“Well, now, it seems the old axiom about not keeping all one’s eggs in a basket has been to your benefit, Dr. Conrad. Is there anything else you withheld during the first investigation?”
“Now, now…don’t take it personally, Lieutenant,” Jarrod responded, trying to defuse Morris’s umbrage. “I didn’t purposely withhold anything. The fact that the perpetrators didn’t get everything to make it work was, in my mind, irrelevant. They stole my research and I was pissed. Still am…”
“Okay, okay, let’s focus on the present situation, then,” Morris said.
“If it’s true that the same people who took my data also stole twenty pounds of enriched nuclear fuel, you’re coming close to a perfect storm here, Lieutenant.”
“How so?”
“We’ve only built small prototypes of the device, but the theoretical application is essentially limitless. With enough money, a person could produce an application either amazingly artful or incredibly destructive, depending on their intention.”
“What’s your point, Professor?”
Jarrod looked impatient. “Don’t you see? It’s why Agent Henry’s so interested in my research. The DOD wants to make sure the machine isn’t weaponized by anyone other than the United States. The seriousness of the situation can’t be overstated.”
“Well, I’ll talk to Agent Henry about that. Just now, that’s all for this evening, Professor,” Morris said standing up from the couch. “We didn’t talk much about your cousin, but I presume you’ll only tell me he’s still on the lam. He seems pretty hardheaded that way.”
“You said a mouthful there,” Jarrod smirked.
“Keep in touch, Doctor Conrad. The minute you hear anything new, I want to know about it-that includes your cousin.” Turning at the door, Morris added, “I’ll have one of our tech boys tap your phone…I hope you don’t mind.”
“No problem, Lieutenant. You’ll be the first to hear about any contact. Goodnight,” he said, closing the door.
Jarrod was standing alone in his house for the first time since he discovered Ryan in the hallway, and it wasn’t ten minutes after Lieutenant Morris left that his cell phone began vibrating. He looked at the LED screen, which displayed Private Call instead of a name or number. He glanced at the clock on the DVD, noting it was almost 3:00 a.m. Here we go, he thought.
“Jarrod Conrad,” he said. “Who’s calling?”
“Listen closely, Dr. Conrad. I’ll only say this once,” instructed the muffled voice. “If you ever want to see Sela Coscarelli again, you’ll follow my instructions to the letter. You are under surveillance. Do not contact the police. Some men will be at your front door as soon as PAPD clears the area. You are to accompany them without difficulty or Dr. Coscarelli will suffer the consequences of your resistance.”
Before Jarrod could respond, the connection was broken. He was stunned. Sela’s in danger. They’ve kidnapped her, too… He felt as though he’d been kicked in the groin. He was unprepared for this latest turn of events.
His feelings for her, carefully secreted away in the recesses of his mind and heart, came welling to the surface like a mighty underwater explosion. How could anyone think of hurting Sela? She was the only woman he had ever truly loved. Jarrod felt heartsick; his chest literally hurt from the thought of her being ill-treated.
For the first time Jarrod realized how Ryan must have felt when he faced losing Sarah. My God, he thought. How could I have been so spiteful? The last tendril of doubt about a possible conspiracy vanished from his mind. Whoever was behind this plot had now abducted both Sela and Jer.
This means war, he thought. I’ll die before I let anything happen to either of them. Whoever’s behind this has made a grave mistake underestimating my resolve. No one messes with my family.
Hearing the news about Sela sent Jarrod into a frenzy of activity. He needed to quickly prepare himself before the kidnappers showed up. He went immediately to his office computer and sent Sarah an email message:
Urgent! Kidnappers made contact. They’ve taken Sela! No information on Jer. Taking me to undisclosed location. Stand by. Be careful…
He opened the laptop containing the firing sequence for his antigravity technology and entered a new password. He then placed a termination code on the password that would shut down the computer if the word was not correctly entered within twenty seconds of booting the operating system. He hoped this tactic would buy him time; he had no intention of introducing the firing sequence on the machine until he knew for certain that Sela and Jer were safe.
Completing his work on the laptop, he next called Niles Penburton. When the phone went to voicemail, he left a message: “Niles…its Jarrod. I’ve been contacted by the people who broke into Quantum. Someone else is behind this; it wasn’t my cousin. They’re taking me to an undisclosed location to run the gravity generator. Call Jason Henry. Tell him the Livermore Lab heist was done by these same people. They’ve also kidnapped Sela Coscarelli. I need your help. My email is up…” he said, ending the message.
A sharp knock at the door seized Jarrod’s attention. He grabbed the computer and proceeded to the front of the house, not knowing if or when he might return.
“What do you want?” Jarrod asked from behind the closed door. He peered through the small peephole and spotted two men standing on his front porch. Both were dressed in black jumpsuits. It was plain to see they would not be easily mollified.
“Sir, open the door. You’re to accompany us without any trouble. I believe you received a call to that effect a moment ago,” Colt Hamil replied pointedly.
Jarrod opened the door. “Yes, I’m to go with you without questions or a dear friend of mine will ‘ suffer the consequences ’ is I believe how it was put,” Jarrod replied more bravely than he felt, trying to not act intimidated.
“Shall we go then, Dr. Conrad?” Colt asked. “We’d appreciate your cooperation.”
“Spare me the pleasantries, son,” Jarrod shot back. “Don’t misconstrue my lack of resistance. You guys have no idea how much trouble you’re in. You’re simpleminded killers, and have now added kidnapping to your list of crimes.”
“Opinions vary, sir,” Colt succinctly replied, backing up a step and holding open the outer door. “Please leave the computer behind… and the Blackberry. You’re not to bring any communication devices.”
“Obviously you need me to run the ignition sequence you stole from my office. To do that I’ll need this laptop. Without it, I’m of no use to your master,” he said with a sneer, purposely demeaning their position. “Oh, and lest you think you can simply take the computer…think again. Not only is the computer password protected, but it will automatically destroy all the files if it’s not properly encoded within seconds of booting the system. So, what now, geniuses…computer in or out?”
“Bring the computer, but the Blackberry stays. That’s non-negotiable, Professor,” answered Tom Starkovich. “Now, if you’ll please come this way, sir, we need to get moving,” he said, grabbing Jarrod as he finished locking the door behind him.
These two are military, Jarrod thought, as he followed the two men to a black windowless van that was parked across the street from his house.
He searched for as much evidence as he could manage in the short time it took to move to the van: the fact that they didn’t respond to his insults; the way they addressed him as ‘sir’; the polite efficiency with which they conducted themselves; the fact they made a decision about the laptop without hesitating-it all indicated personal discipline and a high level of professional training.
Just as I thought-whoever’s planned this can afford the best. These are professional mercenaries. Not good…not good at all.
THIRTY-FOUR
Palo Alto
4:00 HOURS
Ryan and Sarah Marshall left Jarrod’s house in advance of the distant sirens, heading for nowhere in particular. After driving aimlessly for nearly thirty minutes, Ryan realized he had no idea what to do or where to go. His whole plan to this point had revolved around confronting Jarrod. He had not considered anything beyond their meeting.