on the ground； safe and sound。〃
Landon was about to add 〃I promise；〃 but the words couldn't make it past his lips。
〃All right； Harry。 I'll go check out the orbiter。 I want to keep the mo link open。〃
〃We need you to check the video feed。 We have no picture。〃
That's because I fixed the cameras。
〃Roger that。 Leaving the lab now。〃
The bulky space suit made his movements awkward； but slowly Reed floated through the connecting tunnel； taking care not to snag any part of his suit。 Even the slightest tear would be fatal。
The sight in the mid…deck made him gag。 Stone； Karol； and Carter had been reduced to bloated corpses covered in sores； floating freely or snagged to pieces of equipment by an arm or a leg。 Trying not to look； Reed maneuvered his way around them to the ladder。 Up in the flight deck； he found Wallace strapped to the mander's chair。
〃Mission control； this is Discovery。〃
Landon responded instantly。 〃Go ahead； Dylan。〃
〃I found everyone except Megan。 Jesus； I can't tell you。。。〃
〃We need to know what they look like； Dylan。〃
〃The bodies are bloated； sores； blood。。。 I've never seen anything like it。〃
〃Are there any signs of the contaminant？〃
〃Negative。 But I'm not taking off the EMU。〃
〃Of course not。 Can you tell what they were eating？〃
〃I'm on the flight deck； with Wallace。 Let me go downstairs。〃
After a few minutes； Reed was back on the link。 In reality； he hadn't moved。 〃Looks like whatever was brought onboard。 Chicken； peanut butter； shrimp。。。〃
〃Okay； we're checking the source of the food right now： If it was contaminated； the agent might have mutated in microgravity。〃 Landon paused。 〃You need to find Megan。〃
〃I know。 I'll check mid…deck again； the john。。。 If she's not there； she'll be on the lower deck。〃
〃Contact me as soon as you find her。 Mission director out。〃
Thank God！
Although her transmit button was still malfunctioning； Megan had heard every word between Reed and Landon。 She slumped forward； her helmet clicking against the air…lock door。 Hundreds of questions raced through her mind： How could the rest of the crew be dead？ What could have overtaken them？ Was it something they had brought onboard？ It'd been less than an hour since she'd last seen Carter and the others。 Now they were dead？
Megan forced herself to calm down。 She glanced at the nest of wires in the open panel above the door。 Clearly there was a mix…up in the wiring。 Following the instructions printed on the panel door； she had tried to reverse a number of connections but so far hadn't found the faulty one。
Relax； she told herself。 Dylan will be down here in a few minutes。 When he doesn't find me out there； he'll realize I'm in here。 He'll open the door from his end。
Megan took as much fort in the thought as she could。 She wasn't prone to claustrophobia； but she could feel the air lock… no bigger than a pair of broom closets set side by side… closing in on her。
If only the damn mike worked！ To be heard by another human would be the sweetest thing。
Then fix the mike； she told herself。
Dylan's voice came over her headset： 〃Mission director； I'm in the lower deck。 No sign of Megan yet。 I'll check the storage holds。〃
Even though she knew that sound was baffled in space； Megan raised both hands and began pounding on the door。 Maybe somehow Dylan would hear her。
〃Mission director； I've checked most of the hold。 Still nothing。〃
Landon's voice floated through Megan's headset： 〃Suggest you try the air lock。 Maybe she got in there。〃
Yes； try the air lock！
〃Roger that； mission director。 I'll cut mo until I reach the air lock。〃
As soon as Reed approached the door； he saw Megan's face behind the porthole。 The joy and relief in her eyes speared him。 He switched on the inter mode on his munications set。
〃Megan； can you hear me？〃
He saw her nod。
〃I'm not receiving。 Is your transmitter down？〃
Megan nodded； then floated up and pointed to the mo unit built into the chest of her EMU。 She gave the universal thumbsdown signal and worked her way back to the porthole。
Reed looked at her。 〃Okay。 I understand。 Not that it makes any difference。〃
Megan wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly and mimed a shrug。
〃You don't understand；〃 Reed said。 〃Of course you don't。 How could you？ Megan。。。〃 He hesitated。 〃I can't help you get out。〃
Her eyes widened in terror and disbelief。
〃Let me tell you what's out here； Megan。 A virus。 The kind the world has never seen before because it's not of this world。 It was born on earth； but it was given life here； in the Spacelab。 That's what I was working on。〃
