“What kind of danger?” Hoffman asked quickly, focusing.
“Connor is a cautious man, Doctor. He does his job and does it well. But if Connor thinks that his men are being unnecessarily endangered he can be very, very hard to deal with.”
An alarming silence settled.
“Then you will, of course, ensure that Mr. Connor does not become concerned for the safety of his men,” Hoffman replied. “Something that will happen immediately if he somehow gets a look inside the Containment Cavern. We certainly ... no, no ... we certainly cannot afford a breach of security at this time.”
Chesterton paused, spoke; “I think I can handle him, Doctor. I'll just tell him that we overloaded the line and that should take care of it. And the fire doors of the Containment Cell are shut, so he can't see what's in there.”
The old man nodded. “Good. Yes ... very, very good. And how long do you think it will take Mr. Connor to complete repairs?”
“Connor knows his job, Doctor. But this won't be easy. It'll take him at least a couple of hours.”
“Very well.” Hoffman was gazing at his smoldering pipe. “Then it is a risk we can tolerate.” He paused. “And now, Colonel, what other security precautions are we taking?”
“I've ordered all vaults transferred to manual control,” Chesterton answered, jaw setting solidly. “I've stationed men at every exit of the Containment Cavern with LAW rockets and M-60s and they've got a standing green light to open up with everything they've got if that thing even looks sideways at them. And,”—he turned to look at Frank—”I will not be allowing anyone to open any more fire doors for observation purposes.”
“I can't do that anyway, Chesterton,” Frank replied. “The heat blast melted the Plexiglas.”
“What I'm saying here, Doctor,” Chesterton stressed, “is that no one is going to raise another fire door at the Containment Chamber. Not ever. Because we had a close call today and we got lucky. So as of right now, I’m rendering all further tests done by camera. We can't risk that thing escaping. And tomorrow I’m contacting Washington for additional men and equipment to shore up the Containment Cavern. And I’m strongly suggesting that we maintain a holding pattern on further tests until adequate safety measures are installed.”
Hoffman nodded. “Yes, Colonel, I agree. I agree wholeheartedly. We should postpone all further tests until we can guarantee the safety of our lives. We are at a critical stage.”
With a dead-silent gaze that shifted as quickly as a hawk, Frank glanced to the only man who hadn't contributed.
Dressed in expensive casual clothes but carrying a pleasant air of cooperation, Operations Director Spenser Wayne Adler was reclined in his habitual position of customary, dispassionate concern. Frank expected the posture, had even grown somewhat seduced by it, just as everyone else. But he knew better than any of them how badly Adler wanted the project carried to completion. Knew just as well that the operations director would not allow anything to stand in the way of final testing.
Although Adler was indisputably in charge of the underground facility, the project, and the Ice Station located on Grimwald Island above them, he wore his position without condescension. Yet he still seemed like a man who would always be in charge, no matter where he stood. Well into his sixties, Adler's deep face revealed a keen and confident intellect. And even at his advanced age he seemed to retain a formidable physical strength. His hair was a dramatic white, making him seem lordly, even overpowering – a mesmerizing effect accented even more by his hypnotic, ice-blue eyes.
In all, he held an imperial presence, the presence of a man who seemed genuinely born to both natural ability and station. But Frank suspected that Adler's regal bearing may come as much from his superior attitude and six-foot-six height as anything else.
Frank remembered that Adler had been a collegiate heavyweight boxing champion at Oxford in the early fifties. A real street fighter, someone had told him once, and Frank felt himself grimace at the thought. Somehow the knowledge always made him uncomfortable.
“Well, I'm pleased that no one was killed in this incident,” Adler said in his deep, resonant voice. “It would have been a great ... a great tragedy if any lives had been lost. And we've certainly come too far to have this brilliant achievement marred.”
Together they stared at him.
Frank was as still as a statue, his face betraying nothing.
“Soon, gentlemen,” Adler continued, “we will stun the scientific world. Because what we have accomplished in this cavern may very well have altered the nature of life as we know it. I commend you all. And that is the very reason why we must press on. Steadily and safely, to be sure, yes, but we must press on to our goal. Only two more tests remain to be done tomorrow and—”