Winter Halo (Outcast 2)

“Impossible,” Jonas said automatically.

“Why? Again, I’m living proof that the impossible is very possible.”

“Yes, but it took years of research and experimentation to successfully produce déchet. And that was all destroyed at the end of the war.”

“Are you sure? Because there were shiny new intrauterine beds up in the Broken Mountains base.”

“Which in itself doesn’t mean anything,” Nuri said. But her expression was troubled.

“Sal and I survived the war. What if someone else did? Someone like a scientist well versed in the means and methods of creating and enhancing life in a tube?”

And that was possible, given Sal had been caught in a rift with two humans, even though he’d professed a hatred of them. He’d had no reason to be anywhere near them after the war—unless, of course, he’d had no choice.

What if his two companions weren’t randoms? What if they were instead fellow military survivors—ones who happened to be a scientist and maybe even a handler?

The latter would certainly explain why Sal had followed orders he didn’t agree with—not if the anger I’d witnessed after one phone call was anything to go by. Not only had déchet been rendered incapable of killing humans, but we also could not go against orders issued by our military handlers. If Sal’s handler was one of his two partners, then there would always be that innate pressure to obey, even if the rift had muddied their DNA and basically made them separate parts of a whole.

“I guess it’s possible,” Jonas said. “But that only makes it more imperative we get inside Winter Halo.”

“If they are creating such creatures,” Nuri said, voice heavy, “it is doubtful they’d be doing so within Winter Halo itself. Any form of gene manipulation carries the penalty of death. They can’t possibly control everyone who works within that place, and would not take such a risk.”

“Which goes back to the intrauterine pods we discovered in the Broken Mountains base.”

“And,” Jonas said, expression grim, “raises the scary prospect that they’ve already succeeded in creating a wraith capable of withstanding sunlight.”

“Even if that is true, we have time to stop them,” I said. “This program hasn’t been running all that long, and any new being to come from it would still be young. If there’s one thing the déchet program revealed, it’s that growth can only be manipulated so far.”

Nuri frowned. “Everything I’ve read suggests accelerant was used on déchet.”

“It was. But development could only be increased to a certain point before death or madness stepped in—especially given that the mind doesn’t always grow at the same speed as the body.”

“They might not care about that.” Jonas’s voice was grim. “Not if all they want is the eradication of life on this world.”

“If they wanted total annihilation, why wouldn’t they just develop the rifts as a weapon? We still don’t understand them, even one hundred years down the track.” And we really had no protection against them, even if the huge metal curtain walls that protected all major cities from vampires also seemed to provide some sort of barrier against the rifts. “And the false rifts prove their existence here may not be as random as we first thought.”

“The initial rifts were a consequence of the war and the bombs,” Nuri said. “Doorways were opened that never should have been, and the Others quickly took advantage of a whole new killing field.”

“Then I guess we should just be thankful it has taken as long as it has to bring their plans to some sort of fruition.” I hesitated and scrubbed my hands through my hair. The steak had stopped the trembling weakness, but a dull ache remained behind the backs of my eyes. “I need to get moving if I’m to take Sharran’s place tonight.”

Jonas rose. “I’ll get the scanner.”

Nuri took a piece of paper from her pocket and pushed it toward me. “Here’s some basic background details you might not have gotten from Sharran’s mind.”

I quickly scanned the list. It was indeed basic stuff, like where she’d been born, who her parents were, where her siblings where living and what they did, as well as where she currently lived and who her neighbors were. Everyday stuff that I hadn’t gotten from her mind, and which might well trip me up if I wasn’t very careful.

Once I’d committed the information to memory, I crumpled the paper and tossed it lightly in the air. The ghosts caught it and began playing with it, their giggles of delight filling the air and making me smile.

Once Jonas had returned and the new RFID chip inserted into my left wrist, I said, “How am I going to get information to you? Come here?”

Jonas hesitated. “It’s probably the best option. If they’re watching Chaos, then they’re also probably keeping an eye on anyone we deal with on a regular basis—”

“Won’t that put Ela’s position at Deseo in jeopardy?” I cut in.

“She’s not actually in there as herself,” Nuri said. “It’s not too hard to alter someone’s appearance with a little bit of makeup and contacts.”

A little bit of magic didn’t hurt matters, either, I’d wager. I pushed up from the table. “I’d better get into Central and get ready for tonight.”

“Turn off the lights near the door,” Nuri said, with a glance at Jonas. “We can’t risk someone seeing the light spill when it opens.”