He turned toward the rest of the search party, which was busy gathering up the remains of the dead man. ?Right. This isn’t where I want to spend the rest of my day. Let’s finish up and get out so Mr. Troy can restart the unit and we can all get back to normal.?He began shepherding the men toward the exit.

Clemens lingered. As soon as he was certain Andrews was fully occupied with concluding the grisly cleanup, the medic returned to his examination of the damaged metal.

It was quiet as a tomb inside the EEV. Shattered consoles clung like pinned arachnids to the walls. Equipment lay where it had fallen from braces or spilled from cabinets. The pilot’s chair swung at an angle on its support shaft, like a drunken glove.

A single light illuminated the chaotic interior. Ripley was working inside the burst bulkhead, alternating the laser cutter with less intrusive tools. A protective composite plate peeled away reluctantly to reveal a sealed panel beneath. 81

81

Gratified, she went to work on the panel clips, using a special tool to remove them one at a time. The panel itself was clearly labeled.

FLIGHT RECORDER

DO NOT BREAK SEAL

OFFICIAL AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED ISA 445

As soon as the last clip was snapped off she removed the panel and set it aside. Beneath, a smooth-surfaced black box sat snug inside a double-walled, specially cushioned compartment. The compartment was dry and clean, with no lingering smell or dampness to suggest that it had been violated by the intrusive salt water of the bay.

The latch on the side released smoothly and the box face slid aside, revealing readouts and flush-mounted buttons beneath the protective shield. She thumbed one and several telltales lit up instantly. Touching it again, she watched as they shut down.

The box slipped freely out of its compartment. She set it gently on the deck, next to the light, and let her gaze once more rove the devastated interior of the emergency vehicle, trying to remember, trying to forget.

Something moved behind her, scrabbling against the torn and broken superstructure. She whirled, panicky, as her eyes detected movement in the darkness.

?Damn!?she cried, slumping. ?You trying to scare the life out of me??

Clemens paused in the cramped entrance, an incongruously boyish grin on his face. ?Sorry, but the doorbell isn’t working.?Straining, he stepped into the chamber. ?You know, wandering about without an escort is really going to piss Superintendent Andrews off. Whatever you’re up to, putting yourself on his bad side isn’t going to help.?

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?Screw him. What about the accident??Her tone was intent, her expression earnest.

?Very bad, I’m afraid.?He leaned against some dangling wiring, backed off hastily when it threatened to come down around him. ?One of the prisoners has been killed.?

She looked concerned. ?How??

?It wasn’t pretty. Sure you want to know??