by R Arundel
“He seems to be looking into Tom’s murder. Is that just a bluff?”
“We think Tom found out about him, then Matthew killed him. We’re not sure what he’s doing now. He ambushed me—threatened to kill me in the dark. He had all these paranoid stories. I told him to come in, explain himself. He refused.”
“But why the killing spree: Amanda, Patricia?”
“Desperate attempt to cover his tracks.”
The president agrees. “Desperate is right.”
“He has become a problem.”
“Jason has the order?”
Quentin nods. “On a happier note, The Freeze is operational. The missiles have all been armed and are ready to fire at any time.”
“Good.”
“We now have the vaccine; it’s in the final testing stage.”
“How long before we begin vaccine distribution to the centers that have The Freeze?”
“Probably a few weeks.”
“Perfect.”
Quentin says, “One last thing. Our analysts have all been telling us they hear chatter.”
“Specifics?”
“No, but something is going to happen. It’s going to be big.”
“What?”
“We can’t get any more. We’re trying to work our sources, but we have nothing at all.”
“Nothing? No ideas about where?”
“We think it’s on American soil.”
“Here? Terrorists?”
The lines around the president’s mouth deepen.
“We’re not sure if they’re foreign or homegrown.”
“Do I issue an alert?”
“Not yet, it’s too vague. It may be nothing, we wait to see if it firms up.”
“Keep me informed.”
***
Kofi sits in the operating chair. Liam stands over Matthew on the operating room table.
Kofi gives the verbal command. “Face up.”
Slowly, a titanium canister elevates from the secure region. The top unscrews. Kofi then uses the robotic arms to position the face.
Liam has made the incisions to remove the face that was on Matthew. Liam thinks to himself, Steven Jardine is going back in a can. Slowly Liam removes the face. It is very strange looking at the muscles and underlying blood vessels without a face. He places the face on the table for the robotic arms to put in the canister.
Kofi uses the joysticks as he looks at the TV monitor in front of him. The robot arms wrap the face gently in white cloth.
Sarah is mesmerized by the process. The body without its face is a spectacular site. She thinks it is the best anatomy lesson she will ever see. The blood vessels, muscles, and tissues all pulsate with life. The eyes are eerie. The same blue eyes stare from a bed of pulsating muscle. Bright red blood vessels and thick blue veins criss-cross over red muscle. She watches Kofi expertly maneuver Matthew’s real face onto him.
Kofi speaks. “Administer Steriazol.”
Liam then opens the white bottle with the red top. He pours the Steriazol on the wounds and incisions. Kofi watches on the giant monitor. Sarah leans over from her position at the anesthetic machine. Liam has the perfect position, standing directly at the operating room table. They all are silent as they watch the wounds heal, like magic. The face took completely, no problems.
Kofi gives his final command. “Transplant complete, success, no complications, reverse anesthetic.”
Sarah answers, “Anesthetic reversed.”
In no time, Matthew sits up and talks.
Liam says, “I planted a story for Raymond Chiang.”
Kofi asks, “The owner of Chiang Lo Pharmaceuticals?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve done business with his family. They’re a manufacturing juggernaut in China. His father was a legend.”
Liam looks at Matthew. “Your cover is that you are trying to set up a new program at home. I had a few people that he knows call and corroborate it.”
Matthew says, “That should work nicely. As the only supplier of Idolatis Etiensis, Chiang has to know where all the transplant labs are.”
Kofi says, “He’ll know which lab is most likely to be on the edge.”
Matthew stretches. “That will be the lab that still has that canister that we almost transplanted the night Mr. Glock paid us a visit.”
Sarah asks, “How do we get out when we’re finished?”
Liam says, “Don’t worry, I’ve taken care of it.”
Kofi says, “I think finding out who are his customers will be key. We just need to find the one who looks sketchy.
Sarah says, “You’re assuming there will be just one.”
Kofi tries to reassure her. “Chiang is not going to risk his family reputation by doing business with shady characters. He may not even know that the client is not on the up and up.”
Liam says, “I agree. If we operate under the assumption that there is a mastermind, he will be using Idolatis Etiensis. Raymond Chiang can lead us to him.”
Matthew looks in the mirror and rubs his face.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Sarah gently touches Liam’s arm. She nods toward Matthew.
Liam says, “I think the hum of the engine has put him to sleep.”
“He looks like a little boy. He’s sleeping so peacefully.”
“You’d do well to get some sleep.”
The drone of the engine creates a monotonous buzz, but Sarah can’t sleep.
Liam says, “We’ll get some answers from this trip, then that will be it. We don’t have to solve this. You can start your world travel.”
Sarah nods toward Matthew. “Do you think he’ll stop looking?”
“We’ve done enough. We have to convince him to turn it over to the police.”
“You think he’ll ever give up?”
“No, you’re probably right. Stop gripping the chair so tight. Your muscles are going to tense up.”
“I’m always like this when I fly.”
“We’ll be at the transfer landing site shortly. Another pilot will take you guys on to China. No need to worry now.”
“Did you know China is on my bucket list?”
