Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 140965 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 705(@200wpm)___ 564(@250wpm)___ 470(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140965 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 705(@200wpm)___ 564(@250wpm)___ 470(@300wpm)
“I don’t know, but Joe said that Montgomery definitely landed here. He was so arrogant and obnoxious to the locals that everyone remembered him.”
“Not very smart,” Draden observed. He peered into the microscope to see what the virologists had been studying. The smear was dried and crusted. The vial had P-1005 on the label. His gut reacted. They were still studying Shylah’s blood.
“They have my picture, Draden.” Shylah came out of the sleeping quarters, holding a small photograph. It was black and white, and definitely Shylah. “Why would they need a picture of me?”
“To show to someone,” Draden said grimly. He indicated the microscope. “I’m just speculating, sweetheart, but Trap all but positively agreed with me. They had your blood because they were trying to create a virus you couldn’t fight off. Each of the five samples showed evidence of viruses that couldn’t infect you. They kept creating more lethal ones in the hopes they not only could infect you, but that you could make antibodies for them. It’s very apparent they are selling the virus to Montgomery. Like Whitney, it’s useless to him unless he has a vaccine. You’re the vaccine.”
“We’re the vaccine, Draden. Just damn. You think Montgomery is going to send someone after us?”
“I think everyone is going to send someone after us. Half the United States forces are moving into position to guard you. Well … us.” He flashed a grin. “That’s an exaggeration, but we’re being guarded. Mostly my team, but everyone else is on alert.”
“Great. You didn’t touch anything, did you?”
“Not without gloves on. Let’s go find this Faisal and see what our boys look like now and what their names are. Joe will call in a team to sweep behind us just to be safe as far as the virus is concerned.”
Draden watched as she carefully locked the door to the apartment and then they both slipped into the shadows. He could feel the others close. Gino, for certain. He put off a very lethal vibe. Diego was up on a rooftop with a rifle, no doubt. He was damn good and Draden had never seen him take a shot and miss. It just didn’t happen. Malichai was there on one side of the street, with Joe pacing along on the other side. It was a classic GhostWalker urban tactic. They were unseen, unheard and yet in a perfect position to protect their primary objective.
Draden knocked on the tan door. After much rustling inside, Faisal Bataknese answered the door. He looked alarmed, as if he weren’t used to being disturbed in the middle of the night—which he probably wasn’t. Like Eko had said, he most likely only took visitors known well in advance of their coming.
Draden stepped into him, forcing him to back up, which he did holding both hands in the air, glancing in apprehension behind him toward the interior of the apartment. Shylah entered as well and shut the door softly behind her.
“We’re sorry to disturb you, Faisal,” Shylah said with a small incline of her head. “Our meeting is urgent, or we wouldn’t force our way in. Your family is perfectly safe. If you wish, I’ll close the door between your personal apartment and this work space.” There was nothing to indicate that Faisal worked out of his home, but Shylah was quickly establishing that they already knew who he was and what he did.
Faisal began to shake his head, putting on his most innocent and perplexed expression—one that had probably served him well in the past, but Shylah ignored his protest and quietly shut the door, indicating to his family he was busy with a client.
“Please don’t pretend. We don’t have that kind of time, and we don’t want to hurt you. We could either turn you over to the government, or if you refuse to give us our answers, force you to do so, but you’re a businessman. You stay neutral. You forge papers and your forgeries are amazing.” Shylah poured admiration into her voice.
Draden stayed in the background, letting her do what she did, admiring her for the way she used her voice to get the information she needed. There might be subtle threats, and she kept Faisal off-balance switching between respect and threats to keep his attention centered solely on her and what she was telling him.
“Three men came here to get new identities. They were foreigners and they rented an apartment from Bakti. Unfortunately, Bakti and his friends decided the money wasn’t enough for them and they are deceased. I’m sure you’re well aware these were not good men. Still, they brought you a lot of business. I can compensate you for that as well as for the information I need on the three men who murdered an entire village of your people.”
Until that moment, Faisal had been shaking his head, but he stopped and went rigid. “Lupa Suku. They did that.”