The Devil's Vial

by Brumbaugh,Byron

  “So what are you going to do if things get violent?” asked Emily. “They’re likely to, you know.”

  “Get the hell out of the way,” said Richard.

  “I’ll be right behind you,” said Alex. “So, what have you been up to, Emily?”

  “I’ve been over to Marlborough. Todd is the director of the Primate Research Center there.”

  “What did you find?” After spending so much time in front of a computer, his interest was piqued by something that smelled so much more of action.

  “I had to be a little careful so I wasn’t too obviously casing the place. I didn’t discover much except there are several buildings and they have a lot of monkeys in them.”

  “Maybe I can add a little,” said Alex as he turned back to his computer screen. “I found a website linked to Todd’s research.” He waved toward the screen. “Apparently, they have several different species of monkey in the Marlborough lab and are doing research on drug addiction treatment as well as on simian models of human diseases like HIV, TB and others.”

  “Any real dangerous diseases?” asked Richard.

  “What? HIV and TB aren’t dangerous?” asked Emily.

  “I mean the kind you have to put on special airtight suits to work around,” said Richard. “Ones that are transferred through the air and are easily contracted.”

  “Not supposed to be,” said Alex as he scrolled through the website. “There are four levels of disease. The highest level, level four, involves highly infectious airborne pathogens and anyone exposed would be vulnerable. These include diseases like Ebola virus, airborne anthrax, hunta virus and so on. This lab is supposed to have only level one through three. Level three are dangerous diseases, but ones that are not easily communicated. Ones not acquired through the air. Hepatitis B, and the like.”

  Richard’s interest seemed to wane a bit. “I thought there might be a link,” he said vaguely, “but I guess not.”

  “What do you mean?” asked Emily.

  “Well, in looking at Todd’s bio, I’m getting the feeling he has some interest in very dangerous viral disease, like ebola and hunta viruses.”

  “That fits in with some of his research I’ve been reading,” said Alex. “He was instrumental in finding the protein that made the 1918 flu so virulent. But it didn’t involve any in vivo research.”

  “I don’t get it. Why are you guys so interested in this guy, Todd?” asked Oscar.

  “We think he’s involved in the conspiracy,” answered Emily. “We don’t know the details, but we think there are some very big people in the government that are involved in something very nasty.”

  “Cool. What do we do now?”

  “We don’t know enough. Have you guys milked about all you can from the internet?” asked Emily as she looked first at Alex and then Richard.

  “I’ve got about all I can,” said Richard.

  “I’m getting to the point of diminishing returns,” said Alex. “I’d like to go to the Harvard library and see what I can find there. I can’t access everything on the web.”

  “That’s too dangerous. Maybe you could send Oscar?” said Emily.

  “I could, except I’m not sure what I’m looking for.”

  “I wish I could get into Todd’s office and rummage around in his papers.” said Richard.

  They heard footsteps and turned around to see Doug coming down the stairs. “Oscar, I have an errand for you,” said Doug. “I need a listening device that won’t be detected that I can place in Todd’s office. What have you got?”

  Oscar became animated. “I have this really cool bug that’s so small, you can put it almost anywhere and it will never be detected. It’s something new that uses nanotubes. The coolest thing about it is you access it in a burst dump, using any nearby computer with wi-fi. You can then download the data over the internet!”

  “How detectable is it?”

  “It would be impossible unless you knew exactly what you were looking for and knew how to find it. It’s so new, even the NSA guys haven’t figured out how to deal with it.”

  “Good. We’ll give it a try. You can, of course, set up an internet link that would be hard enough to trace so if the bug is found, they can’t trace it back to us?”

  “No sweat.”

  Doug nodded. “Go get me what I need to set it up in Todd’s office. Can you get it to me by tonight?”

  “I think so.”

  “Alright then, get on it.” Doug waved Oscar out the door.

  Once Oscar left, Doug turned to the others. “Let’s pool our information. Richard, take notes.”

  Richard reached for a pad of paper.

  “Emily, what did you find out about the primate lab in Marlborough?” asked Doug.

  “It sits in the middle of a large plot of ground covered by grass and trees. I was chatting with one of the guys who care for the monkeys they keep there. He told me the place was designed to discourage animal activists from causing trouble. There’s a long winding road leading toward several buildings housing the monkeys and is blocked by a security gate opened by a card key. There are no guards at the gate. I didn’t see any guards wandering around the grounds,” Emily shrugged, “but I’m sure there must be some. The caretaker told me that, once inside the gate, you can drive right up to the buildings. They're locked by a master key that all the caretakers have. With a little ingenuity and some of Oscar’s help, I think we could get in without much trouble. We may need to disguise ourselves – there are security cameras. Before we make a foray into the place, I think I should charm my way in as a visitor with one of the caretakers and check it out. Shouldn’t be too hard.”

  “But is it worth the effort?” asked Alex.

  “Indeed,” said Doug. “We can't know until we look, can we? Richard, what’ve you got?”

