by Alex Siegel
He called Marina.
"Report," she said.
"We lost them, ma'am," Hanley said.
"How? You were a hotshot FBI agent. Katie was a detective in the Air Force. Both of you are trained in the art of pursuit."
"They must've spotted us and were prepared to shake off a tail. They seemed to know exactly what they were doing. I think we should've snatched them when we had the chance."
"I'm very disappointed," she said angrily. "Shipman left his phone behind, so we have no idea where he is now. We'll have to wait for him to slip up, and he might not."
"Sorry, ma'am. What should we do next?"
Marina exhaled. "His buddy mentioned a 'pathetic, little lab' which I presume is in the Hediger Institute, somewhere. Go back and find it. Collect evidence."
"Yes, ma'am. We're on our way. Bye." He hung up.
"I'm glad you made that call," Katie said. "I would've been afraid."
"And you think I wasn't? Let's go."
* * *
Ipo and Liam were walking through a commercial section of Cupertino. Liam saw a department store, a coffee shop, a bank, a restaurant, and a strip mall. The trees and grass were immaculately groomed. The legionnaires were the only pedestrians on the wide, clean sidewalk. Cars whooshed past, and some looked quite expensive. Cupertino was one of the nicer parts of Silicon Valley.
Ipo was staring at a signal detector in his hands. Supposedly, the device would take them straight to the bad guy's phone.
Liam glanced at the big man in admiration. Ipo was more than just a skillful, powerful fighter. He had the heart of a true warrior, and Liam knew he was somewhat lacking in that area. Liam was brave enough when sparring or fighting in the ring, but he was still afraid of combat in the real world. His utter humiliation at the hands of Aaron had made Liam feel even less adequate. It was clear that a legionnaire was expected to fight at an inhuman level. Liam wasn't sure if he could get there.
Ipo walked up to a dumpster beside a Mexican restaurant. "It's in there," he said with a frown.
"In the dumpster?" Liam said.
"That's what I just told you. Come on. It's time for some dumpster diving."
Ipo climbed into the half-full dumpster, and Liam hesitantly followed. He could smell the spoiled food. Apparently, the dumpster hadn't been emptied in a while.
Liam breathed through his mouth as he dug into the garbage. Maggots had invaded some of the garbage bags. He wished he had brought gloves, but there was nothing he could do about it now.
After twenty disgusting minutes of searching, Ipo uncovered the prize. It looked like a standard, inexpensive smart phone. The glass was cracked.
"We're lucky this thing was still transmitting," he said. "The battery is almost dead."
"Why was it thrown away?" Liam said.
"Obviously, our enemy knew the signal could be traced."
"Then why was he carrying a phone at all?"
"In case he had to make a call," Ipo said. "It's a necessity, just like our phones."
He found a plastic bag in the garbage and used it to wrap up the phone, but he was careful not to actually touch the evidence. He stuffed the bag into his pocket.
Ipo and Liam climbed out of the dumpster. Liam tried to brush off his clothes as best he could, but some stains would require a thorough cleaning.
Ipo used his own gray phone to call headquarters. He pressed the speaker button so Liam could hear.
"Yes?" Marina said.
"We found the phone in a dumpster, ma'am," Ipo said.
"Damn it."
"Do you want us to bring it back to headquarters for analysis?"
"Yes, but not quite yet," she said. "That phone is owned by a woman in Sunnyvale. Get her story before you come home. I'll text you the exact address."
"Yes, ma'am."
* * *
Hanley and Katie arrived at the Hediger Institute for Animal Psychology for the second time today. The building looked just as architecturally awkward and sterile as before. The legionnaires stepped onto a smoothly paved parking lot.
Hanley scratched his palms with his fingernails.
"Still itchy?" Katie said.
"Yeah. It's really bugging me. I wish I knew what was causing it."
"Let me see."
He held up his hands for her inspection. A roughly circular patch in the center of each palm was inflamed.