“It’s a beautiful place.”
“I was planning to go to China on my farewell world tour. Now I get to.”
“Just not in the way you planned.”
“Just not in the way I planned.”
“Sometimes life is ironic.”
Sarah laughs. “I wanted some excitement in my life, a little adventure. One last hurrah. Now I’ve got it.”
“Be careful what you wish for.”
“The muscle stiffness is almost every morning now.”
“You’re handling it well. ALS is a difficult disease. Is there nothing to slow this thing down?”
“Lots of great research, but no answers.”
“Then we need to raise some money to get more research.”
“I read the funniest thing while researching ALS. The ‘Ice Bucket Challenge.’”
“Ice Bucket Challenge?”
Sarah says, “Yeah, decades ago some people just started dumping ice water over their heads to raise money for ALS.”
“Bizarre.”
“I know.”
“So they would just dump ice water over their heads?”
“Yep. They got some of the major celebrities of the day to do it.”
“Who?”
“I couldn’t even remember the names; they’re long gone now.”
“As long as there’s research, there’s hope.”
Sarah is quiet for a moment. “I’m just afraid of being locked in.”
“I’m not going to tell you it will be easy. It won’t.”
“Eventually I won’t be able to control any of my muscles, only my eyes.”
“That’s a ways off. Let’s focus on the now. You’re a beautiful, vibrant, energetic woman.” Liam rubs Sarah’s hand.
“Thanks.”
Liam nods to Matthew. “Have you told him a
nything?”
“No, he’s consumed with finding Tom’s killer. I want to keep my problems to myself. I nearly told him when we were going to Houston, but he’s got enough problems.”
“I’m here for you. We’re gonna get you on that trip.”
***
A small four-door sedan is waiting at the small airstrip when they land in China. The ride into the bustling Chinese city takes the better part of one hour. By the time they check into their tiny hotel, they are spent. Matthew and Sarah fall asleep as soon as they shut the door. Sarah has a smile on her face. The next morning they prepare for the meeting with Raymond Chiang.
Sarah sits at a small table at a restaurant just down the road from Chiang Lo Pharmaceuticals. The restaurant is very busy with locals and expats, so she blends in well. The food looks fresh and the portions generous. She orders seared tuna. She can see the entrance to the building so that she will not miss Matthew when he comes out. Matthew goes directly to the building. He has phoned ahead to confirm his appointment. Liam did a good job because they are looking forward to seeing Matthew. He poses as Isaac Hall, an American facial transplant surgeon interested in buying Idolatis Etiensis, the raw material for Steriazol for a new program in the southeastern United States. Potentially a very lucrative contract, he wants to meet with Mr. Raymond Chiang, the CEO, to discuss it further. They bought his story.
Matthew is ushered into a large office. The heavy wood desk and intricate woodworking with motifs of dragons convey dignified opulence. There are some Chinese art figures in the built-in cabinetry across from the desk. The large computer on the desk is off and the work space neat.
Raymond Chiang enters from a separate door. Matthew stands up to shake his hand.
“Hi. Dr. Isaac Hall?” Raymond’s tone is welcoming and his expression warm. They shake hands.
“Hello, Mr. Chiang,” says Matthew.
Raymond Chiang sits at his desk and turns on his computer. “How can I be of service?”
“I am going to begin a regional facial transplant program in the southeastern United States, as I was telling your assistant. I am interested in a purchase agreement on Idolatis Etiensis.”
Mr. Chiang laughs. “You are on a quest to make the perfect Steriazol. You and all the other labs around the world. You Americans are my best customers.”
“We are the leaders in this field.”
“Most of the new programs just buy the compound from a nearby university. It’s easier. You won’t need much initially.”
Matthew nonchalantly asks, “Do you have a list of your clients? I can see who’s in my region.”
“I studied in America, Dr. MacAulay, at the finest institutions. I am no fool. What I want to know is how you were able to get out of the States. They are looking for you everywhere. You’re wanted in connection with multiple murders. Rumor has it that you are selling US secrets related to face transplants. So let’s drop this pretense. You look ridiculous.”
“You seem to know quite a lot about me.”
“Did you really think that your story about a face transplant program would fly? The whole transplant community knows about Tom’s death. The rumors are everywhere about who killed him and why. Then your name gets connected to a nurse’s murder as a ‘person of interest.’ No one believes for a minute Tom died of a heart attack. And then my assistant coincidentally gets a call about someone wanting to set up a new program. You have precisely thirty seconds to tell me why you’re here before I push a small button under my desk and three very large men ask you not too politely to leave my premises.”
“Your information seems to be very good. You can see why I just didn’t call and say, ‘Hi, this is Dr. MacAulay, wanted murderer. Can we talk?’”
“I can see how that would make one less inclined to give you an introduction. What is it you desire?”
“I need to see your list of customers.”
“Oh, that’s all, you want to see the list of our highly valued clients.”
Matthew waits quietly.
“What is this about?”
“All I can say is it is important.”
“That’s it?”
“You really don’t want to know any more.”
