The sound of footsteps approaching startles us both. "Quick!" I gesture behind me. "Hide in the storage area. Take him with you."
Rummy reaches for Fu and drags him by the arms across the tile floor. I shove the door closed on them just as the delegation returns.
Viktor raises his brows at me, a fearful look in his eyes.
I give him a reassuring smile, before turning to Dimitri. "Everything in order, I trust?"
"Yes." Dimitri rubs his hands together. "We've agreed to keep Sektor Sieben closed for the time being, at least until the other projects are back up to full capacity." He glances around the room. "Where is Doctor Fu?"
"He went down to Terminus," I say, my pulse hammering in my head. "He seemed eager to start on his work."
Dimitri eyes me curiously. "He's very dedicated to his research. A new virus is a gift to a geneticist."
The other Sweepers appear satisfied with my explanation and chat casually among themselves, but I can tell Dimitri knows something's amiss. It's reassuring that even though Fu disappearing wasn't part of our original plan, Dimitri is working with the script I'm feeding him.
"Excellent," Viktor says, visibly relieved. "Shall we proceed to Intake and inspect the extractees?"
"I'll meet you down there," I say. "I have to pull a couple of reports for Dr. Fu first."
When the delegation leaves, I dart over to the storage area and yank open the door. "You need to get out of here right away."
Rummy throws me a look of disdain and steps over Fu's motionless body. "I just got here, who said anything about leaving?"
"You can't be seen by the delegation." I rub a hand across my brow. "Or the Rogues either. They're in the Intake Sektor and The Ghost's out for your blood."
Rummy narrows his eyes at me. "You got them boys chained up?" He reaches for his gun and loads a round in the chamber.
A wave of panic rolls up from my gut. "Rummy! Listen to me! Forget The Ghost. Blade's not with him anymore. Now's your chance to go look for him while the Rogues can't touch you."
Rummy curls his lip at me. "How'd you lock 'em up? Them boys is edgy around pens."
"Sven took them into the Intake Sektor living quarters and slipped out a side door. The locks are computerized."
Rummy hikes an eyebrow. "What about their weapons?"
"They're armed, but the doors are bulletproof. They've only got each other to shoot at."
Rummy grins. "It's time an old friend paid them a visit. Speaking of friends, you might wanna untie Trout. I ain't going that way just yet."
I pull out my Glock and point it at him. "I can't let you do that. You don't understand what's at stake. If you blow our cover this place will be overrun with Schutz Clones in a matter of hours, and then we'll all be dead, or worse, we'll end up in the lab."
"Take that gun out of my face unless you're gonna use it." Rummy scowls. "When are them lowlife Sweepers leaving?"
"They're not," I say, "but they don't know that yet. We faked an incoming transmission ordering them to remain here until the Craniopolis has been restored to full capacity." I gesture at the door with my gun. "They may not be leaving, but you are. Go, before someone sees you."
He stares at me intently as if trying to decide if I've toughened up enough to shoot him at point blank range. Something in my expression convinces him. He fishes his black beanie out of his pocket and pulls it low over his eyes. "If I don't find Blade alive, I'll be back for The Ghost."
"Untie Trout on your way out and tell him to meet me at Intake," I call after him as he disappears through the door.
I yank open and shut several heavy metal drawers before I find some plastic ties I can use to secure Fu's hands with. For good measure, I stuff a rag into his mouth, half-hoping it's got some chemical clinging to it that will finish him off. I drag a pushcart over to the storage area and haul Fu's limp body onto it and heap a pile of dirty lab linens over him. It's a slipshod arrangement, but there isn't time to finesse it. I need to take him someplace where I can contain him before the Sweepers return. I ram the cart out into the corridor and throw a quick glance in both directions. The wheels make loud squeaking sounds that echo off the tile floors as I roll the cart down the main feeder tunnel. The only place I can think to hide Fu until I figure out what to do with him is Terminus. The delegation won't go near the deviations as long as the quarantine is in effect. I grit my teeth and pick up my pace as I race along the corridor.
