The Darwin Protocol: A Thriller (The Last Peak Book 1)

by William Oday

  There simply wasn’t time to do anything more.

  Beth leaned down and touched her forehead to the spot on the sheet that covered Jane’s forehead.

  I’m so sorry. Your son will be safe with me. I promise.

  She walked toward the door, toward Diana blocking it.

  Would this be the last time she saw this place? After so many wonderful years. She didn’t have any other dream jobs. She’d lived the only one that mattered.

  Diana thumbed on the walkie-talkie. “Ralph, where the hell are you? I told you to meet me in the operating room of the medical wing.”

  A voice answered, not from the walkie-talkie, but from the hallway behind her.

  “Sorry, Mrs. Richston. Lot of things to deal with right now and everyone else in Security took off after that newscast.”

  What newscast? Why would it make them abandon their jobs?

  Beth realized she’d been sequestered in the medical wing most of the day.

  “They’ll all be looking for jobs tomorrow!” Diana said. “Ralph, Ms. West has medical supplies that belong to the zoo in her bag. She is attempting to steal them.”

  Ralph adjusted his pants, adjusting the slight paunch that hung out over his belt. He didn’t move, caught between two people he didn’t want to confront.

  “Arrest her!”

  “Is that true, Dr. West?”

  Beth wasn’t going to lie. She wouldn’t give Diana the satisfaction of judging her.

  “Yes. I’m taking them to help people who are hurt.” She really hoped those people didn’t turn out to be her husband or daughter.

  Ralph’s eyes went wide and he turned to Diana. His unspoken pleading fell upon deaf ears.

  “I don’t give a shit if it’s for the pope. Those supplies are mine and she can’t have them!”

  Beth stood quietly waiting for Ralph to choose a side. He wasn’t a bad person and she didn’t relish putting him in the middle.

  A mewling cry escaped from inside her messenger bag.

  Shit.

  The chimp squealed at exactly the wrong time.

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT

  Diana’s eyes narrowed, like a hawk spotting prey.

  “Where is the monkey?”

  “Chimpanzees are apes.”

  Diana gave her a look like she was babbling in an alien language.

  “In the incubation tank in my office.”

  “Liar. Ralph, you will arrest this woman for attempted theft of a priceless corporation asset.”

  The gall of this woman. Fury burned Beth’s earlobes. She wanted to punch this ignoramus in the mouth.

  “You didn’t give two shakes of a shit about him earlier.”

  “Ralph,” Diana said. Her voice cracked like a whip.

  He flinched and moved toward Beth.

  She backed away. He wasn’t in good shape, but he was big and there was probably a decent amount of muscle under that pudgy flab. If he was set on stopping her, she wasn’t positive she could do anything about it. Not while also protecting a fragile, hours-old chimp in her messenger bag.

  “Now, I don’t want any trouble, Dr. West,” he said as he held his left hand up. His right hand reached down to his belt and grabbed a large can of pepper spray. “Please turn over the animal and we can avoid any problems.”

  “Stay away from me. I’m warning you.”

  That made him pause. He looked her over, clearly nervous that maybe she had a hidden weapon he hadn’t seen. His eyes narrowed and he continued forward.

  “Keep all the bandages and stuff,” he said. “I’ll take the heat. But you can’t leave with an animal that belongs to the zoo.”

  “I’ll give him back when you tell me what happened to the rest of the Bili chimps.”

  “What are you talking about?” Diana said. “They were transferred, as you already know.”

  “Then why can’t I contact a single one of the zoos that supposedly received them?”

  “That is none of my concern.”

  “Bullshit. They never went to any zoo, and you know it. So, where did they end up?”

  Diana’s fierce demeanor wavered.

  “Don’t try to hide your criminality with wild accusations. Give me the monkey!”

  “If it wasn’t for me, this chimp would be dead!”

  “You recovered a corporate asset,” Diana said. “Nothing more. And you destroyed another asset in the process.”

