by LC Champlin
Upbringing prevented Albin from glaring, instead keeping his features impassive. “I am as well as can be expected, sir, under the circumstances. I see you have come through this recent crisis apparently unscathed. I am pleased you are safe.”
Though he had his share of differences with Crevan, most of which concerned Nathan Serebus, they remained civil. Crevan had played a large role in Albin’s childhood, providing a place in upstate New York to spend summers, and acting as an uncle, though he claimed relation to the Conrads only through distant marriage.
“It takes more than an illness to kill me, lad, you know that. Now, listen sharp: I’ve contracted a flight to take you back to New York. My daughter is looking forward to seeing you, as is my grandson. I’m sure you’ll be happy to get home, too, won’t you.”
Chapter 31
Chances and Catches
Kid in the Corner – 4th Point
A flight back to New York, back to Janine and David? Albin sat straighter. “Thank you, sir.” Unfortunately, his duty to Mr. Serebus remained. “They are well, then?”
Crevan grunted in the affirmative. “Of course.”
A weight like a malevolent presence lifted from Albin’s existence. “I am relieved to hear that, sir. Regarding the flight, however, I—”
“I can have it there by this afternoon. Don’t worry about the government. I’ve pulled some strings, and they’re willing to approve you leaving Fort Bragg and finishing the quarantine period in New York. You’re not sick anyway, are you.”
“No, sir.”
“Brilliant.”
If Albin returned to New York, he would have to explain to Janine the events surrounding her husband’s fate. David would wish to know what had become of his father. If Albin did not at least attempt to find Mr. Serebus, how could he face them? Also, if he left to return to New York, he would abandon his people here. “Mr. Crevan, I am quite grateful for the offer, but I have several employees here whom I must see safely back to New York, as well as allies I have made during the crisis. I am unable to abandon them.”
Crevan’s expression darkened. “You always were one with high standards. I admire that, lad. And because of that, I’ll take your friends where they wish to go as well.”
“Sir,” Albin began.
“What is it, lad. Speak up!”
“I will accept the offer to transport my friends, but I have unfinished business with Mr. Serebus.”
The old man’s face twitched in a frown. “That villainous viper. I don’t see him offering you a flight back to New York. He couldn’t scheme one up, I see.” A note of triumph in the declaration?
“I have a duty to him.”
“A duty to that devil! Hah! You have a duty to Janine and David.” Spittle flew. “You need to come home and be there for them. If you’d followed my advice, she could have been yours, and you might have had a son of your own. You could have raised him right, taught him to follow your standards, carried on your line. Instead, that amoral bastard Serebus—”
“Sir, this is not the time.” Eyes narrowed, Albin raised his hand for silence. “I have unfinished business with him.”
“If you don’t accept my offer of transport now, lad, I may not be able to get another flight for you.”
“My apologies, sir.” Crevan did not deserve the pleasure of reveling in Mr. Serebus’s fate.
Heaving a wheezing sigh, the old man shook his head as much as his palsied muscles would allow. “Albin, lad, if you’re trying to protect that thief’s honor, you needn’t fret. I’ve heard from my contacts a wee bit about what he’s been up to. After all he’s done, I would have thought you’d come to your senses. I can’t understand why you insist on being his crony. He’s beneath you, my lad. You can do much better. You could have a company of your own, if you wished. If Janine would ask, I would give her mine. With that Greek demon out of the way, you could marry her as you should have done years ago—”
“Sir, I truly am grateful for your offer of assistance.” If not redirected, Crevan would continue his diatribe indefinitely. “But if I do not follow the Conrad standards, I will not be able to face myself or my family, including Janine and David.”
Crevan’s sallow complexion flushed livid. “After they hear what he’s done, they won’t be so fond of him.”
“Be that as it may, I must make the attempt.” Good breeding kept Albin’s tone level. “If I fail, I fail.”
Crevan exhaled another rasping sigh. “Albin, lad, I’ll never understand you. You side with a villain who has the morals of a third-world despot, yet you won’t budge on standards that may cost you your life. Why? Would the scum die for you?” The pseudo questions did not warrant answers.
“I would not require that of him, nor of anyone else. Mr. Crevan, I thank you for your offer, but I must decline. If you see Janine and David, please give them my regards.”
“You’ll regret this, lad.” The old Irishman sank lower in his chair. “I’ll send the aircraft for your friends if they want to go. Give me their decisions in one hour. If you change your mind, the offer still stands. Maybe you’ll see the light eventually. I wish you luck.”
“You as well, sir.”
The screen went blank.
Albin sat back, exhaling. Had he made a fatal mistake? Idly he ran his index finger over the scar on his neck. Only time would tell.
++++++++++++
With the prison in upheaval, the trial reconvened in a meeting room at the DHS office near the Penitentiary.
Nathan again stood before them, but he lacked ankle shackles. As Rodriguez had muttered, he represented anything but a flight risk.
“In light of the evidence,” the spokesman of the tribunal announced, “we are prepared to accept your plea deal. But you will be held strictly to its terms. Consider this as probation. If you violate the terms, you will face severe consequences in addition to what you have promised, which is a full confession of guilt and the consequences thereof.”
