rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第64节

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　Bauer　simply　sidestepped　when　Reed　made　a　desperate　attempt　to　grab　him。　Reed　fell　and　rolled　over；　then　began　shaking　violently。　His　body　was　seized　by　convulsions　that　made　his　spine　bend　like　a　bow。　Keeping　a　safe　distance；　Bauer　watched；　fascinated；　as　his　creation　went　about　its　deadly　business。　He　couldn't　take　his　eyes　off　Reed　for　more　than　a　few　seconds；　not　even　when　he　began　to　arm　the　autodestruct　sequence。
　
　CHAPTER　THIRTY　TWO
　　
　It　won't　be　the　gas　jets。　Something　else。。。　What？
　The　question　echoed　in　Smith's　mind　as　he　hurried　under　the　shuttle's　left　wing　toward　the　landing　gear。　Either　Bauer　didn't　know　or　he　had　overlooked　the　fact　that　there　was　another　way　into　the　craft　other　than　through　the　cocoon。　Smith　stepped　up　on　the　tires；　then　moved　onto　the　landing　assembly。　He　popped　open　a　small　hatch；　reached　inside；　and　pulled　down　a　handcrank。　Fitting　one　end　into　a　slot；　he　began　turning。　Little　by　little；　the　much　larger　hatch　detached　itself　from　the　orbiter。
　Pushing　the　hatch　to　one　side；　Smith　climbed　into　the　belly　of　the　payload　bay　located　behind　the　Spacelab。　He　found　himself　crouching　next　to　the　get…away　canisters　where　unattended　experiments　and　supplies　were　stored。　In　front　of　them　was　an　oval；　submarine…type　door…　the　back　entry　to　the　Spacelab。
　Inside　the　Spacelab；　Megan　Olson　stared　in　horror　as　the　wheel　on　the　rear　door　spun　faster　and　faster。　Leaning　against　the　sled　chair；　she　felt　dizzy　and　nauseated。　Even　though　she'd　been　strapped　in　as　securely　as　possible；　the　buffeting　reentry　had　been　extremely　jarring。　She　felt　as　though　her　entire　body　had　been　pummeled。
　It's　not　too　late。　I　can　still　get　out　of　here。
　Seizing　that　thought；　she'd　climbed　out　of　the　sled　chair　and　staggered　to　the　door　that　connected　the　lab　to　the　tunnel。　But　after　a　few　minutes　of　trying；　she　realized　that　either　she　was　too　weak　or　the　door　was　locked　from　the　outside。
　Fighting　back　tears；　she　had　tried　desperately　to　think　of　another　way　out。　Then　she　had　heard　the　sounds　ing　from　the　get…away　section　of　the　payload　bay。
　Why　is　Reed　ing　back？　And　why　that　way？
　Frantically　Megan　looked　around　for　something　that　might　serve　as　a　weapon；　but　found　nothing。　She　heard　the　hiss　of　a　seal　breaking。　As　the　door　swung　back；　she　moved　to　the　side；　raising　both　arms　over　her　head。　Surprise　would　be　her　only　defense　against　Reed。
　First　a　leg　appeared；　then　a　pair　of　arms。　As　soon　as　Megan　saw　the　helmet；　she　started　to　bring　down　her　arms。　Then；　in　that　split　second；　she　realized　that　it　wasn't　a　space　suit；　but　one　designed　for　biohazard　work。　She　managed　to　stop　her　swing　just　as　the　figure　looked　up　at　her。
　〃Megan！〃
　She　tried　to　grab　Smith　but　her　gloved　hands　slipped　off　his　suit。　The　next　instant　he　was　holding　her　by　the　shoulders；　his　helmet　bumping　hers；　their　faceplates　touching。　She　couldn't　take　her　eyes　off　his。　She　leaned　against　his　shoulder　and　wept　for　everything　that；　only　moments　ago；　seemed　to　have　been　snatched　away；　and　was　now　restored。　She　pulled　back　a　little　so　that　she　could　look　at　him。
