idors。 The door to Reed's office was ajar； the light slanting into the hall。 Megan knocked and entered。
The office was divided into a working space and a much larger conference area dominated by a long； oval table。 Megan blinked。 Seated at the table were the shuttle mission pilot； Frank Stone； and the mander； Bill Karol。 Next to them sat the mission director； Harry Landon； and the deputy director of NASA； Lorne Allenby。 The latter two appeared tired； their clothes rumpled as if they'd just gotten off a long flight。 Megan thought that might actually be the case。 With the launch date less than forty…eight hours away； Landon and Allenby should have been at the Cape。
〃Megan；〃 Dylan Reed said。 〃Thanks for ing on such short notice。 I think you know everyone here。〃
Megan exchanged murmured greetings as she slipped into a chair beside the mission pilot； Frank Stone。
Reed massaged the back of his neck； then braced himself on the table with both arms； his attention focused on her。
〃Have you heard？〃
Megan shook her head。 〃Heard what？〃
〃Adam Treloar was killed this afternoon in Washington。〃 He paused。 〃A mugging gone bad。〃
〃Oh my God！ How？ What happened？〃
〃The D。C。 police don't have a lot to give us… or to go on；〃 Reed replied。 〃Adam had just returned from Russia… his mother is buried there。 He had a reservation at a hotel so I assume he was going to stay overnight before flying down to the Cape。 He was walking near Wisconsin Avenue… not a bad area； I'm told… when the son of a bitch accosted him。〃 Reed ran his fingers through his hair。 〃What happened next is anyone's guess。 No one saw or heard anything。 Adam was dead by the time a passerby finally happened upon him and called the police。〃 He shook his head。 〃Such an incredible waste！〃
〃Dylan； we're all pretty shook up over what happened；〃 Lorne Allenby； the NASA executive said。 〃But we have to move things along。〃
Reed waved his hand to acknowledge as much。 When he turned to her； Megan felt her heart pounding。
〃You're Treloar's backup。 Because of the situation； you're being moved up to active duty as one of the mission specialists。 Are you ready； Megan？〃
Her mouth went dry； but she thought her words sounded strong and confident。 〃Absolutely。 It's not the way I wanted to get the slot； but yes； I'm ready。〃
〃You don't know how glad all of us are to hear that；〃 Reed said。 He looked around the table。 〃Questions？〃
Frank Stone； the mission pilot； spoke up。 〃No questions； just a vote of confidence。 I've trained with Megan。 I know she's ready。〃
〃Second that；〃 added Bill Karol； the mander。
〃Landon？〃 Reed asked。
The mission director shifted in his seat。 〃I've read the training reports。 I know that Megan can handle the experiments Adam and you set up。〃 He offered a thumbs…up。
〃Glad to hear it；〃 Allenby said。 〃The bean counters in Congress are watching this mission like vultures。 Having played up what we expect to glean from these experiments； I have to pony up results。〃 He turned to Megan。 〃Bring back something that makes all of us look good。〃
Megan managed a weak smile。 〃I'll do my best。〃 She looked around the table。 〃And thank you all for your vote of confidence。〃
〃Okay； then；〃 Reed said。 〃I'll call the rest of the team tomorrow。 I know that some of you are jet…lagged； so why don't we call it a night and meet again tomorrow morning before flying out？〃
Everyone nodded gratefully and the room emptied quickly； leaving only Reed and Megan。
〃You're the chief of the biomedical research program； Dylan；〃 she said quietly。 〃You and Treloar were pretty close。 How do you feel about my being onboard？〃
〃At the end of the day； I can't say that I knew Adam all that well。 You know how he was… taciturn； kept to himself mostly。 Not the kind of guy who went for a few beers after work or played Saturday softball。 But he was part of the team… a vital part… and I will miss him。〃 He paused。 〃As far as you're concerned； I couldn't ask for a better backup up there。〃
Megan tried to harness her conflicting emotions。 A part of her was already racing ahead to all the details that had to be looked after： preparation at the Cape； integrating herself into the team and the launch procedure。 She knew that normally the crew was quarantined for seven days prior to launch； although recently the period had been shortened。 Still； she would have to undergo an extensive physical to make sure she wasn't harboring any bugs。
Another part of her couldn't get the image of the odd…looking Treloar out of her mind。 Reed was right： Treloar had been something of a loner。 Not having known him personally made it easier to accept the fact of his death。 Still； the way he had died made her shudder。
