Parallax

by Jon F. Merz

  "How'd you do it, anyway? This friend of yours?"

  "My teacher told me to always have an international contact. Someone I could depend on. Someone who'd do a favor with no questions asked."

  "You have many of those contacts?"

  "Nah. But I'm part German. This guy's family to me."

  Stahl smiled. "You didn't have to do that."

  "Yeah," said Frank. "Yeah, I did."

  Stahl stood. "All right. Let's go."

  "Not yet."

  The female voice startled Frank. It came from behind him. He started to turn around to see who'd spoken. Started to. But the jab of the gun barrel in his spine convinced him otherwise. He stayed where he was. But he could see the look of surprise in Stahl's eyes.

  Great, he thought, this is the last thing we need now.

  The voice continued. "That bomb is going off whether or not you two wish to be a part of it."

  Stahl's eyes seemed sad. "Don't do this. Not now. Not here."

  "You're a fool, Ernst. It's been so easy stringing you along. You truly are out of practice."

  He nodded. "Too trusting, too, apparently."

  "Always a failing of yours." The voice laughed. "Did you really think after all this time, I'd simply be all nice and sweet? That I could give up my past as easily as you gave up yours?"

  "Apparently I was mistaken."

  "That you were."

  Frank cleared his throat. "Stahl, you going to introduce me to your friend here or what?"

  Stahl sighed. "There's no pleasure in doing so, but," he paused, "meet Karen."

  The voice tickled Frank's ear. "Nice to see you. I'm going to enjoy watching both of you die today." She paused. "Along with the doctor and a whole bunch of innocent people."

  Chapter Forty-Six

  "Turn around slow. I don't want to have to shoot you both here inside the cafŽ."

  Stahl frowned. "I thought you weren't worried about innocents."

  "I'm not. But I also want us clear of the area. I intend to live beyond today, Ernst. At least long enough to outlive the two of you."

  "Gee, what a nice thing to say," said Frank.

  Karen eyed the American. "So this is him? The assassin? The one that had you so worried?"

  Frank looked at Stahl, but Stahl only shrugged. "Call it professional respect."

  "Fair enough. You had me kinda worried, too"

  "We're going outside," said Karen. "And just in case you're thinking about getting cute, the trigger on this gun has been modified and won't take but a whisper to fire. I can put rounds into you both and be gone before anyone realizes what happened."

  They moved outside, the cold winds snapping their coats up around them. Stahl watched Frank carefully, aware that the American would do nothing until he could coordinate with Stahl. The risk of them both doing something that would work against them was great. It would be a wait and see type of deal.

  "Around the corner, please."

  They disappeared down the alley that ran along the side of the cafŽ. Stahl saw no exit doors that might open suddenly. The only way out lay in the direction they'd just come.

  "You scouted this place out," he said suddenly in realization. "You knew what the target was all along."

  "Smart boy, aren't you? Too bad it took you so long to catch on."

  "The old man put you on me?"

  "I'm his insurance policy, Ernst. Surely you can appreciate the need for one given how long it's been since you were operational."

  "What about you? Weren't you on hiatus, too?"

  "You mean the professor thing?" She smiled and it made Stahl ill to see the smug satisfaction creep across her face. "It was a nice cover. To be honest, I was getting rather bored with it, though. I'm thankful this is almost over."

  "How long?"

  "Have I been inactive?" She shrugged. "A few months. I was set up to take the place of a professor on sabbatical. It worked out well. They positioned me well ahead of needing you, when the good doctor first began showing signs that he'd turn over."

  "They knew about the seminar that far back? That he'd be here?"

  "No. But they knew you'd come looking for me."

  "Am I that transparent?"

  She smirked. "Most men are. The promise of love, no matter how slight, is usually enough to tempt a man to give up his precautions and instincts. You go blind from the wiles of femininity." She glanced at Frank. "Surely, you'd agree with that."

  "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

  "I can tell just looking at you that you're messed up over some woman. It's all over your face."

  Frank's face hardened. "You're reading me wrong."

  "I doubt it." She shrugged. "It doesn't matter anyway. The time is at hand." She glanced at her watch. "Unless I'm mistaken -and I'm not - it's time for the good doctor to die."

  Stahl edged his way back against the wall. "It doesn't have to be like this."

  Karen pointed her gun. "It absolutely does. Take the detonator out, Ernst."

  Stahl removed the detonator. "I suppose you want it."

  Karen smiled. "Not a chance. I've seen differences in you Ernst. You've changed. I can see you don't have the heart to kill anymore. I think it's only fitting that you trigger the detonator then. Call it a chance for one last good bang."

  "That's sick."

  Karen leveled the gun on his head but kept her distance to eight feet. Too great for Stahl to risk something. But Frank -

  "Think of your son, Ernst. Think of how sad he'll be if he suddenly becomes an orphan. Think about that and then press that trigger."

  "You'll kill us both anyway."

  She smiled. "I almost debated saving you. I was touched, I have to admit, that you thought about escaping with me. It brought back some good memories. I relish those years we spent together. The killing we achieved. The terror we wreaked. Delicious."

