He opened a sterile packet and folded a square of gauze to form a swab. Then he picked up some antiseptic and a box of plasters and went back to the bed. There, nausea overcame him. He closed his eyes trying to concentrate and stop his head from spinning. Then he walked over to Bow and ripped open the chest of his shirt. He cut the plaster into strips and had the antiseptic bottle open and ready. Then he pulled out the scalpel. Immediately he poured some antiseptic onto the wound, pressed the compress down and secured it with plaster strips all around.
Bow jerked twice. When Frank had pulled out the scalpel, his eyes rolled up and he coughed out a clot of blood. When Frank pressed the bandage down hard securing it, more blood came out.
It had taken but a couple seconds. The pale researcher’s breathing became more even, and the seething in his throat calmed down.
“What did Claney mean?” Frank asked. “What signal was he talking about? Tell me.”
He licked his lips, dry with anxiety, and glanced at the door. Did he hear voices? He waited, then took another gauze square out of the first-aid kit, drenched it in water and wiped Bow’s face. He repeated his question.
The researcher opened his eyes and croaked,
“Dickens will turn on the transmitter… The signal goes to the satellite… then back to the bracelets…”
“What for?”
“To activate… the capsules…”
“Which capsules?” Frank closed his eyes. Too complicated. Claney was too smart for him. Too many questions to ask and answers to hear. He didn’t have the time.
“The capsules… introduced during the Vaccination. The vaccinated subjects will obey Claney’s orders.”
The researcher closed his eyes again. A spasm shook his body. Had he not been strapped, he’d have fallen off the bed.
“Talk!” Frank squeezed the man’s sharp chin. “Can you hear me? What’s the objective behind the Vaccination?”
“Destroy… the migrants. Make civilians into puppet soldiers. And then…” he stopped.
“Then what? Use the capsules to give them fighting skills? To attack the camp? And then what?”
Bow didn’t answer. His body slumped.
“Bow?” Frank patted his cheek. “Wake up!”
Someone pulled the doorknob and knocked. Frank looked around.
“Bow? We’re ready,” a voice said. “We’re waiting for you.”
“Coming!” Frank gave a loud cough, waited and pressed his ear to the door.
Footsteps, barely heard, proceeded along the hallway to the left. Frank glanced at Bow. He seemed to be out for quite a while. Frank looked himself over and opened the cabinet. In less than a minute, he had on a clean T-shirt: shoulders too narrow, but when he draped a lab coat over it, he looked like one of their mnemotechs.
He still needed to get himself an electronic bracelet. Without it, he couldn’t get out of the building.
Frank picked the syringe up off the floor and removed the bent needle. He came close to Bow and took his hand. Turning it palm upward to expose the bracelet, he placed the end of the needle into a barely visible slot, just like Barney had taught him. It clicked. Frank pressed the titanium links one by one, and the bracelet opened.
Using the same method, he locked the bracelet on his own hand. After a moment’s hesitation, he decided to give Bow a body search. The only thing he found in his pockets was a crumpled piece of paper. But on his neck hung a small round key on a silver chain looking very much like one of those used to unblock a computer. Frank had a funny feeling it might come in handy. He hung the key around his own neck and gave the place one final check. He had a bad feeling about something, but couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Only when he stepped to the door and raised his hand to unlock it, he noticed the bloodied cloth. Too conspicuous. He had to redress it.
Frank removed the dirty cloth, rinsed his hand with water and reached for some plaster out of the first-aid kit. The hand was still damp, but the plaster held. Then he walked back to the door and unlocked it.
Before he could step out, a tall dark-haired man in a lab coat stepped in, nearly knocking him over.
“Who the hell are you?” the man said.
“I’m the new intern,” Frank bluffed.
“The new what?” the man frowned.
Frank punched him in the stomach. The man doubled up. Frank grabbed the tech and dragged him inside. After two more knee kicks to the face, he hurled the man onto the floor and locked the door behind him.
Shit. If this was one of the tech team, the others would soon start looking for him.
Frank quickly replayed everything he’d heard within the last hour. Claney had told Bow to finish here and get busy with the girl. The researcher had replied that the team was ready to start the moment he arrived. Which meant the techs were all waiting for him now.
The man on the floor groaned and stirred. Frank turned him around, grabbed his lapels and jerked him up into a sitting position with his back to the wall.
“How many techs in the team?” he gave him a good shake. “How many of you are there?”
“Three,” the man froze, open-mouth, staring at the bed behind Frank’s back.
Admittedly, Bow’s bloodied frame lying on the bed meant for his victims would have scared anyone. Even that fish-eyed blond bastard. Frank gave the tech another shake.
“Take me first to the girl. Next, to Barney.
“To whom?”
“The old boy in the intensive care. Understood?” Frank hissed into the tech’s face.
“Yes!” he nodded readily.
“If you try to fuck me,” Frank produced the syringe out of his pocket, “you’ll get a dose of this.”
The man’s eyes opened wide. He groaned. Frank rose pulling him up by the collar.
“Come on, then. And no tricks.” He was dying to find out what that was in the syringe that scared the techs shitless. But he had a hunch not to ask now.
“And…” the man started, his eyes fixed on Bow.
“Don’t worry about him,” Frank opened the door and pushed the tech out. “I’ve given him first aid.”
He had to flaunt the syringe in front of the man’s nose before the tech could concentrate on his orders. Finally, he worked out what Frank wanted and walked along the right side of the hallway. There was only one door in that direction.
“Is the girl in there?” Frank glanced behind his back. There, next to the surgery he’d just left, was another door, and after another ten paces or so, two glass panels. On the wall next to them, an electronic lock flashed a red light. Above them, a semisphere of a security camera clung to the ceiling.
Frank stood up straight and followed the tech trying to walk as naturally as he could. They had only two meters left to cover when the door in the end of the hallway opened, letting out another lab coat.
Chapter Twenty-One. Chasing Tails
Bud Jessup hurried to board the chopper waiting on its landing pad in front of the stadium. He could use some rest. He’d never thought that one day he’d have to choose between honor and duty. Still, Salem needed him in town where he and his men tried to stay in control. The radio in his hand didn’t stop. Reports were coming in from all over New York. Long queues were already lining up at Memoria’s branches, getting longer with every minute. The “skill sale” had begun.
Its first hour had been the hardest for Jessup. Memoria’s security had uncovered his team who’d had to abort the surveillance of Binelli. Listening to their frequencies hadn’t given him much, either. He had the Feds and the Secretary of Homeland Security on his back, but Jessup chose to ignore their calls knowing it would cost him his job. Probably, already had.