In The Defendant's Chair

by Lynn Moon

  “But we’re The Agency,” Lewis declared taking a large gulp of whiskey he just poured over ice. “It’s different where we’re concerned.”

  Greghardt chuckled. “Please, Jeff, as though The Agency is the only agency on the planet that has access to illegal substances. Honestly, maybe the drug is being secured by Peter Pan or the Easter Bunny.”

  Lewis gulped down the rest of his whiskey. It was time for another drink. Heading for the small kitchenette, he also grabbed Strickland’s glass and filled them both to the rim. He didn’t speak a word until he’d finished drinking the whole drink. Then with another in his hand, he took a seat next to Greghardt and stared at Strickland.

  “I do not believe we live in a fantasy world, and I’ve been around long enough to know what goes on out there. But we were in charge of destroying that stuff and I’m pissed we failed to find it all.” Lewis stood and yelled for Connie who came running into the room.

  “Yes sir?” Connie asked with pad and pen ready to write down any orders no matter how strange or how frightening. Connie worked at The Agency for years and was always ready for anything.

  “Pull the files on the destruction of the drug Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid. Then tell Loomsbury to be ready to brief us on the subject in an hour.”

  “Yes sir,” Connie replied writing down her instructions. “Sir? How do you spell Am..in…o?”

  Lewis grabbed the pad from Connie and printed the words on the paper.

  “Thank you sir,” Connie grinned. “Before I go, Agent Schuster and her crew have returned, and she’s asked to have a private moment with you. She said it’s important. It’s about the…” Connie’s voice changed to a whisper, “General.”

  Lewis took in a deep breath and gave a heavy sigh. “Now what? Fine… give us about ten minutes then send her in.” Lewis gave Strickland and Greghardt a long sorrowful glance then returned to his desk. It’d been a long day and a long night, and he knew it was about to get even longer.

  Chapter 58

  “MOM?” MACIE SAID trying to wake her mother. “Mom? I think Lizzie’s sick. Mom?”

  Marty rolled over and blinked her eyes. She’d been so tired and sleepy it took a couple of seconds for her to realize what her daughter was talking about. “What? Lizzie?”

  “Yeah, Mom. I think she’s sick. She’s hot and crying.”

  Marty jumped out of bed and ran down the hall to the nursery. The lamp next to the crib was on and Lizzie was whimpering.

  “What is it, baby?” Marty asked picking up her little girl. “Oh my God, you’re burning up.”

  “Mom? She needs a doctor,” Macie demanded.

  “I know, baby, but we’re miles from the nearest hospital,” Marty sighed.

  Not knowing what to do, Marty began to panic. She knew she had to get the fever down fast. Carrying the baby close to her chest, Marty ran into the bathroom.

  “Mom? She doesn’t need a bath!” Macie screamed. “She needs a doctor.”

  “Honey, we must get her temperature down and this is the only way I know. Now help mommy okay sweetie?”

  “What do I do?” Macie asked with tears in her eyes.

  “Get some clean towels,” Marty said turning on the bath water.

  As she undressed Lizzie, Marty began to cry. She couldn’t lose her special little girl; little Lizzie was all she had that kept her going. Marty’s tears fell as she watched Lizzie go limp in her arms. Her breathing labored and her eyes rolled back in her head.

  “No baby no… be okay…” Marty cried out, “please be okay.”

  “Here’s the towels, Mom,” Macie said laying them down next to the tub. “Now what?”

  “Get her a bottle of water, put an ice cube in it, and grab the baby aspirin. It’s best for a fever. You’re not supposed to use it, but I need her temperature to go down fast and aspirin works the best…now hurry.”

  “Mom? Can she take aspirin? I mean, is she like us?” Macie cried. “I don’t want anything to happen to her.”

  “She’s fine, baby, now get me those things.” Marty gently laid her little Lizzie into the cool bath water. She rested her left hand under the baby’s head and used her right to spread the water over the child. The water was cool and Lizzie responded right away. Good, Marty said to herself. Good.

