The Scarlet Cord

by Eliza Master

  Renata nodded, nibbling as she took in Adam’s story. After a quick bite, he continued.

  “For some reason, Wilhelm got fired from Fitzer a few months ago. I haven’t asked him why, but he told me this. The bacterium research team is based right out of San Francisco, in that lab we visited by the school. Dr. Claussen, the guy who gave us the tour, is the lead scientist for that project.”

  Adam took a deep breath. He had already told Renata this, but she hadn’t seemed to understand what was at stake. He would try again.

  “Wilhelm said they needed a better host for this new bacterium, and they found it in the REN proteins. At least, they think they have. When I asked him where they got the REN protein, he said that the source was a mystery. He did say that the proteins contain human DNA. Rare DNA. I said before, I think they may have gotten those proteins from you. Should we be upfront with Claussen and ask him to test you?”

  Adam took a long sip from his water glass. “Do you have any idea how or when they might have gotten a DNA sample? I don’t think just any area of the body would work — they would have needed specifically geographic stuff. It might have been sexually specific...” Adam blushed.

  The noodles in Renata’s mouth felt dry and hard to swallow. “Umm, yeah, I guess… well, it’s possible.” Renata wasn’t shy, so why did she feel insecure now? “There’s a chance I might’ve been violated,” Renata whispered.

  “Violated! You mean raped?” Anger shot though Adam’s body, and he felt a strong urge to punch someone.

  “Well, yeah,” she mumbled. Why was she ashamed? She hadn’t done anything wrong. It was hard to explain, though, how she didn’t know what had happened. She remembered the cut in her vagina, though. She’d had it in Africa and then Guatemala. It was all coming together. Then there was Kenny’s red cooler. He had dropped it off somewhere after both foggy nights of heavy drinking. Had Kenny actually cut her in her most private area? What else did he do to me? she wondered. She had trusted him. He had been kind to her. Could he really be that evil? “Maybe it was Kenny.” Renata was staring at the tablecloth.

  Sensing her shame and giving her emotional privacy, Adam said, “I’m sorry Renata.” But he couldn’t stay calm. “That motherfucker! He should be in prison!” Adam avoided using the word “rapist.” Saying it out loud felt like he was accusing Renata of hiding something.

  Silence fell over lunch. The chatter from the other tables was loud. A million thoughts and feelings were going through Renata’s head. She was sweating and wanted to run away, but she was angry, too. Renata wanted to punish Kenny and Fitzer for stealing from her. Grabbing Adam’s hand across the table, she pleaded, “Will you help me?”

  28

  The Trap and the Dart

  “Hey, how’s it going? It’s been a while,” Renata said over the phone. “Could you come by and help me clean my Taurus?” Since Kenny had gifted her the gun, she knew he couldn’t refuse. It was possible that he had just been doing his job in Cameroon and had nothing to do with the abrasion she had developed. It was possible that the cut was a coincidence, and Adam was really nuts. Being female was a little mysterious for Renata. Though she knew how to derive pleasure from her feminine parts, the rest was a bit obscured. She never looked at herself with a mirror between her legs, and Alexa had been her only female lover. Renata had never gone down on Alexa before; it wasn’t her thing.

  Fifteen minutes later, she buzzed Kenny up to her apartment. Renata laid out a soft tablecloth and placed the unarmed weapon in the center. She kept her Pitbull loaded in her desk drawer, just in case things turned ugly.

  “Hi, Kenny, come on in.” He looked different. His shirt looked tight, and he hadn’t shaved. This was the closest Renata had been to him in months.

  “Hey.” Kenny marched into the apartment. He was holding a metal briefcase. “You got everything set up. Cool.” Kenny placed the aluminum box beside the gun on Renata’s kitchen table and opened it. Inside was a cleaning kit with brushes, rods, and jags. It even had a chamois for polishing.

  A set like this should have come with the gun, or I should buy one, Renata mused.

  Kenny carefully disassembled the Taurus and cleaned each part.

  “Be sure to get the build-up out of the barrel,” he told Renata. His demeanor was casual – like he was truly a friend. “Here, take a look at this.”

  Renata looked down the barrel. The metal was shiny.