"It looks like a burn," Katie said. "Weird."
"Let's just get to work," Hanley said. "I'm sure it will heal."
They went inside. Several white hallways branched off of the large foyer, and it wasn't obvious which way to go.
"I suppose we should just ask somebody where Shipman keeps his lab."
She nodded. "Yes."
They went to a board that listed names, titles, and office numbers. Hanley found the entry for the "building manager" whose name was Darla Berg. Her office was near the lobby, and Hanley found it after just a short search. He knocked on the door.
"Come in," a woman said.
He opened the door. The office was small, crowded, and windowless, and it smelled like coffee. Binders full of papers were stacked on the shelves, and they had titles like "Emergency Operations Manual" and "Fire Safety Code." Darla was a chubby woman with a pink face and flaming red hair. She was wearing jeans and a purple shirt.
"Yes?" she said.
Hanley flashed his badge. "We're from the California Department of Justice."
"Oh." Her eyes widened.
"We're looking for Dr. Joseph Shipman's laboratory. We believe it contains important evidence relevant to a case."
"Dr. Shipman doesn't have his own laboratory." Darla furrowed her brow.
"You're sure?"
"Of course, I'm sure. It's my job to know what goes on in this building. I inspect every room weekly for safety violations."
"I see." Hanley pursed his lips. "Let's assume for the moment that Shipman has a hidden laboratory."
"Are you kidding?"
"Do I look like I'm kidding?"
She stared at him. "I guess not. The doctor has a storage closet in the basement. I suppose if he were hiding anything, it would be there."
He smiled. "Great. Let's take a look."
Darla led Hanley and Katie down a flight of stairs and into the basement. A locked door blocked their way, but Darla opened it with a keycard and an electronic combination.
"Nice security," Hanley said.
"We've had trouble with animal activists," Darla said. "Somebody tries to break in at least a couple of times a year. They don't understand this is important science, and it helps people in the end. Some ideas just have to be tested on animals."
He looked through a window. He saw cages containing cats, and each had some kind of mask over its eyes. The masks were wired to computers.
"It does seem a little cruel though."
"They're just animals. They don't feel pain the way we do."
He frowned. "Really?"
Darla took the legionnaires to a closet at the end of a hallway. A light bulb was burnt out, and the white tiled floor had water stains. It was clearly the unfashionable part of the building.
She used a key on a big key ring to open the closet. She went inside and turned on the light.
The closet contained cardboard boxes stacked almost to the ceiling. Hanley opened a random box and found it full of old scientific journals. Another box contained spare laboratory equipment wrapped in clear bubble wrap.
He frowned and looked at the blank walls of the closet. They were made of unpainted drywall, and the floor was bare concrete. The space was the size of a small bathroom. A slight odor of mildew made his nostrils itch.
Katie came in and started tapping on the walls with her knuckles.
"You really think there is a hidden room?" Darla said.
"It's a possibility," Katie replied.
Darla furrowed her brow and held her hands out.
"What are you doing?" Hanley said.
"Tryi
ng to visualize the floor plan. I know this building better than anybody. If there's extra space somewhere, I should be able to figure it out."
She went out into the hallway with a purposeful expression on her face. She looked up. Bare pipes and conduits hung from the ceiling, and they seemed to give her an idea.
"Got anything?" he said.
Darla nodded. "Now that I think about it, there is something odd about this corner of the basement." She went back into the closet and pointed at one of the walls. "If it's anywhere, it's behind there."
Hanley tapped on the wall. It appeared to be ordinary drywall, but the surface was actually solid wood painted white in a clever way. He pushed against it, and it felt very sturdy.
"There must be a latch," he said.
All three of them searched, but the wall had no apparent seams. The surface was smooth and blank.
"I'm going to blow it," Hanley said. "Everybody out."
"What do you mean?" Darla said.
"Just get out."
