“Jonas Crouse, loyal assistant to the great Dr. O’Neil.”
As she spoke and held him against the wall with her right hand, she rubbed the long fingernail of her index finger on her left hand against his face, knocking off his glasses. Jonas tried to turn his face away from her finger, but her grip was unusually strong.
“You want to know what is through that door, yes?”
“What door? I’m just trying to get to the commissary,” Jonas whimpered.
“I could pluck out your eye if I wanted to,” she said as she slid her fingernail closer to Jonas’s eye.
“Why would you want to do that?” asked Jonas nervously. “I’m just taking my lunch break like you!”
“One little flick of my finger is all it would take.”
Ileana seemed to be enjoying watching Jonas squirm as she lightly scraped her fingernail right under his eye.
“Dr. Karkovich, please. I’m not following you!” he pleaded one last time.
Ileana gave him a fierce scowl, and then released him.
“I’m glad to hear that, and in the future if I think that you are following me, you may need a new pair of glasses better suited to the change in your anatomy.”
As she picked up his glasses, she popped out one of the lenses and put it in her pocket. Then she handed the glasses back to Jonas, who, not thinking straight put them on.
Jonas slid out from where she had him pinned against the wall and quickly walked back toward the Telos lab, looking back over his shoulder at Ileana, who just stared at him the entire way. As he entered the lab and slumped down in a chair, he looked at Will with a pale, terrified expression. Will noticed he looked disheveled and had a lens missing from his glasses.
“What happened to you?” asked Will, noticing the sweat covering Jonas’s face. “Did you find out where she went?”
“Well, kind of.”
Jonas explained the events that had just taken place, and Will couldn’t help but laugh, thinking Jonas, as usual, was exaggerating things.
“Look, boss, you weren’t there. That woman is nuts. She threatened to pluck out my eye, for God’s sake! You should have seen the look in her eyes. She was enjoying it!”
Just as Jonas was at the height of his rant, Ileana returned to the lab and walked up behind the chair he was sitting in.
“I can tell you this much: her elevator doesn’t go to the top.”
“Jonas, you’d better—”
“I’d better what? It’s your fault I get into these things,” shouted Jonas.
“Jonas, please be quiet.” pleaded Will.
“Be quiet! I was almost really quiet; no one would have heard my screams. No one hears you scream in space, Will!”
“Dr. Karkovich, back from lunch so soon?” asked Will to clue Jonas in to her presence.
Jonas jumped up clumsily from his chair, and darted behind where Will was standing.
“Yes, Dr. O’Neil. Jonas had offered to join me. I was disappointed when he dropped his glasses and ran off. Now I seem to have lost my appetite,” said Ileana as she tossed the lens to Jonas and walked off, getting right back to work on recalibrating the signal frequencies of all of the remaining rovers, as Will had asked.
“You see, looks like you have a new friend,” said Will, fighting back his laughter.
Jonas shot him a terrified look, which was interrupted by the sound of the knock on the lab door. Will opened the door and a young woman, with braided blonde hair, stood smiling on the other side.
“Hello, I’m Oria. Is Jonas here?” she asked in a high-pitched voice.
“Oh—um—yes,” said Will. “He’s right here. By the way, I’m Will, Jonas’s colleague, nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you too,” said Oria, shaking Will’s hand vigorously.
“What are you doing here?” asked Jonas as he slid in front of Will. “I told you not to come to the lab.”
“You never showed up for lunch, I just came to see where you—what happened to your glasses?” she asked, as Jonas removed them and tucked them quickly in his pocket.
“I’m sorry, I must have lost track of time,” said Jonas glaring at Will.
“You two kids go and eat some lunch. Jonas, take an extra hour and go enjoy yourself. You certainly earned it today.”
“Yay,” hooted Oria, appearing overjoyed as she pulled Jonas out the door. He still looked like he was in a daze as he plodded down the corridor.
“What’s up with Jonas?” asked Walker as he came up beside Will.
“Oh Nothing. An hour of exposure to his new friend Oria, and I don’t think he can help but be happy when he gets back.”
12
SPECIAL DELIVERY
“Will, have another,” said Daniels gleefully, as he downed his drink in one gulp. Will had made a bad habit of stopping by the station pub on his way back to quarters in the past when Janie and Edena were on board, and he always heard about it from Janie the next day.
“One more Nigel, then I have to get going. You’re already a bad influence on me, and I’ve only been here for a week.”
“We have lost time to make up for, so drink up.”
With that, Daniels downed another shot in one gulp. Will was always amazed at how he was able to handle his drinking; he never showed any signs of letting it affect him. He suspected this was due to practice more than anything else.
Will sipped his drink slowly and caught sight of Daniels laughing. In one motion, Will downed the shot to avoid the obvious ribbing he was going to take if he didn’t.
“That’s more like it. That’s the Will I remember. So how are things going with Dr. Karkovich?”
Will reached for the bottle and poured another shot.
“That good, huh?” said Daniels, amused by Will’s reaction.
“She and Jonas had a run-in, so he’s terrified of her.”
“I can’t say as I blame him. She’s a cold bird,” said Daniels.
