The Shiro Project

by David Khara

  After an hour, the judge announced the father’s death. The old man had survived the amputation of his right leg and an arm, but his heart had given out with the first cuts on the remaining leg. A heated discussion broke out between the medical team and the officials. Hirokazu caught a few snippets as he handed his surgical instruments off to an impatient colleague.

  The observers considered the survival time remarkable, but they were highly critical of the quality of the amputations. The students started to argue with the observers, but their professor quickly cut them off. He scolded them and then improvised a full-length lecture around the cadaver.

  At the other workstation, the operation on the still-living patient continued. Hirokazu just wanted it to end. He was exhausted. The longed-for release came an hour later, when the man died. The students feared they would be dressed down like the first team, but they were simply told to proceed with the dissection.

  Hirokazu Shinje felt battered as he mustered up the will to dissect the body. He knew this day would leave deep scars.

  But he had no idea just how much those two Chinese men would haunt every night of his existence.

  CHAPTER 19

  Near the Czech Army Camp, 2010

  A thick veil of clouds covering the night sky seemed to accentuate the ghostlike shapes of the trees. Elena rubbed her eyes and looked at the softly glowing moon. Little by little, she was regaining her sight, shedding the uncomfortable feeling of perceiving the world through a filtered lens. Relieved, she stroked the coarse, damp bark of the oak tree that she was leaning against. Then she closed her eyes again and took a deep breath. The mossy aroma rising from the earth comforted her.

  “Are you hurt?”

  Elena felt Eytan’s warm hand on her arm. Her partner was back. She chided herself for being so self-absorbed she hadn’t heard him arrive.

  “What do you care?” she replied, angrily jerking her arm away.

  She opened her eyes. Silhouettes, colors, and details had all come into focus. At last. Nearby, Branislav was attempting to pull himself together. He gently touched the bump on his nose. Eytan saw the beginnings of two black eyes, sure signs of a broken nose. A few feet away, a stranger with bound hands and feet was sitting on the ground. He was breathing heavily.

  Eytan glared at Elena. “What happened here?”

  She pointed her chin at the man on the ground. “That jackass jumped us out of nowhere. Don’t worry about your buddy. He just got a little bump on the nose. The other guy looks like he has a broken arm.”

  “He saw Branislav’s face without the mask?”

  “What do you think?” Elena said.

  Eytan squatted beside her. “You and Branislav need to scram,” he said in a low voice. “I’ll take care of the guard and then meet up with you.”

  “I’ll deal with him. I’m the one who—”

  “No,” Eytan interrupted. He pulled out his gun. “This needs to be handled by someone who doesn’t take pleasure in it.”

  No blow could match the violence of the Kidon agent’s words. For a long time, Elena had considered killing one of her job rewards. But her position had other important responsibilities, as well. Eytan had just reduced her to little more than a psychopath. That was harsh. After all, what was the difference between the two of them? How was he in a position to judge her? What gave him the right to think of himself as her moral and emotional superior?

  In the end, she was angry with herself. She had failed to carry out the mission that had been assigned to her. This was unbearable. She hid her discomfort and walked over to a dazed and confused Branislav. Together, they headed into the woods.

  A few minutes later, Eytan caught up with them.

  The trek back to the family abode was awkward. Elena didn’t say a word. Eytan fretted over Branislav’s swollen nose. It was getting bigger by the minute. “I’m habink sub trouble breathink, but it’s find,” Branislav said when Eytan asked him how he was doing. Eytan had no trouble understanding.

  Vladek paced in his living room. For two hours, he had been subjected to bitter rants and fits of weeping. That’s how things always played out between him and his wife whenever they got into a Branislav-related disagreement. His good sense told him that he should never have entrusted his son to the strange and obviously dangerous duo. But this was a situation that required a bold solution. He had always been a man of action, and he should have been the one to go in. His son wasn’t cut from the same cloth. Should he have let Branislav stare danger in the face just because he himself had never flinched?

