Sequence 77

by Darin Preston

  Nodding in agreement, Leo envisioned the crime scene like a movie playing in his head. “Yeah, we could see that there was a struggle, but it appeared she never fell down. The person must’ve picked her straight up and carried her out of the room. There were some big footprints, but we couldn’t make out anything clearly other than the professor’s,” he added, shaking his head.

  “Well then, I’m afraid you fellas are outta luck,” said Dan, pursing his lips in disappointment.

  Sharing an unconvinced look with his partner, Leo assumed that the recent scare he gave the man might have scrambled his memory. “C’mon now, bro. There can’t be that many guys on your team that wear a size sixteen boot.”

  “Well, besides me, the only full-time custodian under fifty years old is on vacation with his family. The rest couldn’t do what your describin’, especially not Chuck,” said Dan, shaking his head.

  “What’s up with Chuck?” asked Leo, raising his eyebrows up and down at Seth to make sure he got the joke. Seth rolled his eyes and rubbed one hand over his face as he tried to wipe yet another splash of middle-school humor from memory.

  Seeming to have mercifully missed the exchange, Dan continued his explanation. “Well, nothin’ except the dude’s old as dirt and could’ve retired ten years ago, at least.” Hesitating for a moment, he realized that he had forgotten to mention someone who wasn’t an official University employee. “Of course, he does have a guy helping him. As much as he can anyway.”

  Small hairs on the back of Seth’s neck stood at attention. “Chuck has an assistant? What can you tell us about him?

  “Well, he’s a big kid named Walter, probably in his twenties. Gotta be at least six-five. Ya gotta understand though, the guy’s a retar—uh…slow, he’s slow” said Dan, correcting himself mid-thought.

  “Do you know if they came to work today?” asked Leo, his interest piquing along with Seth’s.

  “Gotta give the ol’ codger credit, I ain’t known him to take a day off,” replied Dan. “The big dude is part of some kind of work-training program. I see him often enough though.”

  Sounding like a bomb dropping from high above, Leo let out a lengthy whistle through a small space between his front teeth. “Whadd’ya say, partner? Sound about right?”

  Hands on his hips, Seth took a deep breath and considered his next move. “Okay, let’s get Mr. Stanowitz to safety so we can continue our search,” he said with a short gesture toward the stairwell.

  “Sounds good to me,” Dan sighed in relief.

  As the agents escorted the weary custodian down the hall, Seth casually put his hand on Dan’s shoulder. “If you don’t mind, I’ve got one more thing that you may be able to help us with, Mr. Stanowitz,” he said, furrowing his brow and considering the most straightforward way to ask the question.

  “Shoot,” said Dan agreeably. He stopped to give Seth his full attention.

  “Where in this building would be the best place to hide?”

  Dan scratched his head and thought for a moment. “Deep storage,” he said with a snap of his fingers. “I can take ya right to it,” he quickly volunteered.

  “We can’t let you put yourself in danger, Mister Stanowitz, just point us in the right direction and we’ll do the rest,” said Leo, smiling appreciatively. “Besides…Crockett, Tubbs, and Stanowitz just doesn’t have the right ring to it.” He gave Dan a friendly slap on the back and walked toward the stairwell.

  “Have it your way, but you’re gonna need this,” said Dan, pulling a tangled keychain from his pocket. “This is a key to the service elevator. Just hit the lowest button and it will take you to basement storage.” Instinctively knowing exactly which key it was among the similar looking mass of metal, he removed it from the ring and handed it to Leo.

  “That should save us some time. Thank you,” said Seth.

  “Nice keychain,” said Leo, pulling his own tangled set from his pocket and holding it up. “The one with the most keys gets to open the most doors. Am I right?”

  “Ya got that right!” said Dan, pointing in the direction of the service elevator. Giving a thumbs up, he hurried toward the lobby.

  Now that they had a destination, both agents started a dead sprint for the service lift. “Let’s go save your girlfriend,” poked Seth as he slid to a stop in front of a dented, and heavily scratched, grey metal elevator door. He braced himself for a shoulder punch that never came.

