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o be let in。〃
He unlocked the door； and Gabrielle pushed past him before he changed his mind。 She entered the apartment and quietly closed the door behind her； relocking it。
Now inside the foyer； Gabrielle could hear muffled voices in Sexton's den down the hall…men's voices。 Tonight's P。E。 was obviously not the private meeting implied by Sexton's earlier call。
As Gabrielle moved down the hall toward the den； she passed an open closet where a half dozen expensive men's coats hung inside…distinctive wool and tweed。 Several briefcases sat on the floor。 Apparently work stayed in the hall tonight。 Gabrielle would have walked right past the cases except that one of the briefcases caught her eye。 The nameplate bore a distinctive pany logo。 A bright red rocket。
She paused； kneeling down to read it：
SPACE AMERICA； INC。
Puzzled； she examined the other briefcases。
BEAL AEROSPACE。 MICROCOSM； INC。 ROTARY ROCKET PANY。 KISTLER AEROSPACE。
Marjorie Tench's raspy voice echoed in her mind。 Are you aware that Sexton is accepting bribes from private aerospace panies？
Gabrielle's pulse began racing as she gazed down the darkened hallway toward the archway that led into the senator's den。 She knew she should speak up； announce her presence； and yet she felt herself inching quietly forward。 She moved to within a few feet of the archway and stood soundlessly in the shadows。。。 listening to the conversation beyond。
55
While Delta…Three stayed behind to collect Norah Mangor's body and the sled； the other two soldiers accelerated down the glacier after their quarry。
On their feet they wore ElektroTread…powered skis。 Modeled after the consumer Fast Trax motorized skis； the classified ElektroTreads were essentially snow skis with miniaturized tank treads affixed…like snowmobiles worn on the feet。 Speed was controlled by pushing the tips of the index finger and thumb together； pressing two pressure plates inside the right…hand glove。 A powerful gel battery was molded around the foot； doubling as insulation and allowing the skis to run silently。 Ingeniously； the kinetic energy generated by gravity and the spinning treads as the wearer glided down a hill was automatically harvested to recharge the batteries for the next incline。
Keeping the wind at his back； Delta…One crouched low； skimming seaward as he surveyed the glacier before him。 His night vision system was a far cry from the Patriot model used by the Marines。 Delta…One was looking through a hands…free face mount with a 40 x 90 mm six…element lens； three…element Magnification Doubler； and Super Long Range IR。 The world outside appeared in a translucent tint of cool blue； rather than the usual green…the color scheme especially designed for highly reflective terrains like the Arctic。
As he approached the first berm； Delta…One's goggles revealed several bright stripes of freshly disturbed snow； rising up and over the berm like a neon arrow in the night。 Apparently the three escapees had either not thought to unhook their makeshift sail or had been unable to。 Either way； if they had not released by the final berm； they were now somewhere out in the ocean。 Delta…One knew his quarry's protective clothing would lengthen the usual life expectancy in the water； but the relentless offshore currents would drag them out to sea。 Drowning would be inevitable。
Despite his confidence； Delta…One had been trained never to assume。 He needed to see bodies。 Crouching low； he pressed his fingers together and accelerated up the first incline。
？ ？ ？
Michael Tolland lay motionless； taking stock of his bruises。 He was battered； but he sensed no broken bones。 He had little doubt the gel…filled Mark IX had saved him any substantial trauma。 As he opened his eyes； his thoughts were slow to focus。 Everything seemed softer here。。。 quieter。 The wind still howled； but with less ferocity。
We went over the edge…didn't we？
Focusing； Tolland found he was lying on ice； draped across Rachel Sexton； almost at right angles； their locked carabiners twisted。 He could feel her breathing beneath him； but he could not see her face。 He rolled off her； his muscles barely responding。
〃Rachel。。。 ？〃 Tolland wasn't sure if his lips were making sound or not。
Tolland recalled the final seconds of their harrowing ride…the upward drag of the balloon； the payload cable snapping； their bodies plummeting down the far side of the berm； sliding up and over the final mound； skimming toward the edge…the ice running out。 Tolland and Rachel had fallen； but the fall had been oddly short。 Rather than the expected plunge to the sea； they had fallen only ten feet or so before hitting another slab of ice and sliding to a stop with the dead weight of Corky in tow。
Now； raising his head； Tolland looked toward the sea。 Not far away； the ice ended in a sheer cliff； beyond which he could hear the sounds of the ocean。 Looking back up the glacier； Tolland strained to see into the night。 Twenty yards back； his eyes met a high wall of ice； which seemed to hang above them。 It was then that he realized what had happened。 Somehow they had slid off the main glacier onto a lower terrace of ice。 This section was flat； as large as a hockey rink； and had partially collapsed…preparing to cleave off into the ocean at any moment。
Ice calving； Tolland thought； eyeing the precarious platform of ice on which he was now lying。 It was a broad square slab that hung off the glacier like a colossal balcony； surrounded on three sides by precipices to the ocean。 The sheet of ice was attached to the glacier only at its back； and Tolland could see the connection was anything but permanent。 The boundary where the lower terrace clung to the Milne Ice Shelf was marked by a gaping pressure fissure almost four feet across。 Gravity was well on its way to winning this battle。
Almost more frightening than seeing the fissure was Tolland's seeing the motionless body of Corky Marlinson crumpled on the ice。 Corky lay ten yards away at the end of a taut tether attached to them。
Tolland tried to stand up； but he was still attached to Rachel。 Repositioning himself； he began detaching their interlocking carabiners。
Rachel looked weak as she tried to sit up。 〃We didn't。。。 go over？〃 Her voice was bewildered。
〃We fell onto a lower block of ice；〃 Tolland said； finally unfastening himself from her。 〃I've got to help Corky。〃
Painfully； Tolland attempted to stand； but his legs felt feeble。 He grabbed the tether and heaved。 Corky began sliding toward them across the ice。 After a dozen or so pulls； Corky was lying on the ice a few feet away。
Corky Marlinson looked beaten。 He'd lost his goggles； suffered a bad cut on his cheek； and his nose was bleeding。 Tolland's worries that Corky might be dead were quickly allayed when Corky rolled over and looked at Tolland with an angry glare。
〃Jesus；〃 he stammered。 〃What the hell was that little trick！〃
Tolland felt a wave of relief。
Rachel sat up now； wincing。 She looked around。 〃We need to。。。 get off of here。 This block of ice looks like it's about to fall。〃
Tolland couldn't have agreed more。 The only question was how。
They had no time to consider a solution。 A familiar high…