rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第69章

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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　restricted。　Yes；　I　will　be　working　alone。〃
　So　nobody　can　see　what　you're　really　doing。
　The　president　stepped　back　from　the　cocoon。　〃This　is　all　very　impressive；　Dr。　Bauer。　Let's　hope　it　works　as　advertised。〃
　〃It　will；　Mr。　President。　At　the　very　least；　we　know　we　can　save　one　of　those　brave　souls。〃
　The　president　turned　to　the　group。　〃I　guess　we're　as　ready　as　we'll　ever　be。〃
　〃I　remend　we　go　to　the　observation　bunker；〃　CIA　director　Bill　Dodge　suggested。　〃The　shuttle　is　fifteen　minutes　out。　We　can　watch　the　touchdown　on　the　monitors。〃
　〃Has　there　been　any　contact　with　Dr。　Reed？〃　the　president　asked。
　〃No；　sir。　munications　are　still　out。〃
　〃What　about　that　explosion？〃
　〃I'm　still　waiting　for　more　details；　Mr。　President；〃　Marti　Nesbitt　replied。　〃But　whatever　it　was；　it　didn't　affect　Discovery's　flight　path。〃
　As　the　group　followed　the　president　to　the　entrance　of　the　bunker；　Castilla　looked　back。　〃Aren't　you　ing　with　us；　Dr。　Bauer？〃
　Bauer's　expression　was　suitably　grim。　〃Oh；　no；　Mr。　President。　My　place　is　here。〃
　
　Grabbing　hold　of　the　space　acceleration　system；　Megan　managed　to　pull　herself　up。　Her　chest　throbbed　where　Reed　had　hit　her；　and　there　was　a　shooting　pain　in　her　lower　back　where　she'd　fallen。
　You're　running　out　o　f　time。　Move！
　Megan　staggered　to　the　sled　chair。　She　had　no　doubt　that　Reed　would　use　Discovery's　autodestruct　system　to　vaporize　all　evidence　of　his　diabolical　handiwork。　That　would　be　the　only　way　to　ensure　his　safety。　That　was　why　he　hadn't　killed　her　before　leaving　the　Spacelab。　Megan　glanced　at　the　sled　chair　and　knew　it　was　her　only　hope。
　There　was　no　munications　equipment　as　such　in　the　Spacelab。　But　during　medical　tests；　crew　members　had　been　wired　not　only　into　the　recording　instruments　onboard　Discovery　but　also　to　a　munications　feed　that　relayed　the　results　directly　to　physicians　at　mission　control。　Settling　herself　in　the　chair；　Megan　strapped　down　her　ankles　and　one　wrist。　With　her　free　hand；　she　plugged　a　microphone　jack　into　the　munications　unit　on　her　suit。　As　far　as　she　knew；　the　feed　sent　back　digital；　not　voice；　data　back　to　mission　control。　But　then　again；　no　one　had　ever　told　her　that　voice　munication　was　impossible。
　Just　let　someone　on　the　other　end　hear　me；　she　prayed；　and　activated　the　sled's　instrument　panel。
　
　〃RAID　One　to　Looking　Glass；　e　in。〃
　The　voice　of　the　pilot　in　the　lead　manche　crackled　in　Smith's　headset。　A　second　later；　he　heard　the　Groome　Lake　tower's　response。
　〃RAID　One；　this　is　Looking　Glass。　You　are　in　restricted　air　space。　Immediate　authorization　is　requested。〃
　〃Authorization　is　Brass　Hat；〃　the　pilot　replied　calmly。　〃Repeat；　Brass　Hat。〃
　Brass　Hat　was　the　Secret　Service　code　name　for　the　president。
　〃RAID　flight；　this　is　Looking　Glass；〃　the　controller　replied。　〃We　have　positive　ID　on　you。　You　are　cleared　to　land　on　runway　R　twenty…seven；　L　left。〃
　〃R　twenty…seven　L　left；　roger；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃Touchdown　in　two　minutes。〃
　〃Where's　the　shuttle？〃　Smith　asked。
　The　pilot　keyed　into　the　NASA　frequency。　〃