Nathan gave a nod. Though his face remained expressionless, a wolf grin broke inwardly.
“Rather than the two weeks you requested, you have one.” Not surprising. “Your time begins when you have been escorted to the designated destination. Use your chance wisely.” The officer leveled a stern gaze at him, like a professor admonishing an underachieving student. “Your fate and possibly the fate of humanity depend on what you do. While I wish you luck, I have a feeling I’ll be seeing you here again soon. Dismissed.”
He slammed the gavel down. Bang!
Chapter 32
Fork in the Road
I Will Be Back One Day – Lord Huron
Albin assembled his companions at a table in the common area. Nearby, at the center of the camp, sprawled the food distribution facility. As large as an adult-beverage tent at a county fair, the shelter offered a cafeteria environment.
As they settled into their unappetizing lunches, Albin cleared his throat for attention. “I have received a communication from Nathan Serebus’s father-in-law, Neil Crevan. He is a man of considerable means. He has offered to provide transportation to the East Coast.”
Everyone stared at him, some with their forks halfway to their mouths.
“I advised him I must find Mr. Serebus before I am able to return to Janine and David. However, when I informed him that I have colleagues here, he agreed to provide you a flight to New York.”
Shukla let his head fall back as he sighed in relief. “Oh thank goodness. Finally we’re going home!”
Beside him, Kuznetsov jabbed the man in the flank with his elbow, eliciting a yelp. “Weren’t you listening, Badal? Mr. Conrad said he’s not going.”
“Me not listening?” Shukla gave his fellow engineer a look of incredulity. “Weren’t you listening? The old codger says he’ll take us home. Albin’s a grown man; he can choose where he wants to go.”
“Weren’t you the one wanting to help people?”
The Indian looked sh
eepish. “Well, yes, but there are plenty of people to help at home.” He brightened in the perverse way of those eager to rescue people in crisis. “We had an attack too! Uh, which is horrible, but I’m saying we’re needed there, too. The people here are well cared for.” He gestured to the Bay-Area residents’ tents.
Head down, Bridges maneuvered the peas about his plate with his fork. “It seems wrong to leave Albin to hunt down Nathan alone. Granted, I don’t understand why he wants to find the man, after Nathan tried to kill us all, but—”
“He didn’t try to kill you all,” Behrmann cut back. “He was defending his people, or so we thought. The problem was, everyone became wrapped up in seeing the evil in each other. He thought Albin was out to get him, and Albin thought—”
“Ms. Josephine,” Albin interrupted, “I am quite aware of what I thought. Be it a self-fulfilling prophecy or not, it is water under the bridge, and I intend to leave that river behind.” Why did people derive pleasure from dredging up the decaying corpses of the past?
Thus far, the Musters had remained silent. Denver and Taylor picked at their meals—strips of fried meat, likely fish or chicken. Eyes alert, the sisters listened to the adults argue.
Amanda raised a hand for silence. “Everybody, calm down. This is the break you’ve all been waiting for. Albin wouldn’t have brought it up if he thought it was dangerous.”
“All things are dangerous to a certain degree,” Albin corrected. “Finding Mr. Serebus is my duty alone. I am offering you all the opportunity to return home, or at least to a place of safety.” This he directed to the Californians. “If Mr. Serebus were here, I would take advantage of the offer. I suggest you consider your best interests and act accordingly. Neil Crevan keeps his word; you will be safe to the extent that he is able to protect you. Consider and discuss the option. Be advised, he requires an answer in an hour.” One hour to make a choice that would forever change one’s life. They stood at a fork in the road, one to which they could never return.
Shukla crossed his arms. “I’m going. I’m going to help however and whoever I can there. My family and friends can use a hand, I know.” He targeted Kuznetsov: “Come on, Mick, help me out here. Albin is okay by himself. He said so.” For once, Shukla expressed wisdom.
Albin leaned on his elbows, toward Kuznetsov. “You would be doing me a service if you returned and began assisting Mrs. Serebus and the rest of the company to recover from this blow, as well as to position to take advantage of the crisis.”
Kuznetsov looked up at Albin with a pleading gaze. “But, Mr. Conrad, I can be of service to you here, too.”
Could the man not act in self-interest this one time? “I cannot force anyone to make a choice, but I advise you all to take advantage of the opportunities presented.”
“That’s what I’m going to do,” Behrmann announced, posture erect, an indication of her unchangeable decision. “I want to stay with you, Albin. I want to see where the story ends. What kind of a reporter would I be if I ran off now?”
Looking torn, Bridges regarded her with disappointment. Then he straightened. “I always wanted an adventure, and now I’m in the middle of one. I want to see how this plays out.”
“Albin,” Amanda murmured, “I want to go with you. Staying here isn’t safe, and I’m not sure if any of my friends or family here on the West Coast are in a better situation than we are. I haven’t heard from them. There’s no guarantee we’ll get back to our house any time soon, either. You know how I feel about that anyway.”
