Mark of the Wiseman (The Wiseman Series Book 1)

by Hightower, R. Caresse

  “To hell with it,” he grumbled. He extracted the tire iron from the trunk. “In for a penny, in for a pound.”

  He pried the door open, walked to the storage room, and climbed the rusted ladder with his new toolbox. His phone rang.

  “Liling!”

  “Did you find the pod?”

  “Yeah, I’m here now.” William carefully started the disassembly. “I’m going to move it.”

  “Good,” she said. “I’ve been checking on it, but I wasn’t sure how much longer it could stay there.”

  “Is this your church?”

  “That’s our old building. We just finished new construction across town. I think they’re going to turn that into a fellowship hall or something.”

  “How’d you know to move the pod from my office?”

  “You were all over breaking news that night,” Liling said. “I knew you wouldn’t have time to get the pods. I had to do something.”

  “How’d you get into the building?”

  “Kenny. He was working the front desk and I told him it was an emergency. He let me in your office and I waited for him to leave. After I opened your closet, imagine my surprise when I saw an active pod.”

  “Sorry,” William said guiltily. “I deactivated your remote access.”

  “Yes, I realized that.”

  “I implanted Eve’s embryo. I guess I just wanted a little privacy.”

  “You already did it? That baby in the pod is yours?”

  “Yes.”

  She sounded disappointed. “Dr. Wiseman…”

  “I figured out the problem.”

  “What was it?”

  William was unsure how to answer. “There was a growth hormone issue.”

  “Okay.” Liling did not sound convinced.

  “How did you get all of the pods out so quickly? Where are the other two?”

  She took a while to answer. “The last day I saw Dr. Patton, she told me that if the pods were ever in any danger of being discovered, I was to destroy them, so I did. I disassembled what I could and broke a lot of the parts. I put the pieces in garbage bags, but I didn’t have time or room in my car to move the bags and the active pod. I used the cart in your office to load my car with the active pod.”

  “Did Kenny see any of this?”

  “He saw me wheeling out the cart, but I inverted a cardboard box over the globe. I put the pedestal on the bottom and covered it with an apron I found in one of the labs. I can’t say if he saw the tubes that connected them though.”

  “Where’s the binder?”

  “I tucked it behind the pedestal. See it?”

  He leaned forward. “It’s here. What did you do with the destroyed pods?”

  “I didn’t know if I would have time to come back and get them. I had to find a place for the active pod.”

  “So where are they?”

  “I asked Kenny to take them to the dump. I was in a hurry. I didn’t know what else to do. He asked if I needed help when he saw me walking out… so I told him I did.”

  “Did he look in the bags?”

  “I have no idea. I haven’t seen him since.”

  “So you don’t know if he took them to the dump or not?”

  “What would you have had me do?”

  William put down his screwdriver. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound accusatory. I’m just trying to get the full picture.”

  “I asked him to take the bags right away. He said he would. I didn’t stick around to answer any questions.”

  “Thank you, Liling. I appreciate the help.”

  “You’re welcome,” she said. “If you don’t mind, I think I’ll bow out of this project now. It’s getting a little intense.”

  William chuckled softly. “You’ve done more than enough. Thank you for everything.”

  He got the pod partially disassembled, then checked outside to make sure he was still alone before loading the car. As he turned on the headlights and pulled out of the parking lot, he called Eve.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, Evie.”

  “It’s late. Where are you?”

  “I’m on the way home. I need you to send Agnes out on an errand.”

  “To do what?”

  “I don’t know… anything. I just need an hour alone with you.”

  Eve hesitated. “Why?”

  William smiled. “You’ll see.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Eve walked into the garage when William pulled in.

  “Where’s Agnes?” he asked.

  “I sent her for a specialty pâté in Mebane. She’ll be a while.”

  William hurried around the side of the car. “Good.”

  “What’s going on?”

  He put the key in the trunk. “Try to stay calm.”