　〃How　did　you　know？〃
　〃They　heard　you　in　mission　control。　Not　much　got　through；　but　enough　so　they　knew　you　were　alive。〃
　〃So　you　came　for　me。。。。〃
　They　stared　at　each　other；　then　Smith　said；　〃e　on。　We've　got　to　get　out　of　here。〃
　〃But　Reed…〃
　〃I　know　about　him；〃　Smith　told　her。　〃He　was　working　for　Karl　Bauer。〃
　〃Bauer？〃
　〃He　was　the　man　you　saw　with　Reed　the　night　before　the　launch。　Bauer's　onboard　right　now。　He　came　to　take　the　smallpox　mutation　Reed　had　created　in　microgravity。　But　he's　not　going　to　just　walk　out　of　here；　Megan。　He　has　to　destroy　all　evidence　of　what　happened　on　this　flight。〃
　Then　he　told　her　exactly　where　the　shuttle　was　parked　and　why；　about　the　holding　chamber　that　was　really　a　giant　crematorium。
　Megan　shook　her　head。　〃No；　Jon；〃　she　said。　〃He's　doing　it　another　way。
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　Megan　pointed　to　an　overhead　readout　she　had　noticed　a　moment　ago。　〃That's　the　autodestruct　sequence；　armed　and　counting　down。　Once　it's　been　set；　it　can't　be　turned　off　or　extended。　We　have　less　than　four　minutes　before　the　shuttle　explodes。〃
　
　
　
　
　Seventy　seconds　later；　Smith　and　Megan　Olson　were　climbing　out　of　the　craft　the　way　Smith　had　gone　in。
　Megan　shuddered　when　she　looked　around　the　cavernous　death　chamber。　She　turned　to　Smith；　who　was　locking　the　hatch　they　had　passed　through。
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃
　〃Making　sure　that　no　one　follows　us。〃　He　stepped　on　a　tire；　then　to　the　ground。　〃Let's　go。〃
　Moving　as　quickly　as　their　bulky　suits　permitted；　they　came　around　the　wing。　Megan　gasped　when　she　saw　the　cocoon　mated　to　the　shuttle's　lower　escape　hatch　and　to　the　cavity　in　the　far　wall。
　〃Is　that　how　we're　supposed　to　get　out？〃
　〃It's　the　only　way。〃
　As　they　approached　the　cocoon；　Smith　could　see　that　the　hatch　to　the　shuttle　was　closed。　There　was　no　sign　of　Bauer　inside　the　plastic　tunnel　or　in　the　pass…through　decontamination　area。　From　his　RAID　suit　he　brought　out　a　knife　with　a　retractable　blade；　and　with　a　few　bold　strokes；　cut　an　opening　in　the　cocoon。
　〃Go　through；〃　he　told　Megan；　then　followed　her　into　the　cocoon。
　Once　inside；　Megan　turned　when　she　no　longer　felt　Smith's　hand　on　her　shoulder。　She　found　him　staring　at　the　hatch。
　〃Jon；　we're　running　out　of　time！〃
　Then　she　saw　the　cold；　pitiless　expression　behind　his　faceplate；　the　grief　in　his　eyes。　His　anger　spilled　into　her　as　she　pictured　the　bodies　of　her　crewmates；　the　terrible　way　they　had　died。　She　understood　exactly　what　he　intended　to　do。
　〃Go　down　the　tunnel；〃　Smith　said。　〃Don't　stop。　Don't　look　back。　There's　a　decontamination　chamber　right　behind　the　blast　door。〃
　〃Jon…？〃
　〃Go；　Megan。〃
　Smith　didn't　think　of　the　time　that　he　had　left；　of　the　odds　of　making　it　out　of　the　chamber　alive。　He　knew　that　men　like　Bauer；　rich　and　powerful；　seldom　if　ever　paid　for　their　crimes…　especially　since　those　who　could　have　condemned　them　were　already　dead。　Worse；　Bauer　would　try　again。　Somewhere；　sometime；　there　would　be　another　Cassandra　pact。