The two women left the closet. He had brought a small demolitions package which was hidden in his jacket. The charge was standard gear for a legionnaire, and it was designed for blasting open stubborn doors or setting booby traps. He took it out.
Half an ounce of C-4 was already attached to a compact detonator. He peeled off a thin plastic backing, pressed the sticky charge against the wall, and started the countdown. The timer was set for one minute.
He hurried out of the closet.
"What is that?" Darla said.
"It's a small bomb," Hanley said. "Back off and cover your ears."
"A bomb!"
He pushed her shoulder to encourage her to move. The group went halfway down the hall and covered their ears with their hands.
The explosion sounded like a loud, concussive pop. There was a little smoke, and some dust was shaken off the ceiling.
Other doors in the hallway opened, and scientists came out with anxious expressions.
Hanley showed his badge. "Official business. There's nothing wrong. Go back to what you were doing."
They slowly returned to their laboratories.
He jogged back to the closet to inspect the damage. The bomb had punched a nice hole through the wall. He peeked through and saw an elaborate steel mechanism which seemed built for moving the entire wall. It had electrical motors.
"We need a flashlight and a big crowbar," he said.
"You see something?" Darla said.
"Yes. Can you get those items for me? Thanks."
She hurried off.
When Hanley was alone with Katie, he said, "We can't let her go into the laboratory. She's a civilian."
Katie nodded. "Got it."
Darla returned after a few minutes with a flashlight and a crowbar. She held the flashlight while Hanley pried open the wooden wall using brute strength. He strained his muscles, and the thick wood splintered.
When the hole was big enough, he grabbed the flashlight and stuck his head and arm through. He shined the light into a dark laboratory. Cages held rats, and the small, brown animals scurried around when he pointed the flashlight at them. They had metal devices attached to their tiny skulls.
Surveillance cameras were mounted on the ceiling, and at least one had a good view of Hanley's face. There was also a motion sensor with a tiny, blinking LED.
Hanley looked at the back side of the fake wall. The secret door mechanism looked very sturdy and was bolted to the wood in several places. The controller had a little antenna on it. Shipman must use a radio remote to open it, Hanley thought.
He spotted a button that looked like it would open the door. He slapped the button and quickly pulled his head and arm out of the hole. The sharp points of the broken wood poked his skin before he could pull free, but he escaped with only a few scrapes. The secret door pulled back on silent bearings, and the only sound was the whir of an electric motor.
"Darla," Hanley said, "go back to your office. We can take over from here."
Darla stared into the darkened laboratory. "How the hell did Shipman build this place without me knowing?"
"Don't worry about that now. You have to leave. This is police business, and I don't want you contaminating the evidence. We'll make sure you get a full briefing when we're done."
She took one last look before leaving. She muttered to herself as she walked down the hallway.
Hanley entered the laboratory, found a light switch, and turned it on. Katie followed him cautiously.
There were about twenty rats in individual cages. They had full water bottles, bowls of food, and clean litter, so somebody was taking good care of the animals. He looked at the skull caps and realized they were some kind of implants. Tiny electronic components were sealed in clear plastic.
"These caps must be how the rats are being controlled," Hanley said.
"Look at this," Katie said.
He walked over. She was standing at a tiny operating table suitable for performing surgery on rats. A cluster of monitoring devices surrounded it like a real operating room. There was even a miniature oxygen mask.
"Interesting," he said.
He spotted a motorcycle helmet on a stand. Hundreds of wires went from contacts on the helmet to a nearby computer. He picked up the helmet, looked inside, and discovered the interior was covered with tiny, copper coils.
"A brain scanner?" Hanley said.
"Maybe it's used to control the rats," Katie said. "A high-tech mind link."
He put his phone into speaker mode and called Marina.
"Did you find the laboratory?" the commander said.
"Yes, ma'am. It was pretty well hidden, but we got lucky and located it right away. There are rats with implants in their brains. It looks like Shipman was working on some kind of advanced mind-control technology."
