ng out the details。 He also told him that Jon Smith was on his way and that Riley and his team would take their orders from him。
〃What about the manches？〃 Smith asked。
〃The pilots are sitting in the cockpits；〃 Riley replied。 〃All they need are two minutes' notice。〃
〃Sir； we have ining from Air Force One；〃 the mo officer said。
Riley picked up the phone； identified himself； and listened closely。 〃Understood； sir。 Yes； he's right here。〃 He passed the phone to Smith。
〃Yes？〃 Smith said。
〃Jon； this is the president。 We're about sixty minutes out from Groome Lake。 What's the situation on your end？〃
〃Prepped and ready； sir。 All we need are the plans for the chamber。〃
〃They're ing through right now。 Call me when you and Riley have gone over them。〃
By the time Smith hung up； the mo officer had the ining faxes laid out on a worktable。
〃Looks like an industrial incinerator；〃 Riley murmured。
Smith agreed。 The blueprints showed a rectangular area one hundred forty feet long； forty feet wide； and sixty feet high。 All four walls were constructed of specially reinforced concrete。 A part of the ceiling was actually a ramp that would close and seal when the shuttle was inside。 At first glance； it might have looked like a parking or storage area。 But on closer examination； Smith saw what Riley had alluded to… the walls were studded with pipes that； according to the blueprints； were connected to gas lines。 Smith could only imagine the kind of inferno they would create when lighted。
〃We're taking it as an article of faith that the shuttle is clean on the outside； right？〃 Riley said。 〃Nothing could have gotten out？〃
Smith shook his head。 〃Even if it could； the heat from reentry would scour the orbiter's skin clean。 No； it's the interior that's the hot zone。〃
〃Our kind of playground；〃 Riley said。
〃Yeah； except this time we might have to take it away from somebody else；〃 Smith said。
Riley pulled him aside。 〃Jon； this operation hasn't been going exactly by the numbers。 First the president calls and tells me to break out the team。 All he says is that we're going to some place in Nevada。 That turns out to be some spook base at Groome Lake where the shuttle's going to make an emergency landing because it encountered a biochem hazard。 Now it looks like you intend to incinerate the damn thing。〃
Smith walked Riley out of earshot of the rest of the team。 A moment later； one of the RAID members nudged his buddy。
〃Look at Riley。 He looks like he's about to toss his cookies。〃
In fact； Jack Riley was wishing that he'd never asked Smith what was onboard the orbiter。
Megan Olson accepted the fact that she had run out of options。 The nest of wires had defeated her。 None of the binations she'd tried worked。 The air…lock door remained frozen。
Standing back from the door； Megan listened to the chatter between Reed and mission control。 The shuttle was only minutes from entering the atmospheric window through which it would return to earth。 She had exactly that long to decide。
Megan forced herself to look at the explosive bolts set in each corner of the door。 During her training； her instructors had pointed them out to her； saying that they were really a redundancy。 The shuttle crew was never meant to use them。 They were there in case a NASA ground team had to enter the shuttle during an emergency evacuation after the orbiter had landed。
After it lands； the instructors had emphasized。 And only if entry through the main hatches was； for one reason or another； impossible。 They had cautioned her that the bolts were on a timer that would give the ground team enough time to take cover。
〃These things create a controlled explosion；〃 she recalled the instructors saying。 〃You don't want to be within fifty feet when they blow。 〃
Megan estimated that at best she was fourteen； maybe fifteen feet from the air…lock door。
If you're going to do it； do it now！
From her training and her rides onboard the Vomit et； Megan knew that the descent through the earth's atmosphere would be even more jarring than the liftoff。 She recalled Carter saying that it was like riding a Brahman bull at a rodeo。 Everything and everyone had to be strapped down securely。 If she remained in the air lock； she would be hurled against the walls until she was unconscious… or worse。 Her EMU would undoubtedly tear； so even if she survived reentry； what Reed had loosed in the ship would eat her up。 But there were alternatives。 She had to give herself a chance to get to the Spacelab； find Reed's monstrosity； and destroy it before the shuttle was too close to the earth。
