rludlum-shelby.thecassandracompact-第70章

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　〃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。　〃Thirteen　minutes　out。〃
　
　At　mission　control；　Harry　Landon　was　tracking　the　shuttle's　progress　through　the　atmosphere　on　a　giant　plotting　board；　where　she　appeared　as　a　gently　descending　red　dot。　In　a　few　minutes；　low　altitude　satellites　would　be　able　to　transmit　pictures。　As　Discovery　got　closer；　air　force　reconnaissance　planes　would　roll　their　cameras。
　〃Landon？〃
　Landon　glanced　up　at　the　mo　tech。　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure；　sir；〃　the　tech　replied；　obviously　confused。　He　handed　Landon　a　printout。　〃This　just　came　in。〃
　Landon　glanced　at　the　sheet。　〃It's　the　medical　feed　from　the　sled　chair。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃It　must　be　a　malfunction。　Reed　is　on　the　flight　deck。　For　the　feed　to　be　accurate　would　mean　that　someone　else　is　in　the　sled　chair。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　the　tech　agreed。　He　didn't　have　to　be　reminded　that　that　someone　would　have　to　be　alive。　〃But　look　at　this。　The　chair's　instruments　are　on。　The　heart　monitor　shows　signs　of　activity…　very　faint；　but　activity　nonetheless。〃
　Landon　slipped　his　reading　glasses　down　his　nose。　The　tech　was　right：　the　heart　monitor　was　registering　a　living　organism。
　〃What　the　hell？〃
　〃Listen　to　this；　sir；〃　the　tech　said。　〃It's　the　last　few　minutes　of　mo　tape。　We　kept　it　rolling　even　though。。。〃
　Landon　grabbed　the　headphones。　〃Play　it　for　me！〃
　Since　the　beginning　of　the　emergency；　Landon　had　listened　to　so　many　hours　of　transmission　that　he　could　tune　out　the　hiss　and　crackle　that　filled　his　ears。　Behind　the　static　he　heard　something；　barely　discernible　but　distinctly　human。。。　a　voice　calling　from　the　ethers。
　〃This　is。。。　Discovery。。。　Spacelab。。。　am　alive。。。　Repeat；　alive。。。　Help　me。。。〃
　
　
　Jack　Riley　and　his　RAID　team　began　jumping　out　even　before　the　manches'　rotors　wound　down。　Smith　glanced　at　the　enormous　hangars　lined　up　like　prehistoric　turtles；　their　roofs　painted　dull　brown　to　blend　in　with　the　desolate　landscape。　To　the　south　and　west　were　mountain　ranges；　to　the　northeast；　nothing　but　desert。　Even　through　the　din　of　men　and　machinery；　there　was　an　eerie　stillness　to　the　base。
　The　team　arranged　their　equipment　in　a　flatbed　truck　that　had　pulled　up；　then　jumped　aboard　for　the　short　ride。　Smith　and　Riley　followed　in　the　Humvee。
　The　hangar's　interior　was　partitioned　to　allow　the　team　privacy…　and；　Smith　suspected；　to　prevent　them　from　seeing　what　else　was　stored　there。　As　Riley　had　promised；　a　mo　console　was　up　and　running；　manned　by　a　young　female　officer。
　〃Colonel；〃　she　said。　〃You　have　flash　traffic　from　Bluebird。〃
　Smith　was　adjusting　his　headset　when　Klein　came　on。　〃What's　your　status；　Jon？〃
　〃We're　getting　into　our　Level　Four　suits　right　now。　How　about　the　shuttle？〃
　〃It'll　be　in　the　chamber　by　the　time　you　get　there。〃
　〃Bauer？〃
　〃Doesn't　suspect　a　thing。　He's　already　suited　up　and　ready　to　mate　the　cocoon　with　the　shuttle。〃
　Smith　had　seen　the　blueprints　and　photos　of　Bauer's　creation；　but　he　had　never　been　inside　it。
　〃Jon；　there's　something　you　need　to　know…　and　hear；〃　Klein　said。　〃A　few　minutes　ago；　Landon　received　munications　from　inside　the　Spacelab。　It　was　a　distress　signal。　We're　running　tests　right　now。　I　don't　want　to　raise　your　hopes；　but　the　voice　sounded　like　Megan's。〃
　Sheer　joy　surged　through　Smith。　Yet　at　the　same　time；　he　was　aware　of　the　possibly　deadly　consequences　of　this　development。
　〃Has　Landon　told　Reed　about　this？〃
　〃Not　that　I　know　of。　munications　are　still　down。　But　I　should　have　told　Landon　to　keep　quiet　in　case　contact　was　reestablished。　Wait　one。〃
　Smith　tried　to　rein　in　his　clashing　emotions。　The　idea　that　Megan　was　alive　brought　him　hope。　At　the　same　time；　if　Reed　somehow　discovered　this；　he　would　still　have　a　chance　to　kill　her　before　he　left　the　shuttle。
　〃Jon？　It's　all　right。　Landon　says　the　link　is　still　down。　I　confused　the　hell　out　of　him　by　ordering　him　not　to　talk　in　case　it　es　back　up；　but　I　have　his　word　that　he　won't　tell　Reed　a　thing。〃
