The Bari Bones

by Urcelia Teixeira

  “I would have given you a private tour if only you asked,” a gentle voice spoke behind them.

  Startled Alex and Sam spun around and stared down the barrels of four burly men’s handguns. Between them stood the man with the gentle voice, his pitch-black hair slicked back into a prominent side part. When Alex’s hand reached for her gun behind her back the man’s entourage moved forward in unison, aiming their guns directly at their faces. Forced to surrender their weapons, Alex and Sam handed them to the four bodyguards.

  “You’re not going to get away with this,” Alex challenged the man.

  “And what exactly would this be?” the man asked. “You broke into my office,” he added.

  “You killed the priest and stole the manna. Not to mention that you placed a bounty on our heads.”

  Alex noticed the subtle nuances of surprise on the man’s face. “Yes, we know it was you,” she persisted.

  The man didn’t answer and she proceeded to push for a confession.

  “What I fail to understand is why. Why would a company like yours want the manna when it can heal so many people?”

  Sam, who had stood quietly watching, allowing Alex to interrogate the man, suddenly spoke.

  “You manufacture regenerative medicine, isn’t it? You want to use it. That’s the breakthrough you’re currently working on.” Sam was elated when he realized he had figured it out.

  “How do you know about that?” the man said with surprise.

  “There’s a lot we know,” Alex diverted his question when she recalled the waiter pleading for them not to divulge his sister’s scoop.

  The man smiled and beckoned toward his men to turn them around to face the hologram. He retrieved a small remote from his luxurious silk suit’s jacket pocket and clicked it with his thumb.

  “Allow me to give you the full tour, Sam and Alex Quinn,” he said, pausing for effect as he allowed them to register that he knew exactly who they were. When their faces displayed the reaction he desired, he drew their attention back to the formal presentation of digital imagery that beamed across the room.

  “My name is Dr. Shuren Wang and Infinitech Group is the result of my life’s work as a biotechnologist. Contrary to what you assumed, our sole purpose here at Infinitech is to save lives. We’re not in the business of killing people, of which you so vehemently accused me. We build new life, create cures, restore longevity, prevent death. As Sam so aptly pointed out, we spend billions each year on creating regenerative pharmaceuticals that will one day cure cancer, dementia, Alzheimer’s, you name it. We’ve given thousands of people around the world hope, when they had none left. Our medicines restored their health and added years to their lives, to spend with their loved ones, when previously they had mere days or weeks left to live and the world had failed them. Do you know how great it is to see a child happy when our stem cell transplant saves one of his siblings or when our nanotechnology destroys an inoperable brain tumor in one of his parents? You of all people should understand this, Dr. Quinn. Since when is creating life a crime?”

  “When you kill innocent priests and inflict brutal beatings on ordinary citizens it is most definitely a crime,” Alex hissed at him, not in the least surprised that he was aware of Sam’s background.

  Shuren Wang turned away from the hologram and faced Alex. “I did not kill or assault anyone.”

  “You stole the manna, Dr. Wang, that makes you the prime suspect in my book,” Alex added as her weighted words struck a nerve with him that propelled him to take up a stance at the window.

  “That’s it, isn’t it? The breakthrough. You needed the manna to complete whatever compound you’re working on. That’s why you wanted it so badly that you killed for it,” Sam’s voice cut across the space.

  Wang spun around, his body rigid and his face fraught with anger.

  “You’re accusing me of a murder I did not commit. Yes, I went to meet with the church in Bari to negotiate a price for the manna. It was intended to be a legitimate offer, but sadly the priest wouldn’t have it. The next thing we knew, he was dead.”

  “Which is precisely why you ordered the Fangs to bully us and the priests into finding it for you.” Alex pushed back, but the expression on Wang’s face was undeniable. He had no idea what she was talking about. Perplexed, Alex glanced at Sam who had noticed it too.

