The Hunt for Xanadu
Page 25
The smuggler pulled off his facemask. “I do. How’s that sample look?”
His colleague grunted. “It’s perfect, of course.”
The smuggler moved to his own work station. He put on gloves, and with meticulous care extracted the clipping and planted it next to the other specimens. His coworker joined him and they spent an excessive amount of time adjusting the temperature readings and making sure the soil moisture reading was accurate. They couldn’t allow it to get too wet. If the plant got a fungus before it went to seed, there would be nothing either of them could do for it.
The coworker leaned in and sniffed. “Smells just like fennel.”
The plant’s licorice-like aroma meant that it was growing perfectly, and while the flower’s petals had its own uses once it bloomed, it was the seeds they needed.
The smuggler turned to the cooling and drying unit where he’d stored the other plant’s seeds. He adjusted a few more readings. Inside was a year’s worth of work, already enough for the first round of tests.
The coworker turned to him. “How much more do we need?”
“More.” Much more to execute his plan. A plan that would change the course of the world.
“Do they know we need more time?”
“They know everything is going according to schedule. That’s all they need to know.”
The coworker grunted. “According to schedule. Get rid of Gisborne and everything will go according to the schedule. He’s getting in the way.”
The smuggler nodded. The cop had compromised this last shipment, and he’d nearly lost this clipping. It was the only one left in the Middle East, and he’d paid a small fortune for it. He’d had only one last day to get it into the soil, or it would have become non-viable.
Another shipment was expected in five more days. This one would contain a plant from Asia, a particular specimen supposedly so toxic they’d built a special room just for its cultivation. Even their backers didn’t know about this one. It would be just one of the cards they kept up their sleeves.
Unless Gisborne got in their way again.
“Our lives would be so much easier if we just got rid of him. He’s so damn predictable it would be child’s play.”
“Really? You know she’d never forgive us if she found out. You want that on your head?” The smuggler and his partner stared at each other in silence for a moment. Then, without another word, they set to locking up the labs.
Each changed out of his clothing and collected his belongings. Together they made their way out of the warehouse.
Four blocks towards the east side of Manhattan, the dealer’s cell phone rang. He brushed his dark locks away from his ears, glanced at the caller I.D. and answered it.
“Hey, Sis, how you doing? What’s the matter? Can’t sleep?”
“Ari, I just had another bad dream. I’m staying at my apartment tonight while Desmond works that case I was telling you about. I know it’s late, but can you please come over?”
Ari arched his eyebrows at his friend. “Sure, Kelsey, give me twenty minutes. And, hey, I’m hanging out with Josh. He’s back in town for a while. We’ll be right over.” He ended the call.
Josh shook his head. “Gisborne better start watching his back.”
And the man known only to the New York City Police Department as “Misterio” disappeared with his partner into the depths of the New York City subway system.
Other Books by Elyse Salpeter
The Kelsey Porter Series – Adult thrillers
The Hunt for Xanadu – Book 1
The Quest of the Empty Tomb – Book 2
The Call of Mount Sumeru – Book 3
The Haunting of Cragg Hill House – Book 4
The Search for Starlight – Book 5
The Mannequins – Horror
Ricket Row Anthology - Horror
The Flying Series – Young Adult Thrillers
Flying to the Light – Book 1
Flying to the Fire – Book 2
The Children of Demilee Series – Dark Fantasy – New Adult
The World of Karov – Book 1
The Ruby Amulet – Book 2
To learn more about Elyse Salpeter, please check out her website at www.elysesalpeter.com or her blog at www.elysesalpeter.wordpress.com