He’d typed two random words without success and then entered ‘Padme.’ The red-lettered phrase ‘incorrect password’ mocked him, and then the login screen blanked out completely, probably because he’d exceeded the amount of login attempts. He stared at the black screen glumly before noticing the little blue light next to the holocam mounted above the old-fashioned 2D monitor had flickered on.
He focused on the holocam lens, instinctively asking, “Padme?”
Nothing happened. This wasn’t her office. Most likely, Phaco had the holocam set up so it recorded anyone who attempted unauthorized use of his computer. Still, Scott’s desperation made him say softly, “I’m sorry.”
The black screen changed to a live shot of Padme sitting in front of a blank white wall. Scott’s relief was profound, but he knew he had to focus on convincing her to help him - before Phaco returned.
“Hi,” he said.
“You look awful.”
“Thanks.”
“And you lied to me.” Her voice was cold.
“What do you think is worse, giving Lupus an easy death, or locking him up for the rest of his life?”
“He’ll escape.”
“No. He won’t.”
“Fournier is suspicious.” Even on camera, Scott could see her left eyelid contracting in a minute nervous tic.
“He’ll think Lupus was killed in the riots,” he said. “But he will find someone to replace him.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“You’re not safe. You haven’t been safe for so long you don’t remember how it feels, do you?”
Her mouth worked with no words coming out.
“I can make you feel safe again,” he said.
“As the wife of an XIA agent? Worrying about you constantly?”
Scott hoped his reaction didn’t show on his face. He knew she was delusional about their relationship, but the depth of her self-deception shocked him. She’d so easily jumped to the conclusion that they would marry - something that had never been mentioned - never even occurred to him to lie about. The word ‘love’ had never even escaped his lips. It would be the most heinous of lies. Even so, for Bryn he would do anything, say anything.
“I don’t have to work for the XIA. We can move across the country. I have friends in Seattle.” He’d told her that once.
“That’s right. You do, don’t you? It’s rainy there, though.”
“You’ll be my sunshine.” It was sappy poetic garbage, but it made her eyes light up. Then, just when he was beginning to think he might have won her over, the light faded. Somehow, he knew what had crossed her mind.
“Lupus told me about the baby,” he said.
Her face paled and then flushed. “Did he?”
“Do you want to keep it? Because if you do,” he swallowed and prepared to tell her he would raise it as his own, but she interrupted.
“Do you think it is Lupus’ child?”
Scott stared at her. He hadn’t thought that, actually. At the back of his mind ever since Lupus had dropped the pregnancy bomb had been the question: whose baby was it?
She looked away at something off camera and said slowly, “The baby is a clone.”
It made sense. The Lupus he knew wouldn’t let pregnancy stop him from killing anyone, even if the baby was his. He was a monster, and Scott couldn’t imagine him actually wanting a baby, especially not Padme’s. She was his thing, his toy; he owned her. When Lupus found out about her feelings for Scott, he would’ve begun thinking of her in terms of her expiration date. The only thing Scott could think of that might hold him back from killing her was Fournier himself. Padme was important to Fournier. She’d created his nanoneuron program.
As for Padme, who feared and hated Lupus so much she’d contracted with Scott to have him killed, it seemed impossible that she would allow herself to conceive. There was always the possibility that during the four months she’d claimed Fournier had kept her prisoner, she’d had no access to birth control, but Scott didn’t think that was the case. Lupus would have taken care of that.
Scott’s adopted sister May had been Fournier’s first attempt at cloning a human. She’d died because The Bestia Butcher had made mistakes in the cloning process, but Scott knew he’d tried again, using the same DNA - that of Bryn’s mother. Nicola, the result of that second attempt, was alive and living in hiding with her ‘father,’ Fournier. It was logical to assume Fournier hadn’t given up on his cloning experiments, but he’d need female bodies to use as incubators.
Bodies like Padme’s.
