“What phase two results? We thought they weren’t in yet. Isn’t phase three going to run in parallel with phase two and with the manufacturing?” Faith bit her lip. She looked concerned. She was a good actor.
“If you provide evidence, Rob, I am sure Bishop will agree to a change in schedule. But he’ll need evidence.”
“You’ll get it,” he said. He stood and headed for the door. He had to get out of the room. He had to think.
“You won’t stay for coffee?”
“I need to prepare a report for Bishop.”
“You can do that here.”
“No thanks.”
He went out the door. She didn’t follow him. He was a big fat fly in their ointment now. If he stayed at one of their desks, using their Wi-Fi, they’d probably by tracking every key stroke he made and screen grabbing what he was doing every few seconds.
He headed for the street. He looked around when he got there. There were only a few people walking by, but no one paid him any attention. A yellow cab waited at the curb, but he figured that would be a State Department plant. Faith had probably ordered it up from the meeting room. He headed east along K Street and at the next intersection waited until he saw an empty yellow cab and hailed it.
He gave the Wilshire Creek Condos’ address and sat back.
He had to get them to postpone the trials. The news that Gong Dao had been involved in getting him to Paris made Vladimir’s revelation all the more believable. Everything about Jackie’s death stunk to high heaven. He had to focus on getting Jackie released.
The immediate question was, should he make contact with the FDA and put in an objection now? He asked the driver to wait when he saw an open Subway, went inside, and ordered a meatball sandwich and a coke. He got it to go. He planned to work all afternoon. He’d need something to keep himself going.
He reached his room at the condo complex at twelve-thirty. He was writing his report for Bishop five minutes later. The excuse he would give would be real. He planned an amendment to the vaccine that would make it more suitable for poorer countries.
They could include a synthetic nanoparticle DNA wrapper to encourage an enhanced T-cell response, which would lead to a longer period of immunity for those who took the vaccine. This would also allow the vaccine to be delivered using an air-jet injection system which forces a vaccine through the top layer of skin using a burst of pressurized air.
Poorer countries would also not need refrigeration with the new formula. That would make it far less costly to deliver in the field. The benefits were real. Bishop could not ignore his recommendations. The FDA would have to intervene if Bishop was too short-sighted to do the right thing.
Rob was halfway through the report in thirty minutes. He was considering what Bishop’s objections might be. Maybe he’d say it was impossible to create this type of synthetic DNA wrapper. He bent over his laptop. He’d remembered there was a scientific paper on the subject. He needed to find it.
His phone buzzed. Then it stopped. A US number.
It buzzed again. He clicked the answer button.
“Outside,” said a voice with a hint of a Chinese accent.
Was that Wang? He decided to ignore the summons. Wang could come to him. He wasn’t a puppet. Rob bent over his laptop. He needed a second scientific paper on the subject, to prove without doubt that what he was suggesting could be done.
He searched online. Then he ate his Subway sandwich. As he was finishing it, a knock sounded on his door. He looked through the spy hole.
It was Wang. He had his smartphone in his hand. He knocked again, but harder.
Rob opened the door. “Come in,” he said. “No need to break the door down.”
Wang came halfway in, looked around, put a finger to his lips. “Come with me, it’s important,” he said. He headed down the corridor. Rob thought for a moment, then grabbed his door card and followed. Wang could help, even if only as a distraction for Bishop.
Wang was a little ahead.
“Do you think every room here is bugged?” he said, loudly.
Wang just kept going.
Rob stopped at the glass door that led out into the garden at the side of the building.
“We can go out this way,” he called after Wang. He pushed the door open, waited for Wang, then when he saw him coming back, he went out into the narrow garden between two of the apartment blocks. He spotted a wooden seat.
“Let’s sit,” he said. “I hope this is important. I’ve got a lot to do.”
Wang sat, crouched over his phone. “You need to see this,” he said. He turned his smartphone screen to Rob.
Rob sat down, but not close to Wang. A disturbance hung in the air around Wang, a malevolence that made Rob’s skin crawl.
He looked warily at the screen. Someone was speaking at a meeting. It looked like an American politician he vaguely remembered. The man spoke about letting the White House deal with whatever happens.
“Why are you showing me this?”
“Do you see the date on the clip?” said Wang.
“Sure, January 10th.”
Wang pulled the phone away. “What this proves,” he said. “Is that politicians in the United States were aware of human to human airborne transmission of the Coronavirus in early January.” Wang was agitated, his hands moving through the air.
“Your country could have closed down a lot sooner, but your partisan system, with each side blaming the other for dirty tricks, meant you spoke with many voices, all with a different opinion of the importance of this news about human to human transmission.”
Rob shook his head. “That’s just one person. And anyhow, I’d rather live in a place where I’m free to express my opinion, than one where my mouth is taped shut by the state.”
Wang stood. “I’m trying to help you, Dr. McNeil. You need to know the truth about your own government.”
