Perimeter

by M. A. Rothman

  Juan scowled. “So I’ve heard.”

  ###

  Juan felt a pain in his side—as if something was burrowing into him. And the pain was growing more intense.

  He opened his eyes. He’d fallen asleep on the satellite phone, and the vibrating object was digging into his ribs. He rolled over and answered it.

  “Hello?”

  “Elimination plans are underway. Juan, you need to get out.” Paul Hutchison’s gruff voice was matter-of-fact.

  Juan felt a wave of panic. He glanced at his watch. It showed only 6:45 a.m. “I don’t understand. I thought we had more time—”

  The door slammed open, and Kathy burst into the exam room, tears streaming down her face. “Juan!”

  His heart fell into his stomach. “Kathy? What is it?”

  “They took my temperature as I left my bunk and it was normal!”

  A warm flush of emotions surged inside him as he blinked away unbidden tears. “Are you sure?”

  She sniffed and nodded. “They checked twice. I don’t have a fever.”

  Juan held up his index finger and put the phone to his ear again. “Hutchison—”

  “I heard. That’s great news. Talk about waiting till the last second, though. I’ll reach out and spread the word. But you confirm those findings and check on the girl’s father. I’ll buy you some time while you confirm things.”

  The line disconnected and Kathy’s father walked into the examination room with a lop-sided grin. “Well, this seems a bit early in the morning for a celebration, but Doc, I figured you’d want to know. They just scanned my forehead and the fever is down. It’s almost normal.”

  ###

  Steve Chalmers sat on a two-person chaise lounge with Olivia nestled in his arms. The sun was hanging just above the distant tree line, and starlings flitted between the two bird feeders he’d installed only yesterday. It was seventy degrees, warm for a spring in Wiesbaden—or at least that’s what the people at the local market said—and a mild breeze brought with it the scent of freshly cut grass and fragrant pine from the nearby woods.

  “I still can’t believe we got this place,” Olivia murmured as she rested her cheek against his chest. “How’d you talk the Muellers into selling?”

  Steve put his hand on the slight swell of her belly. “I pulled in a few favors. It helps when the mayor’s father is a patient of yours.”

  Olivia lifted her head and gave him an accusatory stare. “What did you do?”

  Steve lifted his hands and shook his head. “Nothing, I swear. I just pointedly told the mayor that I really wanted to find a place with some land. And I may have mentioned that I wished the owners of this place would take my offer. Anyway, next thing I know, our offer was accepted.”

  Olivia frowned. “I guess it pays to be a hero to a bunch of people in the German government.”

  “No. I’m not a hero.” Steve thought of Juan, AgriMed, and the life he’d left behind. “Just a person trying to help humanity.”

  “Who else but a hero gets German citizenship without having to live here for eight years?” Olivia poked him playfully in the chest. “You hardly even speak German.”

  Before Steve could answer, he spotted a large black Mercedes pulling up their long driveway. “I wonder who that can be?”

  “It looks like a government car.” She poked him again. “Maybe they’re here to give you another honor.”

  “How can you tell it’s a government car?”

  “That black and yellow symbol on the license plate, the one that looks like a bird—that’s the seal of Bundesrepublik Deutschland. The Federal Republic of Germany.”

  Steve swung his feet off the chaise and stood as the car slowed to a stop only thirty feet from the house.

  A man in a black pin-striped suit stepped out of the luxurious sedan. He was tall, with a muscular build, and his dark glasses and bland expression gave nothing away. A scar ran along the man’s right cheek.

  Steve took a step forward. “Can I help you?” he called in broken German.

  The man walked over to the porch, but instead of addressing Steve, he faced Olivia. “Miss Olivia Cooper, formerly of London in the United Kingdom?” He spoke in English, but with a thick German accent.

  Steve looked at Olivia, who shrugged. She was as confused as he was. “Yes. May I help—”

  A shot rang out. Olivia stiffened, and blood bloomed across the belly of her shirt.

  It seemed as if time slowed to a crawl.

  A second shot rang out. This one hit Olivia in the chest. Her eyes went wide with fear.

  Steve saw the moment when the light behind them dimmed and vanished.

  At the sound of the third gunshot, Steve felt as though he’d been hit in the chest with a sledgehammer. The world tilted, his legs buckled, and he slumped to the wooden slats of the porch. Blood pooled in his throat, and the warm day was suddenly much colder than before.

  As his vision dimmed, he heard the man’s voice, as if from a great distance. “You can’t run away from your responsibilities… not even in Germany.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  *** Three months later ***

  As the Secret Service waved Juan past the security gate, his phone rang. The dashboard displayed a familiar number, and he smiled as he tapped on the “pickup” icon.

  Miguel’s voice came through the car’s speakers. “Hey bro, haven’t heard from you for a long time. First-year medical school is now in the bag, can you believe it? How are things? You been doing anything interesting?”

  Juan smiled as he wondered how best to answer his brother’s question. Kathy reached over and took his hand, her engagement ring sparkling in the sun.

  “Well, I should probably catch you up on some things, but I’m about to lose signal. What are you doing next winter break?”

