by Diana Ryan
“Yes. I’d be happy to email you a report of my research findings if you’d like.”
“That’d be perfect, thank you.” Drew exchanged email addresses with Brynn and then she hastily stood up. We stood and shook her hand, thanking her for her research, and then Brynn left the room quickly, taking the books with her.
“There is something very odd about that broad.” He stuck his head out the door and glanced down the hallway.
“We’re off to County Kerry!” I was so excited to uncover some useful information and finally move forward in our search. I took my cell phone off the table and checked the screen—no new messages—and then took a few steps toward the wall, turning the lights off.
“Hold your roll, kid. We’ll have to disclose this information to Agent Bowman first and see what he recommends as our next move. He may want us to go back to St. Patrick’s now that we’ve discovered the Gaelic spelling and shire of origin.”
I knew he was right; I just didn’t want to hear it. But before I could protest, a faint electronic spit from behind Drew sent my world moving in slow motion. The glass wall behind the table shattered as shots came whizzing by my head. Drew and I hit the floor instinctively. I immediately pulled the Glock from my belt and crawled to the wall. I stood up and shot into the direction of the shooter with the doorjamb as a shield. Drew crawled past me and hung slightly out the door where he had a better vantage point. He shot twice from the floor and then retreated and waited.
I paused, trying to listen past the heartbeat in my ears. Who the hell was shooting at us? Could Myers know we were here?
The shooting stopped suddenly and a strange alarm sounded. Then over an intercom, a friendly female Irish voice rang out over campus: “Attention all students, employees, and visitors of Trinity College. There is a dangerous intruder on campus. Please follow Emergency Code Ten procedures immediately.”
We stood frozen for a few seconds and then carefully ran down the hallway in the direction of the shooter. We jumped over damaged furniture and broken glass, but no more shots were fired. At the end of the hallway we found Brynn lying on the floor, a single bullet hole between her shocked, open eyes. The books she had shown us lay next to her, pages ripped out. We walked over her body and into the lobby only to find the secretary awkwardly slumped over onto the desk.
Drew checked her pulse. “This was no accident. Someone was trying to prevent us from getting this information.” He craned his head around, checking for signs of the intruder.
“It’s gotta be Myers.” I spotted a red exit sign leading the way out the backdoor. “Come on, we need to get out of here before the police arrive. I don’t want to stand here and answer questions when we could be getting closer to stopping Myers.”
We stealthily ran through the seemingly deserted campus, staying close to the buildings and not running through the open areas. We didn’t want to be mistaken for the “possibly dangerous intruder.” I thought about Laura and if she was in danger, but I had no idea where she was staying and didn’t have time to find out. We jumped a fence and made it out to the street just in time to catch a cab right outside of campus. We paid the driver an extra twenty Euros to get us out of there as quick as he could.
On the cab ride to The Arlington, Drew texted Agent McCombe—We’ve been sabotaged. Meet us at The Arlington ASAP. A second later I heard Drew’s text message alert respond. “She’ll be there when we arrive,” he said. “I’m calling Bowman.”
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this. If Myers knows we’re actively researching, he’ll likely retaliate and go after Ava.” I calculated it was about nine in the morning in Wisconsin, so I dialed Adam’s number.
“Good day, Nolan!”
“When’s the last time you’ve seen Ava?” I snapped. No time for niceties.
“Late yesterday. She’s just fine, Nolan, relax a bit.”
My blood began to boil. Why did he have to be so condescending?
“Shut up, and listen to me, Adam. We’ve just been shot at and I’m fairly confident Myers may be in pursuit of Ava now that he knows we are digging through his past. Get to her now and do not let her out of your sight all day.”
“Really? Okay, hold on. I installed a GPS program on her phone so I know where she is at all times.” I could hear typing on a computer. “Looks like she’s at Iverson Park. I’ll find her and stay with her today.”