“Sure, and you don’t want to talk about how it all started.” He took a deep breath, holding himself back. “Have you found out who sent Gong Dao to my house in London?”
“I am working on that.” Wang slipped his phone into his pocket.
“And I gave your stupid clock to my contact at the State Department.”
“Good, they know we are connected.” Wang looked pleased. “How is your friend Faith these days?” he said.
“Why?”
Wang’s expression changed to a look of mock concern.
“This video is not good news for your friend,” said Wang, shaking his head.
“Go on.”
“The senator in this video is the man she is planning to marry. The real issue is, how much did he tell her, and how much did your State Department know about human to human airborne transmission of Coronavirus all the way back in January?” He pointed at Rob. “Your government could definitely have saved a lot of lives if they had acted quicker and with an iron fist.”
Rob shook his head. “Yeah right, and Mao was great at organizing things too with the iron fist that crushed millions. You lot haven’t changed. No respect for individual human freedom or human life.”
“What a wonderful thing you give your people—freedom and death.” Wang sounded bitter. He turned and walked away from Rob.
Rob headed back to his room. Did he even care that the State Department know about how deadly the Coronavirus could be in January? Did it matter who Faith was marrying?
There was only one thing that mattered. Finding Jackie and figuring out what he could do to get her released.
He barely slept that night. Twice he had his phone in his hand and was about to call Faith, to tell her what he’d found out, but also to talk to her, to share what he’d been told about Jackie. The State Department might even help him get Jackie back.
But twice he put his phone away. The State Department might also enrage Vladimir, possibly have him questioned, which would be a waste of time as he probably had diplomatic immunity. But it might all stop him from helping Jackie.
30
/> Washington DC, June 3rd, 2020
“Who did you tell?” were the first words Vladimir asked him the following morning in the park. They were at the same spot at the same time. More joggers were active this morning.
Rob started walking. “No one. Let’s keep moving,” he said.
Vladimir followed him.
“Where are we going?” he asked.
“This trail circles around. We’re not going anywhere,” said Rob. He raised his voice. “Do you know where Jackie is? Can I talk to her?” he asked, his need clear in his voice.
“I still don’t know any more than you,” said Vladimir.
Rob stopped. His body shook with anger.
“Don’t give me this bullshit. You showed me a video of my wife alive yesterday. She’s supposed to be dead. Where is she?” His hands were fists by his side.
Vladimir looked at him, sighed. “I only get told what I need to know. They don’t tell me everything.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“I do not know where your wife is, understood? I too thought she was dead until yesterday. This video arrived in my inbox. That’s it.”
“Who sent it to you?”
“This I cannot tell you.”
“What, it’s classified? Are you trying to torture me?”
“Wake up, Dr. McNeil,” said Vladimir, forcefully. “You must simply do as we ask, if you want to see her.”
“You have to prove she’s alive first. Prove that this isn’t some grotesque trick. You people are well capable of it.”
“Us, using tricks? Your government is the master of all that. Do you want me to make a list for you?”
“If I don’t see her, talk to her, I’m going to assume you are playing games with me,” said Rob. He stepped back.
“I will ask if that can be done,” said Vladimir. “I will make contact with you again. Have you kept your side of the deal? Have you stopped the manufacture of the vaccine?”
“I’ve told them we must stop the process to improve the vaccine. I’ve requested it. I am doing what you asked.”
“And they have agreed?”
“Not yet, but I’ve threatened to report them to the FDA.”
Vladimir nodded. “Good. You can also tell your TOTALVACS friends they should stop using those Chinese swab tests to see if someone is a carrier.”
“What?”
“Fifty percent of the positives from those tests are false. You might as well toss a coin.”
“You’re spreading fake news, right?” said Rob. “What is it, some Russian company wants the contract?”
Vladimir’s face was like granite.
“I’m meeting the TOTALVACS people in two hours. If you want me to push hard to get our vaccine stopped, I suggest you prove to me that my wife is alive.” He took another step back.
“Ask yourself this,” said Vladimir. “After she died, did you see her body, or did they just show you a video?”
“I want to speak to her.” He spat the words out, then turned, walked away. His mind buzzed with questions. Was Vladimir telling the truth? Could he get to speak to her? Or was this all some sick Russian doll game, where every time he got an answer, it just turned out to reveal another question?
His stomach tightened again. What the hell was he going to do?
A car was due to pick him up in an hour and take him to TOTALVACS. He’d submitted his paper, but he knew he’d probably have to make good on his threat to complain to the FDA to make TOTALVACS stop production. Bishop was no pushover.
He showered, stayed under the warm water trying to clear his head. As he was finishing, he heard his phone buzzing. He stepped out and tapped at the screen, water running everywhere. It was a UK number.
“Rob,” said Sean. “What the hell are you up to? That guy Bishop wants me to overrule you and get permission to proceed with manufacture. What’s going on?”
Rob explained to him about the new formula and the benefits it would bring.
“We’ll be the only ones with a formula that most of the world can afford, Sean,” said Rob. He could sense he sounded all wrong.
