rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第49章

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nd　herself　on　her　back；　her　knees　pointed　at　the　ceiling。
　〃Third　mission　and　I　still　can't　get　used　to　these　seats；〃　Carter　grumbled　as　he　slipped　into　the　chair　beside　hers。
　〃That's　because　you　keep　putting　on　the　pounds；　my　man；〃　Wallace　needled　him。　〃All　that　home　cooking。〃
　〃At　least　I　have　a　home　to　e　back　to；〃　Carter　shot　back。
　Tapping　an　imaginary　cigar；　Wallace　did　his　imitation　of　Groucho　Marx。　〃Must　be　love。〃
　The　banter　died　as　the　prep　crew　came　in　and　strapped　the　astronauts　into　the　seats。
　〃Mikes？〃
　Megan　tested　hers　and　nodded　as　much　as　she　could；　given　the　tight　leeway。　As　her　mates　were　strapped　in；　she　listened　to　the　orbiter　crew　going　through　the　liftoff　checklist　with　mission　control。
　Their　work　finished；　the　prep　crew　stepped　back。　Although　Megan　couldn't　see　them；　she　imagined　how　solemn　their　expressions　were。
　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　Godspeed。　e　home　safely。〃
　〃Amen　to　that；〃　Carter　muttered。
　〃I　should　have　brought　a　good　book　to　read；〃　Wallace　mused。　〃Megan；　how　are　you　doing　there？〃
　〃Just　peachy；　thank　you。　Now　if　you　boys　don't　mind；　I　have　my　own　checklist　to　review。〃
　
　Several　hundred　miles　to　the　northeast；　Jon　Smith　finished　his　second　cup　of　coffee　and　checked　his　watch。　By　now；　Kirov　would　have　had　enough　time　to　settle　into　position　in　Dupont　Circle。　On　his　way　out；　Smith　took　one　last　look　at　the　monitors　connected　to　the　exterior　security　cameras。　Located　on　a　corner　lot；　his　house　was　bordered　by　tall　trees　that　effectively　hid　it　from　its　neighbors。　The　backyard　was　all　lawn；　with　no　bushes　or　shrubs　where　an　intruder　could　hide。　Motion　sensors　embedded　in　the　stone　walls　of　the　house　continually　scanned　the　area。
　If　someone　managed　to　get　past　the　sensors；　he　would　discover　a　sophisticated　alarm　system　built　into　the　dual…pane　windows　and　the　door　locks。　If　these　were　somehow　breached；　pressure　pads　throughout　the　house　would　activate；　triggering　both　an　alarm　and　an　incapacitating　gas　through　the　sprinkler　system。　Tested　in　federal　prisons；　the　gas　took　down　its　targets　in　less　than　ten　seconds；　which　was　why　Smith　kept　a　gas　mask　in　his　night…table　cabinet。
　Although　Smith　believed　that　Beria　would　not　attempt　to　kill　him　with　a　long…range　shot；　he　thought　it　prudent　to　double…check　the　perimeter。　Satisfied　that　it　was　secure；　Smith　went　back　through　the　kitchen　that　connected　directly　to　the　garage。　He　was　reaching　to　shut　off　the　small　television　perched　on　the　counter　when　he　saw　an　image　that　made　him　stop。　He　hesitated　briefly；　then　smiled　and　reached　for　the　phone。
　
　At　twenty…one　minutes　to　liftoff；　the　voice　of　the　flight　director；　Harry　Landon；　came　over　the　crew's　headsets。
　〃Folks；〃　he　said　in　his　Oklahoma　twang；　〃seems　we　got　ourselves　an　unexpected　development。〃
　Even　though　they　were　aware　that　three　hundred　people　at　mission　control　were　listening　to　every　sound　they　made；　the　crew　could　not　contain　a　collective　groan。
　〃Don't　tell　me　we're　going　to　have　to　do　this　all　over　again；〃　Carter　groused。
　〃What's　the　problem；　mission　control？〃　the　pilot　asked　crisply。
　〃Did　I　say　a　problem？　No。　I　said　a　development。〃　There　was　a　brief　pause。　〃Olson；　are　you　all　done　with　your　flight　check？〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Megan　replied；　her　heart　racing。
　Don't　tell　me　I　screwed　up。　Anything　but　that。
　〃In　that　case；　do　you　want　to　take　this　call？〃
　Involuntarily；　Megan　tried　to　sit　up　but　got　nowhere。　Who　could　be　calling　her？　Oh；　Jesus！
　〃Harry；〃　she　said　in　panicky　voice。　〃I　don't　know　if　that's　such　a　good　idea。〃
　〃Now　don't　you　fret。　I'll　patch　it　through　only　to　you。〃
　The　last　thing　she　heard　before　the　static　was　Carter's　〃Rats！〃
　〃Megan？〃
　Her　pulse　quickened。　〃Jon？　Is　that　you？〃
　〃I　couldn't　let　you　leave　without　saying　good　luck。〃
　〃Jon；　how　did　you。。。。　？　I　mean；　how　could　you…〃
　〃No　time　to　explain。　Are　you　okay？　Are　you　ready？〃
　〃Ready；　yes。　Okay？　Well；　I'm　still　getting　used　to　sitting　on　a　ton　of　liquid　fuel。〃
　〃I　wanted　to　wish　you　well。。。。　Make　sure　you　e　home　safe　and　sound。〃