  Miguel laughed. “Sorry, I don’t plan that far ahead.”

  “Well, you’ll need to make an exception. I’m getting married and I need a best man. It’ll be December sixteenth. Mark that on your calendar.”

  The call was cut off as they pulled under the canopy for one of the private entries to the White House.

  Juan chuckled. “Well, I did tell him.”

  Kathy shook her head. “You’re terrible. The poor guy is probably going to be losing his mind for lack of details.”

  Juan smiled at his bride-to-be. As always, he was mesmerized by her presence. She wore a modest green dress, and her lipstick perfectly matched her hair, which was luxuriously splayed across her back.

  They were greeted by two Secret Service agents. “Welcome to the White House, Dr. Gutierrez and Miss O’Reilly. Please follow us.”

  As they were led through a private entrance to the West Wing, Kathy reached out, took Juan’s hand, and squeezed. It was comforting, but not enough to squelch the nauseous churning in his stomach.

  All he’d been told was that he was going to be receiving some kind of award at the White House. The invitation had been given to him directly by a member of the Secret Service, and as far as he knew, nobody else was aware of what any of this was about.

  Even Paul Hutchison, who seemed to know about everything going on in DC, was out of the loop.

  A maze of corridors brought them to a large room dominated by a long conference room table. No one was seated yet, but several people were gathered talking, and as Juan and Kathy entered, a man who looked vaguely familiar walked over and shook their hands.

  “Dr. Gutierrez, it’s very good to see you again.” The man turned to Kathy. “And this must be the lovely Miss O’Reilly. I’m Neil Wilson. I understand congratulations are in order. When’s the wedding?”

  They exchanged a few pleasantries, then Juan and Kathy were left alone once more. Kathy whispered, “Who was that?”

  Juan leaned close. “That was the director of the FBI.”

  Kathy’s eyes widened. “My God, who have I gotten myself involved with? Let me explain to you that
I never in my life expected to visit the White House nor meet any FBI big shots.”

  The buzz in the room quieted as a door at the far end opened and the president walked in. Everyone practically swooped in to shake his hand, but he strode directly across the room toward Juan.

  Juan swallowed hard against the bile that rose in his throat. He would never forget the things this man had said. The things this man had planned to do. Would have done.

  The president shook Juan’s hand firmly, then turned to Kathy. “My dear Miss O’Reilly, your presence brightens this otherwise dreary room.” He patted Juan on his shoulder. “Please take care of this man. This country owes him a great debt.”

  The others gathered around, and the president fixed Juan with a firm gaze. “Dr. Gutierrez, this nation—no, the world—owes you a great debt. We all appreciate the work you’ve put in and the indescribable advancements you’ve made in the sciences. But mostly, we’re grateful that when called upon by your government to address a dire need of its citizens, you responded.”

  The man standing beside the president held up a blue velvet-covered box. The president opened it and lifted out a medal attached to a long ribbon. The man motioned for Juan to turn around, which he did.

  “Dr. Juan Gutierrez, in recognition of your meritorious contribution to the security and national interests of the United States, I am awarding you this nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”

  The president looped the medal over his head. Juan barely controlled his shudder of revulsion as the man smoothed out the ribbon so it lay flat around his neck.

  He turned and shook hands with the president, and the room broke out in applause.

  As Kathy beamed up at Juan, he wondered if he’d ever be able to tell her why this man, and this award, sent shivers of disgust through his very being.

  ###

  Nate and his supervisor were seated on lounge chairs at the end of the pier behind Jeff’s house. The pier overlooked a creek, and the soothing sound of lapping water provided a peaceful backdrop to the end of a demanding few months.

  The Darwin case was officially closed.

  “I just can’t believe nobody in the bureau ever got any leads on who on the inside was involved,” Nate said.

  Jeff took a sip of his drink and shrugged. “Yeah. It sucks. Sometimes, the cards are stacked against us.”

  “Did Director Wilson pressure you into closing the case?” Nate asked.

  “You know I can’t answer that, Nate.”

  Nate hated the idea that a political appointee had been placed in charge of the bureau. Nate had given his life to the ideals espoused by the bureau’s motto—Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity—and he doubted the current director lived by the same standards. Something about Neil Wilson struck him as off. But of course he’d never be able to follow up on that. Nor would he be justified in doing so.

  He curled his lip in disgust. “So many people could have died. So many did die. That marine who died out near Vegas. We never really figured out what happened there.”

  Jeff wagged his finger. “What do you mean? We learned about that canine program, and the marine died from being mauled by one of those dogs.”

  “That’s just speculation,” Nate countered. “And we never learned what happened to those animals.”

  “I’d hazard a guess that they were disposed of.”

  “More deaths.” Nate shook his head. “And what about that child born in West Virginia? The one like the calves, who killed everything around her until they put her into some quarantined cell deep in the bowels of the NIH. What’s going to happen to her?”

  Jeff downed the rest of his drink and grimaced. “I’m not going to say what happened.”

  “Did they kill her?”

  “I told you: I’m not going to say.” Yet Jeff nodded slightly as he spoke.

  “Shit.” Nate downed his drink and motioned for a refill.

