rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第61节

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　There　wasn't　much　to　hang　on　to　inside　the　Spacelab；　so　Megan　improvised。　In　the　center　of　the　lab　was　a　metallic　object　that　looked　like　something　between　a　modern…day　torture　rack　and　a　high…tech　recliner。　Its　technical　name　was　a　Space　Physiology　Experiment。　The　crew　called　it　the　sled　chair。　There；　crew　members；　lying　on　their　backs　and　strapped　in　securely；　underwent　tests　on　joints　and　muscles；　the　effects　of　gravity　on　the　inner　ear　and　on　the　eyeball；　and　various　other　experiments。
　Having　strapped　herself　into　the　sled　chair；　Megan　managed　to　ride　out　the　turbulence。　Now　she　undid　the　straps　and；　with　substantial　effort；　got　to　her　feet。　Light…headedness；　caused　by　decreased　blood　volume；　hit　her　immediately。　Megan　knew　it　would　take　at　least　a　few　minutes　for　the　volume　to　increase　as　the　orbiter　approached　earth。　The　process　would　have　been　faster　if　she'd　had　some　water　and　salt　tablets。
　But　you　don't。　And　you're　running　out　of　time！
　She　looked　at　the　dozen　racks　that　served　as　stations　for　Spacelab　experiments。
　Think！　Where　would　he　have　put　it？
　Megan's　gaze　traveled　to　the　space　accelerator　measurement　system；　then　to　the　critical　point　facility。　No。　She　started　to　move　to　the　microgravity　vestibular　investigator　module；　then　stopped。
　A　virus。。。　Reed　rearranged　the　order　of　the　experiments。　He　put　himself　first；　taking　my　place！　He　needed　the　Biorack！
　Megan　stepped　over　to　the　Biorack　and　fired　up　its　systems。　The　LCD　was　blank。
　Whatever　he　did；　he　erased　the　records。
　Looking　into　the　Glovebox；　she　discovered　it　was　empty。
　This　is　where　you　did　your　work；　you　son　of　a　bitch。　But　where　did　you　put　the　results？
　Megan　checked　both　incubator　units；　the　access　and　control　panels；　and　the　power　panel。　The　latter　had　been　on　even　before　she'd　touched　the　Biorack's　operating　system。。。
　。。。because　the　cooler　is　on！
　Megan　opened　the　cooler　and　checked　the　contents。　Everything　was　in　place。　Nothing　had　been　taken　out　or　added。　That　left　the　freezer。
　Pulling　down　the　panel；　she　quickly　inventoried　the　contents。　At　first　glance；　everything　could　be　accounted　for。　Not　satisfied；　she　pulled　out　one　rack　of　standard　test　tubes；　checked　their　markings；　and　set　the　rack　back。　She　repeated　the　process　with　two　more　racks。　In　the　third；　she　found　a　tube　with　no　markings。
　
　As　soon　as　the　shuttle's　flight　had　stabilized；　Reed　unbuckled　himself　from　the　mander's　chair。　He　entered　an　override　program　into　the　puter；　set　the　timer；　and　activated　the　sequence。　If　his　judgment　was　correct；　he　should　reach　the　door　to　the　tunnel　just　as　the　program　released　the　emergency　locks。
　Climbing　down　the　ladder；　Reed　entered　mid…deck　and　plodded　his　way　to　the　door。　He　had　only　a　few　seconds　to　wait　before　the　locks　popped　open。　Working　the　wheel；　he　pushed　open　the　door　and　began　crawling　through　the　tunnel。　Reaching　the　end；　he　pulled　open　the　door　to　the　Spacelab。　There　was　Megan；　standing　by　the　Biorack；　searching　the　cooler。