And now she was confirming it. Still staring off into the distance, Padme said, “Fournier decided it would be the perfect punishment for losing the nanoneuron program, to make me carry it.”
“Whose clone is it?”
She shook her head and finally looked into the camera. “I don’t know. Someone important enough that Lupus didn’t kill me when he found out I loved you.”
Scott let that admission slide. He’d heard voices out in the restaurant. Trying to disguise his urgency, he said, “Come to me.”
“There?”
“No.” With a blinding suddenness, he remembered the wire. Everything he and Padme had just said to each other had also been heard by Maddy Singh. How could he tell Padme where to meet him without Maddy’s soldiers making another kidnap attempt? As desperate as he was, he wouldn’t condemn Padme to Maddy’s dungeon. “Meet me where we saw each other last.”
“The-”
“Shh! Someone’s coming. I have to go. Phaco doesn’t know I’m on his computer. Meet me!”
“Okay. I love you.”
Scott looked into her brown eyes, thinking of Bryn’s green ones, and said, “I love you, too.”
Chapter Forty-three
Not even half an hour after Maddy took Mia away to examine the sick, she brought her back. This time, her conciliatory manner was absent. Bryn had noticed Maddy didn’t like to get her hands dirty, ordering Dillo to do all the manhandling of her prisoners, but now he lurked in the doorway while Maddy stormed into the dungeon, a death grip on Mia’s upper arm.
“Useless quack!” she exclaimed, propelling Mia forward until the smaller woman stumbled and fell.
Mia was a feisty one; Bryn had to give her that. She jumped to her feet and responded back with just as much heat, “They have a much better chance in a decent medical facility!”
Maddy pointed a stiffened, manicured finger in Mia’s face. “I told you I can get anything you need.”
“I need my freedom!”
Maddy lifted her arm like she was going to backhand her, but stopped herself. Lowering her arm slowly, she took a deep breath, as if she was summoning her dignity. She tugged her spangly sweater down around her hips.
“So you refuse to help us.”
“You have to help me help you. Give me the body of the carrier and let me go. An autopsy will go a long way towards confirming how this disease is spread, and then we can take measures to protect the public, including your people.”
The body of the carrier? So Junk was dead. Bryn thought of Carlos and his wife, and their son Antonio. Had the boy died, too?
“Oh, I think it’s a bit too late to protect my people. Now they just need saving, which according to you, can’t be done.”
“Your brother is doing remarkably well, as I said earlier. Of them all, he seems to be the one with the best chance.”
Maddy closed her eyes. “And yet you still think giving him the xenograft had nothing to do with it?”
Mia opened her mouth and shook her head, finally saying in a near-whisper, “I don’t see how.”
“Just because you don’t understand something, doesn’t mean it isn’t real.”
Maddy put her hands to her face and rubbed her forehead between her eyebrows. “This has been one bloody awful day.” She lowered her hands and her strange eyes drifted to Jason and hardened. “As for you, we have unfinished business, do we not?”
“No.” He said it with
out the slightest trace of fear, as if he was calling an end to Maddy’s games.
“No? So you’re ready to talk? Because I’m a woman of my word, and since I promised ‘Cougar’ I wouldn’t hurt his pet porcupine, I thought I’d see how you felt about our pretty little doctor having her fingernails pulled out...one...by...one.”
Jason lifted a shoulder and looked Mia up and down. “She’s not my type anyway.”
“Okay,” Maddy said. “That’s fine. You’ve proven your manhood, Dragila, and your loyalty to whomever you work for. I get that. But how long do you think it will take for Bryn to break after the doctor starts screaming? I’m sure she knows who you are, and will gladly tell me once the fun begins.”
Bryn sat looking down at her hands, clenched tightly in her lap. Dillo stepped inside and closed the dungeon door with a finality that sent a shiver of terror down her spine. He took one step towards Mia, but Jason’s voice stopped him.
“I’m surprised you haven’t figured out for yourself who sent me.”
