rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第65章

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　〃We've　never　destroyed　a　shuttle；　if　that's　what　you　mean。　But　the　army　has　burned　tanks　to　a　crisp。　The　air　force；　entire　Titan　booster　rockets。　I　can　assure　you；　nothing　survives　in　there。〃
　〃I；　for　one；　like　the　idea；〃　Gerald　Simon　spoke　up。　〃Equally　important　as　getting　Dr。　Reed　back　is　finding　out　what　went　wrong　up　there。　If　we　have　a　chance　of　getting　that　information　and　we　can　destroy　the　craft　if　need　be；　then　I'm　prepared　to　change　my　vote。〃
　There　were　nods　and　murmurs　of　assent　around　the　room。
　〃I　need　a　few　minutes　to　consider　this；〃　the　president　said；　getting　to　his　feet。　〃I'm　going　to　ask　all　of　you　to　remain　here。　I　won't　be　long。〃
　
　
　In　the　next　room；　the　president　faced　Smith　and　Klein。　Pointing　at　the　closed…circuit　monitor；　he　said；　〃You　saw　and　heard　it　all。　What's　your　take？〃
　〃Isn't　it　an　interesting　coincidence　that　there's　a　facility　out　at　Groome　Lake　that's　not　only　tailor…made　for　the　current　situation；　but　that　no　one's　ever　heard　about；　sir？〃　Klein　said。
　The　president　shook　his　head。　〃I　never　suspected　that　such　a　place　existed。　Dodge　must　have　found　some　money　in　the　‘black'　budget；　where　he　doesn't　have　to　worry　about　congressional　oversight…　or　anyone　else's。〃
　〃This　place　was　built　and　designed　for　one　purpose；　Mr。　President：　to　house　the　shuttle；　remove　the　sample；　and　destroy　the　orbiter；〃　Smith　said。
　〃I　agree；〃　Klein　added。　〃Bauer's　operation　has　been　moving　ahead　for　years；　Mr。　President。　Richardson　would　have　needed　at　least　that　much　time　to　create　this　facility。　And　Bauer　wouldn't　have　gone　into　this　project　unless　he　had　an　acplice　he　could　trust　absolutely。　General　Richardson's　position　on　the　chemical…biological　treaty　that　you　signed　is　a　matter　of　public　record。　He　fought　you　every　step　of　the　way。〃
　〃And　ultimately　crossed　the　line　between　patriotism　and　treason；〃　Castilla　said。　He　looked　at　the　two　men。　〃I've　heard　your　plan。　But　I　have　to　ask　you　again：　do　you　remend　we　let　this　thing　land？〃
　
　
　Three　faces　looked　up　expectantly　as　the　president　returned　to　the　Oval　Office。
　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　thank　you　for　your　patience；〃　the　president　opened。　〃After　careful　consideration　I've　decided　that　the　shuttle　should　be　allowed　to　land　at　Groome　Lake。〃
　There　were　assenting　nods　all　around。
　〃Bill；　I　will　expect　to　see　plete　details　on　this　facility　and　the　plans　to　deal　with　the　orbiter　and　its　contents。〃
　〃You'll　have　them　within　the　hour；　sir；〃　the　CIA　director　replied　smartly。　〃I'd　also　like　to　remind　everyone　that　Dr。　Reed　has　specifically　requested　that　Dr。　Karl　Bauer　be　present　at　the　landing　facility。　I　believe　that　to　be　a　sound　suggestion。　Dr。　Bauer　is　a　world　authority　on　chemical…biological　incidents。　In　the　past；　he　has　worked　closely　with　the　Pentagon…　including　the　Groome　Lake　project…　and　maintains　a　top…secret　clearance。　He　would　be　invaluable　as　an　observer　and　adviser。〃
　There　were　murmurs　of　agreement　around　the　table。
　〃Then　we're　adjourned；〃　the　president　said。　〃Air　Force　One　leaves　for　Nevada　in　two　hours。〃
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY　EIGHT
　　
　After　sending　Dylan　Reed　orders　to　change　the　schedule；　Dr。　Karl　Bauer　had　immediately　boarded　his　jet　and　winged　east　to　his　pany's　sprawling　plex　near　the　Jet　Propulsion　Laboratory　in　Pasadena；　California。
　Knowing　that　the　shuttle　could　land　only　at　the　Groome　Lake　flight…test　facility；　Bauer　had　been　careful　to　make　his　presence　in　California　seem　like　a　coincidence。　The　flight　plan　from　Hawaii　had　been　filed　three　days　earlier；　the　staff　in　Pasadena　had　been　told　to　expect　him。
　It　was　in　his　office；　the　windows　overlooking　the　distant　San　Gabriel　Mountains；　that　Bauer　received　his　first　call　from　Harry　Landon。　He　professed　total　shock；　then　deep　concern；　when　the　mission　director　explained　the　nature　of　the　emergency　that　had　overtaken　Discovery。　He　couldn't　help　but　smile　when　Landon　told　him　that　Reed　had　specifically　asked　for　him　to　be　present　at　Groome　Lake。　Bauer　replied　that；　of　course；　he　would　make　himself　available。　He　suggested　that　Landon　contact　General　Richardson　to　confirm　authorization　for　his　presence。