She was shaking her head； her lips moving frantically in soundless words。
〃You should try to stay calm；〃 Reed continued。 〃You heard me talking to mission control。 They know everyone's dead。 They have no clue what happened up here。 And they never will。〃
Reed wet his lips。 〃Discovery has bee a kind of Marie Celeste； a doomed ghost ship。 Of course； there are differences。 I'm still alive and so are you… for the time being。 NASA can and will bring the orbiter down on autopilot。 As long as I'm alive； they're not going to push the autodestruct button。〃
Reed let a beat go by。 〃They won't have to。〃
Megan felt hot tears spill over her cheeks。 She was faintly aware that she was screaming but that had no impact on Reed。 His expression remained as cold and remote as arctic ice。
〃I wish it were someone other than you； Megan；〃 he was saying。 〃Really I do。 But Treloar had to be eliminated and you were his backup。 Now； I don't expect you to understand。 But since I was the one who brought you into the program and gave you this chance； I feel I owe you an explanation。 You see； we need to keep our bioweapons' arsenal strong。 All those treaties we signed… do you think places like Iraq； Libya； or North Korea give a damn about them？ Of course not。 They're too busy developing their own weapons。 Well； now we'll have something that will trump whatever they e up with。 And we'll be the only ones to have it。
〃The sample I made？ A thimbleful is enough to eradicate any country we choose。 I realize that's not a very scientific measurement； but you get my drift。 If you don't believe me； look at what happened here； how quickly the smallpox went to work； the consequences。。。〃
Never in her life had Megan felt so powerless。 Reed's voice droned in her ears like something from a nightmare。 She could not believe such words ing from a man she had thought she knew； a colleague； a mentor； someone she'd trusted implicitly。
He's insane。 That's all I need to know。 And what I need to do is get out of here！
When Reed spoke again； it was as though he'd read her mind。
〃You've done most of my job for me； Megan； locking yourself in like that。 The fire will do the rest。 I didn't mention that？ Well； there's going to be an awful lot of confusion when this thing lands。 The only thing on mission control's mind will be to get me out of here safely。 After that； if something explodes； well。。。〃 He shrugged。 〃You've been a part of history； Megan。 I'll never forget you… or the others。〃
His eyes never left hers as he touched a panel on his mo unit。 〃Mission director； this is Reed。 Do you copy？〃
She heard Landon's voice： 〃Copy； Dylan。〃
〃I have an update。 I。。。 I found Megan。 She's dead。。。 like the others。〃
There was a moment's silence on the other end。 〃I copy； Dylan。 I'm so sorry。 Listen； we're working to bring you home。 Can you get to the flight deck？〃
〃Affirmative。〃
〃We won't need any help； but if something goes wrong。。。〃
〃Understood。 Harry？〃
〃Yes？〃
〃You've opened the Black Book； right？〃
〃Yes； Dylan。〃
〃There's a name that's not in there。 Dr。 Karl Bauer。 He knows more about bugs than anyone alive。 I think you might want to consult with him about the quarantine。〃
〃Roger that。 We'll get Bauer to the landing site。 We're running emergency descent models right now。 As soon as we have a firm trajectory； we'll let you know。〃
Reed smiled faintly and； looking directly at Megan； said； 〃Roger； mission director。 Discovery； signing off。〃
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
The helicopter ferrying Jon Smith from Camp David landed in the cargo transport area of Andrews Air Force Base。 Smith hopped out and trotted across the tarmac to the white panel truck parked next to a sleek executive jet。
〃Hello； Jon；〃 Major…General Kirov said； watching the corpsmen pull a stretcher out of the truck。
〃Did everything go as planned？〃 Smith asked。
〃It did；〃 Kirov replied。 〃These men〃 …he indicated the corpsmen… 〃arrived at your house exactly on schedule。 They were very quick； very efficient。〃
Smith glanced at Ivan Beria； a blanket tucked up to his chin； as he was wheeled by。
〃Is he all right？〃
〃The tranquilizers worked perfectly；〃 Kirov replied。
Smith nodded。
As the stretcher disappeared into the jet； Kirov turned to Smith。 〃I am grateful to you… and to Mr。 Klein… for allowing me to help。 I only wish I could do more。〃
Smith shook the Russian's hand。 〃I'll stay in touch； General。 I think we got everything we could out of Beria； but if he says anything interesting。。。〃
〃You'll be the first to know；〃 Kirov assured him。 〃Good…bye； Jon Smith。 I hope that we will meet again； u