  Richard set down his pen and paper and leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head, fingers intertwined. He looked up at the ceiling and his focus seemed to fade into a far away stare. “Todd is a real whiz kid. It seems he distinguished himself as early as in grade school. Won some kind of science fair with a project on the sterilizing ability of common cleaners in the home. Since then, it’s been a steady climb in notoriety and honors. After high school, he earned a scholarship to Harvard and hasn’t left. He graduated cum laude and then went to graduate school where he won more awards with his research than I ever knew existed. He's hobnobbed internationally not only with most of the best scientific minds in the world, he also seems to know a large number of politicos, including senators and heads of state of most of the richest countries of the world. His name has been mentioned for the Nobel Prize, but some think he’s too young. From what I’ve read, it’s likely to happen at some time in the future.”

  “What about his personal life?” asked Emily. “Any insights there?”

  “He seems to have sacrificed everything for his research and career. He was married for a couple of years, then got divorced – no kids. He now lives alone in an expensive condo in Cambridge, but has so many irons in the fire, I’d be surprised if he had any time left over for anything but his career. Probably doesn’t do more than sleep and eat there.”

  Richard leaned forward, his forearms on his thighs. “The problem I’m having is, though I've gained insight into who he is intellectually, I don’t have enough to understand him as a man. I need information of a more personal nature to round him out. A personal journal would be great, an office agenda, listening into phone conversations, stuff like that.”

  “I have an idea about how we might be able to get that,” said Doug. “By the way, Alex, I was able to discover the text message was sent from our diversionary phone somewhere around Richmond, Virginia.”

  “Thank you for that,” said Alex. “Makes me feel like a weight’s been lifted.”

  “What have you got?” asked Doug.

  Alex perked up, almost salivating. “This guy, Todd, is doing some really interesting stuff!” he said. “Let me try to put thi
s in lay-speak – it’s complicated, but I think I can make you understand the gist of it.”

  Despite his best efforts, it wasn’t long into Alex’s description of the research when he saw Emily and Doug’s attentions fading. Only Richard seemed to be listening carefully. Alex tried to sum up. “Todd is part of a large group of researchers trying to design a virus capable of inserting genes into cells to correct genetic defects. His research has been instrumental in learning how to get across the cell wall, but that’s only one necessary step. He's also been part of a group that's trying to understand why some diseases are virulent and others are not. Like, why was the bubonic plague bacteria in the middle ages so deadly, but not as deadly today? No one knows for sure. But, ask why the 1918 flu outbreak was able to kill tens of millions of people worldwide, mostly young healthy adults, but now only causes deadly disease in the elderly or health impaired and there is an answer. Todd found there's a single unique protein that is associated with the virulence of the 1918 flu.”

  Emily yawned and Doug seemed to be getting impatient, drumming his fingers on his leg. “So, if you put together all that we already knew with what you’ve found out, what do you get?” asked Doug.

  Alex thought for a moment, then blew out a breath through sputtering lips. “Well, let’s see. One,” he held up his thumb, “we have a vial that came from Srivastava’s lab that’s doing research much the same as Todd’s lab. Two,” he continued counting on his fingers, “someone, presumably Todd or someone associated with him, wants the vial bad enough to kill for it, even when it’s dubious that it’s necessary to kill for it. Three, these people that want the vial do not hold the value of human life particularly high and are willing to kill other people, like the officer at my house, without a second thought. Four, Todd is instrumental in researching and developing viruses. Five, he is also interested in very virulent diseases. Putting all this together, it is possible, just possible, that Todd has figured out how to manufacture a new virus for which there is no natural defense. A biological weapon of mass destruction. Who knows, maybe it can kill most, if not all, of humanity. A twenty-first century version of the bubonic plague. Why he would want to do this, I don’t know and can’t guess.”

  “So, he has the means and the opportunity to create a viral WMD, but where’s the motive?” asked Richard. “It just doesn’t fit with the little I’ve learned about him.”

  “It is possible,” said Alex, “Todd has developed a vaccine he could give to selected individuals, protecting them from the virus and making them ‘Survivors’. But I’m guessing; trying to put all that we’ve learned into one idea. It may also be true that he’s developed a viral vector that can cure genetic disease by inserting DNA into cellular genomes or provide a means to ward off virulent infections. In short, he could either be the greatest hero since Jenner, who developed the small pox vaccine, stopping the suffering and death of hundreds of millions of people, or the greatest villain since Hitler, killing billions of people. Unfortunately, given the sinister aspect of what we know, I fear the latter is more likely.”

  “It doesn’t make sense,” said Richard as he shook his head. “Why would anyone want to kill off humanity?”

  “Maybe he wants the world for himself and some of his cronies,” said Emily. “He could inherit the Earth and be in absolute control of it by killing off all competition.”

  “I don’t think so,” said Richard. “From what I’ve been able to learn, he’s genuinely interested in helping humanity, not controlling it. As confident as he probably is in his abilities, I really believe he’s not a megalomaniac.”

  “Maybe he’s being used,” said Doug.

  “Well,” said Richard. “I guess that’s what we’re here for, isn’t it? To find out what’s going on. Then do whatever’s necessary to stop it if it’s sinister, or stand around and applaud and cheer if it’s not.”

