and serving as the usual landing zone for the shuttle； the base had another； much less public function： it was one of the nation's six staging areas for RAID teams that would be activated in the event of a chemical…biological incident。
Virtually unknown to the public； the Rapid Attack and Incursion Detail was similar to NEST； the body of specialists who hunted lost or stolen nuclear weapons。 The contingent was housed in a squat； bunkerlike building in the western section of the airfield。 In a nearby hangar were a C…130 and three manche helicopters that would ferry the team to the emergency site。
The Ready Room was a cinderblock…lined area the size of a basketball court。 Along one wall were twelve cubicles； separated by curtains。 In each was a Level Four biohazard suit； plete with a rebreather； a weapon； and ammunition。 The eleven men who made up this incursion team were quietly checking their armaments。 Like SWAT teams； they carried an array of weapons； ranging from assault rifles to shotguns to various sidearms。 The only difference between them and SWAT was the lack of snipers。 RAID's business was close…in work； responsibility for securing the perimeter with the long guns belonged either to the army or to a federal SWAT unit。
The twelfth man； mander Jack Riley； was in his makeshift office at one end of the room。 He looked over the shoulder of his mo officer； seated in front of a portable munications unit； then back at Smith。
〃The shuttle's almost down； Jon；〃 he said。 〃We're starting to cut it kind of close。〃
Smith nodded at the tall； rangy man with whom he had trained at USAMRIID and later served with in Desert Storm。 〃I know。〃
Smith had been watching the clock too。 He and Klein had left Washington for Groome Lake two hours before the president and the others had boarded Air Force One。 Klein would go directly to the test site while Smith would hook up with RAID。 En route to Edwards； the chief executive had spoken with Riley； apprising him of an emergency situation onboard the shuttle； but leaving 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 aft