  "That was a long time ago."

  "Seems like just yesterday."

  She didn't know that Alois was safe, thought Stahl. She thought the old man still had the boy to hold over his head. That fact cheered Stahl, but only just. How could he not press the trigger?

  "Enough chat. Press the trigger."

  "We're too close," said Stahl. "The blast concussion wave will send all the glass from the windows over here and we'll be killed."

  "You think you're dealing with an amateur? Your former student?" Karen shook her head. "I didn't build the device to explode on trigger activation. Pressing the detonator only starts the countdown. Once you press that trigger, I'll have five minutes to get out of here."

  Frank cleared his throat. "I notice you only said ÔI.'"

  "That's right."

  Frank nodded. Stahl watched him. What was he up to? Why start talking now?

  "I appreciate your honesty."

  "In a moment you'll appreciate my aim as well."

  Frank smirked. "There's always the chance that you overlooked something."

  "I haven't overlooked a thing."

  "Am I too late for the party?"

  Stahl saw Karen start to turn but then another woman plowed into her. They bounced off the wall and Stahl struggled to get out of their way. But he couldn't escape the sudden impact of two bodies into him, sandwiching him into the wall.

  Karen's gun went off and it sounded like a sharp exhale of breath in the close confines of the alley. Stahl felt a hot lance shoot into his thigh. Searing pain shot up through his body.

  Then he felt pressure on the back of his hand.

  Fingers closing over his fist.

  Squeezing.

  Click.

  The detonator.

  No!

  Karen started laughing then. "Fool."

  The other woman whipped her around and slammed her into the wall again. Karen's head bounced off the exposed bricks. Blood splashed from the head wound. Karen slumped to the base of the wall.

  Stahl felt his leg go out from under him, the muscle shutting down from the shock of taking a bullet. H
e moaned and slid to the ground, already slick with his blood. Had she hit the femoral artery?

  "Shit."

  He looked up. Frank. The American peered down at him. "You okay, pal?"

  Stahl shook his head dumbly. He stared down at his hand. His own fingers tight around the trigger.

  Depressed.

  He looked back up at Frank. "It got pressed in the melee."

  Frank looked closer and then back up, understanding. "Is what she said true?"

  "Yeah."

  Frank nodded. "Five minutes."

  "Yes."

  Frank looked at the other woman. "Can you look after him?"

  She appeared frantic now. "Where the hell are you going?"

  "I've got five minutes."

  She grabbed at his arms. "You'll never make it!"

  "I've got to try, dammit. There are people in there who need to live." He glanced at Stahl. "Stay with him."

  "Frank!" Stahl grabbed at his arm.

  "What?"

  "It's under the podium."

  Frank nodded, looked back at the woman and smiled.

  Then rushed away.

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Frank's first thought when he rushed across the street was that the security detail would shoot him. But as he came up shouting there was a bomb in the building, they switched on. One of them radioed up to the detail protecting the doctor. Then all three ran into the building.

  "Where is it?" asked one of the guards.

  "The conference room," said Frank. Adrenaline shot through his system making his responses sound like he was out of breath. They ran up the steps two at a time.

  At the next floor they tore down the hallway. Frank felt like he'd never run so hard in his life, even though the distance seemed relatively short.

  At the room they could hear the main speaker urging calm.

  The doors opened as they came abreast of them. Two more security men already had the doctor between them, ready to ram their way through anyone. The two security men with Frank peeled off and formed the diamond around the doctor. One of them looked back.

  "You'd better get out of here, pal."

  Frank nodded. "There are other people to get out first."

  He turned back and saw the stream of doctors and healthcare professionals streaming down another staircase. Overhead, a public announcement system came on, the voice crackling through the air.

  "Please exit the building immediately. Please find the nearest exit and follow it outside of the building to a safe distance away."

  Frank could hear the screams of several people puncture the air.

  He rushed into the conference room.

  The podium.

  He ran down the red carpeted sloping walkway and skidded to a halt by the stage. By his estimate, they'd already burned through two minutes.

  That left three before everything went up in a ball of fire.

  He glanced under the podium.

  Nothing.

  "You won't find it that easily."

  He turned.

  The woman he'd heard Stahl call Karen.

  But she'd been knocked unconscious.

  She must have faked it. Frank could see the blood streaking her face, crusty already in parts. Her right eye seemed swollen.

  "It's over," he said.

  She laughed and held up a detonator. "It's not over at all."

  "The doctor's safe! There's no point to this anymore!"

  "The doctor was the icing on the cake. The real purpose of this operation was to launch a new disease into the air over the city. The blast will aerosolize it, in effect masking its presence. By the time anyone realizes it, it will already be too late."

  "You're insane!"

  She shrugged. "Probably. It doesn't matter anymore."

  "You'd kill all these innocent people?"

  "Stahl didn't tell you very much about me, did he?"

  Frank could hear the seconds ticking down. There wasn't time for this. "Where's the bomb?"

  "I came in here last night. After Stahl had already left. Breaking into this place was childishly easy. No challenge at all." She sighed. "Seems like there aren't very many of those anymore. Anywhere."

