〃The problem you sent your boy to fix？〃 he said abruptly。 〃Now it's worse than before。〃 After giving Bauer the scant details； he added： 〃If Beria's been taken； then you can bet it's Smith who has him。 In the end； Beria will talk… if he hasn't already。〃
〃If he does； what of it？〃 Bauer demanded。 〃He never saw any of us。 He doesn't know our names。 Treloar is dead。 The trail stops with him。〃
〃The trail has to stop with Beria！〃 Price snapped。 〃He needs to be dealt with。〃
〃While he's in Smith's custody？〃 Bauer replied sarcastically。 〃Pray tell me how you propose getting to him。〃
Price hesitated。 Smith wouldn't keep Beria in a federal prison or holding cell。 He'd squirrel him away where no one could find him。
〃Then we have to move up the schedule；〃 he said。 〃Create a diversion。〃
〃Doing so would endanger Reed and the entire project。〃
〃Not doing it endangers us！ Listen to me； Karl。 Reed was going to run the experiment the day after tomorrow。 There's no reason why he can't run it now。〃
〃All the experiments are on a fixed schedule；〃 Bauer replied。 〃It might look suspicious if Reed changes the sequence。〃
〃Given the consequences； a change in sequence will be the last thing anyone thinks about。 The key is to get the mutation down as quickly as possible… and cover our butts。〃
There was silence on the other end of the line。 Price held his breath； wondering if the old scientist would play along。
〃Very well；〃 Bauer said at last。 〃I will contact Reed and tell him to move up the schedule。〃
〃Tell him to work as fast as possible。〃
〃As fast as is prudent。〃
Price was at the end of his tether。 〃Don't split hairs on me； Karl。 Just tell him to get on with it。〃
Karl Bauer stared at the now…silent phone。 He thought that Anthony Price was one of those bureaucrats who bee infected with a Napoleon plex； intoxicated with their seemingly limitless power。
Leaving his office； Bauer took the elevator to the sub…basement。 This was the heart of his munications center； a room the size of an air traffic control center where technicians； using three private satellites； kept their fingertips on the electronic pulse of the Bauer…Zermatt empire。 There was also a fourth satellite； which； until now； had remained inactive。 Crossing the room； Bauer entered his private chamber and locked himself in。 He seated himself at the console； activated the high…definition screen； and began typing on the keyboard。 The satellite； built by the Chinese in Xianpao； launched by the French out of New Guyana； sprang to life。 As hardware went； it was a relatively unsophisticated piece of equipment； but then again； it had only one purpose and a very short life span。 When its job was done； an explosive charge would destroy any evidence that it had ever existed。
Bauer piggybacked on the NASA frequency； prepared his message for the microburst transmission； and opened the circuits。 In nanoseconds； the message was beamed to the satellite； which in turn relayed it to the shuttle。 Its mission acplished； the satellite immediately went dormant。 Even if the burst was inadvertently noticed； it would be almost impossible to fix not only its origin but also the relay point。 With the satellite silent； it would appear that the burst had e from a black hole in space。
Sitting back in his chair； Bauer steepled his fingers。 Of course there would be no direct reply from the shuttle。 The only way Bauer would be sure that his transmission was received would be to tap into the shuttle…NASA transmissions。 When he heard Reed's voice； he would know。
Traveling at 17；500 miles per hour at an altitude of 202 miles； Discovery was on its fourth orbit around the earth。 Stowing away her temporary seat； Megan Olson worked her way out of her launch/entry suit and into fortable overalls studded with Velcro…lined pockets。 She noted that her face and upper body were puffy。 Virtually every wrinkle had disappeared and her waistline had shrunk a good two inches。 This occurred because there was little gravity to pull down blood and bodily fluids。 After four to six hours； the excess fluids would be removed through the kidneys。
With the help of her teammates； Carter and Wallace； Megan activated the shuttle's power； air conditioning； lights； and munications。 The payload bay doors were opened to release the heat built up by the firing of the solid rocket booster and main engines during liftoff。 They would stay open for the duration of the mission and help regulate the temperature inside the orbiter。
As she worked； Megan listened to the chatter among the mander； Bill Karol； the pilot； Frank Stone； and mission control。 It was all routine give…and…take about the shuttle's status； speed； and position… until she heard Karol's puzzled voice。
〃Dylan； are you copying this？〃
〃Roger that。 What's up？〃
〃Something just came in over the circuits for you。 But there was no mission…control input。〃
Megan heard Reed chuckle。 〃Probably one of my lab guys slipped on a headset。 What's the message？〃
〃Apparently there's been a change in the order of your experiments。 Megan's been bumped to number four。 You take the opening slot。〃
〃Hey； that's not fair；〃 Megan spoke up。
〃Been listening in； have you？〃 Reed said。 〃Don't worry about it； Megan。 You'll make your bones。〃
〃I know。 But why the change？〃
〃I'm checking the schedule right now。〃
〃I'm on my way up。〃
Drifting in microgravity； Megan maneuvered her way up the ladder to the flight deck。 Reed was suspended like a diver in neutral buoyancy behind the pilot and the mander； checking his log。
Glancing up； he remarked； 〃You look ten years younger。〃
〃Please； five years。 And I feel bloated。 What's up？〃
Reed passed her the log。 〃It's a last…minute schedule change I forgot to mention。 I'm going to run the critter tests first and get them out of the way。 Then you can have the place all to yourself and your Legionnaires' disease microbes。〃
〃I was really hoping to get into it first thing；〃 Megan replied。
〃Yeah； I know。 First trip。 All the excitement。 But if I were you； I'd grab some sack time while I slave over a hot petri dish。〃
〃Would you like a hand with the tests？〃
〃Appreciate the thought； but no thanks。〃 Reed took back the log。 〃Well； I'd better go open up the Factory。〃
The Factory was the crew's nickname for the Spacelab。
On the monitor； Megan watched Reed maneuver his way to the mid…deck； then float into the tunnel that connected to the Spacelab。 It never failed to amaze her that only the curved walls of the tunnel and its outer skin separated Reed from the frozen waste of space。
Megan turned to Bill Karol。 〃Who sent that transmission？〃
Karol checked his screen。 〃There's no name attached； just a number。〃
Steadying herself； Megan read over his shoulder。 The six…digit number was familiar but she couldn't grasp why。
〃Someone was in a hurry；〃 Stone； the pilot； said laconically。 〃Probably a last…minute snafu in the ground lab。〃
〃But you said this didn't e through mission control；〃 Megan said。
〃What I meant was that there wasn't any of the usual chatter。 But hell； Megan； who else could have sent it？〃
As the two men returned to their duties； Megan backed away。 Something was not right。 A moment ago she'd remembered where she'd seen that number before。 It was Dylan Reed's NASA ID。 How could he possibly have sent a message to himself？
As soon as Dylan Reed entered the Spacelab； he overrode the circuits that controlled the cameras' recording activity at the Biorack。 Pulling back the Velcro strap on one of his pants pockets； he removed the stubby； titanium cylinder that Bauer had given him less than twenty…four hours ago。 Although the tube had been carefully sealed； Reed understood that he was dealing with a 〃hot〃 product that had been left unrefrigerated for too long。 He opened the freezer and slipped the tube next to the maise cells and nematode worm specimens； then reset the cameras。
Relieved that the variola was secure； Reed began to prepare the Biorack for the procedures he would carry out。 At the same time； he tried to fathom what had happened back on earth to cause Bauer to move up the schedule so dramatically。 The last he'd heard； Beria had been set in motion to remove Smith。 Sinc