　Megan　smiled。　〃I　will。〃
　〃Sorry；　folks；〃　Landon　broke　in。　〃Time's　up。〃
　〃Thanks；　Harry；〃　Megan　said。
　〃I'm　going　to　put　you　back　in　the　loop。　Ready？〃
　〃Go　ahead。〃
　Megan　steeled　herself　for　some　gentle　ribbing；　which　never　materialized。　In　the　fifteen　minutes　to　countdown；　the　rest　of　the　crew　were　busy　exchanging　instructions　and　details。　Closing　her　eyes；　she　whispered　a　few　words　from　the　Twenty…fourth　Psalm。　She　had　barely　finished　when　the　shuttle　shifted　a　little。　An　instant　later；　the　ignition　procedure　for　the　solid　boosters　kicked　in　and　a　loud；　low　rumble　enveloped　the　craft。
　Through　the　chatter　of　ground　control　double…checking　liftoff；　Megan　heard：　〃Houston；　we　have　Discovery　liftoff！〃
　As　the　external　tank　fed　the　shuttle's　main　engines；　Megan　felt　as　though　she　were　strapped　to　a　bone…jarring　roller　coaster…　except　that　there　was　no　stopping　this　ride。　Two　minutes　and　six　seconds　after　liftoff；　the　solid　boosters　separated　from　the　orbiter；　falling　away　to　the　ocean；　where　they　would　be　retrieved。　Powered　by　the　fuel　from　the　external　tank　that　fed　her　main　engines；　Discovery　struggled　to　break　free　of　gravity。　The　higher　and　faster　she　ascended；　the　closer　the　crew　got　to　the　maximum　3…G　pressure。　Megan　had　been　warned　that　it　would　be　like　having　a　gorilla　strapped　to　your　chest。
　Wrong。　More　like　an　elephant。
　Six　minutes　later；　at　an　altitude　of　184　miles；　the　main　engines　stopped　firing。　Its　job　done；　the　external　fuel　tank　separated　and　fell　away。　Megan　was　amazed　by　the　sudden　silence　and　by　how　smooth　the　ride　had　suddenly　bee。　Turning　her　head；　she　understood　why：　beyond　the　sliver　of　a　window　in　her　line　of　sight　were　the　stars。　She　and　Discovery　were　in　orbit。
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY　ONE
　　
　The　preceding　evening；　Ivan　Beria　had　rendezvoused　with　the　driver　of　the　Lincoln　outside　the　Metro　stop　at　Q　Street　and　Connecticut　Avenue。　The　driver　had　further　information　and　instructions　for　Beria；　who　studied　them　as　the　car　wended　its　way　out　of　the　city　toward　Bethesda。
　The　driver　was　necessary　because　Beria　could　not　afford　to　be　seen　on　the　streets…　and　because　he　had　only　the　most　rudimentary　driving　skills。　A　killer　who　could　carve　a　man　up　in　seconds；　he　was　lost　in　and　confused　by　the　traffic　streaming　in　and　out　of　the　city。　In　an　emergency；　he　could　not　be　sure　of　executing　an　escape。　There　was　one　other　advantage　to　the　car　besides　transport：　it　was　perfect　for　surveillance。　Washington　was　filled　with　executive　sedans。　This　one　would　not　look　out　of　place　in　a　neighborhood　such　as　Bethesda。
　Approaching　Smith's　house；　the　driver　slowed　as　though　searching　for　a　particular　number。　Beria　got　a　good　look　at　the　rambling　ranchstyle　house；　set　well　back　from　the　street。　He　noted　the　trees　that　ran　along　the　property　line　and　that；　he　surmised；　continued　around　the　back。　There　were　lights　in　the　windows　but　no　shadows　indicating　movement。
　〃e　around　again；〃　Beria　told　the　driver。
　Next　time；　Beria　looked　closely　at　the　other　houses　on　the　block。　Most　had　toys　and　bicycles　on　the　front　lawn；　a　basketball　hoop　over　the　garage　door；　a　small　powerboat　perched　on　a　trailer　chocked　in　the　driveway。　By　contrast；　Smith's　house　looked　vacant；　brooding。　It　was；　Beria　thought；　the　house　of　a　man　who　lives　alone　and　prefers　it　that　way；　whose　work　demands　solitude　and　secrecy。　Such　a　house　would　have　a　far　more　sophisticated…　and　deadly…　warning　system　than　anything　advertised　by　the　security　pany　patches　on　the　doors　of　the　other　homes。
　〃I　have　seen　enough；〃　he　told　the　driver。　〃We　will　e　back　tomorrow　morning。〃'
　Now；　a　few　minutes　after　nine　o'clock　in　the　next　morning；　Beria　was　in　the　backseat　of　the　Lincoln　as　it　idled　at　the　far　corner　of　Smith's　street。　The　driver　was　standing　outside；　smoking。　To　passing　joggers　and　dog　walkers；　he　appeared　to　be　waiting　for　a　client。
　In　the　cool　stillness　of　the　interior；　Beria　reviewed　all　the　information　on　Smith。　His　principal　wanted　the　American　doctor　out　of　the　way　quickly。　But　there　were　obstacles。　Smith　did　not　go　to　an　office。　His　home　appeared　to　have　good　security。　Therefore；　the　execution　would　have　to　be　done　out　in　the　open