  Kenny stood close, and his aroma wafted to Renata. She was transported to a dark place – a room filled with gray curtains. Curtains that went in your mouth and nose, making it hard to breathe. Was that her bedroom in Cameroon? It was as if she were a statue that was being moved. Why had she forgotten until now? She remembered the smell of his breath. All her muscles drew in. Renata’s skin was chilled, and she shivered.

  Renata snapped back to her apartment. Goose bumps covered her arms, and her face flushed. Kenny was dangerous. Luckily, he was still focused on her Taurus and he hadn’t noticed Renata’s realization.

  Renata opened her silverware drawer where she had stored the dart gun from Darwin’s mother. It was innocently laid next to the spoons, looking like a souvenir. A few days ago, she had loaded and examined the casing. It had a tight coil, like a slinky that was compressed, and it was held by a bamboo notch. Removing the small notch let the spring free, which propelled the needle off of a tiny platform. The blade of the needle was like a razor, and she could fire it with one hand. The force was strong; but how strong? Would it pierce skin? Renata’s heart was beating faster as she realized what she was going to do.

  Renata swiftly pulled out a dart. It was the size of a sewing needle. She placed it into the tiny weapon, making sure the coated yellow end was facing out. The whole gun was smaller than a tube of lipstick, so it could easily be hidden in her hand. She removed the bamboo lid and left it in the drawer. “Would you like some tea or a beer?” she offered, hoping Kenny couldn’t hear her heart beating.

  “Sure, a beer would be great.” Kenny’s back was to Renata. He continued working with the gun. Was he humming contentedly? She grabbed a bottle from the fridge and held the dart gun in her other hand. Would that bit of yellow substance be enough to affect a full-grown man? Should she trust Esperanza’s and Darwin’s dart with her safety?

  “Thanks,” Kenny said, as Renata dropped the beer on the table and migrated over to the desk drawer. She nonchalantly took out her Pitbull. Kenny hadn’t looked up. She put the gun down the back of her pants, between her cheeks. It’s now or never, Renata told herself, summoning up her strength.

  “So, you got the barrel clean?” She put her head near his. The acrid odor of her fear blended with his deceitful one. Renata reached her arm around the back of Kenny’s neck as if to pat his back. She touched the notch of the dart gun with her thumb. It fired.

  “What the fuck!” Kenny turned as Renata pulled out her Pitbull, safety off, and pointed at his face. The dart stood perpendicular in Kenny’s neck. He looked like Frankenstein’s monster. “Renata.” His voice was weaker than it should have been.

  “Get over there.” Holding the gun on him, Renata directed Kenny away from the table into an upholstered chair. He was sluggish and ambled onto the chair cooperatively. Kenny’s eyes looked alert, but his face was drooping. He seemed to have forgotten about the dart in his neck. If I hit the jugular and the poison is strong, he might die, Renata realized. Maybe she should have thought this through. Kenny was neutralized, but did she want him dead?

  Gun in one hand, phone in the other, she tapped Adam’s number. He answered on the first ring. Repeating the last words of their lunch together, she said, “Can you help me?”

  “Of course.” Adam heard the fear in her voice.

  “Come over right away!”

  “Okay.” A moment later the buzzer rang; he must have been downstairs. They’d decided Adam wouldn’t follow Kenny anymore, but it was apparent that he still had. Renata was grateful.

  “Stay put,” Renata told Kenny, a
s she went to unlock her door for Adam. Kenny’s eyes were cloudy, and his head was resting on the back of the chair. He looked almost comatose. She kept the gun trained on him, just in case.

  “What happened?” Adam asked. A red welt had formed around the needle in Kenny’s neck. “What’s that?” Adam pointed at the needle.

  “It’s a poison dart from Guatemala. I guess it worked.” Renata’s heart rate was finally slowing down.

  Adam stepped in front of Kenny. Kenny’s eyes moved, and he made a noise from deep in his throat.

  “What’s that you’re saying, Kenny?” Adam asked sarcastically. “Nice to see you again, my friend.” He took Kenny’s limp hand in a handshake and it fell back onto the chair. “Looks like you didn’t need me,” Adam said to Renata, who was still pointing the gun at Kenny.

  Kenny’s face hardened, and his nostrils flared ever so slightly.