“There are rumors circulating about some transplant thefts, body snatching, Tom Grabowski’s involvement.”
“I haven’t figured out who killed Tom or why. What I can say is I did not kill him or his wife. I am searching to uncover the truth. No one knows I have left the US, and no one knows I’m here. Your company and your reputation are safe. You knew Tom; he spoke very fondly of you. Do you want to see justice done by him?”
“My father sent me to America to study. Tom was my very first American friend. He was tall and big, my idea of an American. He made me feel welcome with his booming laugh. I knew him for over thirty years.”
“Did he talk about his work?”
“Not specifically. But I knew he was onto something. He had recently purchased more Idolatis. He had specific requests to make sure the plant he got was from the same soil and region.
“He was doing some groundbreaking things.”
“It’s no surprise. He spoke of you Matthew. He was very proud of you. He thought of you as a son—you should know that. I think he may have had a premonition he was going to die. He called me a few days before, wanted to remember the old days. We talked college football.”
“I will not stop until I find his murderer, of that you can be sure.”
“The rumors I hear are wild, fantastic in fact. Most have you as a spy and out-of-control killer.”
- “Why would I come here and take this risk if I were the killer they suspect? It makes no sense.”
Raymond Chiang takes a long look at him. “I have a feeling my headquarters are being watched. At first I suspected a foreign power. Now I think it is all related to Tom’s death. I’ve had the place swept and surveillance increased but have come up with nothing.”
“Can you help me?”
“Tom was a good man, and he deserved a better end. Leave via this door.” Raymond points to the door he came in. “The men there will take you back to your hotel.”
Matthew is escorted to the waiting car. Sarah is in the back seat.
Sarah says, “They picked me up as soon as I finished my meal.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Alice is resplendent, her computer center glowing. It looks as if Kofi has polished her. The towering white sides and brushed aluminum make her look like a piece of sculpture that is out of place in the old warehouse. Kofi sits at a table.
Kofi says, “So you’re off to Macau?”
Matthew sits in the robotic chair. “Raymond gave me the list. His best guess is a lab in Macau. I agree.”
Liam says, “ There are no transplant surgeons on Macau; it’s just off the coast of China. The Chinese on the mainland have all the centers. Is he really sure?”
Kofi says, “It’s a gambling place. Very nice, I’ve been.”
Matthew says, “I’m positive the missing canister is in Macau that contains the face I was supposed to transplant. The cleanup crew took the canister. They didn’t really worry about looking for us. I now see the important thing was the face in that canister. Not the face of the person we were to transplant. That canister holds the key.”
Liam looks at the brush aluminum detailing on Alice and gently fondles the knobs. “He’s right. Whoever is behind this does not want that face destroyed.”
Kofi says, “So we can assume the face is stored somewhere secure.”
Liam says, “The conditions under which the canister has to be stored are such that only three centers in the US could do this. It has to be perfect; any deviation and the face is lost.”
Matthew says, “On the night that I was forced to do the transplant, I thought we were going to hide someone’s identity. I now think we were transplanting a face for someone to take someone else’s identity. The face in the canister is key. They wouldn’t try to store it in this
country; there are too many checks on those canisters. They would go somewhere they had already set up.”
Kofi grins. “Macau.”
Liam says, “The perfect place for them to run the operation. It all fits.”
After a moment, Kofi says, “I have some information on The Binary Sequence. It is a government file listing how to integrate our facial transplant work with the bioweapons program to have maximum effect.”
Liam stares at Kofi. “I had no idea the government had such a plan.”
“Few do. I’m sure the scientists developing the bioweapons are being told they are working on genetic mutations for vaccines or some other good cause.”
Sarah is absently checking the anesthetic machine.
Matthew asks, “Could this be connected? Are we dealing with bioweapons and facial transplantation?”
Kofi says, “It’s my guess. We are starting to make sense of all the haze. We are dealing with something on a big scale. That’s why whoever is behind this is willing to stop at nothing.”
Sarah speaks for the first time. “Great.”
Alice joins the conversation too. “I’ve been looking into this. There is no mention of The Binary Sequence in any of the documents I have been able to access. Therefore, it is only available in the highest levels of government. The encryption is such that I am having trouble getting in at that level. I don’t think I can. The Binary Sequence outlines a plan that may be somehow integrated into the present murders. Someone with access to the document entitled ‘The Binary Sequence’ may have either plotted a terrorist attack or given someone the information.”
Sarah asks, “But what’s in the works?”
Kofi says, “What and where we have no way to know. I agree with Matthew. As soon as we find out whose face is in that canister, we will be a long way to solving who killed Tom, and more importantly why.”
Matthew says, “At that point we’ll be able to solve this thing.”
Liam looks at each of them. “We’re making some progress now. It’s getting clearer. We should all assume we are targets now.”
Sarah sighs. “Great. The government wants to kill us because they think Matthew’s selling secrets. Someone else wants to kill us because they think we know something, but really we don’t know much. That someone else may be a different part of government, a different government, or someone else entirely. And oh, something major may happen soon, but when, where, and how we have no idea. Have I missed anything?”