  Macie returned with the medicine and baby bottle and tear-streaked cheeks. “Here mom,” Macie cried.

  Marty took the aspirin and crunched it between her fingers and rubbed the medicine under little Lizzie’s tongue. She knew this was one of the most sensitive parts of the body and would absorb the medicine fast. Then she offered little Lizzie some water. Lizzie sucked down the precious liquid which cooled her tummy. The blood flowing in her veins began to chill and her temperature slowly fell.

  Lizzie opened her eyes and drank the cool liquid. Marty exhaled a huge sigh of relief. “Thank God. It’s working.”

  “Lizzie’s going to be okay?” Macie asked.

  “Yes sweetie, she’ll be fine. You did a great job helping mommy.”

  With Lizzie wrapped in a towel and drinking the water, Marty grabbed the phone and dialed the help number. The voice came through the intercom.

  “Do you need assistance?”

  “Yes, I need help. Lizzie has a fever,” Marty yelled. “Where have you guys been? When I don’t need you you’re always bugging me. Now I need you and you’re nowhere to be found.”

  “What is her temperature?” the voice asked.

  “I DON’T KNOW!” Marty screamed. “I just know it’s high. Now get someone out here.”

  “We’re on our way,” the voice stated.

  Marty dressed both girls and put a diaper on Lizzie. She didn’t want her to get hot again so didn’t dress her. She laid her on a blanket to leave her open to the cool air. The doctors arrived within minutes and took all three to the clinic. As the doctors escorted them in, Spangleholtz greeted her. He took custody of Lizzie in his arms as Marty and her two daughters were escorted to a private waiting room.

  * * * * * *

  “What’s ailing her?” Spangleholtz asked the doctors staring at little Lizzie.

  “Not sure yet,” one doctor replied.

  “Some kind of an infection,” the other added.

  “Wait,” the first doctor exclaimed, reviewing the blood analysis reports. “We need to change the antibiotics.”

  The doctor’s eyes widen, “Why?”

  “She has a streptococcus equi infection,” the other doctor replied.

  “A what?” Spangleholtz asked. “Can it be treated?”

  “Most definitely,” the doctor answered. “But what’s interesting is our little lady’s a little more horse than human. Even though she has more human characteristics on the outside, she is more horse on the inside. Or at least where her blood is concerned.”

  “What exactly are you telling me?” Spangleholtz demanded.

  “She needs a veterinarian more than a physician,” he chuckled. “I’m calling Dr. Stalkswarts. He’s our equine specialist.”

  “I’m beginning to hate my job,” Spangleholtz stated under his breath.

  Chapter 59

  SPANGLEHOLTZ WAITED FOR the call, which arrived at exactly eight in the morning. It was the conversation he’d been dreading for days. Usually he was a strong man, but today at this moment, Spangleholtz was a coward. How one phone call could change a man was beyond his comprehension. Waiting for the phone to ring was the worst. But he didn’t have long to wait. Within seconds the ring echoed through his office and jolted him. His heart pounded and his hands shook. He was afraid to pick up the phone, but knew he had no other choice.

  “Yes sir,” Spangleholtz answered, a crackle of fear emanating from his lips.

  “Dr. Spangleholtz?” a young female voice asked. “I have Director Geeshmore for you sir from the National Institutes of Health.”

  “Put him through,” Spangleholtz replied. He hesitated for only a moment to regain his composure and courage and falsely exclaimed, “Vernon
. How wonderful to hear from you. It’s early in DC isn’t it… about seven I believe?”

  “I didn’t call to compare time zones, Gene,” Geeshmore said. “We have pressing problems and you know how I do not like problems. Now, tell me, what do people know?”

  Spangleholtz hesitated for a moment. He wasn’t sure how he was going to answer the question. It wasn’t a question that could be answered with just any reply. What he said now would determine how and where he would spend the rest of his life.

  “Yes, well…” Spangleholtz stumbled. “My investigator still contests no one knows a thing. That the reports in the papers had been fabricated. I can guarantee you nothing slipped out of this office.” Spangleholtz wasn’t sure if his answer would appease the listener or not, but it was the truth as far as he was concerned.