  As the two parents faced off for yet another confrontation, the terrace door opened. Branislav came in with Eytan and Elena.

  “Oh sweetie, you’re hurt!” his mother cried.

  She leaped to her feet and rushed to her son, once again snubbing the other two. “Let me take care of you.” She acknowledged Eytan with a harsh glare. “Congratulations! You’ve returned my son with a broken nose. God knows what else could have happened to him.”

  Vladek was relieved. A broken nose was nothing. His own had been broken more than once. With his son home, and his marital spat on hold, he greeted the two agents with a solid handshake.

  “Thank you for keeping your word.”

  The giant forced a smile.

  “You didn’t find what you were looking for?”

  “No, we did.”

  “How much damage done?”

  Eytan’s stony expression said all that was necessary.

  “I see,” Vladek muttered as he lowered his eyes. So, what’s your exit strategy?”

  “We got what we wanted and even a bit more. The less you know from here on out, the better it’ll be for you and your family. Now if you could, please take us back to the other side of the lake. We have to be on our way.”

  “Hold on,” Vladek responded. “Do you really intend to keep me in the dark?”

  “That’s how it needs to be, Vladek, and you know it. Follow my advice. Don’t try to find out anything more. And tell Branislav to stay here. People will probably show up with questions in the next few days. What will you tell them?”

  “Oh, don’t worry about that,” Vladek said. “Lying to the authorities is a national pastime. I saw nothing. I heard nothing. I know nothing.”

  “Perfect. Let’s go.”

  Vladek grabbed his heavy jacket and accompanied Eytan and Elena to the pontoon. As he prepared to embark, Branislav came rushing out of the house, cotton stuffed in his nose.

  “Are you leavink?” he asked.

  “We have to,” Eytan replied tersely.

  “I was hopink…”

  “To get on with your life? Well, no problem there. Your wish is granted,” Eytan said. He gave the journalist a wink. “Besides, a doctor needs to take a look at that nose.”

  “Will we see each oder again?”

  “Not likely. As you may have noticed, bumping into me is usually a sign of trouble.”

  “Yeah, well, you know, if you eber neeb anythink…”

  “Happy trails, Branislav!”

  Eytan settled into the boat.

  Branislav smiled and felt his nose again. Then he turned to Elena, who was about to board the boat. She looked worse than ever—pale and grim, like an angel of death. He offered her his hand. She didn’t take it.

  “Thanks.”

  She stared down at him and looked like she might smack him.

  “Why are you thanking me? I failed,” she said. There was bitterness in her voice.

  This was an entirely new facet of Elena’s personality. The whole time Branislav had known her, she’d behaved like an emotionless machine designed to get the job done. Unlike Eytan, she lacked empathy. But now she seemed disheartened. A feeling like this had to be something new and strange for her.

  “You were supposed to protect be, and I’m still alibe. I don’t call that failink,” he said as he stealthily took her hand.

  His persistence seemed to throw Elena off even more than she already was. She g
lanced at Eytan. Branislav wondered if she was worried that he’d think less of her if he saw any chink in her armor. But he was watching stoically. She pried her hand away and joined the men in the boat.

  Branislav sat down at the water’s edge and watched the boat get smaller as it made its way to the other side of the lake. Oddly, the pair had grown on him. Of course, their feats during the raid on the camp were beyond his comprehension. Their road trip was far from the vacation he had envisioned, and watching them leave was surely a relief for his mother and father. Nonetheless, he knew that no matter what the future had in store for him, he’d never forget Eytan and Elena.

  They’d be continuing their mission elsewhere, as Branislav tackled his new three-part task: comfort his overprotective mother on the verge of a nervous breakdown, cheer up his depressed father as he confronted the reality of old age, and fix his derailed marriage.

  Branislav thought about Eytan’s last piece of advice. Maybe that was the takeaway from all of this: it was time to get on with his life.

  CHAPTER 20

  Prague, eleven-thirty p.m.