  A serious look washed over Leo’s face as he inserted the access key and turned it. “I’m with the rookie on this one. No more messing around.” A green light over the door blinked as the door pulled open. Stepping inside, the Agents didn’t say a word as they prepared to descend into the unknown.

  As the door closed, Leo hit Seth in the shoulder.

  Chapter 29

  What Ails Us

  ALTHOUGH PARTIALLY UNTIED for a merciful, but disappointingly short bathroom break, Manisha found herself again tightly fastened to an unforgiving metal chair. Despite the faint glow given off by the room’s solitary light source, she could see that Niclas was now holding a brown paper bag. Wrinkled and tattered as it was, it clearly held something of great importance to the man. “I suppose it’s too much to assume that you just have your lunch in there?” she asked, hoping that the elderly man was simply suffering from low blood sugar and wasn’t really the mad scientist type.

  Bathed in dim light, Niclas stood admiring the plain paper bag as if it were an exotic novelty rarely beheld by human eyes. With great care, he peeled a piece of masking tape from the opening as if removing ceremonial wrapping from an ancient mummy. Reaching carefully into the bag, he pulled out a sealed petri dish and made sure that the young professor could easily examine it.

  Immediately, Manisha recognized that the dish contained a suspension, possibly paraffin, which was readily available in nearly every school laboratory. She could also see that a specimen test had been conducted within and the clearly written label on the cover read:

  Positive Reaction Hybridization-attempt #316.

  Studying the young professor’s face as she contemplated the meaning of what he was revealing to her, Niclas then reached slowly into the paper bag and gingerly removed two standard glass test tubes and a syringe. The test tubes contained clear-looking liquids, but the syringe did not have a needle affixed to it yet and was therefore empty. The test tubes each had a white label running its length and a black rubber cork keeping the contents inside. Niclas held them close to his captive audience so that she could read the labels.

  “Gudrune and Eldwin,” she read aloud. She thought for a moment, recalling what she could from the man’s harrowing tale. “Your father and brother who died in the war?” Having difficulty deciphering his meaning, she tilted her head questioningly. All she could ascertain for certain was that he had created something intended as an injection for someone or something. The names were obviously a way to discern the contents of each vial, but while they were meaningless to her, they clearly meant something to Niclas.

  Holding the fragile objects securely, Niclas put them gently back into the paper bag. “Together they will change the world for the better…once and for all time,” he said, smiling with contentment.

  It came as a surprising revelation to Manisha that the worst thing about being tied to a chair wasn’t the physical discomfort, but rather the lack of body language it allowed her. She had never realized before just how much she talked with her hands. “I still don’t understand how you intend to cure hate with some sort of injection.” Shrugging doubtfully, her arms pressed firmly against the restraints in a futile effort to rise.

  Appearing disappointed, Niclas shook his head at the professor’s simplistic assumption. “Not an injection meant for one person, Professor,” he corrected. “A world-wide inoculation. A shot in the arm for all of humanity, if you will,” he said with a slight pause in order to choose the most precise description.

  “Inoculation?” said Manisha, her eyes widening while she finally put to
gether a working hypothesis for the evidence before her. “You mean this is a virus?” she said loudly as the revelation struck like lightning.

  Niclas smiled; the professor had hit the mark. “A virus, yes, but a very specific and controlled one, I assure you,” he said with a confident wink.

  Stunned, Manisha began shaking her head with the deepest of protests. The motion of her head was nearly undetectable at first, but quickly evolved into a fervent back and forth that threatened to tip her over in her chair. “You can’t do this! You can’t truly know what it will do to people!” she yelled, panic gripping her chest.

  Disturbed by the extreme reaction, Niclas frowned. “After all that I told you, do you really think I would be so careless as to release it without knowing the full effect?” he said loudly, stomping one foot for emphasis in the echoing room. The mere insinuation that he may willfully put innocent people at risk put the taste of bile into his throat.

  “The patients in the hospital. The pregnant women,” whispered Manisha as the evidence began to fall together. “You were testing it on them, weren’t you?” she said, leveling an accusing stare at Niclas.

  Without flinching, he returned her gaze. “I took every precaution possible to ensure the safety of each subject. There was no chance that anyone’s health would be adversely affected,” he said with a short, confident nod.