  “He’s not so scary now, huh?” Adam smiled at Renata. “How long will this stuff last? It’s not fatal, is it?”

  “I’m pretty sure it’s for stunning, not killing,” Renata said. She had googled the weapon, but couldn’t identify exactly what was on her dart. Darwin had only said it was frog poison.

  “Will he come out of it soon?” Adam asked.

  “I can take care of that,” Renata said. Handing the pistol to Adam, she retrieved a skein of rope. It was lovingly coiled – she had missed the feeling of it against her palms. It had been too long since she had tied anyone up. Renata roped Kenny’s legs together beautifully. She put four perfect knots in a line from his ankles to his belt. It took less than five minutes. Not bad, Renata thought as she examined her work. After finishing his legs, she took another loop of rope and tied his torso to the chair. It was like tying up a dead person. Kenny’s body didn’t react at all. Was he going to die? She didn’t want to be a murderer again, even if he deserved it.

  “Should I remove the dart?” Kenny wasn’t going anywhere, and it might save his life.

  Adam put the gun down on the table next to Kenny’s beer bottle. “Let’s give it a couple more minutes.” Adam sat on a kitchen chair opposite the tied man.

  He wasn’t worried about Kenny at all. Then again, he hasn’t murdered anyone before, Renata thought.

  “If you want to live, you’re going to have to answer some questions,” Adam addressed Kenny. “A blink of the eyes means yes, and no blink means no. You got it?” Kenny blinked his eyes once. The dart moved slightly as his eyes opened and closed. Adam began a series of questions, his tone like a lawyer.

  “Do you work for Fitzer?” Kenny blinked. Adam and Renata both knew he did, but as a bodyguard.

  “Did you steal Renata’s DNA?” Adam kept firing.

  Kenny didn’t blink.

  “Did you steal from Renata’s body?” Adam shouted.

  This time Kenny blinked right away.

  “Good man, thanks for being honest,” Adam praised. “Do you know why you were directed to do that?”

  Kenny didn’t blink. It was most likely true that Kenny hadn’t been told about Fitzer’s plan. He wasn’t a scientist, just a foot soldier.

  Was he a victim of Fitzer too? Renata wondered. Then she reminded herself that he’d violated her. He did that all by himself, even if it was on Fitzer’s orders.

  Adam kept going. “Have you been following Renata?”

  Kenny blinked.

  “Is that part of your orders?”

  He blinked again.

  “Did you rape Renata?” Adam asked softly. He kept his gaze on Kenny. Renata flushed at the tenderness of the question.

  No blink, but tension and fear surfaced on Kenny’s pupils.

  Adam took the gun from the table and pointed it at Kenny. Adam stood and shouted, “DID YOU RAPE RENATA?”

  Kenny didn’t blink, but a single tear formed and made tracks down his cheek. Renata felt like throwing up.

  “Adam, really, its okay,” she said. Were they killing Kenny? Why was he crying? Renata knew she had been violated, but she didn’t know exactly how. Maybe she was afraid to know the truth. Anyhow, Kenny was the pawn of a bigger enemy; she was sure of that.

  Adam noticed that Renata was looking as traumatized as Kenny, so he backed off.

  “I think that’s all I need to know.” Adam pulled on the end of the rope that tied Kenny’s torso to the chair. Renata’s knots were complex and tight, though, and Adam couldn’t undo them.

  “Could you please untie him, m’lady?” Adam said playfully. He took a paper towel and pulled the dart out of Kenny’s neck. A stream of blood dripped from the wound. “Yuck,” Adam said as he pressed the paper towel onto the blood.

  “I’ll be right back,” Renata said. She ran to the bathroom and lifted the toilet lid. In three heaves, she emptied her stomach.

  “Oh, shit, you okay?” Adam called.

  “Yup.” Once she recovered, she swiftly untied Kenny, and Adam dragged him to the apartment door. Grabbing his belt loops, Adam pulled him down the stairs while Renata protected his head from bouncing. Luckily, none of the other residents were around. They stopped in the entranceway, and Adam propped open the door to the building.

  Grabbing his phone and punching in 911, Adam said, “Hello, I’d like to report a junkie. He’s in a bad way. Yes, I want to stay anonymous.” He gave the operator the address of Renata’s building.

