The Devil's Vial

by Brumbaugh,Byron

“It’s not that. I would have expected that most of these people would have sent a subordinate to find out what’s going on. At least at first. I don’t know what all these guys look like, but the ones I do know - they’re here in person.”

  Alex thought for a moment. Was Todd bluffing, or did he indeed hold all the cards? “Well,” he said, “we have to play the hand we were dealt. It’s all we have.”

  “True,” said Doug. “And I don’t think it’s a bad hand. Go sit with Emily; the show‘s about to start.”

  Alex went back out to join Emily and Todd. Todd looked up as Alex approached. “Okay,” he said. “What are we doing now? Emily has not been forthcoming with information for me. Why have you brought me here? What do you hope to accomplish? You planning on some kind of exchange for Richard and Oscar?”

  “You seem to be waking up from the effects of the drug, all right,” said Alex.

  “That’s another thing. Just what did you give me?”

  “The active metabolite of Versed.”

  “Ah, good choice.” Todd looked directly at Emily, then Alex. “You know, you people should really be working with me.”

  Doug stepped out of the van and approached them. “We have a few questions we’d like answered before we decide what to do next. I suggest you be open and direct.”

  “Of course,” said Todd confidently.

  Doug sat down, facing Todd. “This is what we know. We have in our possession a vial -”

  “Had in your possession.”

  Oh, shit! thought Alex.

  “Whatever,” continued Doug. “We don’t know exactly what’s in it, but we do know that it’s important enough for you to try to kill us to get it back.”

  “Yes, well,” interrupted Todd. “That was an unfortunate choice. Had I known -”

  “We also know that you have been hunting me down to try to silence me and prevent me from digging further into the finances of ‘The Survivors’.”

  Todd looked truly surprised. “How did you -”

  “We suspect the vial contains a deadly virus capable of a worldwide pandemic.” Doug looked directly into Todd’s eyes. “We know Srivastava brought the vial with him from his lab in India. I’m guessing he worked there, developing the virus, probably because there’s considerably less oversight there and you could keep it a secret more easily. It fell into Richard’s hands by accident, I’m thinking because of a baggage handler’s strike that caused Srivastava to change his plans at the last moment and connect to Boston through Paris instead of going to New York through London.”

  “Yes, he panicked,” said Todd. “Very unfortunate.”

  “Since then you’ve held nothing back at trying to retrieve the vial. We can only put this together by concluding that you are somehow involved in a terrorist plot to release the virus. What we don’t understand is how, and most importantly, why.”

  “I am really very, very impressed,” said Todd. “I have no idea how you came to all this information. Perhaps at some point, you can fill me in. What you suggest is mostly correct, except for the terrorist thing. I am no terrorist.”

  “Then you’re not planning on releasing the virus?”

  “Oh, we’re going to release the virus, alright, and very soon. But not as an act of terror. It will be an act of salvation.”

  This is going way too easy, thought Alex. He’s being way too candid. What the hell is up? “I’m sorry, I don’t understand,” said Alex. “If you release the virus, millions will die…”

  “Billions,” said Todd.

  “And this is not an act of terrorism because…?”

  “Because it will allow the rest of humanity to survive - no, flourish.”

  Doug fell silent. Apparently, he was as dumbfounded as Alex felt. “Let me make sure I understand,” he said after a long pause. “You have created a deadly virus that will kill a large portion of humanity.”

  “It should be one hundred percent deadly to all those exposed who aren’t inoculated against it,” said Todd.

  “You have it in your possession and are about to release it into the atmosphere.”

  “Within the next few days, yes. And there is nothing that can be done to stop it.”

  “Why?” Doug stopped and put his hand up to his ear. “Just a minute,” he said. “There are some people that want to ask you some questions.” Doug rose from his chair and went to the drop cloth. Pulling it free of the equipment beneath, a large computer screen bearing twelve faces could be seen. Doug hit a key on a keyboard in front of the screen.