  “Jane might’ve made it if not for all your cost-cutting nonsense. Your relentless devotion to the bottom line has endangered the lives of animals and employees.”

  Diana’s nostrils flared and her teeth clenched tight.

  “Give it to me, Elizabeth.”

  Beth backed up, knowing she’d be cornered soon and probably on the ground hacking and coughing with that pepper spray in her eyes and mouth. She looked behind and saw no way out.

  And then she found one.

  The tranq rifle.

  It was leaned up in the corner. On any normal day, that breach of safety protocol would have been enough to get someone’s ass chewed out.

  But what did she care?

  This wasn’t a normal day, and she was already fired.

  She lunged for the rifle and seated the buttstock in the hollow of her shoulder. The long black barrel pointed directly at Ralph’s chest.

  “There’s enough Etorphine in this dart to kill a hundred humans. I’ll shoot you if I have to.”

  She knew there was no dart in it. But they didn’t. She was threatening a man’s life. A man she knew well, and who had helped her that very morning.

  What was she doing?

  Ralph froze. A dark spot blossomed on his pant leg and a puddle of urine spilled onto the floor at his feet.

  “You’ll go to prison for this!” Diana shrieked.

  Beth wheeled the muzzle over to rest on Diana.

  She blanched, her skin pale and drawn.

  “Get away from the door.”

  Diana’s heels clacked the floor as she skittered away.

  “You’ll never get out of here with my property!”

  She was right. As soon as Beth left, Diana could easily call security and have her identity card deactivated. Then she’d have no way of getting out the employee exit. The main entrance and exit had mechanical locks and would’ve been locked up tight by now.

  What was left?

  She didn’t feel confident about scaling a twenty foot gate carrying medical supplies and an hours-old chimpanzee.

  Who said she had to use her own card though?

  “Take off your clothes, Diana!”

  Diana’s brows raised, confusion and surprise on her face vying for dominance. She glanced at Ralph, obviously uncomfortable.

  “What?”

  “You heard me! Don’t make me ask again!”

  Beth approached Diana with the rifle pointed at her chest.

  “I should kill you now and be done with it.”

  Diana visibly faltered. Her eyes locked onto the tip of the barrel. She raised her hands with the palms out.

  “Okay, okay.”

  Diana peeled out of her sleek business suit, while Ralph tried not to stare at the revealed bra and panties.

  Beth gathered up the clothing and felt the hard edge of an identity card in Diana’s pants pocket.

  Bingo.

  Diana covered herself as best she could.

  “This is assault and battery! You’ll rot in prison for this!”

  Beth raised her left hand and extended the middle finger. She stepped into the hall and pointed the rifle at each of them in turn.

  “I’m closing this door. I might leave. Or I might wait a while and put a dart in the chest of whoever opens this door.”

  She flashed a wicked smile and pulled the door shut.

  That should keep them wondering for a few minutes.

  A walkie-talkie chirped.

  “Operations, this is Diana Richston. Dr. West has gone crazy and threatened to kill me and our head of s
ecurity. Call 911! Deactivate her security card immediately!”

  Beth tossed the rifle to the floor and fished Diana’s card from her pants. She dumped the clothing and sprinted down the hall.

  She had to make it to her bike before the police arrived.

  If they caught her, she’d have to give up the chimp. Diana would probably let him die just to spite her.

  She flew out the door of the medical wing and headed toward the main entrance. It was dark outside as only the emergency lights were illuminated. No patrons ambled down the normally busy paths.

  A small group of zoo employees huddled on the path she wanted to take, the shortest one out. She dodged off to the left and took the longer looping path. She’d go a little further if she could avoid any more confrontations. Death threats weren’t her thing.

  She ran down a narrow path, past the flamingos and the petting zoo, and approached the employee exit, wondering if it would be blocked by a line of bodies.

  It wasn’t.

  She was almost surprised. Something could go right today. Sucking wind as she arrived, she fumbled Diana’s card from her pocket and swiped it. A red light beeped.