  Eytan and Elena checked into their hotel, motorcycle helmets in hand. The receptionist, a short, plump young man, left his desk in the office behind the counter, where he had been watching a TV show on his laptop, to accommodate them. Seconds after he placed their suite’s magnetic key card on the counter, Elena snatched it up and darted toward the elevators. Like a shadow, Eytan followed close behind. She fidgeted as she waited for the doors to close and then compulsively pushed the button to their floor several times. She was more tightly wound than a Jack-in-the-box. Eytan thought it best to keep his mouth shut.

  She rushed into their suite, threw her jacket on the floor, and spouted icily, “I’m taking a shower.” She disappeared into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

  Eytan dropped his bag with a heavy, tired sigh. He was no stranger to the fatigue that accompanied his work or the stamina and exceptional skills that it required. But he hadn’t been prepared for a fellow assassin’s mood swings and what appeared to be hurt feelings. At least he’d have the next few moments all to himself. He took off his jacket and hung it meticulously on the back of a chair. He picked up Elena’s carelessly strewn article of clothing, folded it, and placed it neatly on the couch.

  He rummaged through the minibar and found a sugary soda, then sat down in an armchair and stretched out his legs. It was a rare moment of peace and quiet. He could now assess the situation What he had learned during their nighttime adventure hardly inspired optimism. If anything, it had reinforced his opinion that the days to come would be full of harsh realities. He hadn’t quite figured out why Cypher had enlisted his help and forced him into this partnership with Elena. Several theories were starting to percolate. Still, it was too soon to know for sure.

  Eytan had to admit that the Amazon was a worthy ally and an impressive enemy. During their time together, he had gotten a better grasp of her personality. She was antagonistic and conniving, yes, but she was certainly more complicated than that. If she learned to manage her anger and acquired some humility, she could probably surpass him. Yet he doubted there was hope for this woman. Their collaboration would certainly meet a brutal end.

  Elena appeared in the doorway. She was wearing a white cotton bathrobe, and her hair was wrapped in a blue towel. As he looked her up and down, he acknowledged a new and puzzling piece of information. He had been so consumed with the mission, he hadn’t assimilated the fact that she was a knockout.

  “Feeling better?” he asked.

  “What’s it to you?” she snapped.

  No charm. No surprise there. He stood up and eyed her scornfully.

  “Let’s call Cypher. I’m beyond excited for this to be over.”

  “Same,” she muttered, drying her hair with the towel.

  Eytan sat down at the table, punched the number provided by the Consortium, and put the cell phone on speaker. Three rings later, he heard Cypher’s nauseatingly sweet voice.

  “Hello, Mr. Morg. What’s the latest from Prague?”

  “I want to hear Eli.”

  After a few moments, his friend’s lively voice confirmed that he was okay. “I’m fine, Eytan. Don’t worry.”

  Cypher returned. “Good, now that we’ve taken care of the formalities, shall we get back to business?”

  “We know the nature of the attack but not how it was carried out,” Eytan began. “Autopsies were still underway when we intervened, but the ones that had already been completed indicated that the victims’ airways were practically liquefied. And the blood vessels in their eyes had burst.”

  “Were there blisters or burn marks on the skin?”

  “No. I also thought it could be mustard gas, but that doesn’t fit. According to my source, the weapon was not chemical, but viral. However, the type of virus was still undetermined. Does this imply a link to the research conducted in your lab, Cypher?” It was more of an accusation than a question.

  “I’m afraid so.”

  “Why am I not surprised?”

  “I had no reason to divulge the nature of the stolen strains without knowing for sure that they were involved in the Czech and Russian attacks.”

  “Now you know, so I suggest that you spill everything.”

  “First, you need to understand that these operations were organized by the former leadership and that I do not approve of them.”

  “I don’t give a shit about your guilt trip. I want reliable information!”

  Eytan was yelling, and now even Elena looked startled. She had never seen him lose control.

  “The lab was working on an improved version of the Crimean-Congo virus.”