“Who’s taking the dog?” asked Shukla
“I will,” Bridges blurted. He looked down at the animal, who had already finished her meal and now lay at his feet.
“We can take her,” Kuznetsov offered. “When you get back to the East Coast, you can pick her up. That way she won’t be in the way.”
The German Shepherd looked to him as if she could understand his words.
“I . . .” Stroking her neck, Bridges gave a sharp shake of his head. “No, I’ll take care of her.”
“Very good.” Albin pushed back from the table. “I will relay your decisions to Mr. Crevan.” Would that everyone had accompanied the engineers, but Albin could not force his companions. Perhaps they would prove useful.
Chapter 33
Probation
Unbroken – Ashes Remain
The DHS officers escorted Nathan into another meeting room. There they sat him in a chair at the long table and ordered him to wait. They did not remove his handcuffs.
How long would they leave him here? Did they plan to—
The door opened before Director Washington. Officer Rodriguez accompanied her. Rodriguez walked without a limp, though she bore steri strips across the laceration on her temple.
“Serebus,” Washington began, businesslike as ever, “I need a word with you before you’re transported.”
“Where am I going?” And when will you take my leash off?
“I assume you’ve heard of Los Alamos National Laboratory,” Washington replied, halting before him.
He eyed her, waiting for the punch line or insult. Neither came. “I’m going there?” Not the smoothest response, but—Los Alamos?
Despite the situation’s gravity and the mission at hand, excitement thrilled through him. One of the nation’s premier research laboratories, Los Alamos hosted the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies; Los Alamos Neutron Science Center, which boasted one of the world’s most powerful linear particle accelerators; and, among other marvels, the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory Pulsed Field Facility to research high magnetic fields. He had always meant to visit the location’s museum; it dealt primarily with the development of the nuclear bomb in the Manhattan Project.
Now he would work with researchers who ranked as geniuses in their fields. But he couldn’t let his pleasure make him forget his task. He had but seven days to unravel the riddle of the cannibals and LOGOS. Sadly, he couldn’t spend the entire time wrapped in research at the labs.
“You realize,” Nathan recovered as Washington nodded in affirmation, “I must leave the reservation if you want me to solve this mess.” And leave his handcuffs.
“What’s my insurance that you’re not going to make a run for it?” Washington returned with the skepticism of a customer in a car lot.
“If I run, you will destroy what’s left of my company, then you’ll come after my family. You might wish you had a collar around my neck that you could remotely detonate, but you don’t need it.” Nathan held her gaze. “You also have the precedent I’ve set. I could have left with LOGOS, or simply escaped.”
She leaned forward across the table, eyes narrowed. “You’re scheming something, Serebus.”
“I am scheming how to save civilization.” Why could she not understand?
“Well, if you can’t help them with the research in Los Alamos, I fail to see how you can do anything else.” Washington crossed her arms over her ample chest as she stood back.
Of course the government wouldn’t understand; efficiency and common sense eluded them. “My strategy is two pronged.” Two fingers up. “First, we have the files I received from the Red Devil Goats, as well as those from Doorway Pharmaceuticals. The only files you lack are those I received from Lexa Birk. Her research allowed us to fill in the holes and develop our frequency. A shame you couldn’t have recovered the frequency generator boxes.” Or had they?
Washington continued to glower at him.
“The second prong,” he continued as if she’d begged him to elaborate, “is an attack on LOGOS. We hunt them down.” He clenched his fist before him as he spoke. “I assume you have investigated San Luis and San Ysidro?”
“The investigation is ongoing, but in San Ysidro, we found the entire population turned to cannibals. We’re not sure how. We’ve been working to contain them. The outbreaks in Santa Fe and Albuquerque have the local authorities strained already.”
“Did you check radar records
for the helicopter’s point of origin and destination?”
Her frown flinched, deepening for a moment. “It appears on radar, then after it stops at San Luis and San Ysidro, it vanishes in a deserted area. The satellites images show tire tracks there. We think it landed on a trailer and was towed.”
“Leave no trace,” Nathan murmured. “Weren’t there traffic or other cameras that spotted it? Perhaps witnesses saw a trailer pulling a chopper? It’s not an everyday sight.”
“It was dark.”
He settled back into the metal chair. “How much have you told the media about me?”
“We said we had in custody ‘suspects’ who were prominent in the business and science community. However, we couldn’t reveal identities until we knew more.”
“Wise”—a rare event for the government—“since you’re attempting to hunt down anyone who’s supposedly working with me or Doorway.”
“I’m overjoyed you approve—”
“Tell them one of your suspects has decided under duress to provide information. This will get LOGOS’s attention.”
Washington regarded him with cool doubt. “You’re aware LOGOS is working with government agencies to stop this?”
“Yes.” He smiled, equally cool. “They provided the chemicals for the A-10s’ lay-down over the Bay Area. Tell me, did you know they would then broadcast a radio frequency to attempt to control the cannibals? I suspect the answer is no, not just by your expression, but because LOGOS had to smuggle quick-erecting antenna masts in on trucks to broadcast the frequency.”
“We saw the satellite footage.” She glared at him as a substitute for the perpetrators.
