The Last Oracle (2008) sf-5

by James Rollins

  Other children said they saw him on fire in their own dreams. At first he thought they were making fun of him, but after the first few times, they all started looking strangely at him, seldom talked to him, rarely played with him.

  Teachers grew angry, too. They scolded, didn't let him have sweetcakes with honey, said he upset the other children to the point that no one did well on their tests for days afterward. They blamed him for scaring everyone.

  And it scared him, too, down to the bones and that was only a dream. This darkness now was no dream.

  Panicked, he strained to escape it, but it was everywhere. He sought light where there was none. Even that path terrified him, but it was better than the smothering inkiness.

  Out of the darkness, pinpricks of light appeared like fiery needles punched through black cloth, willed into being by his terror. Just a few, then more and more. He stared upward as the starry landscape spread and pushed back the darkness.

  But he knew the truth. These were no stars.

  As Pyotr strained, his heart fluttered like a trapped bird. He stared upward as the stars grew brighter, swelling larger as they fell closer. He knew he should turn away. But his eyes opened wider as did the darkness inside him. It also sought the light, howling out of the dark pit, needing to be fed.

  Stars began to fall faster and faster, a few at first, then others followed.

  From all directions, they swept down upon him, crashing toward him.

  He heard the cries and felt the hammering hearts. They filled him with their light. He fell backward as the night sky collapsed upon him and lit his core on fire.

  Distantly, he heard a simian howl of warning.

  Because Marta knew his secret.

  In those waking moments after his nightmares, when he woke screaming, it wasn't just fear it was also exhilaration.

  Something was dreadfully wrong with the children.

  After cutting the power, Savina had continued to study the camera feed from M. C.

  337. Though she had no audio, it was plain the children remained agitated, milling in confusion, some crying, most walking or standing shell-shocked. The only one who appeared in control was Konstantin. He moved among them, appearing into view, then disappearing again.

  Savina kept a watch to see if Pyotr was among them.

  Though she had ten Omega subjects, if the boy was there

  Then one of the children in view dropped to the floor. A neighboring child turned to the slumped child, then she also fell, as if clubbed. More and more children collapsed. Panicked, one boy ran past then he, too, succumbed.

  The technical engineer also noted the same. Is it the neurotoxin?

  Savina stared, unsure. The radiosensitive compound was inert unless exposed to high doses of radiation. The readings at M. C. 337 had never been that high. A moment later, Konstantin reappeared. He carried a limp girl in his arms. It was his sister Kiska. He turned straight at the camera. His eyes full of terror.

  Then Savina saw it like a light snapped off in his eyes. The fear vanished to a dullness and down he went.

  It wasn't the neurotoxin.

  Konstantin and Kiska hadn't consumed the medication.

  A thump sounded from overhead. Then another and another.

  Savina stared up.

  Oh, no

  Turning, she ran for the stairs. She flew up them two at a time. Her back cramped, and her heart pounded with a lance of pain. She burst into the room where the ten children had been waiting for her.

  They had all collapsed, in chairs, on the floor, heads lolling, limbs slack. She rushed to Boris, knelt beside him, and checked the pulse at his throat. She felt a weak beat under her fingertips.

  Still alive.

  She rolled him over and lifted his eyelids, which hung at half-mast. The boy's pupils were dilated wide and nonresponsive to light.

  She climbed back to her feet and stared around the room.

  What was happening?

  20

  September 7, 2:17 A. M.

  Washington, D. C.

  Painter hurried down the hall. He didn't need any more trouble, but he got it.

  The entire command bunker was in lockdown mode after the attack. As he had suspected, after the fiery death of Mapplethorpe, the few remaining combatants ghosted away into the night. Painter was determined to find each and every one of them, along with every root and branch that supplied Mapplethorpe with the resources and intelligence to pull off this attack.

  In the meantime, Painter had to regain order here.

