h。
〃Your attention； please。 Ten minutes and counting。〃 Norman opened the bulkhead door to D Cyl； and stepped through； into the habitat。
The light was dim。 A strange green； slimy mold covered the walls。
On the couch； Harry lay unconscious； the intravenous line still in his arm。 Norman pulled the needle out with a spurt of blood。 He shook Harry； trying to rouse him。
Harry's eyelids fluttered； but he was otherwise unresponsive。 Norman lifted him； put him over his shoulder； carried him through the habitat。
On the inter； Beth was still crying。 〃Norman； you shouldn't have e。〃
〃Where are you； Beth？〃
On the monitors； he read：
DETONATION SEQUENCE 09：32。
Counting backward。 The numbers seemed too to move fast。
＇＇351＇＇ 〃Take Harry and go； Norman。 Both of you go。 Leave me behind。〃
〃Tell me where you are； Beth。〃
He was moving through the habitat； from D to C Cyl。 He didn't see her anywhere。 Harry was a dead weight on his shoulder； making it difficult to get through the bulkhead doors。
〃It won't do any good； Norman。〃
〃e on； Beth。 。。。〃
〃I know I'm bad； Norman。 I know I can't be helped。〃
〃Beth 。。。〃 He was hearing her through the helmet radio； so he could not locate her by the sound。 But he could not risk removing his helmet。 Not now。
〃I deserve to die； Norman。〃
〃Cut it out； Beth。〃
〃Attention； please。 Nine minutes and counting。〃
A new alarm sounded； an intermittent beeping that became louder and more intense as the seconds ticked by。
He was in B Cyl； a maze of pipes and equipment。 Once clean and multicolored； now the slimy mold coated every surface。 In some places fibrous mossy strands hung down。 B Cyl looked like a jungle swamp。
〃B