  Adam and Renata climbed back up to her apartment. Renata did her zazen meditation quietly in the kitchen while the water boiled for tea. Adam sat at the table staring into space.

  A few quiet days passed at work with no communication from Adam. There was no word from or about Kenny. It was a welcome repose. Renata worked diligently on her project and was feeling confident. Emails from Darwin showed healthy progress. Erik was on another business trip, so the office was serene and neutral.

  It was the first time in a while that Renata didn’t have a lover available. She knew she could call Adam or Alexa, but she didn’t. Instead she spent her evenings practicing zazen and shibari.

  29

  Kenny Quits

  After two nights in rehab, Kenny was back home and back on the job. He was still listening in on Renata, but following her was no longer an option. After almost dying at the hands of those two freaks, he had managed to partially bail on Fitzer. He wanted out. He’d explained that he’d sprained an ankle. He’d eavesdrop, but he wasn’t going anywhere. Furthermore, he booked a flight the following week to go down south. Kenny was clear about being done: he was getting paid and getting as far away from Fitzer as possible. He was surprised that Tim agreed to his terms. Perhaps they’d heard about how he’d been caught.

  Renata’s quiet week transitioned to nights filled with rumination. Her questions led to one answer. She was sure that her genetic material had been stolen and was being used. But what could she do about it? Internet searches told her of other unwilling victims. In two cases, DNA had been taken from patients in surgery, and there was little legal recourse. Many hospitals and labs were still using the material from some poor woman from the 1950’s with a rare form of cancer. Her relatives had not been able to stop the widespread distribution of her replicated bio samples. Researchers were still using her cells in labs all over the place.

  Another guy had some weird pancreatic condition, and the surgeons took his samples right from the operating table. Innocent scientists and lab workers were using his cells to find cures and help others. Was that so wrong? Stealing from someone’s body, an actual piece of them, felt wrong to Renata. Who knew what Fitzer’s long-term goal with her tissue was? She wasn’t sure if she believed Adam’s theory that Fitzer was using REN to make female Viagra. They were thieves! Would she have given them permission to use her DNA if they had asked?

  Should she get a lawyer? Renata didn’t want anyone investigating her past. It would be better to take care of things on her own.

  30

  The Freezer

  Leaving work early, Renata jetted to her apartment. She was excited. She changed
into black leggings, a tank top, and a hoodie. She slipped on her running shoes and grabbed her gun, which she tucked into the leggings and pulled the hoody over. At the door, she remembered the dart gun and put it in her front pocket with her phone.

  Back in the Audi, Renata cruised over to the Lindahl Gage lab. Traffic was merciful, and she got there faster than expected. It was 4:47 when she crossed through the big white door of the lab. The reception was quiet and deserted. What luck! She wouldn’t have to use her unrehearsed speech. Following the sign that said “Restroom,” Renata locked herself into the Ladies and sat in the stall to wait for the office to close.

  The sounds of doors opening echoed into the bathroom. Renata heard snippets of conversations. “See you Monday,” a man’s voice announced. Soon all was quiet. Fortunately, no ladies had needed the facilities. Thinking back, the only woman Renata could remember from her first visit was the receptionist. The staff must be predominantly male. Her phone said 6:13. The time had passed lightning fast. Renata unlocked the bathroom and stepped outside.

  She walked through the carpeted hallway. The five offices on either side were dark. Renata made her way back toward the lab area to see what she could discover. She heard voices from inside. Through the glass window in the door, she saw Claussen and another man in a heated discussion. The more she watched, the more Renata realized that the man looked familiar. Then it hit her. It was Tim, and he was shouting at the scientist, towering over the poor man seated in his office chair.

  “If you don’t get me results, I will take my business elsewhere!” Tim pointed his finger in the air. “And I’ll restart the game, so your investments will disappear.”

  “Listen,” Renata heard the chief scientist say as she pressed her ear against the door. “Give me some more time.” Claussen wiped his forehead with his fingertips. His lips moved, but Renata couldn’t hear what he was saying. She pressed harder against the door. Suddenly the metal latch slipped out of its cove and the door opened. The noise filled the lab like thunder.