“That’s not the priority for TOTALVACS.”
“Well, it should be.”
“Is there anything else behind this?” said Sean, suspicion in his voice.
Rob hesitated. It would be good to get Sean’s input on Jackie still being alive. The urge to tell Sean about the video and that he was waiting to find out the truth was strong. He had the words ready in his mouth. But no, he couldn’t. Not now, maybe later. He needed this line to be free.
“You know you can share anything with me,” said Sean. “We’ve been through a lot, the two of us. Do you remember when I—”
Rob’s phone buzzed. Someone else was trying to call him.
“I have to go, sorry, Sean. I have another call,” said Rob. He tapped at this screen.
Be Jackie, come on, be Jackie.
31
Washington DC, June 3rd, 2020
Wang walked past the main visitor entrance at the back of the Capitol building. It was one minute to nine. He put his phone to his ear and ignored the occasional person passing. He’d been here before and there’d been lines outside. Not now.
“What did you find out?” he asked in Mandarin.
“Target stayed at The Ritz-Carlton last night,” came the reply in clipped Mandarin.
“Room?”
“342.”
“Who was with her?”
“A man.”
He cut the call.
Senator Harmforth paced up and down, not far away. Wang walked toward him.
“Do you like green tea?” Wang asked, as he came near.
“Do not try to blackmail me,” said Harmforth, his eyes blazing, his tone angry. “I’ll have you arrested, and the key thrown away.”
Behind Harmforth two young men, both of them bulging out of their black suits, had appeared.
Wang raised his hands. “This is not blackmail, Senator. We are all on the same side,” said Wang. “My job is to protect the good relationship between the People’s Republic of China and the United States of America.”
“You work for the Chinese Embassy?” said Harmforth.
“With full diplomatic immunity,” said Wang with a thin smile.
Harmforth’s face was puce now. “What the hell do you commies want now. Haven’t you done enough damage?”
“You have this the wrong way around,” said Wang. “You could have saved many, many lives if the United States had acted in January.”
“What is it you want?”
“What we want is in both our interests, Senator. We have a symbiotic relationship, yes? Let us not be cutting off our noses to spite our faces.”
“You lot are parasites, feeding off our great country,” said Harmforth.
“And your greatest enterprises feed off the profits they make in our country from our workers,” said Wang.
“I really don’t get it,” said Harmforth. He glanced around. A few people were staring at them. “Let’s walk this way.” He headed around the Capitol.
Wang kept pace with him. “Senator, we have one goal. To maintain the peace of heaven between us.”
“Go on, get to it,” said Harmforth. “You guys sure love beating all over the bush.”
“We seek to support the World Health Organization, Senator.” Wang put a hand on his chest. “Our support and guidance for the WHO is a symbol of our support for health everywhere in the world, for all people. Now, we want to enhance its decision-making powers with some new rules and voting arrangements. Your support will be appreciated in this.”
“You can take your appreciation and shove it where the sun don’t shine, commie.” Harmforth’s face contorted. A vein pulsed on his forehead. “You want to take the WHO and turn it into a commie propaganda tool? Well, if that’s what you’re up to, don’t expect the United States to tag along. And, don’t bother me ever again with threatening texts, if you don’t want to feel my f
ist in your face, commie bastard.”
He turned and walked away.
32
Washington DC, June 3rd, 2020
Rob’s mouth opened. A Facebook messenger video call had started. His smartphone screen flickered as if his Wi-Fi had a poor signal. He stood.
“Jackie.” His voice trembled with both hope and joy.
Jackie opened her mouth and spoke. No words reached him. She waved.
“I can’t hear you,” he shouted. His neck muscles tightened. His throat went dry.
On the screen, Jackie leaned forward. She looked concerned. But the picture was blurry. He moved his phone closer to his eyes. Her mouth had moved weirdly, as if the video signal had been interrupted.
Rob blinked. The screen went black and then she was back.
What could he ask her that no one else would know? His heart lifted as he looked at her, the chains of loneliness and grief that had bound him dissolving in a flood of relief.
“What result did you get to the test?” he asked, hopefully.
Jackie squinted, leaned forward, as if to catch what he’d said. “I have my medicine,” she said. Her voice crackled, then the screen flickered and went black. This time it stayed that way.
“What?” screamed Rob. He tapped at the screen, tried to reconnect. Nothing happened.
She had to be alive. How could a fake be talking about medicine?
He grabbed his keycard and headed for the reception area, half running, to see if the Wi-Fi was better there. All the time he was tapping at his screen. A group of men passed him. None of them had face masks on. They looked at him as if he were crazy. Someone must have cracked a joke about him after he’d passed, as laughter followed him down the corridor.
He turned and raised a finger to them. When he reached the reception, the Wi-Fi signal was worse there. He wanted to throw his phone at the wall.
A young Chinese girl passed him, smiled, then paused with a worried look on her face.
The Conspiracy II Page 10
