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n it now and should have it back in service in an hour。〃
〃That's too damned late；〃 Mitchell snapped。 〃The Gettysburg is two minutes away。 How can you guide them in on the final approach？〃
〃We can't；〃 answered the mander。 〃All our equipment is shut down。〃
〃Then line the runway with car and truck headlights； anything that will illuminate the surface。〃
〃We'll do our best； sir； but with only four men on flight line duty this time of the morning it won't be much。 I'm sorry。〃
〃You're not the only one who's sorry〃 Mitchell grunted； and slammed down the phone。
〃We should have the runway on visual by now；〃 said Burkhart uneasily。 〃I see the city lights of Key West but no sign of the air station。〃
For the first time； a faint gleam of sweat appeared on Jurgens' brow。 〃Damned odd we haven't heard from their control tower。〃
At that moment； Mitchell's strained voice broke in。 〃Gettysburg； Key West station has a power outage。 They are making an effort to light the runway with vehicles。 We are directing your approach from the east to land on a westerly heading。 Your runway is seven thousand feet。 If you overshoot you wind up in a recreation park。 Do you copy？ Over。〃
〃Roger； Control。 We copy。〃
〃We show you at 11；300 feet； Dave。 Speed 410。 One minute； ten seconds and six miles to touchdown。 You are go for full manual； over。〃
〃Roger； going to manual。〃
〃Do you have the runway on visual？〃
〃Nothing yet。〃
〃Excuse the interruption； Gettysburg。〃 It was Hollyman cutting in on the NASA frequency。 〃But I think my boys and I can play Rudolph to your sleigh。 We'll go ahead and light the way； over。〃
〃Much obliged； little buddy；〃 said Jurgens gratefully。
He watched as the F…15s accelerated past； dropped their noses； and pointed them toward Key West。 They fell into line as if playing follow the leader and switched on their landing lights。 At first the brilliant rays only reflected on water； and then they lit up a salt flat before sweeping up the naval air station runway。
The effort of concentration showed on Jurgens' face。 The shuttle went right where he aimed it； but it was never meant to soar through the air like a paper glider。 Burkhart read out the airspeed and altitude so Jurgens could center his attention on flying。
〃Gettysburg； you are three hundred feet under minimum；〃 said Foley。
〃If I pull up another inch； she'll stall。〃
The runway seemed to take forever to grow larger。 The shuttle was only four miles out； but it looked like a hundred。 Jurgens believed he could make it。 He had to make it。 Every brain cell in his skull willed the Gettysburg to hang in the air。
〃Speed 320； altitude 1；600； three miles to runway；〃 reported Burkhart。 His voice had a trace of hoarseness。
Jurgens could see the flashing lights from the fire and rescue equipment now。 The fighters were hovering above him； shining their landing lights on the concrete ribbon 1。5 miles long by 200 feet wide。
The shuttle was eating up her glide slope。 Jurgens flared her out as much as he dared。 The landing lights glinted on the shoreline no more than ninety feet below。 He held on to the last possible second before he pushed the switch and deployed the landing gear。 Normal landing procedure required the wheels to touch 2；760 feet down the runway； but Jurgens held his breath； hoping against hope that they would even reach the concrete。
The salt flat flashed past under the blinding beams and was lost in the darkness behind。 Burkhart gripped his seat rests and droned off the diminishing numbers。
〃Speed 205。 Main gear at ten feet。 。 。 five feet。 。 。 three feet。 。 。 two feet。 。 。 one； contact。〃
The four huge tires of the main landing gear thumped on the hard surface and protested at the sudden friction with a puff of smoke。 A later measurement would show that Jurgens touched the shuttle down only forty…seven feet from the end of the runway。 Jurgens gently pitched the bow down until the nose wheel made contact and then pushed both brake pedals。 He rolled the spacecraft to a stop with a thousand feet to spare。
〃They made it！〃 Hollyman whooped over his radio。
〃Gettysburg to Houston Control；〃 said Jurgens with an audible sigh。 〃The wheels have stopped。〃
〃Magnificent！ Magnificent！〃 shouted Foley。
〃Congratulations； Dave；〃 added Mitchell。 〃Nobody could have done it better。〃
Burkhart looked over at Jurgens and said nothing； simply gave a thumbs…up sign。
Jurgens sat there； his adrenaline still flowing； basking in his triumph over the odds。 His weary mind began to wander and he found himself wondering who Dirk Pitt was。 Then he pressed the inter switch。
〃Mr。 Steinmetz。〃
〃Yes； mander？〃
〃Wele back to earth。 We're home。〃
Pitt tool one quick prehensive look as he stepped back into Velikov's study。 Everyone was kneeling； clustered around Raymond LeBaron； who was stretched out on the floor。 Jessie was holding his hand and murmuring to him。 Gunn looked up at Pitt's approach and shook his head。
〃What happened？〃 Pitt asked blankly。
〃He jumped to his feet to help you and caught the bullet that cut your ear；〃 Giordino replied。
Before kneeling； Pitt stared down a moment at the mortally wounded millionaire。 The clothing that covered the upper abdomen bloomed in a spreading stain of crimson。 The eyes still had life and were focused on Jessie's face。 His breath came in rapid and shallow pants。 He tried to raise his head and say something to her； but the effort was too great and he fell back。
Slowly Pitt sank on one knee beside Jessie。 She turned and looked at him with tears trickling down her discolored cheeks。 He stared back at her briefly without speaking。 He could think of nothing to say to her； his mind was played out。
〃Raymond tried to save you；〃 she said huskily。 〃I knew they could never pletely turn him inside out。 In the end he came back。〃
LeBaron coughed； a strange rasping kind of cough。 He gazed up at Jessie； his eyes dulled； face white and drained of blood。 〃Take care of Hilda；〃 he whispered。 〃I leave everything in your hands。〃
Before he could say more； the room trembled as the rumble of explosives came from deep below。 Quintana's team had begun destroying the electronic equipment inside the pound。 They would have to leave soon； and there would be no taking Raymond LeBaron with them。
Pitt thought of all the newspaper stories and magazine articles glorifying the dying man on the carpet as a steel…blooded power merchant who could make or break executive officers of giant corporations or high…level politicians in government； a wizard at manipulating the financial markets of the world； a vindictive and cold man whose trail was littered with the bones of peting businesses he had crushed and their thousands of employees who were cast out on the streets。 Pitt had read all that； but all he saw was a dying old man； a paradox of human frailty； who had stolen his best friend's wife and then killed him for a fortune in treasure。 Pitt could feel no pity for such a man； no flicker of emotion。
Now the slender thread holding LeBaron on to life was about to bre