"OK. This is great. We're making a lot of progress. Bring every bit of evidence back to headquarters. Leave nothing behind."
"There is a lot here," Hanley said.
"Then rent a moving van. You could be looking at forbidden technology, and we can't risk anybody else getting their hands on it. Sweep it clean."
"Yes, ma'am. After we're done here, do you want us to come home?"
Marina paused. "Actually, check out Shipman's house on the way back. Maybe you'll find more clues there. That's all."
"Bye." He hung up.
He performed a visual survey of the laboratory. There were all kinds of equipment and computers, and some items looked heavy. He and Katie had several hours of labor ahead of them.
* * *
"Mind-control technology," Marina said. "Brain implants."
Aaron touched the back of his head. "A subject I'm personally familiar with."
"I suppose the good news is they're still testing it on rats. They haven't progressed to people yet."
"It's just a matter of time."
The two commanders were practicing in the gun range. There hadn't been space for a range in headquarters, so the San Francisco team had solved the problem by digging a tunnel underneath. The range was fifty yards long and wide enough for two shooting lanes. The walls, floor, and ceiling were made of concrete covered with a plastic sealant. It was deep enough underground to prevent anybody on the surface from hearing gunshots.
Aaron aimed a 9 mm Beretta with one hand at a target at the far end of the range. He fired fifteen times in rapid succession, the capacity of the magazine. Marina looked at the target, and the grouping was so tight, it seemed like one hole. He was the best marksman she had ever met and one of the best in the world.
"I'm glad you're here to help," Marina said. "Sorry you couldn't have a real vacation."
He popped out the magazine and began to reload it. "I'm sorry, too."
* * *
Ipo and Liam walked into a bank in Sunnyvale. They had changed clothes, but the pungent aroma from the dumpster still clung to them.
The bank lobby was wide and open, and there were plenty of large windows. White walls and a
white ceiling added to the light and airy feeling. The informal organization of the furniture made Liam think he had walked into a living room instead of a bank. The tellers were at the far end, and the legionnaires went straight there.
"We're looking for a Ms. Marbe," Ipo announced.
One of the tellers perked up. "That's me."
She was young and blonde. She was wearing a blue jacket over a white shirt, and a colorful scarf was tied around her neck.
Ipo walked over to her, cutting in front of the line. "We found your phone."
"Phone?" She furrowed her brow. "This is mine." She took a shiny, white phone out of her pocket and showed it to him.
"No, this one."
He pulled a garbage bag out of his pocket. He peeled back the bag to reveal the broken, dirty phone that had been retrieved from the dumpster.
"Oh!" The girl's eyes lit up. "That's the one that was stolen! Thank you, but I already bought a new one, and that one looks wrecked. You can throw it away."
Ipo stared at her suspiciously. "When and where was it stolen?"
"Four days ago at the Alpha Foods near here. Some asshole took it right out of my purse."
"What time of day was that?"
"Uh, after work. Around six o'clock. Who are you? Are you cops?" She sniffed the air. "And what's that funny smell?"
"Thanks." Ipo abruptly turned and walked towards the exit.
Liam hurried to catch up to the big man. "Where are we going now?"
"Alpha Foods. We'll look at surveillance tapes and try to identify the thief."
Chapter Seven
Liam looked up at the sign for Alpha Foods. All the letters were bright red and capitalized, and they were casting a ruddy light across the parking lot.
The sun had nearly set. He was hungry for dinner, but Ipo seemed determined to go as far as possible before eating. Liam knew he sounded soft when he complained, so he just followed along silently.
The two legionnaires walked into the giant grocery store. In addition to all kinds of food, the store sold gift cards, fresh flowers, toys, and cosmetics. He looked at the fruit aisle, and his stomach growled.
Ipo asked a clerk for the location of the manager, and he was directed to a back corner of the store. Ipo and Liam trotted in that direction, not wanting to waste any time.