  He had a skeleton team pulled back inside. The injured had been transported to local hospitals. The dead remained where they were. He didn't want anything disturbed until he could bring in his own forensic team. It was a grim tour of duty here this evening. Though Painter had employed the air scrubbers and ventilation to clear the accelerant, it did nothing to erase the odor of charred flesh.

  And on top of resecuring the facility here, he was fielding nonstop calls from every branch of the intelligence agency: both about what had happened here and about the aborted terrorist act at Chernobyl. Painter stonewalled about most of it. He didn't have time for debriefings or to play the political game of who had the bigger dick. The only brief call he took was from a grateful president.

  Painter used that gratitude to buy him the latitude to put off everyone else.

  Another attack threatened.

  That was the top priority.

  And as the latest problem was tied to that matter, he gave it his full and immediate attention. Reaching the medical level, he crossed to one of the private rooms. He entered and found Kat and Lisa flanking a bed.

  Sasha lay atop it as Lisa repositioned an EEG lead to the child's temple.

  She's sick again? Painter asked.

  Something new, Lisa answered. She's not febrile like before.

  Kat stood with her arms crossed. Lines of worry etched her forehead. I was reading to her, trying to get her to sleep after everything that had happened.

  She was listening. Then suddenly she sat up, turned to an empty corner of the room, called out the name Pyotr, then went limp and collapsed.

  Pyotr? Are you sure?

  She nodded. Yuri mentioned Sasha had a twin brother named Pyotr. It must have been a hallucination.

  While they talked, Lisa had retreated to a bank of equipment and began powering them up. Sasha was wired to both an EKG and EEG, monitoring cardiac and neurological activity.

  Is her device active? Painter asked, nodding to Sasha's TMS unit.

  No, Lisa answered. Malcolm checked. He's already come and gone. Off to make some calls. But something's sure active. Her EEG readings are showing massive spiking over the lateral convexity of the temporal lobe. Specifically on the right side, where her implant is located. It's almost as if she's having a temporal lobe seizure. Contrarily her heart rate is low and her blood pressure dropped to her extremities. It's as if all her body's resources are servicing the one organ.

  Her brain, Painter said.

  Exactly. Everything else is in shutdown mode.

  But to what end?

  Lisa shook her head. I have no idea. I'm going to run some more tests, but if she doesn't respond, I can think of only one possible solution.

  What's that? Kat asked.

  Though the TMS implant is not active, the spiking EEGs are centered around it.

  I can't help but believe those neuro-electrodes are contributing to what's happening to her. Her electrical activity is frighteningly high in that region as if those wires in her brain are acting like lightning rods. If I can't calm her neural activity, she may burn herself out.

  Kat paled at her assessment. You mentioned a solution.

  Lisa sighed, not looking happy. We may need to remove her implant. That's where

  Malcolm went, to make some calls to a neurosurgeon at George Washington.

  Painter crossed and put an arm around Kat's shoulders. He knew how attached she had become to the child. They had lost many li
ves protecting her. To lose her now

  We'll do everything we can, Painter promised her.

  Kat nodded.

  Painter's beeper buzzed on his belt. He slipped his arm free and checked the number. The Russian embassy. That was one call he had to take. Gray should be landing at Chelyabinsk in another few minutes.

  As he glanced back up, Lisa waved him away with a small tired smile. I'll call you if there's any change.

  He headed for the door then a sudden thought intruded, something he had set aside and not yet addressed. He frowned questioningly over to Kat.

  Earlier, he said, I don't know if I heard you correctly.

  Kat looked at him.

  What did you mean when you said Monk was still alive?

  12:20 P. M.

  Southern Ural Mountains

  Monk sidled along the train in the pitch dark. He ran his stumped forearm along the cabs as he moved down the tracks. He stretched and waved his other hand in front of him. Stumbling over railroad ties and larger stones in the gravel, he worked his way from the front of the train toward the back.