　Smith　hurried　through　the　small　decontamination　pass…through…　the　size　of　a　shower　stall…　and　came　up　to　the　hatch。　Through　the　rectangular　porthole　he　saw　the　mutilated　body　of　Dylan　Reed　and　Bauer；　holding　a　ceramic　capsule　in　the　palm　of　his　hand。
　He　wasn't　going　to　bring　out　the　entire　sample。　He　didn't　need　to。　A　drop　would　be　more　than　enough。　A　drop　he　could　hide　in　his　suit；　that　would　be　enough　to　re…create　the　monstrosity。
　Crouching；　Smith　opened　a　panel　at　the　bottom　of　the　hatch　and　engaged　the　manual　override。　He　rose　just　as　Bauer　turned；　his　expression　one　of　total　disbelief。
　It　can't　be。。。！
　Smith　saw　Bauer's　lips　move　but　didn't　hear　his　words　until　he　had　changed　the　frequency　on　his　helmet　radio。
　〃。。。are　you　doing　here？〃
　Silently　he　watched　as　Bauer　punched　the　keypad；　watched　as　his　incredulity　dissolved　to　horror　when　the　hatch　didn't　open。
　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　Bauer　screamed。　〃Open　this　hatch！〃
　〃No；　Doctor；〃　Smith　replied。　〃I　think　I'll　leave　you　with　your　creation。〃
　Bauer's　face　was　contorted　with　fear。　〃Listen　to　me…！〃
　Smith　changed　the　frequency　and　began　walking　away。　He　thought　he　heard　fists　falling　on　the　hatch；　but　knew　that　that　was　just　his　imagination。
　〃Control；　this　is　Smith。　Where's　Olson？〃
　Static　crackled　in　his　ear；　then　a　familiar　voice　came　through。　〃Jon；　this　is　Klein。　Megan　is　safe。　She's　in　the　decontamination　area。　She　told　me　that　the　autodestruct　was　armed。〃
　〃Bauer　did　that。〃
　〃Where　is　he？〃
　〃Still　inside。〃
　After　a　moment's　hesitation；　Klein　replied；　〃Understood。　We're　opening　the　blast　door；　Jon。　But　you　only　have　a　few　seconds。　Hurry！〃
　At　the　end　of　the　cocoon　Smith　saw　the　huge　door　start　to　swing　open。　With　sweat　pouring　off　him；　he　forced　himself　to　move　even　faster。　There　it　was；　the　cavity　cut　into　the　wall　at　the　end　of　the　cocoon。
　Then　the　door　stopped　and　began　closing。　He　was　still　at　least　fifteen　steps　away。
　〃What's　happening？〃　he　demanded。
　〃The　door　closes　automatically；〃　Klein　shouted　back。　〃It　will　seal　five　seconds　before　the　blast。　Jon；　get　out　of　there。〃
　Smith　forced　his　screaming　muscles　to　move　even　faster。　One　step；　one　second；　one　step；　one　second。。。
　The　blast　door　moved　relentlessly；　reducing　the　size　of　the　opening。　With　a　final　desperate　effort　Smith　hurled　himself　forward；　hitting　the　leading　edge　of　the　door；　squeezing　himself　through　as　it　brushed　by　him　and　locked。
　Seconds　later；　he　was　thrown　to　the　ground　as　the　earth　seemed　to　rear　up　and　something　like　a　giant's　fist　slammed　into　the　blast　door。
　
　He　opened　his　eyes　to　white：　ceiling；　walls；　sheets。　With　a　soldier's　instincts　he　lay　perfectly　still；　then　slowly；　carefully　moved　his　neck；　hands；　feet；　arms；　and　legs。　His　body　felt　as　though　it　had　gone　over　Niagara　Falls　in　a　barrel。
　The　door　opened　and　Klein　walked　in。
　〃Where　am　I？〃　Smith　asked；　his　voice　weak。
　〃In　the　land　of　the　living；　I'm　happy　to　say；〃　Klein　replied。　〃The　doctor　tells　me　that　you'll　be　just　fine。〃
　〃How…？〃
　〃After　the　shuttle　exploded；　Jack　Riley　and　his　team　went　into　the　decontamination　chamber；　put　you　through　the　pr