  “Improved? How so?”

  “Ten times more aggressive, a new method of diffusion via aerosol cans, a limited lifespan to prevent epidemics, and several other enhancements. I’ll skip the details for the sake of brevity. The goal was to create a viral weapon that could be carried in a container.”

  “You’re a bunch of madmen! You make me sick.”

  “That’s one of the symptoms.”

  Eytan swiveled his chair to face Elena.

  “Wow, the man’s got a sense of humor too!”

  She shook her head. He threw up his hands and turned back to the phone.

  “Developing this kind of weaponry using the stolen strains would require various resources: appropriate facilities, specific materials, a high level of expertise, and thus considerable funds. This gives us lots of new leads to work with. We’ll use your ties to the pharmaceutical industry to dig deeper.”

  “I’ll take care of that, if 302 allows it,” Elena jumped in, as she leaned over the phone next to Eytan.

  She questioned him with her eyes. He couldn’t help noticing an intoxicating fragrance was radiating from her skin. He caught himself inhaling. Was he crazy? Eytan collected himself and pulled away. He silently approved Elena’s proposition.

  “I’m delighted to see the two of you collaborating so effectively.”

  “There’s more,” Eytan responded. “We made another discovery at the scene. There was a strange motif in one of the photos. From far away, it looked like graffiti. But actually, it’s a series of ideograms, or characters. I’ll send you the photos.”

  “Hmm, characters. That’s surprising, indeed. And intriguing.”

  “It is, as is the rest of this story. Translate the characters as fast as possible. I’m anxious to learn what they mean. And here’s another crucial tidbit: we have every reason to believe that the Pardubice victims were not chosen by accident. I’m not a hundred percent sure, but there could be a connection between them and the studies led by the Czech laboratories. I’ve acquired a list. If you could take a look—”

  “Send me the names. I’ll check. Is that all?”

  “For now, yes.”

  “You’ve both done great work, but we still have a lot on our plate. Get some rest. I’ll contact you as soon as I have more information.”


  Cypher ended the call.

  Elena went back into the bathroom.

  Eytan proceeded to send the files, as he had promised. The task took a good fifteen minutes, much to his annoyance. Most things technological gave him a massive headache, and this computer was no exception. Silver lining: he wouldn’t be spending yet another night on a plane.

  Elena opened the bedroom door. Eytan looked up instinctively. She had slipped out of her robe and into a white T-shirt and jeans.

  “Hey, 302, how about we get a bite to eat?”

  Eytan looked at her for a moment. What the hell? His whole routine—getting missions from Eli, carrying them out, and starting over again—had been shot to hell in a handbasket over the past couple of days. Eli had been kidnapped, and to save him, he had to work with this trigger-happy dragon lady. A cold beer and some sustenance, even with a woman out to kill him, was just what he needed.

  “Sure, I’d like that,” he said, stretching his arms and legs.

  “What do you want, 302?” she asked, scanning the room service menu.

  He closed the laptop and got up from the chair.

  “Call me Eytan or any other damn name that pops into your head. Just quit it with the 302.”

  “Is Superman losing his legendary cool?” Elena asked, still examining the hotel’s dinner selection.

  He grabbed his jacket, threw it on, and started walking toward the door. “First, to hell with my cool. And second, Superman is too hungry to fight you right now. Come on, let go for once. I’m taking you out to a real restaurant. I could use some fresh air.”

  Elena let out what sounded like a sincere, delightful little laugh. Eytan was surprised at how captivating it sounded. Then she smiled. There was no trace of scorn or sarcasm. It looked genuine. Elena took a deep breath and exhaled, as though she were finally releasing all her pent-up stress and anger.

  “I’m in!” she declared.

  The knockout had just blown Eytan away.

  CHAPTER 21

  Eytan was asking the guy at the front desk about good restaurants that weren’t tourist traps and still open at this late hour. Elena was seeing a totally different Eytan—one who could be affable and even charming.