  A moment before, as Monk had stepped out of the train, Pyotr had stopped screaming. It had cut off abruptly. The silence was even worse, creating a stillness as complete as the darkness. Monk's heart pounded.

  Reaching the next ore car, he hiked up over the edge and waved his arm into the open space. Pyotr?

  His voice sounded exceptionally loud, echoing down the tunnel. But he didn't know where the boy was or even if he was still on the train. The only option was to work methodically backward.

  Monk hopped back down and moved toward the next car. He stretched his right arm out again, sweeping ahead of him

  then something grabbed his hand.

  Monk yelped in surprise. Warm leathery fingers wrapped around his. He reflexively yanked his arm back, but the fingers held firm. A soft hoot accompanied the grip.

  Marta! Monk dropped and gave her a fumbling hug in the dark.

  She returned it, nudging her cheek against his, and gave a soft chuff of relief.

  Her entire body trembled. He felt the pounding of her heart against his chest.

  She broke the embrace but kept hold of his hand. She urged him to follow with a gentle tug.

  Monk gained his feet and allowed her to guide him. He knew where she was taking him. To Pyotr. Moving more swiftly, Monk reached the last cab. Unlike the open ore cars in the middle, the last cab was enclosed.

  Marta hopped through an open door.

  Monk climbed in after her. The old chimpanzee shuffled and herded him to a back corner. He found Pyotr on the floor, flat out on his back.

  Monk's hand patted over him, defining his shape out of the darkness. Pyotr?

  There was no response.

  He felt the boy's chest rise and fall. Fingers checked his small face. Was he injured? Had he taken a fall? His skin was feverish to the touch. Then a tiny hand wandered like a lost bird and discovered Monk's fingers and gripped hard.

  Pyotr, thank God. Monk scooped him up and sat with the boy in his lap. I've got you. You're safe.

  Small arms wrapped around his neck. Monk felt the burn of the boy's skin, even through his clothes.

  Pyotr spoke, at his ear. Go

  Monk felt a chill pass through him. The tone sounded deeper than Pyotr's normal tentative falsetto. Maybe it was the dark, maybe it was the boy's raw fear. But

  Monk felt no tremble in his thin limbs. The single word had more command than plea.

  Still, it was not a bad idea.

  He stood and lifted the boy up. Pyotr seemed heavier, though Monk was past the edge of exhaustion into a bone-deep fatigue, near collapse. Marta helped guide him to the door. He jumped out and landed hard. With the boy in his arms, he hurried back toward the front of the train. He had brought one rifle with him, but he'd left the other in the front cab.

  Reaching the car, Monk asked, Can you ?

  Even before he finished the question, Pyotr clambered out of his arms and gained his own feet.

  Stay here. Monk quickly climbed inside, grabbed the second rifle, and slung it over his shoulder.

  He returned to Pyotr. The boy took his hand.

  Monk expelled one hard breath. Which direction? The train had stopped halfway along the tunnel. They could either return to Konstantin and the other children or continue ahead. But if they had any hope of stopping this madwoman, Monk saw no advantage in going back.

  Perhaps Pyotr thought the same thing. The boy set off in that direction. Toward

  Chelyabinsk 88.

  With two rifles strapped to his back and a boy and chimpanzee in tow, Monk marched down the pitch-black tunnel. They had come full circle and headed back home. But what sort of welcome would they face?

  The doctor shook his head. I'm sorry, General-Major. I don't know what's wrong with the children. They've never demonstrated this type of catatonia before.

  Savina stared across the room. A pair of nurses and two soldiers had helped spread the ten children on the floor, lined up like felled trees. They'd brought in pillows and blankets from the neighboring bedrooms. Two medical doctors had been summoned: Dr. Petrov specialized in neurology, and Dr. Rostropovich in bioengineering.

  In a sheepskin-trimmed jacket, Petrov stood with his fists on his hips. The medical team had been in the process of evacuating when called over here. A large caravan of trucks and vehicles was already lined up for departure.