Outside the entry doors to Terminus, the Optika module zooms in on me and transmits a hologram inside. Seconds later, the doors retract and Jerome sticks his head out. He glances up and down the corridor, then pulls the cart inside. He tosses the lab linens aside and stares at Fu's motionless body. "How'd you pull it off?" he asks. "It didn't look like you had the upper hand last time I saw you."
"I was about to shoot him," I say, "but it turns out Rummy was hiding in there. He clocked Fu on the side of the head and saved me a bullet. He says he tracked the Rogues here looking for Blade."
Jerome's eye twitches. "Where's Rummy now?"
"Gone. I told him to leave. He's going after his brother."
"You believe him?"
I shrug. "He made it clear he'll be back if he doesn't find Blade alive."
Jerome runs his hands over his face. "That I believe. Rummy and The Ghost are gonna take this to the grave. It's only a matter of who goes first."
"Let's get Fu contained before he comes to," I say.
Jerome grabs the bar handle of the cart. "This way."
He wheels the cart back to a small windowless room with a steel door at the far end of Terminus and unloads Fu onto a mattress in the middle of the floor. "This is our cooling off station," Jerome explains. He slams the door shut and keys something into the computerized wall pad. "And he's going to need it when he comes around."
I shoot Jerome a grateful smile. "Thanks for hiding him. I need to get back to the delegation and figure out what I'm going to tell them when Fu doesn't reappear. They think he's down here collecting samples."
"Tell them the bio-hazard suit was defective and he got exposed," Jerome says. "It's a mandatory quarantine. They won't question it."
"Thanks," I say with a wink. "I was hoping you'd offer to put him up a little longer, but I would never impose a Sweeper on you."
A smile pulls at his lips. "Keep me posted on how the delegation reacts to their new assignment to stay here and oversee the rehab operation."
"It will only buy us a few more days at best. It won't take long for the delegation to start asking questions."
"Let's focus on buying a day at a time for now," Jerome says quietly. "It's all we have."
I nod, wondering if he senses his time is near.
I reach the doors to the Intake Sektor just as Trout comes round the corner. A huge wave of relief rolls over me. He's safe, and that means Rummy's gone. We embrace briefly and I punch him playfully on the upper arm. "Don't ever do that to me again," I say.
"It was a stupid risk to take," he says, sheepishly. "But everyone was asleep and I didn't want us getting ambushed. I was only gonna take a quick look, then Bam! The last thing I was expecting was Rummy's fist in the back of my head." Trout lets out a snort. "At least he didn't carve me up on his way back out. Good riddance to him."
"We searched all over for you," I say. "It never occurred to me to try the tunnel."
"Where's the delegation?" Trout asks.
I motion to the Intake Sektor. "Inside. They're taking the tour. Come on, I'll introduce you."
"How am I going to explain not being there when they arrived?"
I grab his sleeve and pull him toward the door. "If anyone asks, you fell asleep in the Biotik Sektor after working a double shift preparing for their arrival."
I activate the keypad to open the door and step inside. It takes me a second to process the fact that all the holding pens are empty.
18
I aim my weapon in front of me and pivot slowly as I scan the area around the hol
ding pens.
"What's wrong?" Trout asks, slipping his gun from his shoulder.
"The Ghost's gone." I walk over to the holding pen and step inside. "He couldn't have escaped, he was too heavily sedated. And there's no sign of the ties we secured his wrists with. Someone took him."
"The delegation might have moved him." Trout casts a furtive glance over his shoulder. "Where are they anyway?"
"No idea. Let me make sure the rest of the Rogues are still here." I hightail it down the corridor and peer through the viewing monitor on the door leading to the living quarters. A pierced tongue slaps up against the glass and a tattooed fist pounds soundlessly on the door. I jump back startled. "They're in there all right." I grit my teeth. "Temperature's rising by the looks of things."
Trout tents his eyes and peers in. "There's a Rogue lying in the middle of the floor. Do you think he's dead?"
I wipe a hand across my brow. "I don't know, but at least they're contained for now. We need to find the delegation and see if they took The Ghost somewhere. If he starts talking the game is up."
