A wide-eyed look overtook Erin’s face as if suddenly remembering that she left the iron on in her apartment. She scarcely believed that she had not thought of it until now. “You may still want to run those quality checks, Professor Shukla!” she said excitedly. “Kevin and I had just come across some unusual data when the computer was stolen.”
“What kind of unusual data?” asked Manisha, raising one eyebrow curiously.
Glad that the subject had shifted away from his failure to follow proper data-saving procedures, Kevin chimed in enthusiastically. “On several samples that we ran, an anomaly regularly showed up in the seventy-seventh sequence. Even in the ones sent to the D.C. labs.”
Biting at her lower lip, Manisha felt a pit forming in her stomach. Cross contamination was simply impossible considering where each of the samples came from. She also knew that these particular samples were not being analyzed randomly, as is typically the case for university studies. Given the circumstances, there was cause to suspect that there may be a very specific reason why the computer was stolen.
“I need both of you to bring every scrap of data you have left on this project to me—and I mean everything!” she said as her dark brown eyes darted between her students’ anxious faces. She continued with growing intensity, “Your computer disks, spreadsheets, lab notes…everything.”
Sensing the sudden shift in urgency, Erin reflexively asked, “Did we do something wrong, Dr. Shukla?”
With serious regard, Manisha reassured her two, now profoundly confused students. “No, Erin. You both did exactly the right thing. Now it’s my turn.” She placed her hand on top of her office phone. “Now go gather all of the data you can piece together and bring it here tomorrow morning. I need to make some calls,” she instructed, bringing the receiver to her ear.
Erin and Kevin nodded in unison and walked hastily into the hallway.
Manisha spoke loudly to address the students on their way out. “Don’t worry if you miss my evening lecture today. I’ve got a feeling I won’t be there either,” she said and began dialing.
Tapping a pencil on the desk with her free hand, she nervously waited for her call to be answered. Wincing disappointedly, she heard an answering machine pick up and play a recording of Virginia Kemp’s voice. “Damn,” mumbled Manisha, listening to the hastily spoken message explaining that the administrator would be out of town and unreachable for most of the week. Without bothering to leave a message of her own, she pushed the spring-loaded switch with the eraser of her pencil to disconnect the call. Pausing, she considered who to call next.
Moving the eraser’s flat head off the plastic nodule, she brought the dial tone back to life. Looking at her phone, she realized that some of the numbers on the keypad were partially worn away from frequent use. As her lips crept into a diminutive smile, she let her hand guide the end of the pencil across the familiar keys, pressing them one by one. The phone rang only once. “Hi Alice—Manisha. Do you have a minute to help me with something? Excellent. I need to speak to a detective in the police department….No, it isn’t an emergency, but it is rather urgent,” she said, tapping her pencil on the table again as she waited. “If you have the number, would you mind….Thanks Alice, you’re the best!”
Holding for several minutes, Manisha waited for the call to connect. Finally, she seemed to be getting through. She considered hanging up after the tenth ring but waited patiently until a man’s voice unceremoniously answered the call. “Yes, I’d like to speak with someone about the theft at the university...it was a computer which was housing research data,” she said clearly, then listened as the man suggested she call the campus police. “Yes, campus security has been informed, but the nature of the information on the computer is highly sensitive and I was hoping to…” She paused as the man began asking a series of standard questions. “Yes. Manisha Shukla. I’m a Professor of Genetics and....No, the computer belongs to the university.” She continued to tap her pencil as the questions continued. “Well, I’m far more concerned about the data than the computer itself….Yes, I’m responsible for the data, but technically it came from an administrator by the name of Doctor Virginia Kemp.”
The man’s voice fell silent. Manisha’s eyes narrowed as she listened to a muffled conversation on the other end of the line, the man seemed to have become distracted and placed a hand over his phone’s mouthpiece. After a few moments, she smiled in relief as the man returned to the conversation. “Yes? Oh? Alright, I’d be happy to. Thank you,” she said politely as her call was connected to another party.
After a short wait, the call was answered and a tired but professional sounding man introduced himself. Manisha’s eyes widened as the man explained why her call had been transferred to his desk. Although surprised by his explanation, she quickly composed herself and refocused her attention on the task of retrieving the missing data. “Good morning and thank you for taking my call, Captain Fillion.”
Chapter 13
Back to School
SETH DIDN’T HAVE the same aversion to hospitals as Leo, but he was admittedly not looking forward to a second visit to the UW Hospital in as many days. The intense heat of the previous day gave way to a far more temperate and humane eighty degrees, removing the siren’s allure once held by the ultra-cooled lobby of the medical facility. With vision unmarred by blurring heat, the agents were struck by how cold and corporate the hospital entrance appeared. The tall stone facings and tinted office glass gave the impression of wealth and prosperity, but lacked the warmth one would expect from an institution of healing. The men pushed through the tall glass doors, finding the air inside to be more dry and stale. A neatly dressed woman stood up and looked purposefully in their direction as they approached the front desk.
Before either agent could say a word, the woman addressed them abruptly. “Are you Agents Alexander and Alejo?”
