rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第52章

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　〃The　problem　you　sent　your　boy　to　fix？〃　he　said　abruptly。　〃Now　it's　worse　than　before。〃　After　giving　Bauer　the　scant　details；　he　added：　〃If　Beria's　been　taken；　then　you　can　bet　it's　Smith　who　has　him。　In　the　end；　Beria　will　talk…　if　he　hasn't　already。〃
　〃If　he　does；　what　of　it？〃　Bauer　demanded。　〃He　never　saw　any　of　us。　He　doesn't　know　our　names。　Treloar　is　dead。　The　trail　stops　with　him。〃
　〃The　trail　has　to　stop　with　Beria！〃　Price　snapped。　〃He　needs　to　be　dealt　with。〃
　〃While　he's　in　Smith's　custody？〃　Bauer　replied　sarcastically。　〃Pray　tell　me　how　you　propose　getting　to　him。〃
　Price　hesitated。　Smith　wouldn't　keep　Beria　in　a　federal　prison　or　holding　cell。　He'd　squirrel　him　away　where　no　one　could　find　him。
　〃Then　we　have　to　move　up　the　schedule；〃　he　said。　〃Create　a　diversion。〃
　〃Doing　so　would　endanger　Reed　and　the　entire　project。〃
　〃Not　doing　it　endangers　us！　Listen　to　me；　Karl。　Reed　was　going　to　run　the　experiment　the　day　after　tomorrow。　There's　no　reason　why　he　can't　run　it　now。〃
　〃All　the　experiments　are　on　a　fixed　schedule；〃　Bauer　replied。　〃It　might　look　suspicious　if　Reed　changes　the　sequence。〃
　〃Given　the　consequences；　a　change　in　sequence　will　be　the　last　thing　anyone　thinks　about。　The　key　is　to　get　the　mutation　down　as　quickly　as　possible…　and　cover　our　butts。〃
　There　was　silence　on　the　other　end　of　the　line。　Price　held　his　breath；　wondering　if　the　old　scientist　would　play　along。
　〃Very　well；〃　Bauer　said　at　last。　〃I　will　contact　Reed　and　tell　him　to　move　up　the　schedule。〃
　〃Tell　him　to　work　as　fast　as　possible。〃
　〃As　fast　as　is　prudent。〃
　Price　was　at　the　end　of　his　tether。　〃Don't　split　hairs　on　me；　Karl。　Just　tell　him　to　get　on　with　it。〃
　Karl　Bauer　stared　at　the　now…silent　phone。　He　thought　that　Anthony　Price　was　one　of　those　bureaucrats　who　bee　infected　with　a　Napoleon　plex；　intoxicated　with　their　seemingly　limitless　power。
　Leaving　his　office；　Bauer　took　the　elevator　to　the　sub…basement。　This　was　the　heart　of　his　munications　center；　a　room　the　size　of　an　air　traffic　control　center　where　technicians；　using　three　private　satellites；　kept　their　fingertips　on　the　electronic　pulse　of　the　Bauer…Zermatt　empire。　There　was　also　a　fourth　satellite；　which；　until　now；　had　remained　inactive。　Crossing　the　room；　Bauer　entered　his　private　chamber　and　locked　himself　in。　He　seated　himself　at　the　console；　activated　the　high…definition　screen；　and　began　typing　on　the　keyboard。　The　satellite；　built　by　the　Chinese　in　Xianpao；　launched　by　the　French　out　of　New　Guyana；　sprang　to　life。　As　hardware　went；　it　was　a　relatively　unsophisticated　piece　of　equipment；　but　then　again；　it　had　only　one　purpose　and　a　very　short　life　span。　When　its　job　was　done；　an　explosive　charge　would　destroy　any　evidence　that　it　had　ever　existed。
　Bauer　piggybacked　on　the　NASA　frequency；　prepared　his　message　for　the　microburst　transmission；　and　opened　the　circuits。　In　nanoseconds；　the　message　was　beamed　to　the　satellite；　which　in　turn　relayed　it　to　the　shuttle。　Its　mission　acplished；　the　satellite　immediately　went　dormant。　Even　if　the　burst　was　inadvertently　noticed；　it　would　be　almost　impossible　to　fix　not　only　its　origin　but　also　the　relay　point。　With　the　satellite　silent；　it　would　appear　that　the　burst　had　e　from　a　black　hole　in　space。
　Sitting　back　in　his　chair；　Bauer　steepled　his　fingers。　Of　course　there　would　be　no　direct　reply　from　the　shuttle。　The　only　way　Bauer　would　be　sure　that　his　transmission　was　received　would　be　to　tap　into　the　shuttle…NASA　transmissions。　When　he　heard　Reed's　voice；　he　would　know。
　
　Traveling　at　17；500　miles　per　hour　at　an　altitude　of　202　miles；　Discovery　was　on　its　fourth　orbit　around　the　earth。　Stowing　away　her　temporary　seat；　Megan　Olson　worked　her　way　out　of　her　launch/entry　suit　and　into　fortable　overalls　studded　with　Velcro…lined　pockets。　She　noted　that　her　face　and　upper　body　were　puffy。　Virtually　every　wrinkle　had　disappeared　and　her　waistline　had　shrunk　a　good　two　inches。　This　occurred　because　there　was　little　gravity　to　pull　down　blood　and　bodily　fluids。　After　four　to　six　hours；　the　excess　fluids　would　be　removed　through　the　kidneys。