  “I think we’re done here,” Wang said in an emotionless tone, after which he muttered an instruction to his men who promptly moved toward Alex and Sam and shoved them toward the elevator.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  While they were being ushered to their holding cell somewhere on the thirty-third floor, they had both noticed that the entire floor had been unoccupied and it seemed none of the research labs were or had ever been in use. Much like the first room they’d been kept in by the security guards, Alex and Sam found themselves shoved into a roughly five by four foot sized room. But unlike the cold gray steel walls of their first dungeon-like underground lock-up, this one’s walls were as stark white and clinical looking as the rest of the decor throughout the building. As soon as the door shut and locked behind them, they set about searching for a way out. Except for the two small ventilation ducts where the ceiling met two walls on opposite sides, there were no windows, yet the room seemed much colder than the rest of the building. Wasting no time, Sam followed the same routine of rapping his knuckles against the walls as he had done before, but this time, it didn’t yield the same result. The walls were entirely solid all around. The thought had crossed their minds that the room was quite possibly intended as a cold storage which would have meant there’d be no way out of it even if they had their weapons.

  “It’s useless, Sam. This place is shut tight.”

  Sam moved away from the door and stretched his legs out next to where Alex had already sat down against one of the walls.

  “He can’t keep us here forever. Wang didn’t strike me as a killer,” Sam spoke.

  “What makes you think that? This is his company after all and the patch of fabric came from one of these lab overcoats which was worn by one of Khalil’s attackers. Not to mention that Wang said he had gone to Bari, hence admitting that he’s after the manna for whatever breakthrough pharmaceutical they’re working on. The dots line up, Sam. You can’t argue with the facts.”

  “I hear you, and yes, the facts line up, but did you see his face when you told him about the Fangs? He had no idea. I don’t know, Alex. I believe the man.”

  “Then why hold us at gunpoint and lock us up in here?”

  “Because we broke into his office, Alex. And dare I remind you that we now also know what they’re working on. We’re a threat. Ever heard of corporate espionage? Rival companies would do and pay just about anything to sabotage their competitors’ endeavors just to beat them to it. Specialist pharmaceuticals is an extremely competitive business. There’s billions at stake with medical breakthroughs like this and if I know one thing it’s that China has made serious advances in both biotech and space. They have the added advantage over other countries of having a lot of people and their strength lies in their numbers. I mean think about it. They’ve already successfully cloned monkeys. Imagine what would happen if they were successful at creating a pill that cures cancer or grows a brand-new human kidney?”

  “So you think someone else is behind the priest’s murder? A rival company. So this has nothing to do with the church, then?”

  Sam shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not sure, but corporate cloak-and-dagger activities make a whole lot more sense, don’t they?”

  Alex pulled the piece of fabric from her pocket and rubbed it like one would a genie’s lamp. The partial Chinese word below the logo still puzzled her. She traced her fingers over the raised red cotton. In her mind she was digesting Sam’s theory and she couldn’t deny that he might be right. It was entirely possible that they were caught in the middle of a corporate war. She stuck the fabric back in her pocket and rested her head on Sam’s shoulder, closing her
eyes for just a brief moment.

  Exhausted from the past days’ events, having not slept much, they must have both dozed off. It was only when Sam coughed and the motion of his shoulder tilted Alex’s head forward that she started to come around. She tried to open her eyes but for some reason the message from her brain to her eyelids was delayed and it took more effort than usual. Her lungs felt tight as if she was coming down with the flu. She coughed in an attempt to clear her airways but instead it left a burning sensation in her lungs and in the back of her throat, laboring her breathing even further. Her body felt heavy and her limbs weak as she lifted her head. Sam coughed next to her again and she called out to him, not recognizing the slurred words that escaped from her mouth and which had no effect. She felt entirely out of control and unable to react to any of the messages flooding her brain. Panic rushed through her body, the adrenaline forcing her eyes open and she slowly became alert to the fact that they were both propped up against the wall like two puppets without their strings.