　Then　the　flight　director；　his　voice　breaking；　told　Bauer　that　Richardson　and　Price　had　been　killed　when　the　car　they　were　in　spun　out　of　control。　Bauer's　shock　was　genuine。　Thanking　Landon；　he　immediately　got　on　cnn　and　devoured　the　details。　From　all　counts；　Richardson　and　Price's　deaths　were　just　that…　an　accident。
　Which　means　that　there　are　two　less　witnesses。　Good。
　As　far　as　Bauer　was　concerned；　both　men　had　served　their　purpose。　They　had　been　especially　helpful　in　removing　that　meddlesome　Smith。　What　remained　to　be　done　Bauer　could　acplish　by　himself。
　Although　he　was　far　away　from　his　principal　facility　in　Hawaii；　Bauer　still　had　the　resources　to　listen　in　on　the　NASA…Discovery　transmissions。　Built　into　his　desk　was　a　small　but　powerful　munications　console　that　was　hooked　up　to　his　laptop　puter。　The　screen　displayed　the　shuttle's　current　range　and　trajectory；　over　the　headset；　Bauer　heard　real…time　exchanges　between　Discovery　and　mission　control。　NASA　was　following　the　exact　game　plan　he'd　predicted。　Checking　the　time；　he　thought　that；　barring　plications；　the　orbiter　would　reenter　the　earth's　atmosphere　in　a　little　over　four　hours　from　now。
　Bauer　slipped　off　the　headset；　closed　the　laptop；　and　shut　down　the　console。　In　a　few　hours；　he　would　be　in　possession　of　a　brand…new　life　form；　an　entity　he　had　created　and　which；　if　ever　released；　would　be　the　most　fearful　scourge　ever　to　stalk　the　earth。　The　thought　left　him　giddy。　That　no　one…　at　least　for　a　very　long　time…　would　associate　him　with　the　new　virus　was　a　matter　of　indifference。　Bauer's　mindset　was　that　of　an　art　collector　who　bought　a　masterpiece　only　to　hide　it　away　from　the　world。　The　joy；　the　thrill；　the　intoxication　flowed　not　from　the　work's　monetary　value　but　from　the　fact　that　it　was　unique　and　that　it　was　his。　Like　the　collector；　Bauer　would　be　the　only　one　who　would　gaze　upon　the　new　variola；　test　it；　probe　its　secrets。　And　he　already　had　a　home　for　it　in　a　special　containment　section　of　the　laboratory　on　the　Big　Island。
　
　Six　hundred　miles　west　of　the　Mississippi；　Air　Force　One　continued　to　wing　its　way　west。
　The　president　and　the　working　group　from　the　Oval　Office　were　in　the　upper…deck　conference　room　going　over　the　latest　reports　from　mission　control。　As　of　the　hour；　Discovery　was　approaching　the　window　through　which　it　would　reenter　the　earth's　atmosphere。　According　to　Harry　Landon；　all　systems　onboard　the　orbiter　were　green。　Although　Dylan　Reed　remained　in　the　pilot's　chair　on　the　flight　deck；　the　puters　at　mission　control　had　taken　mand　of　Discovery。
　Floating　through　the　invisible　speakers；　Landon's　voice　filled　the　room。　〃Mr。　President？〃
　〃We're　all　here；　Dr。　Landon；〃　Castilla　said　into　the　speakerphone。
　〃We're　ready　top　move　through　the　window；　sir。　At　this　point　I　need　to　inform　the　range　safety　officer　whether　or　not　to　open　up　the　channel　to　the　autodestruct　package　or　to　stand　down。〃
　The　president　glanced　around　the　room。　〃What　are　the　implications　if　you　open　the　channel？〃
　〃That　would　allow　for　possible。。。　malfunctions；　Mr。　President。　But　if　the　channel　remains　closed；　there　is　no　chance　that　the　package　can　be　activated。〃。
　〃I'll　see　to　it　right　now；　Mr。　Landon。　You'll　have　the　necessary　authorization　in　a　moment。〃
　Castilla　left　the　conference　room；　passed　through　the　Secret　Service　cabin；　and　entered　the　true　heart　of　Air　Force　One…　its　munications　chamber。　In　an　area　the　size　of　a　galley　kitchen；　eight　specialists　monitored　consoles　and　tended　equipment　that　was　light…years　ahead　of　anything　the　public　could　imagine。　Shielded　from　electromagnetic　pulses；　the　machines　could　send　and　receive　digitally　encrypted　messages　to　and　from　any　U。S。　facility；　military　or　civilian；　anywhere　in　the　world。
　One　of　the　three　techs　on　duty　looked　up。　〃Mr。　President？〃
　〃I　need　to　send　a　message；〃　Castilla　said　quietly。
　
　
　Edwards　Air　Force　Base　lay　seventy…five　miles　northeast　of　Los　Angeles；　on　the　fringe　of　the　Mojave　Desert。　In　addition　to　housing　first…strike　bombers　and　fighter　aircraft；　and　serving　as　the　usual　landing　zone　for　th