　Reed　came　up　behind　her。　His　right　arm　caught　her　across　the　chest　while　his　foot　swept　her　legs　out　from　under　her。　Gravity　did　the　rest。　Megan　fell　back；　landing　heavily　on　her　shoulder　and　rolling　over。
　〃Don't　bother　getting　up；〃　Reed　said　into　his　microphone。　〃Can　you　hear　me？〃
　He　saw　her　nod；　then　opened　the　freezer　and　pulled　out　a　rack　of　test　tubes。　He　knew　exactly　where　he'd　placed　the　one　containing　the　variola　and　there　it　was。　Tucking　it　into　a　pocket　with　a　secure　Velcro　flap；　he　stepped　back。　Megan　had　rolled　over　so　that　she　could　look　at　him。
　〃You　can　still　stop　this；　Dylan。〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃You　can't　put　the　genie　back　into　the　bottle。　But　at　least　you'll　die　knowing　that　it's　our　genie。〃
　Reed　never　took　his　eyes　off　her　as　he　backed　away　toward　the　door。　Stepping　into　the　tunnel；　he　closed　the　door　and　locked　it。
　The　overhead　clock　read　twenty　minutes　to　touchdown。
　
　CHAPTER　THIRTY
　　
　A　little　over　an　hour　had　passed　since　Air　Force　One　had　landed　at　Groome　Lake；　Nevada。　Escorted　by　a　pair　of　F…15　Eagle　interceptors；　it　had　e　in　on　the　same　runway　that；　a　decade　earlier；　had　been　built　to　flight…test　the　B…2　bomber。　As　soon　as　the　presidential　platform　was　on　the　ground；　a　contingent　of　air　force　security　acpanied　the　chief　executive　and　his　working　group　to　the　shuttle　landing　facility　a　mile　and　a　half　away。
　In　spite　of　the　heat；　the　president　insisted　on　walking　along　the　runway　with　his　group　and　then　down　the　ramp　into　the　holding　area。　He　glanced　around　at　the　interior　of　the　bunker。　With　its　smooth　concrete　walls；　broken　only　by　outlets　for　the　gas　jets；　it　reminded　him　of　a　giant　crematorium。
　Which　is　really　what　it　is。。。
　The　president　pointed　to　a　cocoonlike　tube；　eight　feet　high；　five　feet　wide；　that　ran　from　one　of　the　walls　into　the　middle　of　the　bunker　like　a　gigantic　umbilical　cord。
　〃What's　that？〃　he　asked　an　air　police　lieutenant。
　Castilla　turned　when　he　heard　the　soft　whir　of　an　electric　golf　cart。　Seated　beside　an　air　force　security　guard　was　Dr。　Karl　Bauer。　When　the　cart　pulled　up　alongside　the　group；　Bauer　got　out　and；　nodding　at　members　of　the　entourage；　walked　directly　to　the　president。
　〃Mr。　President；〃　he　said　gravely。　〃It　is　good　to　see　you　again。　Although　I　wish　it　were　under　more　pleasant　circumstances。〃
　The　president　knew　that　his　eyes　were　his　weakness。　They　always　gave　away　his　moods　and　emotions。　Trying　not　to　recall　what　Smith　and　Klein　had　told　him；　he　forced　himself　to　smile　and　to　shake　the　hand　of　a　man　he'd　once　respected；　who　had　been　honored　at　the　White　House。　Who's　a　fucking　monster。
　But　what　he　said　was；　〃The　pleasure　is　mine；　Dr。　Bauer。　Believe　me；　I'm　grateful　that　you're　here。〃　He　gestured　toward　the　cocoon。　〃Maybe　you　could　explain　this。〃
　〃Certainly。〃
　Bauer　led　the　way　to　the　end　of　the　cocoon。　Looking　inside；　the　president　saw　that　the　last　six　feet　of　the　chamber　were　sealed　off　from　the　rest；　creating　a　kind　of　vault　or　air　lock。
