He turned to Smith。 〃Landon called everyone in the Black Book… and someone who Reed personally asked for。〃
〃Let me guess。 Karl Bauer。〃
〃On the money。〃
〃Makes sense；〃 Smith said。 〃He'd want to be on…site when Reed es down with his baby。〃
Klein nodded and pointed to the closed…circuit monitor that suddenly showed a picture。 〃Showtime。〃
Despite the nest of worry lines and crow's…feet； the president； seated behind his desk； projected an image of authority and control。 As he waited for the last member of the working group to arrive； he surveyed the individuals around him。
The Central Intelligence Agency was represented by Bill Dodge； cool； austere； his expression betraying nothing as he leafed through the latest update from NASA。
Martha Nesbitt； the national security adviser； sat next to Dodge。 A veteran of the State Department； Marti； as she was called； was famous for the speed with which she assessed a situation； formulated a decision； and got the ball rolling。
Opposite her was the secretary of state； Gerald Simon； picking nonexistent lint off his hand…tailored suit； a ritual indicating that he was racked by indecision。
〃I hope you've had time to gather your thoughts；〃 the president said。 〃Because under the circumstances； we have to make the right decision the first time around。〃
He looked around the group。 〃As of now Discovery will reach its ‘window' to reenter the earth's atmosphere in approximately one hour At that point； it will be another four hours before it begins its descent procedure。 Seventy…five minutes later； it will land at Edwards。 The question before us is simple： do we allow the craft to land？〃
〃I have a question； sir；〃 Martha Nesbitt spoke up。 〃At what point do we lose the ability to destroy the orbiter？〃
〃There's really no such cutoff point；〃 the president replied。 〃The fact that the shuttle carries an autodestruct package of high explosives has； for obvious reasons； never been publicized。 However； using satellite relays； we can activate the mechanism at any point between the orbiter's present position and touchdown。〃
〃But the package； Mr。 President； was really designed to blow the orbiter in space；〃 Bill Dodge said。 〃The whole point being not to introduce any contaminants into our atmosphere。〃
〃That's true；〃 Castilla agreed。
〃What's also true is that we have no idea what really happened onboard Discovery；〃 Gerald Simon weighed in。 He glanced around the room。 〃Five dedicated people are dead。 We don't know how or why。 But one is still alive。 On the battlefield； we always bring out our dead。 And if there's a survivor out there； we damn well go out and get him。〃
〃I agree；〃 Marti Nesbitt said。 〃First of all； according to the latest information； the orbiter is sound； mechanically speaking。 Second； NASA is still checking into what could have taken down the crew。 Rightly； they're focusing on the food and fluids supplies。 We know that bacteria grow very rapidly in microgravity。 It's entirely possible that something that is harmless on earth mutated in a grotesque way and overpowered its victims before they could respond。〃
〃But isn't that exactly why we can't risk bringing down the shuttle？〃 Gerald Simon asked。 〃I have to look at this from the state department's perspective。 We know we have something lethal on that ship； but we're going to bring it down anyway？ What kind of danger are we exposing ourselves… and the rest of the world… to？〃
〃Maybe no danger at all；〃 Bill Dodge responded。 〃This isn't an Andromeda…strain scenario； Gerry。 Or some X…file about an extraterrestrial plague that somehow invaded the shuttle。 Whatever killed those people came from earth。 But here； it obviously didn't have the lethal capacity。 Take away the microgravity environment and the damn thing dies。〃
〃You're willing to bet the country on that theory？〃 Simon retorted。 〃Or the planet？〃
〃I think you're overreacting； Gerry。〃
〃And I think your attitude is a little too cavalier！〃
〃Ladies and gentlemen！〃 The president's words silenced the room。 〃Debate； questions； ments； fine。 But no arguing or backbiting。 We don't have the time。〃
〃Does NASA have any reasonable expectation of determining what happened up there？〃 the national security adviser asked。
The president shook his head。 〃I asked Harry Landon that same question。 The answer is no。 Although the survivor； Dylan Reed； is a medical doctor； he doesn't have the time； facilities； or help to conduct any kind of meaningful investigation。 We have a general description of the bodies' condition； but certainly not enough to determine the cause of death。〃
He looked around the room。 〃There is one thing I can say for sure： Harry Landon does not believe that there's even a consideration of destroying the shuttle。 Therefore； neither he nor anyone from NASA can be permitted into our discussions。 Having said that； and since you've all had a chance to examine the facts as we know them； we need to take a preliminary vote。 Bill； we'll start with you： salvage or abort？〃
〃Salvage。〃
〃Marti？〃
〃Abort。〃
〃Gerry？〃
〃Abort。〃
As the president steepled his fingers； Bill Dodge spoke up。
〃Sir； I can understand why my colleagues voted the way they did。 But we can't lose sight of the fact that we have a survivor up there。〃
〃No one's losing sight of that； Bill；〃 Marti Nesbitt started to say。
〃Let me finish； Marti。 I believe I have a solution。〃 Dodge turned to the group。 〃As you're all aware； I wear a couple of hats； one of them being the codirector of the Space Security Division。 Prior to his tragic accident； Frank Richardson shared that responsibility。 Now we've anticipated that at some point in time； a biological incident… if that's what occurred… might take place onboard a manned or unmanned flight。 We looked specifically at the shuttle and engineered a special facility for just such a contingency。〃
〃And where would this facility be？〃 Gerald Simon asked。
〃At our flight…testing range at Groome Lake； sixty miles northeast of Las Vegas。〃
〃What are we talking about exactly？〃 the president asked。
Dodge produced a videocassette from his briefcase。 〃It's best you all see for yourselves。〃
He inserted the tape into the VCR below the high…definition television monitor and pressed the play button。 After a flurry of snow； an image of the desert came into sharp focus。
〃Doesn't look like much of anything；〃 the national security adviser mented。
〃Intentionally so；〃 Dodge replied。 〃We borrowed the idea from the Israelis。 Given its terrain； Israel has few places to hide its strike aircraft。 So they built a series of underground bunkers； with runways that don't look like runways… and have a unique feature。〃
On the screen； what appeared to be desert floor began to tilt down at a gradually increasing angle。 Dodge froze the frame。
〃This is where the runway appears to end。 But underneath is a system of hydraulic jacks。 The runway actually extends for another six hundred yards as it slopes into an underground bunker。〃
The camera followed the dip in the runway。 On either side； a string of lights came on。 As the camera descended the ramp； a huge； concrete…lined bunker appeared out of the gloom。
〃This is the containment chamber；〃 Dodge explained。 〃The walls are reinforced concrete； six feet thick。 The air circulation is HEPA filtered； just like at the CDC hot zone labs。
〃Once the shuttle is inside； the facility is sealed。 A special team would be waiting for Dr。 Reed when he es out and would take him into a decontamination chamber。 Another team takes samples from inside the craft to determine what； if anything； is in there。〃
〃And if they find something？〃 the secretary of state asked。 〃Something we may not want to keep around？〃
〃Then after the team has been extracted； this happens。〃
On the screen； the image burst into flames。
〃What we create is the equivalent to not one but three air…burst fuel bombs。 The fire and the heat incinerate everything… and I do mean everything。〃
His presentation plete； Dodge removed the video。
〃Questions； observations？〃 the president asked。
〃Has this facility been tested； Bill？〃 Marti Nesbitt asked。
〃We've never destroyed a shuttle； if that's what you mean。 But the army h