Kira shuddered from the mental picture he had painted.
“I was tied to a chair,” continued Desh. “But after the guard fell I gave him a face-full of chair-leg. I dove on the other guard, chair and all, to prevent him from using his gun, but he managed to stab me several times with his knife before I was able to head-butt him into unconsciousness. I escaped and eventually made it across the border to Iraq.”
“I do remember this part,” said Kira. “I read the soldiers who found you in Iraq couldn’t believe you had made it so far in the condition you were in. They were astonished by your stamina and force of will.”
Desh grimaced. “I should have died with my men,” he whispered. “In the Special Forces, we take the code of leaving no man behind very seriously.” His eyes moistened and he shook his head sadly. “The truth is that my men had been so badly butchered there wasn’t enough left of their bodies to bring back, even if I could have.”
David Desh accelerated onto the Interstate 95 onramp and merged with highway traffic.
“I don’t know what to say,” said Kira helplessly.
“There’s nothing to say. Seems that we’ve both had our share of bad luck and battle scars. When the stakes are high, the penalties can be high,” he said.
They drove on for several minutes until Kira finally broke the silence, deciding a change in subject was in order. “Look, David,” she said hesitantly, “at the risk of sounding like a drug pusher, I’d like you to take one of my gellcaps.”
Desh eyed her with interest. “Why?” he said simply.
“I appreciate you agreeing to become my ally, but we both know you still don’t trust me a hundred percent. How can you? There’s been so much going on and so many complexities to this story that only a fool would fail to harbor at least a little doubt. And you’re anything but a fool. In the recesses of your mind, you still can’t help but wonder if I’m just a great actress and this is all some kind of diabolical plan of mine.”
“You’re right,” he said. “I won’t deny it. But the doubt has shrunk from a hundred percent to about five percent, if that makes you feel any better.”
“It does. But taking a gellcap will eliminate any remaining reservations. Sure, you might believe intellectually that I’ve succeeded in radically transforming the human brain, but for you to really trust that all of this is real, you have to experience it for yourself. I could tell you more about what it’s like, but until you’ve experienced it yourself no description I could offer could do it justice. Once you’ve been enhanced you’ll know that everything I’ve told you is true. Down to the last detail.”
Desh pursed his lips. “I don’t know, Kira,” he said reluctantly. “I’m not sure I like the idea of altering the architecture of my brain.”
“After everything I told you, I don’t blame you. But I promise the effect will only last about an hour. After that, you’ll be the exact same David Desh as always.”
“Yeah? How can you be so sure?”
She opened her mouth to answer, but then closed it again. “I guess I can’t be. Not absolutely. I know that you won’t feel any different. And the people I interacted with afterwards never noticed any changes in me—at least none I’m aware of.”
“What about the sociopathy?”
“As I mentioned, that effect builds. The first time you’re enhanced it’s like you’re Alice in Wonderland, too awestruck to have many ruthless thoughts. Repeated exposure further numbs the emotions and increases your feelings of omnipotence.”
“And then—what?—you graduate from Alice to Frodo to Darth?” he said wryly.
She frowned. “I use too many silly literary metaphors, don’t I?”
Desh couldn’t help but smile. “Not at all,” he said reassuringly. “And I’m the one who came up with Moriarty. So maybe we’re two peas in a pod.”
Kira caught his eye and sighed deeply. “It would really mean a lot to me, David. You have to experience it to truly understand it.”
Desh returned her gaze briefly and then shifted his eyes back to the road as he considered her request. “Okay,” he said finally, still with some reluctance. “I’ll do it.”
“Thanks David,” she said in relief. “This will erase any lingering doubts. I promise. And it will also surpass your wildest expectations.” Her right hand went to her neck and located a silver chain that had been hidden by her clothing. She lifted, pulling the chain up until a silver locket emerged from under her sweatshirt. The locket was heart-shaped and about the circumference of a quarter. She repositioning the necklace so it and the locket were now on the outside of her jacket.
“I just happen to have a dose on hand,” she announced.
“There’s a gellcap inside that locket?” he said in disbelief.
“Absolutely.”
“I don’t know, Kira,” said Desh, rolling his eyes. “Wearing the One Ring of Power around your neck in pill form? Maybe you are taking this Frodo thing a bit far.”
Kira grinned. “Okay,” she said, amused. “I admit I’m a bit of a geek.” She became serious once more. “The truth is that it’s a symbolic gesture that strengthens my resolve to never enhance myself again. I want to stop Moriarty, not become him. Having a dose around my neck reminds me of the danger of giving in to the lure of power.”
“You played a lot of Dungeons And Dragons as a kid, didn’t you?” said Desh wryly.
A playful smile lit up her face. “All right,” she said. “I can’t deny that it’s corny. But it really has helped. And, just for the record, I’ve never played Dungeons And Dragons in my life.” She paused and motioned toward the locket. “Are you ready?”
Desh frowned. “Right now?”
“Why not?”
“I’ll do it, but let’s hold off. I’d rather not be in a car when I take it, and I’d love to have a good night’s sleep as well. How about if I try it in the morning?”
Kira nodded. “Whenever you feel up to it. I guess I’m just anxious to develop that deeper level of trust. Besides,” she added, “I’ve never been able to compare notes with anyone.”
As they drove they continued a lively conversation. Now that they were allies, Desh found he had an easy rapport with her. About seventy-five minutes into the drive, Kira called a stop for what she called a biological break.
Desh exited the highway and drove into a small gas station with only two pumps and without the ubiquitous mini-store. He pulled up to the pump closest to a small brick structure that contained bathrooms. He exited the pick-up and began to top off the tank while Kira got the restroom key from the attendant.
Kira had just returned the key and was crossing Desh’s path as he hung up the nozzle, on her way back to the passenger seat, when Desh’s heart leaped to his throat.
Chopper blades! Again!
Before Desh could move or call out a warning, Kira collapsed to the ground in front of him, a small dart protruding from her neck.
Desh had already evaluated their current location and knew there was nowhere to run or hide. The chopper was coming closer and he only had an instant to act.
He threw himself to the ground next to Kira to buy himself an additional few seconds while his mind churned furiously. He realized in desperation he had only one option. Reaching out, he clutched the chain around Kira’s neck and yanked as hard as he could. The chain snapped and the locket slid to the pavement. Desh tossed the chain as far away from them as he could and snatched the free locket, hurriedly shoving it into his mouth. He used his tongue to push the small, silver heart into the back of his mouth; shoving its point into his cheek to lodge it snugly between his teeth and gums, like a chaw of tobacco, hoping it was too small to cause a visible bulge.