　〃This　portable　cocoon　is　my　own　design　and　manufacture；〃　Bauer　said。　〃It　can　be　flown　anywhere　in　the　world；　set　up　in　a　matter　of　hours；　then　coupled　by　remote　control　to　the　target。　Its　sole　purpose　is　to　extract　an　individual　from　a　hot　zone　that　may　be　difficult　or　impossible　to　enter…　which　is　the　situation　we　are　faced　with。〃
　〃Why　not　go　directly　into　the　shuttle；　Doctor？　Surely　with　protective　suits　that's　possible。〃
　〃Possible；　yes；　Mr。　President。　Advisable？　No。　We　have　no　idea　what　is　loose　on　board　the　orbiter。　Right　now；　we　have　one　survivor；　Dr。　Reed；　who　is　not　contaminated。　It　would　be　best　to　bring　him　off　the　ship　and　put　him　through　the　decontamination　process　rather　than　risk　sending　someone　to　get　him。　There's　less　chance　of　an　accident；　and　we'd　be　able　to　find　out　very　quickly　what　happened。〃
　〃But　Dr。　Reed　doesn't　know　what　happened；〃　the　president　objected。　〃Or　what　we're　dealing　with。〃
　〃We　can't　be　sure；〃　Bauer　replied。　〃Under　the　circumstances；　it's　not　unusual　for　people　to　have　observed　or　remembered　more　than　they　think　they　do。　In　any　event；　we　then　send　in　a　robot　probe　to　take　samples。　There　are　full　lab　facilities　here。　I　will　be　able　to　tell　you　within　the　hour　what　it　is　we're　dealing　with。〃
　〃In　the　meantime；　the　shuttle　sits　here；　hot；　as　you　would　say。〃
　〃Certainly　you　can　give　the　order　to　have　it　destroyed　immediately；〃　Bauer　replied。　〃However；　there　are　the　bodies　of　the　other　crew　members。　If　there　is　any　chance　of　bringing　them　out；　giving　them　a　decent　burial；　I　believe　we　should　hold　out　for　it。〃
　The　president　fought　to　keep　his　rage　in　check。　The　butcher's　concern　for　his　victims　was　almost　more　than　he　could　bear。
　〃I　agree。　Please；　continue。〃
　〃Once　the　cocoon　is　mated　to　the　shuttle；　I　will　enter　from　the　other　end…behind　the　wall；〃　Bauer　explained。　〃I　will　walk　into　this　small　decontamination　chamber；　check　it；　and　seal　it。　Only　then　will　Dr。　Reed　be　instructed　to　open　Discovery's　hatch　and　step　directly　into　the　decontamination　area。〃
　Bauer　pointed　to　PVC　pipes　running　along　the　ceiling　the　length　of　the　cocoon。　〃These　supply　electricity　and　decontamination　detergents。　The　chamber　is　equipped　with　ultraviolet　light；　which　is　deadly　to　all　known　forms　of　bacteria。　The　detergent　is　an　added　precaution。　Dr。　Reed　will　undress。　Both　he　and　his　suit…except　for　the　sample　we　need…　will　be　cleaned　at　the　same　time。〃
　〃Why　clean　the　suit？〃
　〃Because　we　have　no　practical　way　to　dispose　of　it　in　the　chamber；　Mr。　President。〃
　The　president　remembered　the　question　Klein　had　asked　him　to　raise。　Bauer's　response　was　vital；　but　it　had　to　be　elicited　in　such　a　way　so　as　not　to　arouse　the　slightest　suspicion。
　〃If　the　suit　needs　to　be　sterilized；〃　he　asked；　〃then　how　does　the　sample　e　out？〃
　〃The　chamber　has　a　pass…through　facility；〃　Bauer　explained。　〃Dr。　Reed　will　deposit　the　sample　into　a　carrier　tray。　On　the　other　side；　I　will　roll　the　tray　through　into　the　Glovebox。　This　way　the　sample　will　always　remain　in　a　secure　environment。　Using　the　Glovebox；　I　will　deposit　the　sample　into　a　secure　container；　then　bring　that　out。〃
　〃And　you'll　be　doing　this　yourself。〃
　〃As　you　can　see；　Mr。　President；　the　space　inside　the　cocoon　is　somewhat　restric