  A voice over a speaker said, “That’s enough, I think, Agent Brown. We have more than enough to pursue an investigation and get to the bottom of this. Tell us where you are and I’ll have people over there shortly to pick him up. The sooner we can pick you all up, the sooner we can take action. Good job.”

  “Who is that please?” asked Todd. He squinted at the computer screen.

  “This is Director James Webb, FBI.”

  “Ah…” said Todd.

  “We also have with us a few others.” Webb listed the names and titles of the others that were listening online. “Agent Brown has asked us all here to witness this interview as he felt the information will affect us all.”

  Todd fell silent and looked intently at the screen.

  “Now, Agent Brown, if you could give us your location, we can get started on the resolution of this thing,” said Webb.

  “The Peoples’ Republic of China wants to know what this is all about and demands to have representatives present at any interrogation!” said Ambassador Xu. “We will not stand by and allow you bury any information on this!”

  “The Russian people have a right to know all as well!” said Provikov.

  Soon, there was a cacophony of raised voices and demands flowing over the internet. Finally, one voice stood out. “Gentlemen! This is Andrew Thompson, British Ambassador to the UN. Like it or not, Dr Todd is in the US and therefore is on Mr. Webb’s turf. I suggest that the first thing we do is get Dr. Todd into custody, and meanwhile, the rest of us can get our governments to press the US administration for cooperation.”

  “That does seem like the logical first step,” said Webb. “Where are you, Agent Brown?”

  “There is a small matter of a warrant out on us…” said Doug.

  “Don’t worry,” said Webb. “If all is as it appears to be, we’ll take good care of you all.”

  Silence hung over the room as Doug looked over at Emily who hesitated and then nodded. He then turned to Alex. Something is very wrong here! It doesn’t feel right, Alex thought. Still, this is our only play and it has run its course. I see no option other than to let it play itself out.

  Webb’s attention was diverted off screen. After a moment, he turned back and said, “It doesn’t matter, we’ve located your position in Clinton. We have good people that can use the full potential of the web, too, you know. You should have company in less than five minutes. It’s over. You have no place to run. I suggest you cooperate.”

  Did Alex just hear what he thought he heard? Was Webb now telling them to surrender? He looked at Doug. Doug seemed just as stunned, just as uncertain of what he heard.

  “So, Walter, I hear you have a new baby,” said Todd as he looked at the screen. “You going to be able to take some time off from Der Speigel to enjoy the new member of your family?” Todd looked directly at Alex with a broad smile on his face.

  “Huh!” grunted Francois Belieu. “You have no idea how hard it was to drag his ass away to be here!”

  “Are you okay, Griff?” asked Walter Heines.

  “I’m fine,” said Todd. “Just a little tied up at the moment.”

  Alex looked into Doug’s eyes and saw two plus two adding up to four. Doug ripped off his headset and looked toward the van.

  “Well,” said Todd, “I’m not at all surprised, Doug, but you seem to have been able to arrange for only ‘Survivors’ to show up here. Of course, I would expect nothing less. You see, it would be hard to find
anyone on the list of the rich and powerful who are not a part of our elite little group. And, you, all of you, have been flagged as being extremely dangerous to our cause. Once you made contact with any of these people, wheels would be set in motion to make sure anyone else you contacted would, in some way, be diverted or otherwise neutralized.” Todd looked up at Doug and took a deep breath. Doug was just starting to move. “Well,” he said, “now that’s out of the way, let’s stop this charade. Why don’t you untie me?”

  Alex looked over at Emily whose lips were compressed into a thin pale line. She seemed to be bracing herself, preparing to act. Alex could not help but voice what they all felt. “Oh shit, we’ve been had.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  “What’ll we do now?” asked Alex as he looked around at the windows. He half-expected people to come crashing through the walls, firing weapons as they came.

  “I suggest you give yourselves up quietly,” said Todd.

  “The van’s no good,” said Doug as he reached it. He busied himself throwing various pieces of equipment into a canvas bag. “It’s all wired up. No time to get it clear. There are a few things we may need though…”

  “There’s a back door this way,” said Emily as she moved toward a door in the back corner of the room. “Plan B.”