  Shit. No.

  She swiped it again, her hand shaking.

  The red light beeped again.

  No. No. No.

  She looked at the card, ready to stomp it into crumpled plastic.

  It was backwards. She’d swiped it with the metallic strip on the wrong side.

  Seriously?

  She was a terrible criminal. She was going to get caught for failing to do what any dimwit could easily do going through a grocery store line. Maybe the judge would consider that when she was sentenced.

  She flipped the card and swiped it again.

  A green light beeped and the electronic lock clunked open.

  The modulated wail of a siren in the distance grabbed her attention. Out on the access road, two squad cars with lights blazing sped by headed for the parking lot entrance.

  She shoved gate open and sprinted toward employee parking, praying it was dark enough that they wouldn’t see a lone figure running across the empty lots.

  She arrived at her bike as the two squad cars pulled in, their headlights washing across her as they turned. Helmet on, key in the ignition, she cranked it and the old Vulcan rumbled to life. The vibration between her legs promised a quick escape.

  She may have made a terrible criminal, but she was an excellent rider. She tucked the messenger bag in front, the supply bag behind, securing them both to her waist as the headlights found her again and this time didn’t waver.

  They’d seen her.

  Red and blue lights splashed across the empty lots as the sirens grew louder.

  Beth dropped the visor on her helmet, crouched low in the seat, and cranked back the throttle.

  The Vulcan’s 750 cc engine roared as the bike shot forward. The front tire kicked up before she shifted up and it settled back to the ground with a screech.

  She cut to the side and blew by the squad cars as they fishtailed around to follow.

  They didn’t stand a chance.

  Their sirens faded under the eager howl of her bike. She rocketed out of the parking lot and broke free into the night.

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-NINE

  Elio stood beside each office door in turn and tried to open it. They were halfway down the hall now and every door had been locked with no response forthcoming. Most everyone had gone home. If anyone remained, he didn’t blame them for not being more inviting.

  The sound of gunfire didn’t make for a reassuring doorbell.

  Maybe the suit and Frank would stay locked up and wait them out. That would be the best case scenario. He could show Cesar that he’d tried. That failure wasn’t his fault.

  Even within the agreeable confines of his own mind, Cesar accepting such an outcome didn’t seem likely.

  He crossed the hall and approached the next door on the right side. Maybe the tenth one or so he’d tried so far.

  He stood to the side and tried the handle. Locked like the rest. He pounded on the door. No response like the rest. He took a step toward the door on the opposite side.

  BOOM.

  A shotgun fired inside the office. It tore a grapefruit-sized hole through the door and then another one on the opposite wall. Splinters exploded outward like shrapnel. Sharp bits of the door cut through his shirt and dug into his side. He fell back and pushed up against the wall. A cloud of smoke whooshed out and obscured the air.

  SHUCK-SHUCK.

  BOOM.

  Another chunk of door vaporized, leaving the hallway filled with splinters and pulverized gypsum. Acrid smoke billowed out and burned his throat and eyes. Tears washed down his cheeks. He coughed and sputtered.

  “Shoot him!” Cesar shouted from behind.

  Elio raised the TEC-9 and held it at arm’s length toward the door. Even being shot at, Elio couldn’t bring himself to return fire.

  “Matalo!” Cesar shouted.

  What choice did Elio have?

  He tilted the muzzle up and pulled the trigger.

  The gun jerked as rounds ripped through the thick wood door, heading toward the ceiling inside. He hoped the bullets hit nothing but overhead lights and ductwork.

  A voice inside the office yelled and doors slammed. They sounded faint and far away and Elio wondered if the ringing in his ears would ever go away.

  A body shouldered him aside and Evil stepped in front of the door. He landed a hard kick on the mangled lock and the door swung inward. Cuts rushed through with his shotgun leading the way.

  “Vamos! Vamos!” he said.