"What other Sektors has the delegation visited?" Trout asks.
"Just Research and Intake."
"Then they might be headed to the Biotik Sektor--it's almost dinner time after all."
I stare at Trout, my mind cranking furiously. The day's almost gone. The delegation will be getting ready to leave soon. We need to make sure Viktor sets up the incoming transmission.
We crisscross back through the tunnels to the Biotik Sektor, keeping a watchful eye out on the off-chance The Ghost is on the loose. Common sense tells me it's not possible. Viktor gave him enough of a dose to knock him out for several hours. It's more likely someone moved him. But who, and why?
When we arrive back at the Biotik Sektor, the Sweepers are seated in pod chairs eating a lyophilized meal. The Undergrounders have retreated to the far end of the room, no doubt to avoid being drawn into any conversation that might arouse the Sweepers' suspicions.
I make a beeline for Viktor and pull him aside.
"I was about to take care of the transmission," he says, flustered.
"This isn't about the transmission," I say under my breath. "The Ghost's gone."
Viktor's eyes dart to Dimitri and back. "I know."
"What do you mean you know? Where is he?"
Viktor furrows his brow. "He was gone when we arrived at the Intake Sektor. I thought you moved him."
A clammy fear grips me. I shake my head.
Viktor blinks at me, his expression deadpan. "So who took him?"
I balk at the unlikely but deeply unsettling option that comes to mind.
Rummy.
I turn to Trout. "Are you sure Rummy left through the tunnel after he untied you?"
"I didn't hang around long enough to watch." Trout scratches his head. "It's possible he doubled back after I left."
"He'll wait until The Ghost comes to, so he can find out where Blade parted company with him," Viktor says.
"If he parted company with them," I say. "The Ghost could have killed Blade. And I'll bet Rummy's thinking the same thing."
I let the picture sit in my mind for a few minutes. I helped Rummy escape once because I was afraid he would die at The Ghost's hands. Seems all I did was reverse the odds. The Ghost's too drugged up to even defend himself--something I'm responsible for.
"You'd better get back to the delegation." Viktor flicks his eyes in Dimitri's direction. "Be sure to hang behind our scientists so you're not asked any questions."
One of the Sweepers throws a curious glance our way. I avoid making eye contact and pretend to be absorbed in what Viktor is saying.
"I'm going to slip into the office and send a preliminary report off to the outpost," Viktor continues in a low voice. "I'll set up the incoming transmission to come through about thirty minutes from now. Whatever you do, keep the delegation out of the office until I'm done."
Trout and I stroll across the room to join Dimitri and the others. The conversation is highly technical and after a few mentions of recipient cytoplasts, germline genes and methylation of DNA, my eyes glaze over. Trout studies the floor, hands stuffed deep in his pockets.
I lean over to whisper to him that I'm as bored as he looks when one of the scientists brings up ossification. I stiffen, ears pricked to attention.
"Perhaps there may be time for a demonstration of your technique, Doctor Petrov," a Sweeper suggests.
Dimitri runs a hand over his jaw. "Without the specialized equipment at my outpost, it would take an inordinate amount of time to extract and resplice the defective DNA from the clones, weeks, months maybe."
My heart sinks. We may not have that much time before we are exposed.
"How many clones at your outpost have undergone the procedure?" the Sweeper asks.
"We have only just completed the clinical trials," Dimitri explains. "The next step is to attempt the corrective procedure on select subjects."
"How will those subjects be chosen?" another Sweeper pipes up.
"Impeccable health records, naturally. More importantly, they cannot be older than–
"Dimitri!" Viktor comes running out of the office. "Incoming transmission from your outpost. Would you like me to feed it through?"
Dimitri raises his brows, faking surprise. "Yes please. We should all be informed of any updates."
I look away, trying to keep my frustration under wraps. I didn't anticipate an age restriction on the procedure to reverse ossification. I'm guessing Sven's still young enough to undergo whatever it involves, but what if Jerome's too old? As soon as I get a chance to talk to Dimitri alone, I need to find out exactly what the cutoff is.
