“Well I suggest that you try, Doctor. I strongly suggest that you try. Or die trying. It is clearly your choice.”
Closing his eyes, Frank spoke, “GEO, try and understand what I am telling you. If you detonate the nuclear fail-safe ... Dr. Frank is going to ... to perish. I want you to unlock the Logic Core and initiate a decoding function to uncover mainline defenses in the fail-safe mode.”
The silence was haunting: “GEO cannot unlock mainline defenses of the fail-safe. The fail-safe is designed to contain Leviathan. It is not within programming parameters to—”
“Terminate answer,” Frank said and the computer was solemnly silent. “GEO, initiate verbal programming for Viral Defense Program. I am ordering you, under new programming parameters, to disregard previous fail-safe parameters and initiate a new and revised Viral Defense Program.”
“That is impossible, Dr. Frank. The Viral Defense Program has been initiated to prevent unauthorized penetration of Logic Core and the Fail-safe Mode. ‘
“GEO!” Frank shouted, suddenly emotional. “Listen to me and obey! I must be able to enter the Logic Core! Do you understand? It's imperative that I enter the Logic Core!”
“It is impossible to enter the Logic Core because fail-safe has closed all computer paths to Logic Core. Nor can the Viral Defense Program be revised because all paths to Logic Core are closed. I repeat: All paths to Logic Core are closed.”
Frank sighed heavily, as if he had half hoped for success. He shook his head. “The fail-safe can't be disarmed, Tolvanos. GEO has closed all paths to the Logic Core and the Logic Core is the only place where the fail-safe can be reached.”
A long moment of stillness, and Tolvanos spoke again. “A pity, Doctor.” He stared. “Such a magnificent creature and such a magnificent biological weapons program now lost to something as primitive as an atomic bomb.” He gestured with the gun. “Very well. Drop your firearms, gentlemen. I do not intend to be shot.”
Barley and Chesterton dropped their rifles and sidearms. The remaining four soldiers followed. And immediately Blake snatched up a fallen M-16, leveling it at Barley's face. Sensing Blake's madness, Barley raised his hands gently to the side, surrendering to the situation.
“So! ... You don't need no help with me!” Blake sneered, smiling. “No! No! You! A big tough guy like you don't neeeeeeed no help with me!”
Blake grinned and glared, waving the rifle barrel in his face. Barley didn't blink. His hands were dead calm. His sweat-streaked face revealed nothing.
“Just calm down, Blake!” Chesterton shouted, stepping forward, as if he were more than willing to take a bullet for the big lieutenant. “Those were my orders! Not his! Barley was just doing his job!”
“Noooo!” Blake screamed, pointing the barrel into Barley's emotionless, implacable face. “This big man don't neee—”
A reptilian shriek shook Tungsten Passage and everyone turned together, staring.
Jordan screamed.
It had come.
Tolvanos roughly shoved Beth aside, moving quickly to the ventilation shaft. “You may follow me, Colonel Blake, as soon as I am through! Please hold everyone at bay until I'm safely away! As we discussed earlier, your reward will be truly significant!”
A closer roar vibrated the granite at their feet.
“Blake!” Chesterton shouted. “There's no time for this! That thing is about to come up that tunnel and it's going to kill all of us! We've got to get out of here as fast as we can!”
Knowing that something had to be done, and fast, Connor stepped sharply toward Beth, fully expecting to be shot in the back. “Don't move!” Blake screamed, whirling with the M-16.
“Kill me if you want, Blake!” Connor shouted at the crazed colonel, preferring to be shot than stay where he was. “But in thirty seconds we're all going to die if we're still in this cavern!”
Blake was screaming, “Stay where—”
What happened next was too fast to follow, but Connor glimpsed Chesterton as he shouted and leaped and then Barley had moved to instantly tear the rifle from Blake's hands. A wild burst of gunfire stretched into the air, sending bullets off the ceiling, and for a second the entire room seemed to echo with howling ricochets. Then a weird moment later Connor was both terrified and astonished that no one was hit. He found himself on the ground, covering both Beth and Jordan, and from the low angle he turned toward Tungsten Passage.
A long, dark shadow shrouded the entrance.
“Let's get out of here!” Chesterton yelled, and together they were on their feet, running full-out. Connor carried Jordan in his arms as they neared a passageway, Beth running easily at his side. Thor brought up the rear with a handful of soldiers. And Barley was in front of them all, dropping to one knee as he reached the exit and ripping an LAW from his back. Instantly he extended the tube, leveling.