The cab pulled up in front of The Arlington and Drew threw some money at the driver while still talking with Bowman. As I stepped out of the cab, I finished my conversation with Adam. “Check in with me later, even if it’s the middle of the night here. I need to know she’s safe.”
“Fine. Bye.”
As we walked through the front doors, Agent McCombe approached us from the lobby. We explained what happened as she swiftly led us around the lobby elevators and through a fire exit.
“Myers knows someone is burrowing into his family tree and he is not happy about it.” She led us down a flight of stairs and along a stark basement hallway. “We’re sure he sent someone to destroy the information you found in the Old Library.” She pushed through a door labeled Boiler Room and charged between some chugging black metal machines that seemed older than Ireland itself.
Drew looked as surprised as I felt.
“We’re pretty sure Myers had your tablets and phones scrambled while you were on campus.” She took a sharp right at the back of the boiler room, and punched in a seven-digit code on a box to the right of a steel door around the corner. I took my cell phone out of my pocket and started poking around the menu.
No, no…no! All the pictures of Ava were wiped!
“What do you mean, ‘we’re pretty sure’?” I asked her as the box at the door spoke—“Access granted, Agent McCombe”—and it cracked open.
She turned toward me before opening the big, heavy door all the way. “Irish Intelligence, of course. We’ve been following your every move since you arrived.”
Drew’s eyebrows crunched up and he and mouthed, Following us?
My pocket vibrated. It was a text from an unknown number—Found her running at the park. Will stay with her until I get word from you. It was Adam. My contacts were empty, thanks to Myers, so I added his number in.
I followed Drew through the door Agent McCombe was holding open. We were submerged into an opulent, futuristic room filled with a dozen people in black suits. It was dim, only lit by blue lights around the perimeter of the ceiling. A curved grey desk faced a humongous, yet invisible computer screen that took up most of the south-facing wall. Computerized images floated above the desk and workers touched midair, manipulating maps and graphics. They typed into keyboards that lit up on the glass desk in front of them.
How many hundreds of unsuspecting tourists slept while this whole operation conducted business under their heads?
A tall man approached us, his eyebrows expressing his probably grumpy disposition. He held out his hand and greeted us glumly. “Agent Hill, Agent Smith, I am Agent Aeden Kane, commander of this office.” His short brown hair and prominent freckles reminded me of a childhood friend I once knew. “Follow me.” Agent Kane turned and led us into a conference room, Agent McCombe close behind.
“Please, take a seat.” Agent Kane switched on an image that projected from the middle of the glass table onto the air above it. “Ethan Myers has recently become somewhat of a concern to the IIA.” A picture of him flashed in front of us, and my stomach instantly twisted.
“Yesterday a young woman was found dead under, let’s just say, odd circumstances.” He flashed a picture from the morgue. The brown-haired woman was missing the entire left side of her skull, exposing a mutilated brain. “Evidence has forced us to consider the proposition that her death is associated with Ethan Myers.”
Why would Ethan be after a young Irish woman? Could she be in connection with Myers’s family?
“Very recently we joined forces with the FBI as a result of our concern regarding what Myers’s endgame migh
t be.” He pushed a button on a remote and a new image appeared showing several faces, all named. I took a deep breath when I noticed Ava’s picture among the others. I counted quickly in my head—ten.
“These are the faces of women who Myers has either killed or captured in the last year. They are all Americans except for this last woman, Emilee Brady. Our research scientists have desperately been trying to decipher the connection between them all, but so far have been unsuccessful.”
Agent Kane switched the screen to a map of Ireland’s counties. “Our explorative geneticists have discovered the alternate spellings of Myers and the connection with a family in County Kerry.”
Drew looked at Darcy. “You already knew?” I could hear the anger behind Drew’s voice as he pounded his fist down on the table. “Then why send us on this wild goose chase?”
I was thinking the same thing.
“You could say there’s a little bad blood between Eneclann and IIA,” Agent McCombe replied smugly. “Apparently they don’t appreciate the federal government digging into their precious files.”