  As Jeff poured another glass, Nate said, “I’ve had enough of death, near death, liars, cheats… there’s so much ugliness in this world. I need more beauty and life in mine.”

  Madison’s face loomed in his mind, and he could almost feel her presence next to him. He felt a sudden calm. He knew what he needed to do.

  “You know, after Madison’s parents died, soon after we got married, they left her some farmland in North Carolina. I don’t know why I hung on to it; I’ve had to pay taxes on it ever since. But now, I think I know.”

  He looked Jeff in the eye. “Jeff, I think I’m done. Madison and I always talked about turning that land into a working farm and just having a simple life. Back then, we were going to do it when I was done with the Special Forces. And then… things changed. But now it’s time.”

  Jeff handed him a fresh glass and asked, “Are you sure? If you are, I’m jealous as hell. I don’t think I’d have the guts to just pull the ripcord like that.”

  Nate nodded. “I’ll have my retirement papers on your desk in the morning. It’s been good working with you. I hope you understand.”

  With a deep sigh, Jeff leaned back in his chair. “I understand perfectly. Just remember, the world isn’t perfect, and there’ll always be bad people to bring to justice. We need more people like you, Nate.”

  “And there will always be folks like me. I’m not worried about that. I think the thing I’ll regret the most is knowing that there are some folks who are never brought to justice.”

  He sighed. “That’s what really pisses me off.”

  ###

  Juan felt better than he had in a long time. He’d handed in his FBI contractor’s badge and was walking the halls of AgriMed once again. A civilian. A researcher.

  He knocked on the door to Winslow’s office.

  “Come in, Juan.”

  Juan stepped inside and sat in his usual chair. The same chair he’d first sat in four years ago, when he was worried about losing his job. He couldn’t help but smile as he realized how small those issues were in comparison to what he’d experienced since. It felt like a lifetime ago.

  “Juan, I’m wagering you’re glad to be back.”

  He laughed. “Frankly, it’s a relief. Although the FBI has some amazing lab techs. I could point you to some folks we’d do well to hire. It’s because of them that what I worked on was a success.”

  Winslow smiled. “It takes an effective manager to identify and work through quality people. I’m sure you can now better appreciate that. It isn’t just about saying, ‘Go do this’ and it gets done. It’s all about the team you form and how you manage and grow them.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Well,” said Winslow. “I didn’t invite you here just to chit-chat. Juan, I plan on retiring at the end of the year. I’ve already informed the board of directors.”

  “Congratulations, sir.” Juan felt genuinely happy for the man who’d hired him for his first job in private industry.

  “That’s not everything.” Winslow walked around his desk and took the seat facing Juan. “I put up your name as my replacement.”

  “You—you did what?” Juan blinked with astonishment. “But what about the other heads of—”

  Winslow waved away his question. “You’re the one. For all the reasons you were successful in helping the FBI. I’ll admit, due to clearances, I probably only know half of what went on, but based on the half I do know… I don’t think I would have held it together as well as you did.”

  He clapped his hands together. “So. The board took my recommendation. The job is yours, assuming you’ll take it.”

  Juan’s mind raced, and he felt a sudden shortness of breath. “I don’t know… I still want to be able to do my own research—”

  “Juan, I’ll show you how you can do both. And as we just discussed, you now know how to work through others. Trust me, I wouldn’t have put your name up if I wasn’t one hundred percent certain you could do it.” Winslow smiled. “And besides, the pay isn’t
bad.”

  Juan considered the freedom of being able to drive whatever research he felt was needed, whatever helped others, without constant management hassle. He muttered, “I suppose I’d be an idiot to say no.”

  “You would be. So, is that a yes?”

  Juan couldn’t believe everything that had happened to him recently. He’d helped undo what might have been a disaster for all of humanity. He’d been given awards and accolades from the FBI and the White House both. Most importantly, he’d become engaged to the kindest and strongest woman he’d ever met. And now, he’d been offered a top executive position at AgriMed.

  He smiled. “I’ll do it.”

  ###

  Frank felt perfectly at peace as he lay on the sofa with Megan nestled in his arms. The new TV was playing some crazy game show, which both of them were ignoring.

  She tilted her head back and gave Frank a firm kiss on the lips.

  “What was that for?” Frank said.

  “For not arguing with me about having a second checkup with the cancer clinic.”

  He gave her a squeeze. “I told you I was fine.”

  She nestled her head in the crook of his arm. “You did, but I needed to hear it again. Franklin O’Reilly, I need you around to frustrate me for many years to come. You got that?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I’ll do the best I can.”

  Megan trailed her fingers over his chest. “Things are going really well now, and I’m really looking forward to the future. I mean, after all my years of worrying and fretting over the bad choices Kathy was making, I can’t believe she ended up with someone like Juan. He’s so kind, and smart, and—so not like the type of ruffian she used to end up with. I’m thrilled she found someone who can finally make her happy.”

  Frank kissed the top of Megan’s head and rubbed her back. “He’s a good egg. Though I never expected she’d end up with a city guy.”

  “Franklin, are you serious? You knew she couldn’t stand ranching. She needed to get away.”