  “Plan B?” asked Alex. “What’s plan B?”

  “There’s always a plan B,” said Emily.

  “Why wasn’t I told about plan B?”

  “You were kind of busy learning how to fly a plane, as I recall. Come on!” Emily was almost to the door.

  “What’ll we do with him?” asked Alex, nodding at Todd.

  “Leave him! Get your ass over here!” shouted Emily. Doug left the van and was close behind her.

  “Wait!” said Todd. “There’s no need for this. You won’t be harmed - unless you run.”

  “I’m not giving up that easy!” called Emily over her shoulder as she got to the door. “Alex, come on!”

  Alex hesitated for a moment as he balanced the desire for things to come to a conclusion with an intuitive feeling that things would be all over if he didn’t run.

  “Alex!” cried Emily.

  Making up his mind, he turned and started toward the back. As he did, he could hear the screeching of tires out front, and then running footsteps. Shit! Busted! Adrenalin surged through his veins and his pace quickened. He couldn’t help but look over his shoulder; that slowed him a little. Glass broke and men in black jackets peered into the room with weapons at the ready.

  “Halt!” someone shouted.

  Alex broke into a dead run. Twenty paces to go. He heard the garage doors shatter open as a vehicle rammed its way into the room, tires screaming.

  “Halt, or I’ll fire!”

  Now just ten paces away. The back door stood wide open, Emily and Doug both safely inside the hallway beyond. Emily moved into the doorway, waving Alex on. She looked up and past him, flattened herself against the wall behind the door and yelled, “Duck, Alex!”

  Alex lunged head first toward the doorway, diving forward with one arm extended to absorb the shock of landing. He no sooner hit the floor and he heard multiple loud explosions, followed immediately by thuds and showers of cinderblock over and beyond his head. As Alex slid into the opening, Emily stepped into the doorway, raised her pistol in a two-handed grip and fired several times. Alex came to a stop, pulled his knees up to his chest and rolled out of danger as Emily quickly stepped back behind the door. More shots, thuds, and clouds of cement dust thrown up from the floor where Alex had been just moments before. Emily slammed the door shut and flattened herself against the wall. The sound of many running feet, a cacophony of shouts, more firing and suddenly, there was daylight shining through small holes in the metal door. Emily grabbed a piece of angle iron and jammed it between the wall and the door knob, wedging the door shut.

  “What the hell were you doing back there?” she shouted at Alex.

  “Pissing my pants,” he said.

  “Well, move your ass. Down these stairs. There’s an old steam tunnel down here.” She moved toward steel boiler plate stairs that led between iron pipe railing into a dim hole about one story down. “Move it. That door won’t hold them long!”

  Alex flew down the stairs, stumbling as he tried to keep up with Emily. He could hear banging at the door behind them. “What about the pilots?”

  “I’m afraid they’re on their own,” said Emily. “There’s nothing we can do. Doug? Where are you?” He had moved on as Emily and Alex were struggling at the door.

  “Just ahead,” Doug said. “I’ve found some good cover. You and Alex go on down the tunnel, I’ll hold them off here as long as I can and then follow.” They caught up with Doug who was kneeling behind two fifty-gallon steel drums just visible in the half-light. Doug reached into the bag he was carrying and gave Emily and Alex each a flashlight. “It’s dark down here.”

  Alex was still breathing heavy. “I… have… to… rest… a… minute,” he gasped between breaths. His heart was pounding wildly and, despite the coolness, sweat was soaking his shirt. Shining his flashlight around, he saw they were indeed in a tunnel. It was about twelve feet wide and eight feet high. There were half a dozen six to twelve inch diameter pipes covered by white insulation running along the walls and ceiling. The broken cement floor was wet and the air was damp. Here and there in the tunnel were steel drums, wooden boxes and smaller pieces of detritus.

  There was a whumping sound he felt more than heard, followed by an acrid odor and the air became thick with dust.

  “Go! Now!” shouted Doug. “They’ve blown open the door. These guys are serious!”