I stood from my chair and leaned forward over the table. “My girlfriend is one of his victims! I don’t have time to screw around, wasting time!”
“Calm yourself, Agent Hill. The IIA and the FBI have the same objectives. I believe we can work together here.”
“Agent Kane is right. There is still much to do, and we could use your help.” Darcy tried to catch Drew’s eye, but he did not return her glance.
After several seconds of silence, Drew answered like a kid finally agreeing to his parents’ terms. “Fine, as long as we are privy to the same intel, I suppose Agent Bowman would expect us to cooperate.”
Drew finally peeked up at Darcy, but his expression was not pleasant.
“Great,” Agent Kane replied. Then he turned to the screen and continued his speech. “The IIA has been investigating a strange and rare phenomenon affecting Irish citizens for the past several decades, and we now have reason to believe it could have ties with Mr. Myers.”
Suddenly, a young man in a suit poked his head into the conference room. “Excuse me, sir. We have Agent Bowman.”
“Perfect. Thank you, Agent Flynn.” The man left the room and Agent Kane pressed a few buttons on the computer built into the glass table. Agent Bowman’s face showed on several screens around the room as well as in an image projected above the middle of the table. I heard his voice over the speakers built into the walls and ceiling.
Bowman pushed up his glasses with one finger. “Good day, Agent Kane. Agent Hill, Agent Smith. Nice to see you all.”
“Hello, Agent Bowman. Thank you for calling. May I introduce Agent Darcy McCombe. She’s been acting as liaison for your agents while they have been in town.”
“Nice to meet you, sir,” Darcy said.
“You as well, Agent McCombe.”
“Agent Bowman, what progress has the FBI made since we’ve spoke last?”
“We know Ethan Myers is interested in genetic mutations and diseases treated with gene-based medicine, but unfortunately his research and lab was destroyed when we detonated the CBB headquarters in Milwaukee.”
“We blew it up?” I yelled at the computer screen. Agent McCombe shot me a rude look.
“Yes. Thirty minutes after you and Agent Smith exited that day, our team hit an invisible detonator and the building exploded, including all the records inside it.”
“So we have nothing?”
“Not necessarily, Agent Hill. Myers would never risk ruining his invaluable collection of data. We simply need to locate his auxiliary cache. Meanwhile, our research team and genetic scientists have been studying types of induced gene mutation and their repercussions. We’re making some good advances and we suspect our mole on the inside will be bringing us the information we need to proceed even further.”
Drew leaned forward in his chair. “You’ve got a man on the inside?”
“We have a double agent playing for both Myers and the FBI. So far the double has provided several important bits of intelligence, including the whereabouts of Myers’s current refuge and research facility.”
“What about Ava?” Drew asked. “Is she considered safe, or does Intel believe Myers will go after her?”
“All our intel indicates she is currently secure. We’d like Agent Greene to continue watching over her, of course, but we have reason to believe she is in no immediate danger.”
I let out an audible sigh of relief. “I’ll text Adam and let him know.” Bowman says no immediate danger. You can back off. Was that too pushy? I didn’t care. I put the phone back on the table in front of me and tried to listen, but my mind was filled with thoughts of Ava. They discussed something about a cure, the vulnerability of the blue meteor, and the November first deadline.
Darcy whispered into Drew’s ear, her hand on his shoulder. He was smiling.
Agent Bowman addressed Drew and me. “Agents, it is imperative that you unearth the motives behind Myers’s obsession with genetic engineering. Find out specifically what Myers’s grandfather, Dr. Ó Meidhir, discovered through his medical practice.”
“We’re sending you to the quaint city of Killarney in County Kerry,” Agent Kane added.
Finally, a little progress. “When do we leave?” I asked.
“In the morning. Now you two go up to your rooms and get some rest. It looks like your journey here in the Emerald Isle isn’t over yet.”
