xtravehicular mobility unit； or EMU； the suit used on space walks。 After slipping inside it； Reed was reaching for his helmet when he caught his reflection in the visor。 He hesitated as the faces of his fellow crew members floated in the coated Plexiglas； people he had worked and trained with for months； even years； people whom he genuinely liked。 But not enough to show them passion or mercy。
In that reflection； Reed also saw the faces of his two brothers； killed during a terrorist attack on the U。S。 embassy in Nairobi； and that of his sister； a Peace Corps volunteer； abducted； tortured and finally murdered in the Sudan。 What Reed was doing was not for the greater glory of science； and certainly not for public recognition or acclaim。 This new strain would never see the light of day… unless circumstances dictated that it be unleashed。 General Richardson and Anthony Price were the kind of men who did not tolerate the kind of losses Reed had suffered。 To them； payback wasn't just a few cruise missiles lobbed into some tents or bunkers； but a swift and total devastation by an invisible； unstoppable army。 By helping build this army； Reed believed he was laying a marker at the graves of his kin； keeping a promise made long ago that their sacrifices would never be forgotten。
Securing his helmet； Reed made his way back to the Biorack。 He plugged his air…supply hose into an independent feed that crew members used during space walks。 Calmly and deliberately he broke the seal on the Glovebox。 Within seconds； the dried variola particles in the dish began forming spores as tiny as dust particles。 Inexorably they found their way to the rent on the Glovebox seals and outside。 Reed stared in fascination as spores seemed to hang there。 For an instant； he was seized by the irrational thought that they might attack him。 Instead； the circulation stream caught them and they swirled like a minuscule et into the connecting tube linking the Spacelab to the main body of the orbiter。
〃Are you ing； Megan？〃 Carter asked as the two of them pleted their report to mission control。
Maneuvering past the sleep stations； Megan called over her shoulder； 〃Yup。 I'm starving。〃
At that moment； both crew members heard a squawk over their headsets。 〃Discovery； this is mission control。 We understand you're looking to break for dinner？〃
〃That's affirmative； mission control；〃 Carter replied。
〃Discovery； our instruments show a possible pressure leak in the air lock on the lower deck。 Be much obliged if someone could check it out。〃
Stone's voice came over the sets： 〃Megan； Carter； you're the closest。〃
Carter looked at Megan with puppy…dog eyes。 〃I'm really hungry！〃
Reaching into one of the sleep stations； Megan pulled out a deck of cards from under a strapped…down pillow。 She tore away the cellophane； shuffled carefully so that no cards would slip out； and held the deck out to Carter。
〃Cut。 High card wins。〃
Carter rolled his eyes； reached for the deck and turned over a ten。 Megan came up with a seven。
Carter laughed and propelled himself toward the food station。 〃I'll save you some Oreos！〃 he called back。
〃Sure； thanks。〃
〃You okay to do it； Megan？〃 Stone asked。
She sighed。 〃I'm fine。 Just make sure that Carter doesn't hog the veal cutlets or whatever。〃
〃Roger that。 See you in a bit。〃
Megan knew that 〃a bit〃 meant at least an hour。 Checking out an air lock meant getting into an EMU。
Gripping the handles； she descended the ladder to the lower deck。 Tucked behind the cargo and the equipment that the shuttle carried was the air lock。 The red light over its door was blinking； indicating a possible malfunction。
〃Damn wire is all it is；〃 Megan muttered and pushed off。
〃Watch this。〃
Carter tore open a packet of orange juice； held it up； and squeezed out some of the liquid。 Forming a rough sphere； the juice floated in front of Carter； who pierced it with a straw and began to sip。 In seconds； the solid that was a liquid had disappeared。
〃Very nice；〃 Stone said。 〃You can e do magic tricks at my kid's next birthday。〃
〃Uh…oh； the sauce is loose；〃 Randall Wallace called out。
Stone turned to find that while he had been talking to Carter； the shrimp…cocktail sauce had lost contact with his spoon。 He picked up a tortilla and made a swiping motion to catch it。
〃Wonder what's keeping Dylan；〃 Carter said through a mouthful of chicken with gravy； which he was eating out of a plastic baggie。
〃Dylan； do you copy？〃 Stone said into his mike。
There was no reply。
〃Probably in the can；〃 Carter said。 〃He has this thing for barbecue beans。 Maybe he smuggled some on board。〃
Beans； along with broccoli and mushrooms； were never on the shuttle menus。 Excess gas was much more painful in space； and flight physicians still weren't sure how gases behaved in microgravity。
Carter coughed。
〃You're eating too fast；〃 Stone chided him。
Carter's reply was drowned out by a fit of hacking。
〃Hey； maybe he's choking on something；〃 Wallace said。
As Stone moved toward him； Carter suddenly grabbed the pilot by the shoulders。 Another paroxysm swept through him and he vomited blood up into the air in front of him。
〃What the hell！〃 Stone cried。
His words were cut off as he clutched his chest and began to claw at his jumpsuit。 His body felt like it was burning up。 When he wiped his face； the back of his hand came away all bloody。
Karol and Wallace watched in horror as their shuttle mates rolled over； their arms and legs kicking out as though in seizure。
〃Get up to the flight deck and seal yourself in！〃 Karol roared。
〃But…〃
〃Do it！〃 As he shoved Wallace toward the ladder； a voice from mission control came over his headset。
〃Discovery； do you have a problem？〃
〃Damn right we do！〃 Karol shouted。 〃Something's tearing Carter and Stone apart…〃
Karol's body spasmed。 〃Oh； Jesus！〃 As he doubled over； a trail of blood swirled away from his eyes and nostrils。 Somewhere far away he heard the urgent voice from mission control。
〃Discovery； do you copy？〃
A reply formed in his mind； but before he could get the words out； a red haze descended across his eyes。
Working inside the air lock on the lower deck； Megan heard the cries and groans over her headset。 She jabbed the transmit button on her EMU。
〃Frank？ Carter？ Wallace？〃
All she heard now was static。 Her munications unit was malfunctioning。
Ignoring the wiring she'd been checking； Megan reached for the lever to open the air lock。 To her horror； it refused to budge。
In the Spacelab； Dylan Reed clutched a stopwatch in his gloved hand。 The mutated variola was working with frightening speed。 He knew that he should measure exactly how fast it was infecting and destroying the crew。 Bauer had been adamant that human test subjects were the only way to gauge the lethal capacity of the new smallpox。 It was also a way to get rid of any potential witnesses。 But to do that would have meant looking at the stopwatch。 Dylan Reed would have had to open his eyes； something he didn't dare do because then he'd surely see the faces behind the screams。
A world away； mission director Harry Landon was in a cubicle down the hall from mission control； catching up on some much…needed sleep。 A twenty…year NASA veteran； ten of those years spent in the pressure cooker of the Cape； Landon had learned to rest whenever the opportunity presented itself。 He was also able to wake up instantly； alert and ready。
Landon sensed the hand even before he felt it on his shoulder。 Rolling over； he found himself gazing into the face of a young technician。
〃What is it？〃 he demanded。
〃There's a problem onboard Discovery；〃 the tech replied nervously。
Landon swung off the cot； grabbed his glasses off a filing cabinet； and moved for the door。 〃Mechanical？ Flight？ What？〃
〃Human。〃
Landon didn't break stride as he called back over his shoulder。 〃What do you mean； ‘human'？ 〃
〃It's the crew；〃 the tech stammered。 〃Something's wrong。〃
Something was wrong… terribly so。 Landon sensed it as soon as he entered mission control。 All the techs were huddled over their consoles； talking urgently to Discovery。 From the snatches he heard as he passed by； Landon realize