  Rolling her eyes in frustration, Manisha tried to get through to the increasingly egocentric man. “I’m sure you were careful, but human testing is strictly regulated and those four had no idea you—”

  Niclas cut her off before she could finish. “Four?” he asked with surprise. “Oh, my dear professor, I have been conducting human trials for more than a year now,” he said with an outward wave of his arms. “It wasn’t until I started to get the desired effect that anyone finally started to take notice.” He smiled, clearly proud of how long his work had remained undetected.

  Writhing against her restraints as the revelation jolted through her body like a bullet, Manisha’s chair slid a few inches backward. “A year?” she shouted. “How did you manage to get away with this for so long?” As she asked the question, her face turning red with blood rushing to her cheeks, Manisha remembered what Agent Alexander told her about the files given to him by Administrator Kemp’s disgruntled assistant.

  Her eyes narrowed in confusion. “You must have gotten help from Doctor Kemp, but I thought you said she didn’t know you existed?”

  Laughing at the professor’s assumption, Niclas put his hands on his hips. “You must be referring to the administrators failed efforts to do away with certain patient files recently,” he replied with a knowing smile. “No, I’m afraid she was just doing what politicians predictably do. I would never include someone so vile in my plans.” He shook his head, taking comfort in the fortuitous twist of fate. “I’ve worked alone for far too long to trust just anyone.”

  Dark eyes flashed with surging anger, as she now understood the reality of Virginia Kemp’s involvement. “That little bitch was just covering her ass!” she said, pursing her lips as if she had just tasted something rotten.

  “A happy, but somewhat foreseeable coincidence, indeed,” said Niclas, his smile fading as he glanced back toward the hallway where his loyal friend stood watch. “The truth is simply that few would ever suspect a doddering old man and a lumbering simpleton of being capable of any of this,” he said, lowering his voice and furrowing his brow with mild contempt. Harsh memories of devalued humanity haunted his thoughts. “Society ignores those who stray too far in the wrong direction from what they perceive as normal. We went about our business without suspicion, until now, that is.” His voice faded to a whisper, his gaze falling upon his distressed captive.

  Inhaling a deep breath, Manisha closed her eyes. Her voice trembled, less from the anger of the revelation about Doctor Kemp’s underhandedness and more from the fear of what may come next. “Does this mean that I get to be your final subject?”

  Taking an almost involuntary step backward, Niclas bristled at the suggestion. “Of course not!” he shouted, deeply insulted. “Haven’t you been paying attention dear girl? The final inoculation is for all, not just one person.” He looked about the shadowy room as if surveying the whole of civilization from atop the world’s highest peak.

  Exhaling heavily, she opened her eyes and allowed herself a fleeting moment of selfish relief at not being a specific piece of Niclas’s mysterious plan.

  Flipping open his pocket watch, it glinted even in the meager light. “It seems that I must take my leave of you, Professor,” he said, sighing in apparent sadness.

  “Are you just going to leave me here like this?” she asked, looking expectantly at her captor.

  “I would never dream of leaving you here tied up, Professor, but I’m sure you will understand that precautions must be taken.” Niclas walked back in the direction of his cot, directly behind where Manisha was seated.

  “What precausinnnnnnnnnnnuuhhh...” Manisha struggled in vain against the damp cloth suddenly covering her mouth and nose. She could smell the distinctive scent of chloroform while the room relented to total blackness.

  Removing the cloth, Niclas eased the professor’s head forward so she would not jar her neck. “I made certain to use a much smaller dose this time,” he said aloud as if the unconscious woman could hear him. He placed his hand on her shoulder and leaned near to the back of her head.

  “Thank you for listening to an old man’s story,” he said softly. Appearing as a father unwilling to disturb his precious child’s sleep, he kissed the palm of his own hand and applied the affectionate gesture atop her head. For the first time in almost half a century, Niclas knew that the truth of his motivations would not die with him. Though his burden remained heavy, he felt as though a great weight had sloughed from his shoulders like melting ice after an impossibly long winter.