Megan felt a calm descend over her； even though her heart was pounding like a jackhammer。 She fixed her attention on the hexagonal bolts； painted red with a yellow dot in the center。 Pushing off the wall； she floated across the floor。 When she reached the bottom right bolt； she pressed the yellow dot。 A tiny control panel slid forward。 The LCD blinked at her： ARM/DISARM。 Carefully； because the EMU suit glove made her fingers clumsy； she pressed ARM。
Shit！
The timer immediately set itself for sixty seconds； a shorter time span than Megan had anticipated。 She slithered to the next bolt and quickly set it。 Pushing off the floor； she anchored herself and activated the top two bolts。 When she was finished； she had twenty seconds left。
She took two steps； and then floated as far away from the door as was possible。 Even though she had pulled down her visor； she could still see the four pulsing lights in the center of the bolts。 She knew she should have her back to the air lock； or at least stand sideways； so that the explosions wouldn't catch her in the face。 But as the seconds counted down； all she could do was stare at the winking lights。
Two levels above； on the flight deck； Dylan Reed was getting the final signals from Harry Landon at mission control。
〃You're right on target；〃 Landon said。 〃Reentry looks good。〃
〃I can't see the counter；〃 Reed said。 〃How much time to mo blackout？〃
〃Fifteen seconds。〃
A munications blackout was a natural occurrence during reentry。 The interruption lasted about three minutes and was still； even after all the manned flights； the most nerve…racking interval of the entire mission。
〃Are you strapped in； Dylan？〃 Landon asked。
〃As much as I can be。 This suit's a little bulky。〃
〃Just hang on and we'll try to make the ride as smooth and fast as possible。〃 Landon paused。 〃Ten seconds。。。 Good luck； Dylan。 Talk to you on the other side。 Seven； six； five。。。〃
Reed settled back and closed his eyes。 He thought that immediately after reentry and reestablishing contact with Landon； he'd have to go back to the Spacelab and…
The shuttle bucked； the force almost tearing Reed out of his restraints。
〃What the hell！ Harry！〃
〃Dylan； what's wrong？〃
〃Harry； there's been…〃
Reed's voice was cut off abruptly。 Nothing except faint static filled the speakers at mission control。 Landon whirled around to the tech next to him。 〃Play back the tape！〃
〃What the hell！ Harry！〃
〃Dylan； what's wrong？〃
〃Harry； there's been…〃
〃An explosion！〃 Landon whispered。
The working group was still in Air Force One's conference room with the president when the mo officer rushed in。 Scanning the message； Castilla's face turned white。
〃You're sure？〃 he demanded； staring at the officer。
〃Landon's positive； sir。〃
〃Patch me through to him。 Now！〃
He looked around the table。 〃Something blew on the shuttle。〃
The bolts rocketed in Megan's direction； slamming and digging into the walls of the air lock。 But because the shuttle had bucked on reentry； the door； which would have sailed right into her； was thrown violently to the left。 It caromed off the wall； careened within inches of her； then slammed against another wall。
Without stopping to think； Megan pushed off and sailed for the door； grabbing it and pinning it with both arms。 She held it for a moment； then released her grip and let it float away。
Moving through the cavity into the lower deck； she climbed the staircase to the mid…deck and headed for the hatch that opened on the tunnel to the Spacelab。
She blew the bolts！ The bitch blew the bolts！
Reed knew it as soon as he felt the tremors course through the craft。 Confirmation came in the form of winking lights on the console； indicating a door malfunction in the air lock。
Working his way out of the restraining straps； Reed maneuvered his way to the ladder and； like a diver plunging into water； started down headfirst。 He guessed that he had about two minutes to find Megan。 After that； the shuttle ride would bee too rough to continue pursuit。 The craft would also e out of its blackout screen。 Reed had no doubt that even if mission control hadn't heard the explosion； its instruments would have registered it。 Harry Landon would be peppering him with questions； demanding explanations and updates。
As Reed snaked his way down the ladder； he found himself amazed by Megan's actions。 It had taken guts… more than he'd thought she had… to blow the air…lock door。 But odds were that she was dead。 He had seen the effects of an explosion in a place as confined as an air lock。
Reed reached mid