people　will　be　considered　attached　to　his　party。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　You　mentioned　a　situation；　sir。〃
　There　was　a　slight　hesitation。　〃Mission　control　reports　talking　to　Reed　just　before　the　orbiter　entered　the　black　zone。　The　last　thing　Landon　heard　was　an　explosion；　which　the　puters　later　confirmed。〃
　〃Is　the　craft　intact？〃　Smith　demanded。
　〃According　to　the　instrument　readings；　Discovery　is　still　on　its　designated　flight　path。　The　explosion　took　place　in　an　air　lock。　For　a　reason　we　don't　know；　the　bolts　blew。〃
　〃The　air　lock。。。　Where　was　Reed　at　the　time？〃
　〃On　the　flight　deck。　But　Landon　can't　be　sure　about　the　extent　of　the　damage　or　even　if　Reed's　still　alive。　No　one's　answering　up　there；　Jon。〃
　
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY　NINE
　　
　The　last　thing　Megan　had　heard　over　her　headset　was　the　exchange　between　Reed　and　Harry　Landon；　seconds　before　the　bolts　on　the　air…lock　doors　had　blown。　After　she　got　up　to　the　mid…deck；　she　realized　that　Reed　would　e　down　to　investigate。　He　had　to　make　sure　that　she　was　dead　or　injured…　either　would　suit　his　purpose。　When　he　didn't　find　her　in　the　air　lock　or　the　lower　deck；　he　would　start　looking　elsewhere。
　Megan　knew　she　couldn't　hide　from　him　for　long。　The　orbiter　was　simply　too　small。　There　was　only　one　escape。　Making　her　way　to　the　mid…deck；　she　floated　to　the　door　that　opened　up　on　the　tunnel　to　the　Spacelab。　She　gripped　the　arms　of　the　wheel　on　the　door　and　began　turning。
　But　Megan　never　forgot　that　she　had　her　back　to　the　ladder　that　connected　the　three　levels。　She　would　never　hear　Reed　if　he　spotted　her　and　came　up　behind　her。　The　small　mirror　she　had　placed　at　the　foot　of　the　tunnel　door　would　now　save　her　life。
　In　the　reflection；　she　had　seen　Reed　descend　the　ladder；　hesitate；　then　spot　her　and　start　floating　to　her。　She　watched　him　stop　by　a　tool　kit；　retrieve　a　type　of　keyhole　saw；　then　keep　on　ing。
　Megan　had　the　wheel　on　the　door　turned　as　far　as　it　would　go；　but　she　kept　her　hands　on　the　grips　and　pretended　that　the　wheel　was　stuck。　Looking　down；　she　saw　Reed　drift　closer；　his　right　arm　stretched　out　to　her。　In　his　hand；　the　saw　looked　like　the　pointed　nose　of　a　marlin。
　Megan　let　her　left　hand　slip　from　the　wheel。　Set　into　the　door　was　a　release　button　that　pulled　the　door　open　once　the　wheel　had　been　fully　turned。　Her　eyes　riveted　on　the　mirror；　she　judged　the　distance　between　her　and　Reed。　Her　timing　would　have　to　be　perfect。
　Reed　watched　Megan　jerk　as　she　tried　to　force　the　wheel。　Raising　the　saw；　he　floated　closer。　Since　she　was　standing；　he　chose　a　spot　between　her　neck　and　her　shoulder。　The　teeth　of　the　saw　would　slice　through　her　plastic　suit。　The　result　would　be　instant　depressurization。　The　air　inside　the　suit　would　rush　out。。。　and　the　contaminated　air　around　her　would　stream　into　the　rent。　Two；　three　breaths　and　the　variola　would　be　in　her　lungs。
　In　microgravity；　it　is　impossible　to　move　with　any　real　speed。　When　Reed　started　his　downward　swing；　he　appeared　to　be　moving　in　slow　motion。　But　Megan　pushed　off；　propelling　herself　sideways　from　the　door。　As　she　did；　she　jabbed　the　release　button。　With　a　nearly　inaudible　pneumatic　hiss；　the　door　swung　open　as　Reed　drifted　into　the　space　Megan　had　occupied　just　a　second　ago。　The　heavy　door　caught　him　square　on　the　helmet；　whipping　back　his　neck；　then　dragging　him　as　it　opened　fully。　His　fingers　lost　their　grip　on　the　saw；　which　floated　away。
　Stunned　and　reeling；　Reed　made　a　feeble　grab　for　Megan　as　she　floated　around　him　into　the　tunnel。　Inside；　she　found　another　button；　punched　it；　and　watched　the　door　begin　to　close。
　e　on；　e　on！
　The　door　seemed　to　inch　its　way　toward　her。　As　soon　as　Megan　could　reach　the　grips　on　the　wheel；　she　began　pulling。