　〃Anything　on　those　voice　tests？〃　Smith　demanded。
　〃So　far　they're　inconclusive。〃
　〃Can　you　play　me　the　tape？〃
　〃It's　pretty　scratched　up。〃
　Smith　closed　his　eyes　and　listened。　After　a　few　moments；　he　said；　〃That's　her；　sir。　Megan's　alive。〃
　
　CHAPTER　THIRTY　ONE
　　
　〃Looking　Glass；　this　is　Eyeball。　Do　you　copy？〃
　〃Eyeball；　we　read　you　five　by　five。　What　do　you　see？〃
　〃Discovery　has　just　broken　cloud　cover。　Trim　is　good。　Angle　of　descent　good。　Speed　good。　She　looks　to　make　a　pinpoint　landing。〃
　〃Roger　that；　Eyeball。　Maintain　surveillance。　Looking　Glass　out。〃
　The　exchange　between　Eyeball；　the　lead　air　force　chase　plane　that　would　escort　the　shuttle；　and　the　control　tower　at　Groome　Lake　was　listened　to　intently　by　a　number　of　people。
　In　the　observation　bunker；　the　president　glanced　briefly　around　the　room。　All　eyes　were　on　the　monitors　that　showed　Discovery　cutting　through　the　air。　On　another　screen　he　saw　Dr。　Karl　Bauer　about　to　leave　the　decontamination　area；　called　the　prep　room。　The　president　took　a　deep　breath。　Soon。。。　very　soon。
　Wearing　a　Level　Four　biohazard　suit；　Bauer　entered　the　short　corridor　between　the　prep　room　and　the　massive；　vaultlike　door　that　would　allow　him　to　enter　the　cocoon。　Reaching　it；　he　glanced　up　at　the　wall…mounted　camera　and　nodded。　Slowly　the　door　began　to　open；　revealing　a　cavity　cut　into　the　concrete　wall。　One　end　of　the　cocoon　was　attached　to　the　wall　of　the　cavity；　the　edges　sealed　to　the　concrete。　Bauer　stepped　into　the　cocoon　and　immediately　the　door　began　to　close。
　Ahead；　he　saw　a　long；　blue…lighted　tunnel。　When　the　door　was　firmly　closed　and　locked；　he　walked　along　a　rubber…padded　runway。　The　walls　of　the　cocoon　were　constructed　of　heavy　gauge；　semitransparent　plastic。　Looking　through　them；　Bauer　could　see　the　vague　outlines　of　the　vast　holding　area；　lit　up　by　giant　floodlights。　As　he　moved　toward　the　cocoon's　decontamination　chamber；　he　heard　a　low　rumble。　More　light　poured　into　the　bunker　as　the　runway　ramp　was　lowered。
　〃This　is　Bauer；〃　he　said　into　his　headset。　〃Do　you　copy？〃
　〃We　read　you；　sir；〃　a　tech　in　the　observation　bunker　replied。
　〃Has　the　shuttle　landed？〃
　〃It's　almost　on　the　ground；　sir。〃
　〃Good；〃　Bauer　replied；　and　continued　walking　to　the　cocoon's　decontamination　chamber。
　On　the　other　side　of　the　base；　Smith　was　listening　in　on　this　exchange。　He　turned　to　Jack　Riley。　〃Let's　mount　up。〃
　The　team　scrambled　into　two　double　deuces　with　canvas　covers。　Smith　would　have　preferred　to　use　the　more　nimble　and　speedy　Humvees　instead　of　the　trucks；　but　given　the　team's　bulky　biohazard　suits；　space　was　a　problem。
　The　hangar　doors　opened　and　the　small　convoy；　with　Riley　in　the　lead　Humvee；　pulled　out　into　the　desert　night。　Rocking　back　and　forth　on　a　bench　in　the　back　of　the　truck；　Smith　tried　to　keep　a　small；　Palm　Pilot…type　monitor　as　steady　as　he　could。　The　shuttle　was　just　three　thousand　feet　above　the　desert　floor。　Its　nose　was　angled　up　slightly　and　the　landing　gear　was　locked　down。　As　hard　as　he　tried；　Smith　couldn't　keep　his　thoughts　away　from　Megan。　He　knew　that　his　first　instinct　would　be　to　rush　into　the　orbiter　and　search　for　her。　But　doing　so　would　only　jeopardize　her　life。　He　had　to　get　to　Reed　first　and　neutralize　him。　Only　then　could　he　go　after　her。
　Smith　recalled　Klein's　objections　when　he　had　told　him　what　he　intended　to　do。　The　head　of　Covert…One　shared　Smith's　concern　for　Megan；　but　he　also　knew　the　danger　that　Smith　would　be　exposing　himself　to。
　〃There's　no　guarantee　that　you'll　find　her　alive；　Jon；〃　he'd　said。　〃We　need　to　know　what　we're　dealing　with　before　I　send　you　in。〃
　〃We'll　know；〃　Smith　had　promised　him　grimly。
　Riley's　voice　crackled　over　his　headset。　〃Jon；　look　to　the　southeast。〃
　Smith　glanced　over　the　truck's　tailgate　and　saw　bright　lights　descending　quickly。　On　either　side　were　the　winking　collision　lights　of　the　shuttle's　escort　aircraft。　He　listened　as　Riley　counted　off　the　descent：　〃Five　hundred　feet。。。　two　hundred。。。　touchdown。〃
　The　convoy　was　on　a　runway　parallel　to　the　one　the　shuttle　used。　Smith　saw　the　orbiter　dip　as　the　nose　gear　absorbed　the　we