Maddy let out an exasperated exhale. “It’s just that there are so many organizations that want a piece of this.” She ran her hands down her body. “Now stop stalling and tell me.”
“Do you know what your father does with his money?” Jason asked.
“My father sent you?” A laugh escaped, sounding slightly unbalanced. “Surely you jest. He couldn’t care less what I do.”
“I didn’t say he sent me. I asked if you knew what he does.”
“He’s a bloody multibillionaire. He does whatever he damn well pleases. Get to the point, if you have one.”
“Are you aware of your father’s influence over several key policymakers in the US?”
Maddy snorted. “I know his greatest dream is to see India surpass the United States as a global superpower, but no, I wasn’t aware he’d been buying politicians, if that’s what you mean. Really, that’s just so tacky. They’re a dime a dozen.”
“He isn’t just buying them. He’s making them. And eliminating the competition.”
“Eliminating as in killing? So? We all have our hobbies.”
Jason’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Ever wonder why xeno legislation is never enacted?”
“Because the politicians you seem so fond of always tack on riders that makes the bills unacceptable?”
She said it sarcastically, but Jason was dead serious when he replied, “Exactly. And for the record, I’m not fond of those politicians. They’re the problem.”
“Uh-huh. I see where you’re going with this. You’d like me to believe that my father is some kind of behind-the-scenes manipulator, wreaking havoc on America’s political system - as if it needed any help imploding on itself.”
“You know your father. Is it so hard for you to believe?”
“Oh, no, not at all. It actually makes perfect sense. If there really was a New World Order out there, my father would be in on it. I’m simply trying to figure out why you’re here. I have zero influence over him. Munnu is the only one he cared about. As I mentioned previously, he doesn’t exactly approve of my lifestyle. And trust me, as soon as he’s notified that Munnu’s body has been discovered I’ll have less than zero influence. I will, in fact, be disinherited when he realizes I fooled him into thinking Munnu was still alive. But if you’re trying to convince me to use that nonexistent influence based on the fact that xeno augmentation isn’t regulated, I’m afraid you’re barking up the wrong skirt. Why would I want it to be regulated?”
“The question should be: why doesn’t your father? But that wasn’t my bargaining chip. I was hoping to strike a deal.”
Maddy eyed him skeptically. “You don’t look like you’ve got much to bring to the table at the moment.”
“What if I can stop the FBI from telling him about the real Munnu’s death?”
“I’m sure they’ve already done so.” But she didn’t sound sure to Bryn at all.
Jason shook his head slowly. “I contacted my handler before the attack this morning and asked her to put a stop on it. Your father does not know. After you told me you had a good reason for substituting your younger brother for the real Munnu, it occurred to me that your twin was the only thing keeping you in your father’s good graces, wasn’t he? I can ensure that you don’t get disinherited and that your monthly allowance from your father doesn’t stop.”
For the first time since Bryn met her, Maddy had nothing to say. She stared at Jason until he said, “Have we got a deal?”
“What do you want in return?”
“Information.”
Maddy’s head went back. “About my father? I’m not exactly welcome in his little circle of cronies.”
Jason smiled and repeated, “Have we got a deal?”
“Sure.” Maddy crossed her arms and turned to Mia. “But the deal’s off if she can’t keep my brother alive.”
Chapter Forty-four
Reenergized, Scott jumped up from the desk chair and rushed over to lock the office door, which might slow Phaco down a bit if he decided to follow him. He grabbed the green bank bag from the couch, tucked it into one of the big side-pockets of his pants, and ducked into the closet. He made his way back through the tunnel and retrieved his battery. On the way to the truck, he didn’t let anything or anyone distract him.
Just before he started the ancient vehicle, he said, “Don’t hurt them, Maddy. I’ve almost got what you want.”
He had to stop at a gas station to fill the tank of the gas guzzler Maddy had so generously allowed him to use. Luckily, the green bank bag was filled with cash, about a hundred thousand dollars in one hundred dollar bills. The cashier said, “What happened to you, man?” and he responded, “Got clocked with a line drive at a baseball game.”