“The strange thing is she is actually a good addition to the team. She knows as much if not more than any other member of my team. Don’t tell that to Jonas. He’d be crushed.”
Will downed another shot and once again reached for the bottle, not even hesitating.
“So what’s the problem?” asked Daniels.
“Her knowledge is the problem. She knows things that only I know, like topographic details of Earth that I know from watching those damn screens for years. It’s almost as if she’d been sitting next to me all that time. Something isn’t right, and then we throw in the black corridor, which I know she’s been accessing quite frequently.”
“Ah, I knew putting you there wasn’t a mistake. Have you found anything out about that?” asked Daniels.
“No. Jonas tried following her and saw her open the door, but she caught him, and he claims she threatened to remove his eye should he do it again. Needless to say, that put an end to our surveillance.”
“You sure picked the wrong man for that job.”
Will and Daniels both had a good laugh at Jonas’s expense.
“Well, I better get going; I have to swing back by the lab before I call it a night,” said Will.
Daniels face turned serious as he poured another drink and looked up at the time.
“This sounds strangely familiar,” said Daniels. “That damn lab will be there in the morning. It wouldn’t kill you to call it a night.”
Will looked exceptionally solemn as he put down his glass. He knew Daniels was referring to his refusal, in the past, to step back from Telos and relax. It was Daniels who tried to warn him that his obsessive behavior was hurting his family, but he wouldn’t listen.
“I know, back then, you were right,” said Will. “I should have listened. I should have run back to Janie and Edena at the end of the day. But things are different now. I don’t have anyone to run home to. Just an empty bed, where I spend endless hours lamenting my mistakes.”
“I suppose so. I’m not trying to rub it in. I’m telling you this
as a friend, just don’t let this eat you up again.” said Daniels as he patted Will on the back and paid for the drinks.
“I know.” said Will as he stood up from the stool.
“That reminds me. You have a package that came with my personal supply ship today.”
“How would someone know to send me anything with your personal supplies?” asked Will.
“Whoever it was must know that nothing on my vessel is subject to search and comes directly to my dock. My guess is it must be something someone doesn’t want anyone else to see. In any case, let’s swing by my quarters, and I’ll get it for you.”
Will followed Daniels down the long corridor that led from the leisure section of the station, to the living quarters of the command staff. Daniels stepped through the door into the living area, with Will following behind.
“I can see the captain’s quarters have gotten bigger over the years,” joked Will.
“Yes they have. And you might have noticed that the scientist’s quarters have gotten smaller. Here it is mate,” said Daniels, tossing the box to Will. “Close the door on your way out. Unlike you, I actually should be on duty.”
Daniels straightened his uniform in the mirror, walked past him and out the door. Will quickly opened the box and pulled out the object inside. It was made of a black composite material with a fingerprint-scanning mechanism on the top. Will placed his thumb on the scanner, and it slid another compartment open, exposing a retina scanner. He decided to head to his own quarters before continuing to open the mystery box. As he walked through his door and switched on the lights, he put his eye up to the retina scanner, and the box slid open. In it was a com with no markings, just one programmed number that he didn’t recognize. There was also a small vile of fluorescent yellow liquid wrapped in a black cloth and two small orbs similar to those that Stanzic had given him in the past.
“Stanzic! This has to be from Stanzic,” said Will aloud.
He couldn’t help but be excited to hear from his old friend. He hadn’t had a chance to speak with him openly about the events of the past few weeks, and he had so many unanswered questions. He pressed the call button on the com, and as he’d hoped, Lars Stanzic appeared on the other end.
“Will, my boy, I was hoping you received my package,” said Stanzic.
“Good to hear from you, Dr. Stanzic, sir.”
“Cut the formality. They can’t monitor this com. I’ve made special modifications to it.”
“Damn, Lars, it’s good to hear from you. How did you get this past security? I’m sure they’re searching everything that comes out of your hands and everything coming into mine.”
“Precisely. That’s why I had to get it aboard Captain Daniels’s shuttle. I have my methods, which we won’t go into. I know you have questions you need answered, as do I. We both know by now that Earth is the key. The answers to our creation lie on Earth, and only you can get them with your continued research.”
“Are you suggesting that we keep everything quiet?” asked Will.
“For now, until we have time to provide the people an alternative to their beliefs. To rip their beliefs from them might not be the best approach. Do you agree?”
Will immediately thought of Jonas’s reaction when he found out the truth. “Yes, I agree, but—”
“Good, because we have more pressing matters to discuss. I know Dr. Karkovich is assigned to you, is she not?” said Stanzic, abruptly cutting Will’s inquiry short.
“Yes. Do you know her?”
“She has been to Abysson many times with high-level government officials. She also has seen the artifacts and has spent hours grilling me on what I know. Her questions inevitably come back to you and Telos. She has been collecting information on Telos for years now.”
“That explains why she seems to know everything about the project, but why? Why is she so concerned with it? It was dead for years to everyone but me and my team.”
“That’s what we need to find out. I suspect she holds the answers. Now that she’s up there with you in a semi controlled environment, we can do what we need to do.”