  “Sam,” she called out, sounding like a drunk again. Her lips were barely moving while her tongue lay thick against the roof of her mouth. Staring at her lap her vision was somewhat blurry. Sam called out her name next to her, sounding as drunk as she had. She knew they hadn’t had any alcohol. She answered him by uttering a one syllable sound before the pressure on her lungs made her cough again. She reached out to touch his leg, having to work her arm and fingers hard to obtain any result. Sam lifted his head, mumbling something she couldn’t quite make out, before his head flopped back against the wall. She clumsily pushed her thumb into his thigh again.

  “Sam,” she slurred, “wake up.”

  He groaned but opened his eyes. “I’m up, I’m up,” he spoke in slow motion as he lifted his head and strained his eyes. He too felt heavy and drowsy.

  “Why do I feel like we had too much to drink?” he moaned while lifting his hand to his eye but hitting his nose instead.

  “I don’t know but I feel very sleepy and my lungs hurt. Something’s wrong Sam.”

  Alex pushed herself up off the floor, her legs feeling like that of a newborn foal when he tries to walk for the first time. She lost her balance and fell against the wall, praying desperately for the room to stop spinning. She looked back at Sam where he had stumbled to his feet in much the same way.

  “Where’s all this smoke coming from?” she asked waving her hand through a cloud of yellow haze, coughing profusely as she did so.

  Sam’s panicked voice behind her startled her. “It’s not smoke, Alex. Cover your mouth and nose!” His words, although slightly less slurry, were muffled as he spoke from beneath his shirt where he had pulled the collar over half his face.

  Alex did as he instructed, grateful for the immediate relief her T-shirt brought.

  “It’s a toxic gas,” Sam announced as he pulled her towards the door and started banging his fists against it.

  “Help! Let us out!” he yelled, his voice raspier and lower than usual.

  Alex joined in while still fighting to rid her lungs from the sharp stinging that seemed to have gotten stuck somewhere in her throat now too.

  But their lethargic efforts proved futile and instead, only exacerbated the urgent need for fresh air in their lungs. The haze had become thicker and made it even harder to breathe in, even with the added barrier of cotton from their shirts. Alex felt her legs weaken beneath her as her body fought harder against the gas that was getting thicker by the second. Her fists slammed against the door next to Sam’s whose strength appeared to have also evaporated now. Once again the room reeled and her vision went blurry. She was aware of Sam’s hand around her arm and a loud siren that pierced her eardrums. But then everything went black and she no longer had any control over her body as her legs gave way and she slumped to the floor.

  “Alex, can you hear me?”

  The male voice sounded distant when Alex finally managed to open her eyes. She tried to speak but something was obstructing her mouth. Her throat was on fire, so too were her lungs. She tried to move her feet but couldn’t. Her body felt like lead. Above her head a bright light slowly came into vision and she became cognizant of a whooshing sound somewhere to her left. She tried to turn her head to see what it was but again her body wasn’t responding. In her mind she was anxious and afraid and yet her body experienced complete tranquility, as if it had somehow been removed from her head and existed on its own. The male voice spoke again.

  “You’re okay, just breathe slowly. You’re on a ventilator.”

  Dr. Wang’s sleek black hair with the prominent side part was slightly blurry before it slowly came into focus and she could see his eyes suddenly hover over her face. Somewhere in her muddled thoughts she realized in that instant that Sam was right. Those weren’t the eyes of a killer. Across his nose and mouth a semi-transparent mask muffled his words. She tried to communicate her thoughts with her eyes hoping he’d tell her what she needed to know. It worked and his gentle voice spoke from beneath the mask again.

  “Sam’s okay. He’s in the bed next to you. You’re both fine. You’re in the Infinitech infirmary. We were forced to place you under quarantine but we’re taking good care of you. We’re not quite sure what happened but it appears someone tried to poison you with a toxic nerve gas. My security managed to get you out just in time. You need to rest. The doctors say you’ll recover completely and that sensation to your body should be restored within the next twelve hours. I have the best doctors on duty and I’ve ordered my men to keep guard and keep you both safe. All you need to do is rest.”