  “What’s in there?”

  William lifted the trunk. Eve wrung her hands together as she stepped closer and peered inside. “It’s a tarp.”

  William slid the tarp off the pod and Eve gasped.

  “I got him back.”

  She pointed at the pod with a trembling finger. “Is that… is that…?”

  “It’s our baby.”

  William couldn’t tell if Eve was going to cry or scream. She swayed and steadied herself on the side of the car.

  “Evie?”

  “I’m…” She shook her head slowly.

  “Come on.” William helped her to the living room. “Are you okay?”

  “Is he okay? Where was he? How did you find him?”

  “Yes, the baby’s fine.”

  “It’s cold in the garage. He needs to be in the house.”

  William nodded. “I’ll put him in the attic.”

  “Attic? Why? He has to be with us in the bedroom.”

  “No. Agnes can’t know about this. The fewer people who know, the better.”

  “Agnes won’t say anything.”

  “I know she’s been with us for a while, but we can’t risk it. Let me get the pod in the house and we’ll talk while I assemble it, okay?”

  She nodded. Once he had everything in the walk-up attic, Eve settled on the floor and watched him put the parts back together, helping when she could.

  William explained in detail how the pod worked, why he stored it in his office closet, how he came to recruit Penelope, Liling’s involvement, and his dealings with Agent Roswell.

  Eve watched him plug in the pod. “Where do you think Dr. Patton went?”

  “No idea, but I don’t think she’ll resurface anytime soon.”

  Eve reached toward the globe, but stopped abruptly. “May I touch it?”

  “Of course.”

  She stroked the sphere. “I can’t believe this. I can’t believe he’s really ours.”

  William brushed a lock of hair out of Eve’s face. “It could be a she, you know.”

  “No.” Eve shook her head. “It’s a boy.”

  William chuckled. “How…?”

  “Shhh!”

  “What?”

  She flapped her hand at him, then pointed downward. He heard Agnes’s muffled voice. “Mrs. Wiseman? I’m back. Are you here?”

  William and Eve froze.

  “I think she’s gone,” he whispered after a moment. He opened the attic door a quarter of an inch. “It’s clear.”

  They hurried out. Just as William closed the door, Agnes rounded the corner. Eve made a startled, squeaking noise.

  Agnes looked wary. “I thought I heard something. What are you two doing way over here?”

  They were in the less-used east wing of the house.

  “It’s our house. We don’t really need a reason, do we?” Eve asked.

  “No, of course not.” Agnes fidgeted with the cloth belt on her dress. “I just wanted to let you know that the pâté is in the fridge.”

  “Wonderful,” Eve said. “Thank you for getting it.”

  Agnes nodded, said goodnight, and went downstairs.

  “This is going to get difficult, trying to avoid
Agnes whenever we want to come up and see our baby.”

  “Oh.” William pulled out his phone. “Look.” He entered his password to the remote access and the pod’s stats came up. “Use this to check on him. You can see everything.”

  Eve took the phone and swiped through all of the viewing options.

  “Where’s the padlock we used for our storage shed?” William asked.

  “It’s somewhere in the garage.”

  “I think I’ll use it for the attic… just in case Agnes gets curious.”

  William and Demetri returned to the hospital a few days later. However, when they arrived, they were informed that Iris couldn’t have visitors.

  “I just need a few minutes,” William said.

  “I’m afraid not,” the nurse replied. “Um, Dr. Wiseman, my son thinks so highly of you. Could I please have your autograph? Can you sign it ‘to Dwight’?”

  “Sure,” William accepted the pen and paper she gave him, “if you can tell me what’s wrong with Iris.”

  “She lost consciousness around three this afternoon and has a persistent fever.”

  “How are the others doing?”

  “One of them passed away an hour ago.”

  William gave her the signature. “Thank you.”