　She　saw　the　flash　of　the　saw　as　it　sliced　through　the　opening；　only　inches　from　her　suit　sleeve。　As　Reed　drew　back　for　another　strike；　she　managed　to　close　the　door　and　spin　the　wheel。　The　locks　set　and　Megan　pulled　the　emergency　lever　to　freeze　them　in　place。
　His　rasping　voice　made　her　heart　jump　into　her　throat。　〃What　a　clever　girl　you　are；　Megan。　Can　you　hear　me？　Did　you　fix　your　inter　too？〃
　Megan　pressed　a　button　on　her　unit　and　heard　a　faint　crackle。
　〃I　can　hear　you　breathing；〃　Reed　said。　〃Or　more　accurately；　hyperventilating。〃
　〃And　I　can　hear　you；　but　not　too　well；〃　she　said。　〃You'll　have　to　speak　up。〃
　〃I'm　glad　you　haven't　lost　your　sense　of　humor；〃　Reed　said。　〃Very　slippery；　what　you　did　back　there。　You　were　playing　possum；　weren't　you？　Waiting　for　me。。。〃
　〃Dylan。。。〃　She　didn't　know　where　to　begin。
　〃You　think　you're　safe；　don't　you？〃　he　said。　〃As　long　as　the　emergency　locks　are　set；　I　can't　get　in。　But　if　you　think　about　it；　Megan；　put　aside　your　panic　and　really　think；　that's　not　true。〃
　Megan　struggled　to　understand　what　he　was　referring　to　but　nothing　came　to　mind。
　〃No　matter　what　you　think　you　can　do；　you'll　never　leave　this　craft　alive；〃　Reed　continued。
　Suppressing　a　shudder；　she　replied：　〃You　won't　win　either；　Dylan。　I'm　going　to　destroy　the　horror　you　made　here。〃
　〃Really？　You　have　no　idea　what　I　did　in　there。〃
　Oh；　yes；　I　do！　〃I'll　find　it！〃
　〃With　less　than　sixty　minutes　from　touchdown？　I　don't　think　so。　It'll　be　all　you　can　do　to　stay　alive　when　we　go　through　the　last　stages　of　reentry。　And　Megan？　Even　if　you　found　it；　what　would　you　do…　dispose　of　it　through　the　waste　portals？　Not　a　bad　idea…　if　we　were　still　in　space。　But　since　you　have　no　idea　what　I　was　working　on；　how　can　you　be　sure　that　it　would　die　once　we're　in　the　earth's　atmosphere？　To　jettison　it　would　mean　running　the　risk　of　possibly　spreading　it。〃
　He　paused。　〃You　didn't　see　the　bodies；　did　you？　Just　as　well；　really。　But　if　you　had；　you　wouldn't　even　think　of　dispersing　a　virus。〃
　Reed　chuckled。　〃Now　you're　asking　yourself；　where　would　I　have　put　it？　How　would　it　be　disguised？　So　many　questions；　and　no　time　to　find　the　answers。　Because　we've　just　about　reached　our　next　bumpy　ride。　If　I　were　you；　I'd　find　something　to　hang　on　to…　fast。〃
　Megan　heard　the　click　of　the　microphone　as　Reed　signed　off。　Then　she　felt　a　tremor　race　through　the　ship　as　the　orbiter　cut　through　another　layer　of　the　earth's　atmosphere。　Without　looking　back；　she　began　pulling　herself　down　the　tunnel　toward　the　Spacelab。
　
　Reed　climbed　back　up　to　the　flight　deck　and　managed　to　strap　himself　into　the　mander's　chair　as　waves　of　turbulence　hit　the　shuttle。　The　orbiter　shuddered；　then　yawed。　Checking　the　instrument　panel；　Reed　noted　that　the　orbital　maneuvering　system　engine　had　fired；　slowing　the　craft　just　enough　so　that　gravity　could　take　effect。　If　all　went　well；　gravity　would　pull　Discovery　out　of　orbit　and　into　a　gentle　glide　to　earth。
　The　shudders　became　a　series　of　vibrations　as　the　craft's　speed　dropped　from　twenty…five　times　to　two　times　the　speed　of　sound。　Then　the　buffeting　ceased　altogether　and　Discovery　turned　into　its　glide　path。　The　munications　blackout　had　ended　and　Reed　heard　Landon's　urgent　voice。
　〃Discovery；　do　you　read？　Dylan；　can　you　hear　me？〃　After　a　pause：　〃Our　instruments　registered　an　onboard　explosion。　Can　you　confirm？　Are　you　all　right？〃
　I　don't　have　time　for　this　right　now；　Harry。
　Reed　closed　the　munications　channel　and　glanced　over　the　instrument　panel　until　he　found　what　he　was　looking　for。　He'd　told　Megan　that　she　was　mistaken　in　thinking　that　he　couldn't　get　past　the　locks　on　the　door　to　the　tunnel。　He　wondered　if　she'd　figured　out　how。　Probably　not。　As　bright　and　as　capable　as　Megan　was；　she　was　still　a　novice。　She　couldn't　have　known　that　a　switch　on　the　flight　deck　could　override　the　locks　on　the　tunnel　door。
　
　
　
　
　There　wasn't　much　to　hang　on　to　inside　the　Spacelab；　so　Megan　improvised。　In