  Another masked figure pushed Wang to one side. Alex followed him with her eyes, aware he was fiddling with something that was just outside her vision. She wanted to get up and go check on Sam, but no matter how hard she tried, her body did not respond at all. A tear escaped her eye and settled on her earlobe. It was as if she was paralyzed from the neck down ,yet, somehow, she felt the warm sensation flood through her veins and slowly crawl along her left arm moments before her mind got woozy, her eyelids became heavy and her mind instantly shut down.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The television screen slowly came into focus when Alex opened her eyes. The sound was muted and short red Chinese calligraphy flashed across the bottom of the screen. A frantic news reporter appeared to be describing a scene that was playing off behind her, pointing to a stationary public bus somewhere in a city.

  Alex turned her attention to her dry lips, relieved to have full sensation in her tongue and that whatever had obstructed it before was no longer there. She wiggled her toes and then her fingers, realizing she had the full use of her entire body. She spotted the intravenous drip in her hand as she slowly sat up and turned to find Sam standing with his back towards her in front of the window.

  “You’re up.” She startled him as she spoke, her feet now dangled over the side of the bed realizing the dizziness had left her head too.

  Sam swung around beaming from ear to ear when he lay eyes on his wife. “Hey, how are you feeling?” he asked rushing over to meet her.

  “How long have you been up?” Alex ignored his question when she noticed his drip had already been removed.

  “A while. You should wait for the doctors to clear you first before you remove that,” he commented when she picked at the tape over the needle in her hand.

  “Have you seen Wang?” she asked as he helped her up, feeling surprisingly stable on her feet.

  “No, but I think he was here while we were unconscious. The doctors and nurses have been in and out, mostly to check on you, but none would give me any answers without Wang’s consent.”

  “Then you don’t know that someone tried to poison us with a toxic nerve gas,” Alex stated.

  “Is that what happened? That explains our symptoms. Wait, how do you know that? You just woke up. Did Wang tell you that?” Suddenly confused, Sam asked several questions at once.

  “He did, yes. I must have woken up when he was here at some point, b
ut that’s all I remember right now.”

  Alex looked around the ultra-modern hospital room which looked more like one of the research labs than an infirmary.

  “We should get out of here. Where are our clothes?”

  “Over there,” Sam pointed his chin towards a lonely hospital trolley that stood in one corner on the opposite side of the room, “but it’s pointless. I’ve already looked into it. The door is locked and we’re under constant surveillance.”

  Alex instantly recalled Wang mentioning something about being under quarantine. She relayed it to Sam while her eyes trailed up to the television screen where the reporter was now even more frantic than before. Behind the female reporter, a small team of masked men in head-to-toe overalls were taping off the area that surrounded the bus while panic-stricken police officials were forcing civilians away from the scene.

  “Any idea what’s going on there?” Alex asked Sam who was in front of the window staring outside again.

  “Not exactly, but something tells me it has to do with whatever’s going on down there.”

  Alex joined him at the window—holding the drip bag above her head— and followed his gaze to where several television news crews had gathered outside the main entrance several stories below them. Groups of confused Infinitech employees were huddled together to one side, some of whom were being interviewed by reporters. Alex looked back at the TV screen where the white-coveralled men were removing at least a dozen dead bodies from the bus into a makeshift quarantine unit. There were women, children and several elderly people.

  “They’re dead,” Alex exclaimed, her body cold with disgust. “They’re all dead Sam.”

  Sam turned around and glimpsed the images on the screen but didn’t comment. He was too occupied with what was happening down below. When an image of a bright yellow triangle with a skull and crossbones appeared in the corner of the screen, Alex instantly knew what had happened.