Behind her, she heard a wave of laughter erupt around the table. David’s eyes met hers. He looked so happy there, sitting among the dozen other Clocktower Station Chiefs and Agents — the survivors of the fall of Clocktower; now, “The Resistance.” From out here, if she didn’t know any better, she’d think it was just a reunion of old college friends, kidding, sharing stories, and planning tomorrow’s escapades for tailgating and a big football game. But she knew they were making plans for the assault on Immari Gibraltar’s headquarters. The conversation had veered into technical discussions of tactics, debates about the building’s layout, and questions about whether the schematics and other intel they had were reliable. Kate had drifted out onto the porch, like a new girlfriend who clearly wasn’t part of the core group.

On the plane ride from India, she and David had talked openly, for the first time without any guards or hesitation. She told him about losing her child; how she met a man who disappeared into thin air at almost the moment she’d gotten pregnant. She left San Francisco for Jakarta a week after the miscarriage, and she had thrown herself into her work and autism research in the years that followed.

David had been just as forthcoming. He had told Kate about his fiance dying in the 9/11 attacks and how he was badly injured, almost paralyzed; then about his recovery and his decision to dedicate himself to finding the people responsible. A week ago, Kate would have brushed off his assertions about the Immari and a global conspiracy, but she had just nodded on the plane. She didn’t know how the pieces fit together, but she believed him.

They had slept after they talked, as if the release had brought the respite. But for Kate, it was a sporadic, restless slumber, mostly because of the plane’s noise and partly because it was hard to sleep in the chair. Every time Kate awoke, David was always asleep. She imagined he did the same, watching her until he fell asleep again. She still had so much to say to him. When she woke up the last time, the plane was making its final approach at the Gibraltar airfield. David gazed out the plane window, and when he saw that Kate was awake, he said, “Remember, don’t say anything about the journal, Tibet, or the China facility until we know more. I’m still not sure about this.”

Clocktower agents swarmed the plane the second they landed, and they were whisked away to the home. She and David had barely said a word since.

Behind her, the door slid open, and Kate turned quickly, smiling, hoping. It was Howard Keegan, the Director of Clocktower. Kate’s smile faded instantly, and she hoped the man hadn’t seen it. He stepped out and closed the door. “May I join you, Dr. Warner?”

“Please. And call me Kate.”

Keegan stood beside her at the rail, not leaning and not looking at Kate. He stared out into the darkening bay. He was clearly in his 60s, but he was fit. Robust.

The silence was a bit awkward. “How’s the planning going?” Kate asked.

“Well. Though it won’t matter.” Keegan’s voice was flat, emotionless.

A chill ran through Kate. She tried to lighten the mood. “You’re that confiden—”

“I am. Tomorrow’s outcome has been planned for years now.” He motioned to the streets and the guards below. “Those aren’t Clocktower agents. They’re Immari Security. As are the guards inside. Tomorrow, the last of the non-Immari agents within Clocktower will die, including David.”

Kate pushed off the rail and looked back at the table where the men were still laughing and pointing. “I don’t un—”

“Don’t turn around. I’m here to make you an offer.” Keegan’s voice was a whisper.

“For what?”

“His life. In exchange for yours. You will leave here tonight, in a few hours, when everyone has knocked off. They’ll go to bed early; the raid is at dawn.”

“You’re lying.”

“Am I? I don’t want to kill him. I’m genuinely fond of him. We’re just on different sides of the coin. Chance. But we want you, badly.”

“Why?”

“You survived the Bell. It’s the key to everything we’ve done. We have to understand it. I won’t lie; you’ll be questioned, then studied, but he will be spared. Look at your options. We can simply kill those agents inside right now. It’s messier, here in a residential neighborhood, but acceptable. We’ve held this operation open too long as it is, waiting, seeing who would come in, hoping he would call. There’s more. If you’re clever in your negotiations, you may be able to free the children, or perhaps trade yourself for them. They’re being held at the same facility.” Keegan looked Kate in the eyes. “Now what’s your answer?”

She swallowed and nodded. “Ok.”

“There’s one more thing. From the recordings on the plane. You and Vale mention a journal. We want it. We’ve been looking for it for a very long time.”

CHAPTER 107

Snow Camp Alpha

Drill Site #7

East Antarctica

A surge of relief swept over Robert Hunt when he saw the snowmobile parked outside the small, white-walled barracks at Drill Site Seven. He parked his snowmobile and ran inside. The men were warming themselves beside the wall heater. Both rose when he entered.

“We tried to wait, but we were freezing. We couldn’t stay.”

“I know. It’s ok,” Robert said. He surveyed the room. Exactly like the last six. He glanced over at the radio. “Have they called—”

“Three times, on the hour. Asking for you. They’re losing patience.”

Robert thought about what to say. “What did you tell them?” The answer would tell him where they shook out in all this.

“We didn’t answer the first call. The second said they were sending backup. We told them you were working on the drill, and we needed no assistance. What did you see?”

The last question sent Robert’s mind racing. What if they’re testing me? What if they talked to the employer and they have orders to kill me? Can I trust them? “I didn’t…” Winters started.

“Look, I ain’t no genius, hell, I didn’t even graduate high school, but I’ve worked an oil rig in the Gulf my whole life, and I know we ain’t drilling for oil, so why don’t you tell us what you saw?”

Robert sat at the small table with the radio. He suddenly felt so tired. And hungry. He pulled his hood off, then his gloves. “I’m still not sure. There were monkeys. They killed them with something. Then I saw kids, in a glass cage.”

Tags: A.G. Riddle The Origin Mystery Thriller
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