　With　the　help　of　her　teammates；　Carter　and　Wallace；　Megan　activated　the　shuttle's　power；　air　conditioning；　lights；　and　munications。　The　payload　bay　doors　were　opened　to　release　the　heat　built　up　by　the　firing　of　the　solid　rocket　booster　and　main　engines　during　liftoff。　They　would　stay　open　for　the　duration　of　the　mission　and　help　regulate　the　temperature　inside　the　orbiter。
　As　she　worked；　Megan　listened　to　the　chatter　among　the　mander；　Bill　Karol；　the　pilot；　Frank　Stone；　and　mission　control。　It　was　all　routine　give…and…take　about　the　shuttle's　status；　speed；　and　position…　until　she　heard　Karol's　puzzled　voice。
　〃Dylan；　are　you　copying　this？〃
　〃Roger　that。　What's　up？〃
　〃Something　just　came　in　over　the　circuits　for　you。　But　there　was　no　mission…control　input。〃
　Megan　heard　Reed　chuckle。　〃Probably　one　of　my　lab　guys　slipped　on　a　headset。　What's　the　message？〃
　〃Apparently　there's　been　a　change　in　the　order　of　your　experiments。　Megan's　been　bumped　to　number　four。　You　take　the　opening　slot。〃
　〃Hey；　that's　not　fair；〃　Megan　spoke　up。
　〃Been　listening　in；　have　you？〃　Reed　said。　〃Don't　worry　about　it；　Megan。　You'll　make　your　bones。〃
　〃I　know。　But　why　the　change？〃
　〃I'm　checking　the　schedule　right　now。〃
　〃I'm　on　my　way　up。〃
　Drifting　in　microgravity；　Megan　maneuvered　her　way　up　the　ladder　to　the　flight　deck。　Reed　was　suspended　like　a　diver　in　neutral　buoyancy　behind　the　pilot　and　the　mander；　checking　his　log。
　Glancing　up；　he　remarked；　〃You　look　ten　years　younger。〃
　〃Please；　five　years。　And　I　feel　bloated。　What's　up？〃
　Reed　passed　her　the　log。　〃It's　a　last…minute　schedule　change　I　forgot　to　mention。　I'm　going　to　run　the　critter　tests　first　and　get　them　out　of　the　way。　Then　you　can　have　the　place　all　to　yourself　and　your　Legionnaires'　disease　microbes。〃
　〃I　was　really　hoping　to　get　into　it　first　thing；〃　Megan　replied。
　〃Yeah；　I　know。　First　trip。　All　the　excitement。　But　if　I　were　you；　I'd　grab　some　sack　time　while　I　slave　over　a　hot　petri　dish。〃
　〃Would　you　like　a　hand　with　the　tests？〃
　〃Appreciate　the　thought；　but　no　thanks。〃　Reed　took　back　the　log。　〃Well；　I'd　better　go　open　up　the　Factory。〃
　The　Factory　was　the　crew's　nickname　for　the　Spacelab。
　On　the　monitor；　Megan　watched　Reed　maneuver　his　way　to　the　mid…deck；　then　float　into　the　tunnel　that　connected　to　the　Spacelab。　It　never　failed　to　amaze　her　that　only　the　curved　walls　of　the　tunnel　and　its　outer　skin　separated　Reed　from　the　frozen　waste　of　space。
　Megan　turned　to　Bill　Karol。　〃Who　sent　that　transmission？〃
　Karol　checked　his　screen。　〃There's　no　name　attached；　just　a　number。〃
　Steadying　herself；　Megan　read　over　his　shoulder。　The　six…digit　number　was　familiar　but　she　couldn't　grasp　why。
　〃Someone　was　in　a　hurry；〃　Stone；　the　pilot；　said　laconically。　〃Probably　a　last…minute　snafu　in　the　ground　lab。〃
　〃But　you　said　this　didn't　e　through　mission　control；〃　Megan　said。
　〃What　I　meant　was　that　there　wasn't　any　of　the　usual　chatter。　But　hell；　Megan；　who　else　could　have　sent　it？〃
　As　the　two　men　returned　to　their　duties；　Megan　backed　away。　Something　was　not　right。　A　moment　ago　she'd　remembered　where　she'd　seen　that　number　before。　It　was　Dylan　Reed's　NASA　ID。　How　could　he　possibly　have　sent　a　message　to　himself？
　As　soon　as　Dylan　Reed　entered　the　Spacelab；　he　overrode　the　circuits　that　controlled　the　cameras'　recording　activity　at　the　Biorack。　Pulling　back　the　Velcro　strap　on　one　of　his　pants　pockets；　he　removed　the　stubby；　titanium　cylinder　that　Bauer　had　given　him　less　than　twenty…four　hours　ago。　Although　the　tube　had　been　carefully　sealed；　Reed　understood　that　he　was　dealing　with　a　〃hot〃　product　that　had　been　left　unrefrigerated　for　too　long。　He　opened　the　freezer　and　slipped　the　tube　next　to　the　maise　cells　and　nematode　worm　specimens；　then　reset　the　cameras。
　Relieved　that　the　variola　was　secure；　Reed　began　to　prepare　the　Biorack　for　the　procedures　he　would　carry　out。　At　the　same　time；　he　tried　to　fathom　what　had　happened　back　on　earth　to　cause　Bauer　to　move　up　the　schedule　so　dramatically。　The　last　he'd　heard；　Beria　had　been　set　in　motion　to　remove　Smith。　Sinc