“And what might that be?” asked Will, almost afraid to know.
“The vial contains a special concoction that I developed for just such an occasion. It will make her more motivated to tell the truth and susceptible to suggestion. It acts like alcohol in the outward effects, but it focuses on the area of the human brain that controls truth, and she’ll have no choice but to spill her guts. The added bonus is that she won’t remember anything after it’s all said and done.”
“You really scare me. You know that?” said Will, shaking the vial.
“You have to find out what their intentions are with the Folands and with Abysson. We need to know if they are planning to suppress the information on the artifacts and how far it all goes.”
“Lars, there is something strange going on up here as well. There is a whole section of the station totally under government control and inaccessible to almost everyone, including Daniels. Karkovich has access to it and goes there daily.”
“She’s spying on you.”
“You think?” said Will sarcastically. “That’s the strange thing: they aren’t really going through any measures to hide it.”
“They don’t need to hide it. That’s how brazen this government has become. They do what they want and eliminate anyone or anything that stands in their way. That reminds me. Did you get the other two things in the box?”
Will picked up the silver orbs and held them up for Stanzic to see. “Yes I did. They really came in handy for me the last time, so I appreciate the thought.”
“They are one of my better inventions. Listen Will, put about an ounce of the serum into her drink. It’ll only take a few minutes to take effect, and she’ll be under its influence for about an hour and a half.”
“I don’t know if I’m prepared to do what you’re asking me to—” said Will, grasping the vial tightly in his fist.
“She is trying to undermine you in some way. You already know that. These people will stop at nothing to get what they want. If we’re going to find out what’s going on, this is the only way. Would you rather wait for her to make the next move? Maybe it won’t involve you or I being killed, so let’s just wait and see.”
Lars could see Will on the other side of the com wrestling with this in his mind.
“All right, I’ll do it, but I hope you know what you’re doing. If she remembers any of it, you’ll probably find me floating in space.”
“Don’t worry,” said Stanzic. “I’m pretty sure this stuff will work.”
“Pretty sure! What the hell—” Will’s rant was interrupted by the sound of Stanzic laughing on the other side of the com.
“Have faith. It will work just fine. You can use this to get in touch with me if you need anything. Take care of yourself.”
“You too, Lars,” said Will clicking off the com and tossing it on the table.
Will picked up the vial and held it up to the light. He then wrapped it back in the black cloth and put it in his pocket. It was now well past midnight, but Will felt compelled to stop by the lab to double check the day’s work. He’d often spent late nights in front of the Earth monitors when he’d had trouble sleeping. As he left his quarters, his mind raced, thinking of how to get Ileana to drink the serum. He also thought about the timing, it would have to be a time when there was no one around.
“I’m going to end up getting my eyes plucked out or worse,” he thought.
As he passed the black corridor, he stopped and once again tried to see through the tinted glass with no success. He rebelliously tapped his fingers across the keypad as he headed for the lab. As he came around the corner, he could see dull light coming from the door, which was cracked open. He peered in the small opening and could see Ileana sitting in front of the monitors, franticly working on something. She wasn’t just observing as he had done so many nights; she was intensely typing away at the rover control console.
Remembering Jonas’s experience, he decided to walk carefully back up the corridor out of sight of the lab. He sprinted to Jonas’s quarters, which were a good distance away from the lab, and began banging on the door.
“Will, what’s going on? Do you know what time it is?” Jonas moaned as he opened the door.
Will walked swiftly past him, hardly acknowledging his aggravation at being pulled from his sleep.
“Yes, I do. Did you authorize Dr. Karkovich to access the lab after hours?”
“Did I what? No, of course not. Why?” asked Jonas, rubbing his eyes.
“Because she’s there now hard at work on something.”
“How did she get in? Only you and I have full access. OK, dumb question. She probably also has the keys to my quarters too, so she could kill me while I sleep,” said Jonas, now slumping down in a chair.
“Is there a way to find out what she’s doing in there without her knowing it?” asked Will.
“Well, assuming her knowledge is based on the system as it is on paper, she probably disabled the security trace so we can’t see what she’s up to. Fortunately I installed an encrypted trace program several weeks ago when you went AWOL because I was worried that the boys would be messing with the rovers without asking.”
“You mean we can see exactly what she was up to?” asked Will with renewed energy.
“Boss, I can tell you what kind of perfume she was wearing when she sat down.”
Will gave Jonas the usual look of disgust at his off-the-wall way of putting things.
“I didn’t think you thought about her in any way resembling a woman,” said Will.
“The fact that she’s a maniacal lunatic doesn’t take away from the fact that she looks and smells great. Why does she have to be so damn hot?”
“I’m glad you’re warming up to her because I need your help with something.”
Will took the black cloth out of his pocket and started to unroll the vial.
“Oh no,” said Jonas, popping up from his chair. “No more covert activities where she’s concerned. I told you what she threatened to do to me, and I’m fairly sure she’d be happy to have an opportunity to do it. I’m not giving her any reason to follow through on those threats. No way! I don’t want to see what you have in your hand. Stop unrolling it. Stop it! I mean it, I’m not looking.”
Destiny Earth Page 15