“We’re happy to stay as long as you’ll have us.” Drew glanced over toward Darcy, and she smiled confidently.
“Good luck, agents. I will be in touch.” Agent Bowman disappeared from above the table and the screens turned black.
Agent Kane opened the door to the conference room. He led us past the busy agents and to the door to the boiler room.
“It was nice meeting you, boys. I wish you the luck of the Irish on your next task. So long!”
“Thank you,” Drew and I replied.
Darcy led us back through the basement boiler room and to the lobby elevators where we rode to the fourth floor. I thought for a short second that I caught them holding hands. We walked down the hallway and they paused near Drew’s hotel room door.
“So…Darcy thought she should stick around here for dinner in case we need to consult her for anything. Did you want to join us?” Drew was giving me an eye message—it was obvious he didn’t want me to join them for dinner, but felt obligated to ask.
“No thanks, I’ll just order in. You two have fun. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“The Arlington has great room service, Nolan.”
“Thanks, Darcy,” I said, unlocking my room. I closed the door and peeked through the peephole. Drew kissed Darcy in the hallway, and then she opened the door to his hotel room and pulled him in by his shirt collar, giggling.
I sighed and slid my room key into the little white box on the wall so that the lights would turn on—a trick that took me almost thirty minutes to figure out my first night in Ireland. My cell buzzed. It was Adam.
“Nolan.” There was anxiety in his voice.
“What’s wrong, Adam?” My heart rate began to sputter. “Is Ava okay?” There was a long pause. “Adam!”
His voice was quiet and calm, but there was still something disturbing about it. “No, she’s safe at home. I just dropped her off and am sitting in my car around the corner with an eye on her front door.”
“So? What’s the problem?” I sat down on the chair by the window and leaned back.
“I don’t know how, Nolan, but I think…I think he saw me with Ava.”
“Who? Myers? Impossible.” I sat forward and put my elbows on my knees, my mind thinking. “Where do you think he is? Did you see him?”
“Well, not exactly, but a dark car pulled out right behind me today and followed us for several blocks until I was able to lose it.”
I gave a little half laugh under my breath. That’s what was so upsetting?
“That could have been anyo
ne! Look, I’m sure Bowman has good reason to believe Ava is safe.”
“I guess.” Then he said something under his breath. “I just hope Myers doesn’t know I’m here—I mean, Ava’s here.” There was a pause in which neither of us knew what to say until he said, “Oh, and there’s something else.”
I stood up from my chair and stared through the window out over glorious Dublin. Nervous butterflies were sneaking up on me again. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m slightly concerned about Ava’s health. She’s experiencing environmentally induced blackouts coupled with severe pain and confusion.”
“And what does that all mean?”
“Well, basically events from Ava’s daily life trigger a vision within her brain from the time period which I thought had been erased.”
“How could that be?” A tiny glimmer of hope swelled inside me—maybe they didn’t erase all her memories of us!
“The brain houses carbon copy imprints of memories. Ava’s visions are these imprints but her brain is confused because it has no actual memories to attach the visions to. I’m afraid these painful blackouts may begin to disintegrate parts of her brain and if not stopped, she could suffer from permanent brain damage.”
The River Liffey sparkled with sunlight outside my window, and in contrast, my heart felt like it was blackened and dull. My poor Ava was suffering, and I couldn’t be there to help her through it.
“What do we do? We have to discontinue these visions.”
“I’ve been emailing one of my colleagues in London and searching all my medical journals.”
“And?” I tapped the window with my finger.
“And I haven’t found an answer yet, but I know I will. Have faith in me, Nolan.”
Faith was something I had been lacking lately.
“Perhaps the reversal procedure may have to take place sooner than we had thought. You two better hurry up and catch Myers before he can decide he wants Ava in his lab immediately.”
“Just take care of her. Keep her safe until I can come back to her.”
“I will, Nolan. I promise.”
Chapter Seven