  He sent Demetri home and sat in his car. The image of Iris, first in Dr. Chang’s basement, then again at the hospital, haunted him. He realized he’d made a mistake going to talk to her. She wasn’t just one of Dr. Chang’s victims anymore. Now that he’d spent a little time with her, and picked up on her longing to stay, he’d never be able to shake the look in her eyes.

  FC17 was the identifier for the last test fetus, the same number on Iris’s arm. William had checked the binder to make sure. It was because of her that his baby was growing right now.

  He wished he’d never seen that number because he now knew he would be forever indebted to Iris Meesang.

  If she survived the night.

  Agent Roswell sat across from Dr. Chang and his attorney.

  “Good morning, Fai. I hope you’ve been enjoying your new accommodations.”

  Dr. Chang sneered. “When am I getting out of this hellhole?”

  “Fai, please,” his attorney said. She addressed Agent Roswell. “What are you charging him with?”

  “What am I not charging him with?” Agent Roswell flipped through his notepad. “At least nineteen counts of human trafficking, fabricating unlawful documents, kidnapping, inflicting serious injury, ethnic intimidation, first degree murder… oh, and assault on a police officer.”

  “What?” Dr. Chang shouted. “That bastard knocked me to the ground. It was self-defense.”

  “You punched Officer Mason in the face. That’s assault.”

  “This is-”

  Dr. Chang’s attorney stopped her client. “What are you offering?”

  Agent Roswell dropped his chin. “A chance to finally do the right thing and confess.”

  Dr. Chang’s handcuffs clanked against the metal table when he turned to his attorney. “You said I could get a deal.”

  “May I have a minute with my client?” she asked.

  Agent Roswell stood up to leave.

  “No… no!” Dr. Chang shouted. “I’ve already paid you a lot of money and you haven’t done anything for me. Look at this.” He indicated his prison uniform. “You’ve been speaking for me for three days and I’m still in this cesspool.”

  She looked affronted. “You are looking at some very steep-”

  “Oh shut up, bitch. It’s your fault I’m even in here with these deadbeats.”

  “I can’t continue to represent you if you can’t follow my advice.”

  “Good. You’re fired. Get out of here.”

  She bolted up and snatched her briefcase. Just before taking her exit, she turned around. “Good luck. You’re going to need it.”

  As the door closed behind her, Dr. Chang shouted, “Thanks for nothing!”

  Agent Roswell smirked and sat back down. “I guess she won’t be sending a care package anytime soon.”

  “Listen, just tell me what you want so I can get out of here.”

  “I don’t think you get it.” Agent Roswell leaned back in the chair. “You aren’t going anywhere.”

  “I don’t belong here.”

  “You keep saying that. I’m curious to know just where you think you do belong.”

  “Back at my lab, of course.”

  Agent Roswell fought the urge to roll his eyes. “Of course.”

  “I wouldn’t expect you to understand.” Dr. Chang made a dismissive gesture toward Agent Roswell.

  “Yes, well, as brilliant as you seem to think you are, I get to leave here and you don’t.” Agent Roswell let that sobering thought sink in. “We know that you had to work with someone else to get those girls to the U.S. I want names.”

  “And what do I get?”

  “I might be able to convince them to let you stay in solitary. General population doesn’t look too kindly upon weirdos such as yourself. Give me your overseas contact.”

  “I want a deal.”

  “Solitary is the deal.”

  “I’m not giving you shit.”

  Agent Roswell tore out a page from his notepad and showed it to Dr. Chang. “Whose phone number is this?”

  Dr. Chang stared at him, tight-lipped and defiant.

  “Fine.” Agent Roswell got up and walked to the door. “Have fun being your cellmate’s girlfriend.”

  Just as Agent Roswell reached for the doorknob, Dr. Chang spoke. “Can you guarantee solitary?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “They’ve been talking in here and I don’t like what I’m hearing.”

  “Tell me about the phone number and I’ll see what I can do.” Agent Roswell leaned against the wall and looked at Dr. Chang expectantly.