Caught off guard somewhat, Seth and Leo scrambled for their identifications and responded in unison, holding up their wallets. “Yup,” they chimed in unison.
The woman smiled briefly at the two men as if mechanically reminding herself to do so. “My name is Alice,” she said. “Professor Shukla asked that I take you to the Genetics–Biotechnology Center. Please follow me and I will drive you to where we need to go.” She turned sharply to her left and began walking at a brisk pace, not waiting for a response.
The agents obediently followed the fast-paced woman down a lengthy hallway to an exit leading them outside into the humid morning air. “Who’s professor Shulka?” whispered Leo as he followed along.
Not expecting a morning job, Seth breathed a heavy whisper back to his partner. “Shukla’s the one Bob called about. I guess she has some information for us.”
A golf cart painted red and white waited for them on the sidewalk. Alice gracefully slid into the driver’s seat, turned the ignition key, and pushed a green button which initiated a mild hum from the electric motor. The agents took her cue and clumsily clamored into the back seat, just in time before the cart accelerated quickly forward, snapping their heads back like a space shuttle launch. After a few hundred feet, the traffic-heavy Highland Avenue could be seen streaming by.
Motioning to new construction on her left, Alice spoke like a seasoned tour guide. “This will be the Health Science Learning Center when it is completed. We are looking forward to having more classrooms and lab space. It may be more than ten years before it is complete, however.” Seth and Leo shared a mystified glance as they listened to the informative, slightly monotone voice of their lead-footed host.
With the pinpoint control of a Nascar veteran, Alice crossed the busy street onto Observatory Drive. She gave informative comments on several of the buildings as they zoomed by. It became clear to Seth that she was well acquainted with the significance of the historic campus. A quick right onto Babcock Drive led to an even quicker left turn onto Linden Drive, and finally to a short right onto a small access road. They had arrived, mercifully, at the Genetics-Biotechnology Center
building a bit windblown, but none the worse for wear. The agents did their best to again keep pace on foot as they followed Alice up the steps and into the modern-looking structure.
“This center was built in 1993 to address the changing nature of genetic research,” said Alice, continuing her automaton-like narration. “It also helped with the issue I mentioned before about needing space for the increasing influx of students and researchers.” She handed each man a small pad of paper and a pen, brusquely pressing the items into their hands. “Professor Shukla’s classroom is straight ahead and to the right, past the labs. The professor asked that you take a seat in back and take notes.”
“Take notes?” questioned Seth with a confused tilt of his head, speaking for the first time since getting into the golf cart.
“You gentlemen will be auditing Professor Shukla’s 9:45 class this morning,” instructed Alice in a matter-of-fact tone. “Please enter quietly. The class has already begun.” Forcing another a quick smile, she pivoted sharply on her heel and walked efficiently back the way she came.
Sharing a bewildered look as Alice disappeared down the hallway, Leo was the first to say anything. “What the hell just happened?”
Scratching his head with the capped end of the pen he suddenly had in his hand, Seth took his best guess. “I’m not sure, but I think we just enrolled.”
“Oh, okay then,” shrugged Leo, opening his pad of paper to the first page and pointing in the direction Alice had indicated. “I guess we’d better get to class. I’d hate to get marked tardy.”
Still disheveled from the ride over, Seth ran his fingers through his frenzied hair and followed Leo toward the classroom. The lecture hall was surprisingly spacious, with stadium seating and long curved desks that accommodated dozens of students. Unlike the classrooms he remembered, the students filling this one all seemed to be enthralled by the professor who was speaking in a clear, confident voice in front of the group. A neatly printed title in once corner large dry erase board read: Professor Manisha Shukla – Introduction to Genetic Research section 850 – Please do not erase.
Manisha glanced up at the two men as they found their seats near the back of the room. She nodded in acknowledgement in their direction before quickly turning her attention back to the rest of the class. “I would like to switch gears for a moment and take time to review for our upcoming exam. As usual, I will ask you to put your books away, but you can keep your notes handy as a reference.”
The students complied immediately, organizing their notes and closing their textbooks. Seth and Leo looked at one another, impressed at the respect this young teacher seemed to naturally command. The agents scarcely realized that they had become poised to begin taking notes themselves.
Seeing that her students were ready to proceed, Manisha began with what she considered a basic question. “What is the most rudimentary definition of a gene?” she asked as if the answer should be as basic as a person’s favorite color. With the exception of the two fish-out-of-water looking gentlemen in the back row, every student raised a hand to answer. Manisha pointed to a particularly eager young woman in the third row who appeared to be hopping in-and-out of her chair. “A gene is a unit of inheritance that usually is directly responsible for one trait or characteristic,” she recited proudly.
“Are you sure you don’t have your book open?” Manisha joked, knowing full well that the definition for a gene had been ground into her students’ memory from the first day of class. “Ok, let’s try another, more difficult one this time.” She paced back and forth in front of the class as if trying to find a question to stump them. “Describe the standard genetic code…” As several hands went flying into the air, she paused, one thin eyebrow raised mischievously, “...in detail.” With the addition of just two words, most of the raised hands dropped quickly down. “I want to find out who has been doing their homework,” said Manisha pointing to a young man sitting in the front row.