  She seemed wobbly. Her knees buckled a bit and she grabbed the closest seat for support.

  Frank moved closer.

  She righted herself. "Don't."

  "I can't let you do this."

  "You don't have a choice."

  She raised the detonator. "Once I squeeze this trigger-"

  A single shot rang out. Karen's chest exploded as the round tore into her heart.

  Frank leapt forward, already grabbing at her hand. He had to get the trigger before her hand closed reflexively around it.

  She slumped forward and then he had it. As the trigger came loose, he let her fall to the floor.

  He looked up.

  Gia.

  "My fault for not making sure she was dead the first time." She pointed back at the doorway. "Let's get the hell out of here."

  "I can't."

  "What? This place is gonna blow in about ninety seconds! Come on!"

  "There's a disease on the bomb. Some sort of bio agent she wanted to aerosolize. If I don't disarm it, this whole city is going to be infected!"

  She ran forward. "Where's the bomb?"

  "I don't know." He grabbed her. "There's no time. Get yourself out of here. Make sure Stahl and his son get reunited-"

  "What about you?"

  "Gia - there's no time anymore!"

  She kissed him then. "I don't love you yet, Frank. So don't go dying on me, you understand?"

  He almost smiled. "Go."

  She turned and ran from the room.

  He had maybe a minute.

  He turned. Where would she hide the device if not under the podium? Where else could she be sure of killing her target and still accomplishing her goal? He frowned.

  It would have to be a bigger bomb than the one Stahl thought he'd planted.

  But where?

  Under the stage!

  He ran behind the curtain to the access door and opened it. He could see the gray metal already. It looked like a large suitcase.

  She hadn't even bothered to hide the damned thing.

  A liquid crystal display readout showed the countdown on the outside of the suitcase. Frank gasped.

  Fifty seconds left.

  He bent and saw the clasps of the container. It was a suitcase, modified.

  But did it open or had she booby trapped it as well?

  Frank's knowledge of explosives was decent, but Karen must have been an expert. What hope did he have of disarming the device?

  No time left.

  Frank made his choice and flipped the clasps on the suitcase. He heard the thunk and the lid swung open. Inside, he could make out the gray white claylike plastic explosive. The entire case was jammed with the stuff. There must have easily been close to one hundred pounds of explosive in here. That much would blow the hell out of the building and cause extreme collateral damage to the surrounding buildings as well.

  Then while the authorities were busy dealing with that, the airborne bio agent would creep out and start infecting everyone.

  It was an insidious plan.

  But where was the bio agent?

  He poked at the red, green, and yellow wires running all over the case. Even from the distorted vantage point, Frank could tell she'd rigged some type of failsafe device that would prevent tampering with the explosive.

  Frank ignored the wires. If he couldn't disarm the explosive, at least he might be able to get the bio agent out of there.

  Better to lose the building than thousands of people.

  He looked back at the suitcase again.

  The handle.

  Something funny about it.

  He bent closer. The red numbers flashed in the periphery of his vision.

  Thirty seconds.

  The handle was hollow.

  Hollow?

  He bent
closer.

  There!

  A vial.

  He reached in with his thumb and forefinger.

  Grabbed the tip of the tube.

  Prayed it wouldn't open all over him.

  It came out with a click.

  Twenty seconds.

  Frank stood and bumped his head on the stage above him. He saw stars.

  Dammit!

  The door.

  He cleared the stage door and ducked out past the curtains again. In his mind he could see the numbers ticking down.

  Have to get clear!

  He dashed past Karen's dead body.

  Up the slope toward the exit.

  Into the hallway.

  He whirled. The nearest exit was fifty feet away.

  Fifteen seconds.

  Frank ran.

  His lungs heaved.

  His palms felt slippery against the glass vial he clutched.

  Ten seconds.

  He made the exit stairwell.

  Heard something.

  And turned.

  The roar of the explosion filled the air. Molecules snapped around his head. The concussion wave slammed into him - Frank felt himself lifted off his feet, tossed back and down the stairs - and he struggled to keep the vial safe.

  The wall reached up for him and as he impacted against the bricks, he felt the link between him and Stahl broken.

  At last.

  And in the distance of his mind, growing ever closer now, he heard a familiar voice.

  Moe.

  He saw the smile.

  And heard simply, "You done good, kid."

  Epilogue

  ONE

  24 Hours LaterÉ

  The darkened study in Munich held no surprises for him as he disabled the alarm system and crept in through the windows. Outside, the cold night winds blew mercilessly, but inside the study, the heat warmed him.

  He passed the desk and moved toward the door, knowing the goal of his hunt lay a mere floor away. In the master bedroom.

  Up the carpeted steps, his rubber soled boots made no noise. His shadow blended with the darkness.

  The door to the bedroom lay open a mere crack, but even now he could make out the heavy and broken rhythm of snores that filtered out of the room. They drifted down to his ears. At this time of night, the man in the bed was at his lowest ebb of awareness.

  Whereas the man on the stairs was at his peak.