  Standing up with a grunt, Niclas stretched the muscles of his back and moved toward the door. Opening it, he smiled to see the familiar sight of his imposing friend faithfully standing guard. “Well done, Walter. At ease, my friend,” he said, smiling with amusement and temporarily giving in to Walter’s fantasy of being a soldier.

  “Yes, sir!” Offering a snappy reply, he turned to reveal a broad smile. Few things made Walter happier than praise from his best, and only friend in the world.

  Pointing in the direction of their unconscious guest, Niclas gave his next order. “Please remove the professor’s restraints and carefully rest her on the cot,” he instructed, raising his voice slightly to make sure the message was received. Although Walter was gentle by nature, he sometimes underestimated his own strength.

  Walter nodded in understanding. He began to carefully tug at the loose ends of gray tape and remove them from around the professor. “Yes, sir. I’ll be careful, sir” he promised. Furrowing his brow with concentration, he gingerly unwound the bindings as if the woman might fall to pieces if jostled too much.

  Grinning, Niclas shook his head. “Well, you can go a bit faster than that, my boy, just be extra careful around her head and neck. Very soon we will be on our way.” He looked once more at his watch before closing it and placing it gently back into his pocket.

  Ceasing to pick at the stubborn tape, Walter looked up with wide-eyed realization. “Is it time to go, sir? I mean, for good?” His innocent gaze fixed on his friend while he waited for a response.

  Niclas smiled at the young man’s ability to perceive things that most would never give him credit for. “Yes my boy, it’s time to leave this smelly old room,” he replied, nodding for Walter to continue untying the professor. “I need you to finish this task first, but don’t worry. I would never leave without you.” He smiled reassuringly.

  Head wobbling happily, Walter continued to take apart the makeshift fastenings. “That’s good sir, ’cause I sure wouldn’t leave without you—never ever!” he said, shaking his head with emphasis. He pulled off a long strand of tape and attempted to drop it
to the floor, flicking his wrist as it stuck comically to his hand.

  Turning quickly away, Niclas’s emotions welled up unexpectedly, his chin quivering slightly. He contemplated the fate of his young companion as the final phase of the plan drew near. Moving slowly to a nearby shelf, he picked up a small blue cooler. Grasping the handle, he lifted the empty plastic container and placed it on the small folding table near the center of the room. As he began to place his samples inside, he looked up to find that Walter had finished his task.

  “Well done, Walter. Now please pick her up and set her on the cot, gently. Carry her just as you did last night,” he said, watching closely as the towering man leaned over and effortlessly picked up the limp-bodied professor. Niclas smiled to see the care used as Walter supported her neck on his broad shoulder, carried her to the cot, and set her delicately upon it. “Thank you. Another job well done,” he praised, smiling sincerely at the young man.

  “What do you want me to do next, sir?” asked Walter, looking around the room for his next task.

  “You’ve done more than I could ever have hoped and saved an old man’s back in the process.” Niclas smiled and resumed packing items away into the cooler. He paused as Walter took a couple of steps closer and intently watched him pack things away. Looking up at the unpretentious man hovering inquisitively over him, he struggled to find the words to express full appreciation for his unwavering friend and ally. Knowing that any untruth would be perceived, he decided upon a statement of pure truth. “I would never want to leave you either, my boy,” he said with a grin.

  “Never ever.”

  Chapter 30

  Random Patterns

  SILENCE ENCASED WITHIN unrelenting darkness filled the storage room where Professor Shukla lay motionless on an old, tattered army cot. If not for the sound of her own shallow breathing, it would have been easy to assume that she was simply the last body in an abandoned morgue. As consciousness swam to the surface of her being, the breaths slowly deepened and her body began to shift. She felt trapped within a nightmare in which one rises again and again only to discover that they are still held prisoner within a dream. Finally, Manisha forced open her eyes to the reality of a dank room so utterly dark that she was unsure if her eyelids had actually lifted. Lethargically, she pulled her arms upward toward her face, pausing for a moment to ground herself with the tangibility of something familiar within her grasp. Continuing the progression past where her head rested upon a musty pillow, her fingers found a small lamp sitting atop a quietly humming box. Her hands possessed barely enough strength to flip the switch and bring life to the deathly dark of her cell.