The cashier didn’t seem convinced, especially after seeing Scott’s xenoalterations, and made a point of carefully checking the two bills Scott handed him. Some years ago, it had been predicted that cash and checks would become a thing of the past with the advent of internet banking, but that hadn’t happened. Too many people distrusted electronic methods of payment, but this guy seemed to distrust large bills, even though with inflation, they’d become more common than ever. He finally accepted the cash and gave Scott his change, eight bucks, which Scott used to buy a candy bar and an energy drink.
With traffic, it took well over two hours to get to the blood bank, but this time there was no parking to be had. He drove around for ten minutes before pulling a ticket at a paid parking structure four blocks away. After reaching the street, he jogged the whole way, even though the resulting raise in heart rate made his head feel like it was going to explode.
It was still light out, but the diner across from the blood bank building was hopping with the dinner crowd. Scott turned into the alley where he’d last spoken to Padme, and to his immense relief, she was there. He didn’t have to fake the look of happiness he knew was all over his face. His plan had gone awry in so many ways, but here she was. Bryn was as good as free if he could convince Padme to tell him where Fournier was.
It was a big if, but he was confident he could do it. He had to.
“Hi,” he said. “How long have you been waiting?”
“Half an hour. I was afraid you weren’t coming.” She tilted her head to the side and reached up to place cold fingertips against his forehead near the injured eye.
“Did you walk?” he asked, to forestall her questions.
She nodded and took her hand away. She was wearing the same oversized parka as the last time, her face dwarfed by the fur-lined hood. “I don’t have a car. Was that you in that horrible truck that went by I think four times?”
He laughed. “Yeah. It’s just a temporary ride.”
“What is it you say in America? Nuts and bolts?”
“Bucket of bolts.”
“Yes. Not inconspicuous.”
“It’ll get us out of the city.”
She looked behind her as if she expected to find Lupus on her heels. “I can’t
believe I’m doing this.”
“We’ll be fine.” He started to tell her about the money, reached down into his pocket with the intention of showing her the bank bag, when he heard her gasp. One look at her face and he spun around. The same two xenos who’d snatched Mia from the truck were coming down the alley. Double-parked in the street behind them was the black Hummer.
Padme let out a cry of despair and ran to the far end of the alley, where she was brought up short by a chain link fence that had barbed wire strung across the top.
Scott just stood there. How had Maddy known he would come back here? Unless...he looked down at his chest, where the wire was taped under his clothing. He closed his good eye briefly as the realization hit him. It wasn’t just a microphone - it was also a tracking device. They hadn’t followed him the first time, they’d simply tracked him. He was so exhausted he was making bad decisions, but he couldn’t very well take the time to rest now.
He reached under his shirt and ripped off the tape holding the wire to his chest. Pinching the tiny microphone between his fingers, he said, “If you hurt one quill on Bryn’s head, I will hunt you down.” Then he tossed the wire into the nearby Dumpster and watched them come.
Neither of the advancing men was carrying a weapon this time. Maybe they were trying to keep a low profile since the diner across the street was so crowded, or perhaps they just figured he was a pushover since he hadn’t resisted when they took Mia. He stepped out of their way and they both grinned in his direction as if he was in collusion with them.
“That’s right,” he said under his breath, arms by his sides where they couldn’t see him flexing his claws. “I’m no threat...”
As soon as the first man passed by and was focused on cornering Padme, Scott took a sudden step forward and threw a swift, left-handed punch to the second guy’s temple. It was the first time he’d ever deliberately aimed for the one location on the head most likely to kill, but he knew with a certainty that his decision to fight made this a kill-or-be-killed situation. Just because these jokers weren’t waving their guns around now didn’t mean they weren’t armed.
Xenofreak Nation, Book Two: Mad Eye Page 19