  Doug stood up. “We’re back to that familiar wall again. We’ve pushed our ignorance back a little, but we still don’t know enough to see what’s going on, what these people are trying to do. We need more raw data. Further speculation without more information is not going to be fruitful. I want to go into Todd’s apartment and office and bug it. I plan on going to his home tonight. Emily, I’ll need your help.”

  “I want to go too,” said Alex.

  “It’s too dangerous,” said Emily. “They know what you look like. Plus, Doug and I are trained for this kind of stuff, you’re not.”

  “So, train me, I’m a quick student.” Alex paused as he collected his thoughts. “I need, no, I really have to have more information about Todd’s research. I have expertise that I can’t give you, insight into what would be significant information that we need to know. Todd’s world is not the same kind of criminal world that you guys are used to. He’s a scientist and his world involves esoteric language and ideas that you two are not privy to. You could easily overlook papers and information that you wouldn’t recognize as significant. I really need to go with you.”

  “He’s right, Emily,” said Doug. “Alex and you will come with me, Richard and Oscar will remain here. We’ll communicate with them by radios Oscar’s built.”

  “I want to go too,” said Richard. “If I could get inside Todd's home, I could get a lot of personal information that would help me understand him.”

  “I don't think we both need to take the risk of being there,” said Alex.

  “I could always stand watch outside while you guys go in. Or maybe drive the getaway car.”

  “I don't think that would be wise,” said Doug. “Oscar's going to need some help here and we really don't need anyone outside. It would unnecessarily expose you to the danger of getting caught.”

  “Crap!” said Alex. “It just occurred to me. If things go south, and I'm caught - I'm the only one who knows where the vial is.” He looked up at Richard. “One of us needs to go and I think it should be me. Whoever does go should not know where the vial is. One of us needs to stay behind and hide the damn thing. What do you think, Richard?”

  Richard sighed. “You're right, of course. I'll do it. I'm just getting a little stir-crazy.”

  “Good,” said Doug. “If the vial is safe, we can move forward. If it's lost, we're lost.”

  “I'll go get the vial for you,” said Alex. “I never could find a good hiding place for it anyway. Every place I thought of was just too close to where I was.”

  “You and Oscar need to come up with a plan B too,” said Doug. “Don’t tell the three of us what you’re going to do, but plan something just in case. Oscar has resources and a unique ability to hide from searching eyes. Rely on him.”

  “I will,” said Richard.

  “Anything else?” No one spoke. Doug looked down at his wrist. “It’s almost four now. Let’s talk about what we’re going to do, collect the stuff Oscar’s getting for us, eat and plan on being at Todd’s condo at between one and two AM.”

  “Tonight will be a good night,” said Alex. “He’s going to be away in Washington DC for a funding conference with Congressional leaders tonight.”

  “How do you know that?” asked Emily.

  “It’s amazing what you can find on the internet if you know where to look,” he said.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The night was warm, but not hot. Even so, Alex felt clammy. The three of them were dressed totally in black - from shoes to long-sleeved coveralls and gloves, to a ski-mask. All were light fabric and he was not uncomfortably warm in the night air. But he was keyed up and nervous and that made it hard to focus on the job to be done. He was used to dealing with threatening situations, both in the ER and as a pilot. Tonight, though, he had time to think about what they were about to do - everything that could go wrong and the horrible consequences if any of it did. What the hell was he thinking when he demanded to come along?

  “Are you all set, Alex?” asked Emily. She seemed calm, but alert. She stood next to him and the soft warmth of her presence felt good – though it would
have felt better in different circumstances.

  “Just a little nervous,” he said. He was reassured by the presence of both Emily and Doug. They carried an aura of confident alertness he could cling to. “I just haven’t intentionally broken the law before – except traffic laws, of course.” His mouth cried for something wet as he sized up the building they were about to enter.

  Emily moved closer and softly coiled her hand around his forearm. “Just follow the plan and our lead. I have faith in you.”

  That last simple statement at once boosted his confidence and laid a weighty sense of obligation on him that increased the level of threat.

  “Let’s go,” said Doug. “Oscar, you ready?” They were all wearing headsets connected to small radios strapped around their upper arms. Oscar explained the radios used “frequency diversity,” or some such. They were digital and designed to broadcast and receive in short bursts on frequencies that changed in a random pattern. If you didn’t know what the pattern was, all you would detect was static.

  “Anytime,” came the reply.

  “Give us five minutes, then lights out,” said Doug.

  “Remember, you’ll have exactly thirty minutes before the lights go back on.”

  The plan was to leave no tracks behind that would suggest anyone had violated Todd’s privacy or raise an alarm in anyone connected to him. They needed Todd to continue life as usual so they could eavesdrop on what was going on. The last thing they wanted to do was to drive him even more underground. Oscar explained the safest way to hack the grid was to insert a program into the power company’s computers that would erase itself after a prescribed time and couldn’t thereafter be found. The backup generator at Todd’s apartment complex was sophisticated and was monitored and controlled by the computer system there. It proved no problem for Oscar to reprogram that as well. They all agreed thirty minutes was enough time to do what needed to be done and not long enough to raise questions in anybody’s mind.