  “I understand there was a meeting of the mothers with their lawyers recently,” Geeshmore said. “Why would they have met if no one knows a thing? Doesn’t it seem odd they would find each other?”

  “Not really, sir. I would expect a good lawyer to eventually listen to the news and pull them together.”

  “Gene,” Geeshmore yelled. “I did not call to listen to your stories and you trying to weasel yourself out of this; I’ve had just about enough. You have exactly twenty-four hours to fix the problem. Understand?”

  Spangleholtz stood holding the now quiet phone in his hand. The other party hung up. He knew what he had to do and wasn’t happy about it. Since accepting this position he had to make decisions on who lived and who died. But he knew what he had to do to save his own life.

  Chapter 60

  “DRAKE ANDERSON, IT’S Ash Kranton.” The voice pounded into Drake’s ear. “Did you get your report yet?”

  “Yes,” Drake said. “Good work by the way.”

  “Well I’ve ordered an MRI for Lark. I want to know if there’s an implant in her. If there is…”

  “Look… Ash,” Drake stuttered. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea. I mean we don’t know who put those things in them, we don’t know what can happen.”

  “It’s an MRI for Christ’s sake. I’ll call when I get the results. You should do the same for your client.”

  Drake thought for only a few moments then called Dr. Barnes. He needed to know if Early had an implant but also wanted to make sure it was safe first.

  * * * * * *

  Early screamed as they wheeled her into emergency surgery. The pain was severe and she knew she was going to die. Drake rushed out of the office as soon as he received the call.

  A breathing mask was placed over Early’s mouth and nose. From her view, she could see the worried faces of people she didn’t know. Fear rose from within and she wanted nothing more than to go home.

  “Breathe in deeply sweetheart,” the doctor coached from above her head. “You’ll be just fine, just fine.”

  Early glanced around and saw several doctors and nurses running about preparing her for emergency surgery. But what she didn’t see was Dr. Loomsbury standing in the corner tapping his foot. He was upset over the phone call he just received.

  “Loomsbury.”

  “Sir, Dr. Hensley here.”

  “You have the results?”

  “Yes sir, but I do not believe you’ll be happy.”

  “Why?” Loomsbury asked.

  “Because the results are the same.”

  “What?”

  * * * * * *

  “I am sorry Dr. Loomsbury could not be here this morning,” a young lady announced from the podium. “My name is Dr. Leonora Priddleton. I’m Dr. Loomsbury’s assistant.”

  Priddleton was young, only a few months past her twelfth birthday. But her actions were more of a forty-year-old woman. Dark black hair pulled into braided ponytails gave her an even younger look. An almond colored face accented with dark-rimmed plastic glasses enlarged her dark eyes. Standing at just a little over four feet, her lab coat all but draped the floor. As she stood composed, light yellow tennis shoes with pink shoestrings poked out from under her long white coat.

  Greghardt chuckled and leaned over to Dr. Lewis and whispered, “They get younger every year don’t they?”

  “Hey, I wouldn’t want to get in that little lady’s path. There’s more brains in that skull than in both of ours combined.”

  “After careful review of the material left for me by my colleague Dr. Loomsbury, I’ve concluded the drug was destroyed. There’s no evidence that any remained. The records are clear and concise. There were four agents who worked the disposal process, checks and balances… cross checks… checks and re-checks.”

  “Excuse me, Dr. Priddleton,” Greghardt interjected.

  “Yes sir… you have a question?”

  “Why couldn’t several doses have been confiscated and kept hidden?”

  “Simple answer,” Priddleton said clicking on the large monitor covering one wall. “Special precautions were taken to ensure all of the drug was gathered from around the world. Each specimen was hand carried by two of our agents. The laboratories would have lost their licenses if the samples presented were not real. It took two agents to open the sealed case. Even then, only The Agency had the third key. It was The Agency who ensured each vial was genuine and destroyed. The paperwork is complete and accurate.”