〃You okay？〃 Reed asked。
〃Fine。 Just trying to take it all in。〃
〃e on。 I'll walk you to your car。 Try to get a good night's sleep。 Tomorrow； you hit the ground running。〃
Megan had a small unit in an apartment plex that catered to short…term NASA personnel。 After a restless； toss…filled sleep； she woke up and hit the pool before anyone else was there。 Returning to her apartment； she discovered a note taped to her door。
Getting over her initial shock； Megan dressed quickly and made her way downstairs。 Setting a fast pace； she reached the coffee shop on the next block a few minutes later。 Given the hour； the place was almost empty。 She had no problem spotting him。
〃Jon！〃
He rose from a booth in the corner。 〃Hello； Megan。〃
〃My God； what are you doing here？〃 she asked； slipping into the seat across from him。
〃I'll tell you in a minute。〃 He paused。 〃I heard about your being assigned to the mission。 You deserve the shot； no matter the circumstances。〃
〃Thank you。 Obviously I'd rather it didn't happen this way； but…〃
The waitress came by and they ordered breakfast。
〃I wish you'd called；〃 she said。 〃I leave for the Cape in a few hours。〃
〃I know。〃
She studied him carefully。 〃You didn't e all this way just to congratulate me… although I'd like to think so。〃
〃I'm here because of what happened to Treloar；〃 Smith said。
〃Why？ According to the media； D。C。 homicide is handling the case。
〃They are。 But Treloar was the chief medical officer； an important member of the NASA team。 I was sent down here to find out if something in Treloar's background and activities might give us a lead as to why he was killed。〃
Megan's eyes narrowed。 〃I don't understand。〃
〃Megan； listen to me。 You're taking his place on the flight。 You must have worked with him。 Anything you can tell me about him would help。〃
They lapsed into silence as the waitress returned with their orders。 The idea of food suddenly made Megan nauseated。 She steadied herself and organized her thoughts。
〃First of all； almost all my training was supervised by Dylan Reed。 In a way； the title of chief medical officer is misleading。 It's not like you go up there to hand out aspirins or Band…Aids。 The duties are pure research。 As head of the biomedical research program； Dylan worked closely with his chief medical officer； Treloar。 And he duplicated those experiments with me； in case I had to take Treloar's place。 So I never really worked closely with Treloar at all。〃
〃What about personally？ Was he close to anyone？ Was there any gossip about him？〃
〃He was a loner； Jon。 I never heard that he dated； much less had anyone steady。 I can tell you that working with him wasn't much fun。 A brilliant mind； but no personality； no humor； nothing。 It was as if a part of him… the medical genius… flourished； while the rest of him never grew up at all。〃
She paused。 〃Your investigation isn't going to impact the launch； is it？〃
Smith shook his head。 〃No reason it should。〃
〃Look； the best I can do is give you the names of the people who worked directly with Treloar。 Maybe they'll have something for you。〃
Smith was certain that he already had those names… and more。 He'd spent half the night going over Adam Treloar's files； forwarded from the FBI； the NSA； and NASA。 Still； he listened carefully as Megan ran down her list。
〃That's really all I know；〃 she concluded。
〃Plenty for me to work with。 Thank you。〃
Megan managed a smile。 〃Given what you're doing； I don't suppose there's any chance of your getting down to the launch？ I could get you great seats。〃
〃I wish I could；〃 he replied； and meant it。 〃But maybe I'll see you at Edwards when you touch down。〃 Edwards Air Force base in California was the shuttle's primary landing station。
They were silent for a moment； then Megan said； 〃I've got to get going。
He reached across the table and； covering her hand； held it tightly。 〃e home safe。〃
Lost in thought； Megan walked back to her apartment。 Adam Treloar was dead… murdered… and Jon Smith had suddenly materialized in Houston。 He had neatly sidestepped the issue of who had sent him。 He had questioned her skillfully but had given nothing in return。 What was Smith really doing here？ Who was he after and why？ There was only one way to find out。
Back in her apartment； Megan took out her digitally encrypted phone and dialed the number she had memorized long ago。
〃Klein here。〃
〃It's Megan Olson。〃
〃Megan。。。 I thought you'd be on your way to the shuttle launch by now。〃
〃I'm leaving in a l