  “The number belongs to the trafficker, the one who got me the girls,” Dr. Chang said. “His name is Klahan.”

  “Klahan what?”

  Dr. Chang shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  Agent Roswell put his hand on the doorknob.

  “Wait. I never knew his last name, but I know he’s in Thailand. He’s got a whole crew of his own.”

  “What does he look like?” Agent Roswell asked.

  “I’ve never seen him.”

  “Who does this Klahan answer to?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “You don’t have a full name or a description or his boss’s name?” Agent Roswell stared at Dr. Chang.

  “We weren’t exactly tennis partners.”

  “I’m going to need more than that.” Agent Roswell returned to his seat. “How many women did you smuggle into your house?”

  “Twenty-one.”

  “Why did we only find nineteen?”

  “Because I took care of the first two.”

  Agent Roswell hated these types of perps. They got upset about what could be done for them after they committed their crimes, but the mention of their victims warranted no emotion.

  “Why did you have them in your basement? What were you doing with them?”

  “Working.”

  “Working?”

  “Yes, they provided test subjects for a project.”

  And here we go, Agent Roswell thought. “What kind of project?”

  “Of course, I can’t tell you the details. Suffice to say I had just figured out how to sustain life outside of the human body.”

  “Like a test tube baby?”

  “Test tube?” Dr. Chang gave a peculiar chuckle that raised the hairs on Agent Roswell’s arms. “I assure you, it’s way more sophisticated than that.”

  “How sophisticated?”

  “It’s well beyond your pay grade.”

  Agent Roswell flipped through his notepad. “Did Dr. Wiseman help you with this sophisticated project?”

  “No. What William does is… cute, but this isn’t his forte.”

  “Mmm. I’m sorry, when did you get your Nobe
l?”

  Dr. Chang bared his teeth for just a moment, reminding Agent Roswell of a rabid dog.

  “Well, if Dr. Wiseman wasn’t involved, why did you place his name on your equipment order sheets?”

  “Biltmore gives William whatever he wants. Anyone else has to kiss the dean’s ass, but not William. If the order form has his name on it, no questions are asked.”

  “And you didn’t like that.” It was a statement. Agent Roswell knew Dr. Chang would never want anyone else to have the spotlight.

  “The way they fawn over him is ridiculous. There are others of us who have made more pertinent contributions to science.”

  “Like growing test tube babies in their basements instead of curing cancer?”

  Dr. Chang sighed impatiently. “Why do you people always think your morals are the gold standard? Nothing great has ever been done in medicine without sacrifice. Are you so dull that you can’t see that?”

  Agent Roswell saw an opportunity. “I had a talk with Dr. Wiseman and he explained everything to me, all the way down to the Lactated Ringer’s solution.”

  “He told you it was his idea?”

  Agent Roswell nodded. “Yep. Told me all about it.”

  “I did it all. It was me! That bastard is lying.”

  “So it was all you, huh?”

  “William was too busy posing for pictures and trying to astound the press. I guess he’s willing to take credit for anything these days.”

  “So, you put the numbers on the girls’ arms?”

  “That’s what you do to test subjects. You label them.”

  “Around here, we call those labels names.”

  Dr. Chang looked at Agent Roswell squarely. “I think we both know that their names were unimportant.”

  Agent Roswell raised his eyebrows.

  “Anyone who isn’t paying their societal dues is obligated to contribute.”

  “I’m not sure I follow.”

  “Poor people, handicapped people,” Dr. Chang indicated Agent Roswell, “and stupid people should feel honored anytime they have the opportunity to really make a difference.”

  Agent Roswell bit the inside of his cheek until he tasted blood. Do not hit him. Do not hit him. He’d been called worse things than “stupid,” but the mention of disabled people really rubbed him the wrong way. If he wanted to keep his job, he would have to leave this room or have a damn good reason why Dr. Chang was missing teeth.