  I'll need a full diagnostic suite to better understand what's happening, he said. And we've already dismantled

  Yes. I know. We'll have to wait until we reach the facility in Moscow. Can the children be transported safely?

  I believe so.

  Savina stared hard at the doctor. She did not like his equivocation.

  He nodded his head with more certainty. They're stable. We can move them.

  Then make arrangements.

  Yes, General-Major.

  Savina left further details to the medical staff and headed back down to the control bunker below. While dealing with the matter here, Savina had also been in contact with her resources in the Russian intelligence and military communities. The information gridlock at Chernobyl seemed to finally be loosening. Contradictory reports and rumors swirled around events at the ceremony: everything from a full nuclear meltdown to a foiled terrorist attack by Chechen rebels. The firming consensus was that there had definitely been a radiological leak, though the extent remained unclear.

  And why had Nicolas remained silent?

  The worry gnawed a ragged edge to her temper and patience.

  And now the strangeness with the children.

  Savina needed to clamp down on the chaos and focus on the matter at hand. No matter what the circumstances were at Chernobyl, Operation Saturn would proceed.

  Even if Nicolas had somehow failed, she would not. Her operation alone would unsettle the world economies, kill millions, and spread a radioactive swath halfway across the globe. It would be harder, but with the savant children still under their control, they would persevere.

  With such a focus in mind, she cast aside the confusion and sought the cold dispassion of the resolute. She knew what she must do.

  Reaching the bunker, she found the wall screens still dark, except for the grainy view of M. C. 337. She studied the spread of small bodies on the rocky floor. There was still no sign of movement over there.

  She turned to the two technicians. Why aren't the other cameras back online?

  The chief engineer stood up. The diagnostic reboot finished a few minutes ago.

  We were waiting on your orders to power systems back online.

  Savina sighed and pressed her fingertips to her forehead. Did everyone have to be dragged by the nose? She motioned to the board. Do it.

  Despite her desire to snap at the man, she kept her voice even. While she had ordered the shutdown, she had indeed left no standing order regarding the power situation.

  To avoid any further misunderstanding, Savina
pointed to the view of M. C. 337.

  Keep the power cut off to the other substation. All except its camera. She didn't want any more surprises from that side.

  As the two technicians set to work, lights flickered across the board, and the dark screens filled with images of the tunnel and the heart of her operation.

  Everything appeared fine except for one glaring exception.

  The train was no longer parked beside the mining site.

  Savina pointed to the screens. Bring up the cameras, sequentially down the tunnel. Find the train.

  Fingers punched keys at the master control, and snapshots of the tunnel flipped across the screen, dizzying her head. Then halfway down the passage, the train appeared. It sat idle on the tracks. Savina stepped closer to that monitor and studied the ore cars and cabs. She saw no movement. Someone could be hiding, but

  Savina didn't think so.

  Continue down the tunnel, she ordered.

  More digital images flowed. She spotted movement on one.

  Stop!

  A single wall lamp lit this section of the dark tunnel. It lay about a quarter klick from the blast doors. As Savina watched, figures appeared out of the darkness, walking into the light from the deeper tunnel.

  Savina's fingers tightened on the edge of the control board.

  It was the American leading a child by the hand.

  As they drew farther into the glow, Savina recognized the boy.

  Pyotr.

  Straightening, Savina glanced to the grainy image from M. C. 337. All the children remained collapsed. So why was this one boy still up and moving?

  General-Major? the engineer asked.

  Savina's mind spun but failed to settle on any explanation. She shook her head.

  As if sensing the eyes upon them, the pair stopped in the light. The American looked behind him. His eyes narrowed with confusion.

  As the power returned and pools of lights flickered into existence, Monk knew the cameras must also be online. Without much reason or ability to hide, Monk continued several steps, heading toward the nearest lamp. It was only then that he realized something was amiss.