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If all went well； gravity would pull Discovery out of orbit and into a gentle glide to earth。
The shudders became a series of vibrations as the craft's speed dropped from twenty…five times to two times the speed of sound。 Then the buffeting ceased altogether and Discovery turned into its glide path。 The munications blackout had ended and Reed heard Landon's urgent voice。
〃Discovery； do you read？ Dylan； can you hear me？〃 After a pause： 〃Our instruments registered an onboard explosion。 Can you confirm？ Are you all right？〃
I don't have time for this right now； Harry。
Reed closed the munications channel and glanced over the instrument panel until he found what he was looking for。 He'd told Megan that she was mistaken in thinking that he couldn't get past the locks on the door to the tunnel。 He wondered if she'd figured out how。 Probably not。 As bright and as capable as Megan was； she was still a novice。 She couldn't have known that a switch on the flight deck could override the locks on the tunnel door。
There wasn't much to hang on to inside the Spacelab； so Megan improvised。 In the center of the lab was a metallic object that looked like something between a modern…day torture rack and a high…tech recliner。 Its technical name was a Space Physiology Experiment。 The crew called it the sled chair。 There； crew members； lying on their backs and strapped in securely； underwent tests on joints and muscles； the effects of gravity on the inner ear and on the eyeball； and various other experiments。
Having strapped herself into the sled chair； Megan managed to ride out the turbulence。 Now she undid the straps and； with substantial effort； got to her feet。 Light…headedness； caused by decreased blood volume； hit her immediately。 Megan knew it would take at least a few minutes for the volume to increase as the orbiter approached earth。 The process would have been faster if she'd had some water and salt tablets。
But you don't。 And you're running out of time！
She looked at the dozen racks that served as stations for Spacelab experiments。
Think！ Where would he have put it？
Megan's gaze traveled to the space accelerator measurement system； then to the critical point facility。 No。 She started to move to the microgravity vestibular investigator module； then stopped。
A virus。。。 Reed rearranged the order of the experiments。 He put himself first； taking my place！ He needed the Biorack！
Megan stepped over to the Biorack and fired up its systems。 The LCD was blank。
Whatever he did； he erased the records。
Looking into the Glovebox； she discovered it was empty。
This is where you did your work； you son of a bitch。 But where did you put the results？
Megan checked both incubator units； the access and control panels； and the power panel。 The latter had been on even before she'd touched the Biorack's operating system。。。
。。。because the cooler is on！
Megan opened the cooler and checked the contents。 Everything was in place。 Nothing had been taken out or added。 That left the freezer。
Pulling down the panel； she quickly inventoried the contents。 At first glance； everything could be accounted for。 Not satisfied； she pulled out one rack of standard test tubes； checked their markings； and set the rack back。 She repeated the process with two more racks。 In the third； she found a tube with no markings。
As soon as the shuttle's flight had stabilized； Reed unbuckled himself from the mander's chair。 He entered an override program into the puter； set the timer； and activated the sequence。 If his judgment was correct； he should reach the door to the tunnel just as the program released the emergency locks。
Climbing down the ladder； Reed entered mid…deck and plodded his way to the door。 He had only a few seconds to wait before the locks popped open。 Working the wheel； he pushed open the door and began crawling through the tunnel。 Reaching the end； he pulled open the door to the Spacelab。 There was Megan； standing by the Biorack； searching the cooler。
Reed came up behind her。 His right arm caught her across the chest while his foot swept her legs out from under her。 Gravity did the rest。 Megan fell back； landing heavily on her shoulder and rolling over。
〃Don't bother getting up；〃 Reed said into his microphone。 〃Can you hear me？〃
He saw her nod； then opened the freezer and pulled out a rack of test tubes。 He knew exactly where he'd placed the one containing the variola and there it was。 Tucking it into a pocket with a secure Velcro flap； he stepped back。 Megan had rolled over so that she could look at him。
〃You can still stop this； Dylan。〃
He shook his head。 〃You can't put the genie back into the bottle。 But at least you'll die knowing that it's our genie。〃
Reed never took his eyes off her as he backed away toward the door。 Stepping into the tunnel； he closed the door and locked it。
The overhead clock read twenty minutes to touchdown。
CHAPTER THIRTY
A little over an hour had passed since Air Force One had landed at Groome Lake； Nevada。 Escorted by a pair of F…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 pur