  Evil moved in with his rifle raised and scanning for a target. Elio followed in behind and found himself in a front area with an unoccupied receptionist’s desk facing the entrance. It was a long J-shaped, dark wood desk. Two empty chairs sat behind it. The fancy kind with the fine mesh backing and leather wrapped armrests. Thin computer screens silently waited to verify an appointment.

  They didn’t have one.

  Off to the left was a minimalist, modern-looking couch with a few chairs surrounding a low glass coffee table.

  Evil nodded at Cuts, pointing his muzzle down the wide corridor deeper in. The suit and Frank must’ve retreated into the office.

  A voice rang out in the main hall.

  “Don’t fucking move!”

  Cesar and Theresa were the only ones still out there. But it wasn’t either of their voices.

  CHAPTER NINETY

  Had one of the suits survived and come up the stairs behind them? Were the police already here?

  Elio turned to see what was going on.

  Still in the hall, Cesar pivoted to face the threat and his brow screwed up in confusion.

  “Daddy!” Theresa screamed, choking and coughing. “Daddy!”

  Mason West was here?

  The tracker app. It worked!

  Cesar held Theresa pinned to his chest with the crook of his left arm around her neck. The chromed Desert Eagle came up and unleashed a volley of lead back toward the stairwell. “Coma plomo, cabron!”

  Cesar dodged into the office, dragging Theresa with him. Evil aimed at the empty corridor further in and let loose. The muzzle flashed and did a brutal redecorating job on the interior space. Evil and Cuts ran passed the desk, their guns kicking out rounds as they went.

  Return fire exploded from an open doorway further down. A round snapped by Elio’s head. So close it singed the skin on his ear. Evil and Cuts continued forward filling the space with deadly lead and choking smoke.

  Cesar leaned his head out the door to look back toward the stairwell.

  Shots fired and he ducked back in as the door frame by his head exploded with a double tap that just missed.

  Elio froze.

  Caught in a crossfire, between the suit and Frank fighting for their lives and Mason on the other side coming for Theresa. And then Cesar who probably didn’t much care if they all died together in a ferocious blood bath
. They wouldn’t survive for long in this position.

  What could he do?

  He had to protect Theresa. That’s what he had to do.

  Cesar’s back was to him, his attention on the empty doorway.

  This was his best chance. Maybe his only chance.

  So he took it.

  He yanked a sleeve down and doubled it over his right hand and then pulled the dagger shard of glass from his back pocket. A chain-link glove would’ve been better. A few layers of cotton was pitiful protection. Maybe it would be enough to keep his fingers attached.

  He lunged forward and jabbed the razor-edged glass into Cesar’s back. His fingers slid forward along that same edge. The glass sliced through the cloth and parted his skin.

  Cesar screamed and jerked forward. Theresa took advantage of his loosened grip and twirled in his grasp and threw a vicious knee to his groin.

  He stumbled a couple of steps, and then whipped the butt of his pistol at her head.

  She took it on the cheek and crashed to the marble floor.

  Cesar turned in a circle, his left hand grasping at the shard lodged in the center of his back.

  Elio dodged around him and dragged Theresa to her feet.

  Cesar struggled to reach the embedded glass, but the width of his back and biceps made it an impossible task. He screamed with a ragged, guttural croak. “You’re dead! Dead!”

  The cacophony of gunfire coming from deeper inside the office ceased. Evil joined them.

  “The security guy is dead. Cuts is looking for…”

  He stuttered to a stop, looking around confused.

  With Cesar blocking the open door, Elio dragged Theresa behind the desk. They swung around the corner just as Evil’s rifle cracked to life and bullets chewed through the wood corner.

  Elio pushed Theresa further into cover and then, with his right hand shredded, held the TEC-9 in his left hand and poked it around the corner. He triggered off a burst of fire. This time aiming waist-high and wanting nothing more than for those rounds to find flesh.

  Furniture crashed and bodies tumbled to the floor. It went quiet. Maybe he killed them all.