  Emily grabbed Alex’s sleeve and pulled him further down the tunnel. “Do you think it’s a good idea to exchange fire with the FBI?” he asked as he tried to keep up.

  “These guys aren’t FBI,” said Emily. “They aren’t wearing the regulation jacket with big bright letters identifying them. Besides, agents wouldn’t be so hell-bent to kill us.”

  “Who are they then?”

  “Private army of some kind, I’m guessing. Come on!” She tugged harder at his sleeve.

  “Just where are we going?”

  “Just follow me.” Emily stopped, looked around, and ducked behind a box against the wall. She reached down and grabbed something out of a bag hidden there. She handed it to Alex. “Take this and duck behind those barrels over there.” She nodded to the opposite side of the tunnel a few feet behind her.

  Alex took what she held out to him; it was the pistol he picked up in his house when all this started. “Oh, crap,” he said, “not this again.”

  Emily rolled her eyes at him. “You hold the flashlight with your left hand, the gun with your right. Use your left wrist to support your gun hand, aim both the flashlight and the gun at the same spot. Like this.” She demonstrated. “Don’t keep the light on any more than you have to and give the other guys something to shoot at. Doug will be running by here soon. We need to give him some covering fire when he does.”

  They could hear gunshots echoing down the tunnel and shouts of frantic men. In a few moments, Doug came running up, still carrying his bag of goodies. “Keep up the fire for a few minutes. I set up a whiz-bang just beyond that last corner. It should slow them down a little. I’m going on to the back door.” He disappeared down the tunnel at a dead run.

  “Back door?” asked Alex.

  “Never mind,” said Emily. “Just pay attention to the bad guys.” She put her flashlight on top of a barrel pointing toward the last bend in the tunnel. “Turn your flashlight off for now.”

  Running footsteps approached and stopped just before the corner. A head popped into view, then quickly pulled back. Emily and Alex fired at the space where the head had been. In response, return fire hit the wall and barrel where Emily left her flashlight. Smart girl, thought Alex, grateful the bullets weren’t going toward them. She must have done this before. There was a loud bang and a very bright flash of ligh
t. Alex was momentarily stunned, unable to see, move or think.

  “Come on, Alex!” shouted Emily. “Let’s go!” She grabbed her flashlight and ran past him down the tunnel. Alex shook his head, pulled himself together, turned on his flashlight and followed. They came upon Doug who was on his hands and knees, doing something with several wires. The other ends of the wires disappeared into holes in the walls on both sides of the tunnel. Alex paused to see what Doug was doing.

  “Keep going!” said Emily as she pushed him from behind. “Down there, behind that wall.” They ran thirty feet further to a wall protruding halfway across the tunnel and crouched behind it. Doug followed, trailing wires behind him. “Put your hands over your ears and keep your mouth open,” said Emily. Doug made a twisting motion with his right hand and there was a deafening explosion that rattled Alex’s teeth, followed by a shock wave that knocked him onto his back. Thick cement dust and the pungent odor of spent explosive filled his nostrils as bits of broken cinderblock and dirt fell around and on him.

  “The back door is locked,” choked Emily as she coughed.

  Alex got up on his knees, crawled beyond the wall and waved the beam of his flashlight back and forth over the rubble in the middle of the tunnel. “Damn, Doug,” he said. “You really know how to mess a place up.” The ringing in his ears finally stopped and he could hear normally again.

  Doug peeked around the wall, glanced at the rubble, then bent down and picked up his bag. “They aren’t coming that way,” he said. “We have some time before they figure out how to get down here.”

  “There is another way out of here, isn’t there?” asked Alex.

  “Of course.” Doug looked over at Emily. “Let’s go check out the tunnel mouth.” He moved off down the tunnel, away from the rubble.

  “This tunnel has several branches,” said Emily as she and Alex followed Doug. “The one we’ll take goes into a stream bed outside the grounds of the factory that used to be here. It’s not on any blueprints and we’re hoping those guys won’t know about it.”

  “Man, you guys really did your homework.”