  “So we can conclude this drug was specifically created for these women?” Strickland asked from her seat.

  “We believe so, yes,” Priddleton replied. “It takes exactly fifty-eight months to create the drug at the intensity required to keep someone under the influence and not kill them.”

  Priddleton waited for more questions.

  “Jesus, exactly who are we up against?” Lewis asked no one in particular.

  “We do not know the answer at this juncture,” Priddleton replied. “But we hope to gain more insight from the instrument Loomsbury brings back. We expect his return within the day.”

  Lewis sat back in his chair and allowed his mind to wander. Whoever or whatever had the capability and money to re-create that drug—the drug The Agency took such precautions to destroy—must be powerful and dangerous. But it was the purpose behind the whole situation that worried him the most. Why? Why kill all those innocent people… and their families? What are… or were they trying to hide? And who are included in the they?

  “Dr. Priddleton?” Lewis asked after a moment of thought. “Have you examined the bone fragments Agent Miranda and his crew are assigned to?”

  “Yes, but we’re still waiting for the test results. I would not like to make conclusions or statements until all the results are in sir.”

  “Yes of course.” Lewis turned and stared at Agent Miranda before he continued. “Would you debrief us now please?”

  “This should be quick,” Miranda said standing. “We found nothing. We examined every square inch of the burial plot, but it’d already been sanitized. We also spoke to several people of interest and again… nothing.”

  “Damn,” Lewis shouted. “Can’t one damn thing go right around here?”

  Chapter 61

  AS LARK LAY nervously inside the cramped hollow tube, the machine clicked and barked several times. Never having experienced an MRI before, she was frightened. Even with the earplugs, she could still hear the attendant announce they would soon begin. Lark took in a deep breath hoping the fresh air would relax her, but it didn’t seem to help. Her heart pounded hard against her chest. It’d been months since her family was murdered and she wanted her husband more than ever. People were directing her life, pushing her to go here and there. Now she was being examined for something implanted inside her. The machine clicked a few times and once again the attendant’s voice came over the small speakers next to Lark’s head.

  “Are you ready, Mrs. Winters?”

  “Ready,” Lark hollered. Might as well get this over with.

  As the machine sprang to life the miniature device implanted just above Lark’s uterus also sprang to life. The invisible waves of magnetism energized t
he multi-dimensional particle cells deep inside the small implant and collided with the magnetized plasma. Lark didn’t feel a thing. She had no idea what was about to happen.

  The explosion first blew apart the light plastic casing and then ripped through the surrounding tissue deep inside Lark’s abdomen. Her heart was next, it was liquefied by the intense heat. Her large blood vessels shredded and the fluid bubbled from Lark’s body. The only sensation Lark felt was the urge to sleep, and sleep was what Lark did… forever.

  The explosion from deep inside resembled a mini cosmic gamma-ray burst. After destroying Lark’s body, the intense blast rippled through what little remained of Lark and continued outward into the MRI machine. The heat melted the plastic and metal pieces before the force from the blast had a chance to catch up with it. The room filled with dark smoke and flames shot out in all directions. The attendant barely reacted before the severe heat melted the protective glass. As the waves hit the attendant, his flesh melted from his body. Strong energy tore through his remains and he died instantly.

  The ground vibrated beneath the explosion and rocked the entire building. The rooms adjacent to the MRI laboratory vaporized as was anyone unlucky enough to be near. As the blast continued outward, what it gained in momentum it lost in intensity. Eventually the blast became a small mushroom cloud that hovered precariously above the medical center as if a vulture circling its prey.

  Lark was now at peace with herself and with her life. She was with her maker who knew and understood she was indeed an innocent victim. Lark became the guardian angel to watch over her family but at a distance.

  * * * * * *

  “Get over here,” the fireman yelled. “Now!”

  Nurses, doctors, orderlies, patients and visitors ran through the smoke-filled corridors anxious for a small breath of fresh air. Screams bounced off walls before hovering over the firemen’s heads.