A holographic ticker appears above the CommCenter on the back wall of the room. My pulse quickens as I read along with the transmission.
Orders to the delegation under Doctor Petrov: remain at Craniopolis until such time as full operational capacity has been restored to all sectors within the facility, including Sektor Sieben.
The Sweepers murmur among themselves for a few minutes before turning to Dimitri. "We agreed not to reopen Sektor Sieben until the other research programs are at full capacity," one of them says. "It could take months to rebuild the participant program."
Dimitri rubs his hands together briskly. "My fellow colleagues, we have been entrusted with the task of restoring the Craniopolis to full capacity as a bastion of scientific advancement. Let us strive to accomplish our task and not disappoint in this worthy endeavor, no matter the time and effort involved."
I break into a round of applause, and Trout and the others follow my cue. The Sweepers clap politely, but few are smiling. My gut tells me they won't be eager to sign on with us once we give them the option of joining forces or becoming our hostages.
Viktor addresses the delegation next. "I suggest we all enjoy a lyophilized dessert together and refresh ourselves before retiring for an early night. There is much work to be done tomorrow in light of the new orders."
"What about Doctor Fu?" a Sweeper asks. "Shouldn't he be back by now? We need to inform him of what's transpired."
"Yes, of course," Viktor replies, blinking rapidly. "I'll contact Terminus right away." He scuttles across the room to the CommCenter and taps in a command.
Almost immediately Jerome's hologram pops up.
Beads of perspiration break out on my forehead. If anyone insists on speaking to Fu via holograph, our cover will be blown. I can only hope Jerome makes a compelling case.
"Greetings, Terminus," Viktor says. "We've received a transmission from the outpost. The delegation has been ordered to remain on-site until such time as the Craniopolis has been restored to maximum operating capacity."
"Excellent," Jerome says, smiling. "We welcome their expertise."
Viktor tilts his brows in a grave expression. "Did Doctor Fu complete his data collection on the virus yet?"
"I'm afraid I have some unfortunate news in that regard," Jerome says. "Doctor Fu's bio-hazard suit
was defective and he was exposed to the virus. It will be necessary for him to remain in Terminus under quarantine for the time being."
As I look around at the Sweepers' faces I can't help but think that Fu is not a popular colleague. They almost seem relieved that he's been confined to Terminus until the virus scare is over, which works to our advantage.
Dimitri assumes a suitably shaken expression. "How could this happen? Surely quality control would have eliminated such a possibility."
Jerome bows his head in assent. "Ordinarily, yes. However, the events of the last few days resulted in destruction and disarray on a scale that we have never had to deal with before. Therefore, we welcome all the more the delegation's assistance in helping us refurbish and restore our programs."
Doctor Petrov folds his arms across his chest. "Perhaps it is for the best that we have been called upon to facilitate the recovery process. Doctor Fu can continue his research in Terminus as long as he is under quarantine."
"We'll notify you as soon as Terminus is clear of the virus," Jerome says. "In the meantime, please keep us apprised of your progress." When he fades from view, Viktor turns to the delegation. "I'll send a message to the Schutz Clones in the docking station to let them know you will not be departing this evening as planned. There's nothing more we can accomplish tonight. Please eat and relax. We will begin our work in the morning."
Trout and I take our lyophilized cheesecake and join the other Undergrounders. A few minutes later, Dimitri and Viktor slide into two pod chairs beside us. We pick at our dessert in silence, all too aware that the other end of the room is full of ears.
Dimitri stifles a yawn. "I'm ready to turn in."
Viktor throws a wary glance across at the Sweepers. "We need to be up before our guests start sniffing around."
"I'm an early riser." Trout winks at me. "I'll wake you all before the Sweepers start stirring."
We hit the orientation modes on our pod chairs and tilt them into the optimal sleeping position. I stare up at the ceiling, my thoughts drifting to Sven and the military clones. I hope they're safe and that the Schutz Clones haven't become suspicious of them.
Judgement: The Undergrounders Series Book Three (A Young Adult Post-apocalyptic Science Fiction Thriller) Page 12