With slightly matted hair and thick-rimmed glasses, the chosen student appeared to Seth to be the kind of kid who routinely ruined the curve for everyone. Obviously pleased that he had been called upon, the student sat up straight before answering in a distinctly nasal voice. “The genetic code is the set of rules by which information in genetic material is translated into amino acid sequences by living cells. Researchers are getting closer to mapping the entire genetic code for several species, including humans. Genetic code defines a mapping between tri-nucleotide sequences, called codons, and amino acids. There is also reason to believe…”
Manisha held up her hand to signal the young man to cease his explanation. “That will be sufficient, Mr. Rockne. Thank you,” she said politely, moving seamlessly to the next question. Every student appeared to collectively lean forward as they waited for her to speak. “In what secondary way is genetic information stored?” With arms folded across her chest, Manisha looked unsurprised at her students’ blank expressions.
The room fell silent and no one, not even the brainy Mr. Rockne, raised a hand. “I see no one has been reading ahead. I guess I know what our next reading assignment will be,” she teased. “I realize we haven’t covered this, but the genetic code is not the end-all-be-all in the world or organic makeup. All DNA contains regulatory sequences, intergenic segments, and chromosomal structure areas that can contribute greatly to phenotype.” While the professor paced back and forth, Seth and Leo struggled to spell the alien-sounding terms in their notes.
“Those elements operate under a different set of rules than the genetic code itself, and may have a much greater impact than previously believed.” Manisha watched her students writing feverishly into their notebooks. Pleased to see the two men in the back of her room writing furiously as well, she smiled. “Oh, and a phenotype is?” she added quickly and watched every student raise their hand in unison. “Go ahead Miss Noble.” The young woman stood up as if at a national spelling bee and stated confidently, “Phenotype refers to any observable characteristic or trait of an organism which is an expression of genes or influence of environmental factors.” She cleared her throat and continued. “Which includes the interaction between the two factors as well.”
“Very good, everyone,” congratulated Manisha. “Please get into your assigned groupings and proceed to labs A and B. I intend to join you shortly.” She watched as the students gathered their belongings and moved as a herd out of the lecture hall and down to the labs. Approaching the two gentlemen who were still judiciously jotting notes into their small pads of yellow paper, she stopped in front of them to speak. “Thank you for joining us today gentlemen, I’m Doctor Manisha Shukla. I am employed by the university as a lecturer, but my doctorate is in the field of genetics research.” She spoke of her position and background without sounding self-important in the least.
Like someone snapping from a trance, Seth looked up quickly from his notes. “It’s very nice to meet you, Professor Shukla.” He placed the pen down on top of his pad of yellow paper and offered a hand in greeting. “I’m Special Agent Seth Alexander and this is my partner and study-buddy, Special Agent Leonardo Alejo.”
Knocking his pen and paper to the floor as he rushed to his feet, Leo interrupted his partner’s introduction. “It’s just Leo, uhhh...Leo’s fine.” Bending down, he scrambled to pick up his pen before it rolled away. “Oops. It’s nice to see…uh…meet you, Professor,” he stammered, shaking Manisha’s hand awkwardly while struggling to pick up his dropped items at the same time.
Slightly embarrassed by his partner’s sudden lack of motor control and social grace, Seth tried to draw the professor’s attention elsewhere. “Would you mind helping me understand why my partner and I are reliving our college years?” Shaking a cramp from his writing hand, he again offered it in greeting to the professor, hoping to have a chance to complete the gesture this time.
“No one has filled you in, I take it?” asked Manisha, shaking Seth’s weary hand firmly.
Turning his eyes up shyly at the professor, Leo
was still recovering from his earlier display of clumsiness. “We got the whirlwind campus tour on the way here, but no explanations for what we’re supposed to be doing here.”
A broad smile of pearl-white teeth accompanied a knowing glance. “So you’ve met Alice. What are your impressions?”
Taking a deep breath, Leo regained his composure. “I’d say she knows a thing or three about the university.”
“More than anyone could imagine!” agreed Manisha with an emphatic nod. With genuine admiration, she added, “I’m don’t have a medical degree, but I’m sure autism is part of her story, but what Alice lacks in social skills, she more than makes up for in efficiency and dependability.” Sitting down sideways on the nearest empty seat, she could see that the Agents got to her room in a hurry. “I knew if I asked her that you be brought here as soon as you arrived, you would be here before the end of lecture.”
Reaching to the top of his head, Seth attempted to pat down a shock of blond hair still sticking up from the breezy trip between buildings. “She’s not one to waste time, that's for sure.”
“Now that we’re here, how may we help you, Professor Shukla?” Leo asked, attempting to reestablish his credibility as a consummate professional instead of the stumbling buffoon he portrayed a few minutes prior.
Crossing her legs, Manisha looked at Leo and smiled. “Down to business, I like that.” Leaning forward, she made sure to set her guests at ease before trying to explain why they were really there. “Do me a favor though? Call me Manisha.”
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