Sahara (Dirk Pitt 11)

"Cobalt?" Hopper straightened in his camp chair.

"Not surprising," said Grimes. "Vitamin B-12 contains almost 4.5 percent cobalt."

"Both of your findings pretty well back the results of my analysis of the community wells," said Hopper. "There was enough arsenic and cobalt in a common cup of water to choke a camel."

"The underground water table," said Eva, staring into the glow from the heater. "The flow must have slowly worked itself through a geologic deposit of cobalt and arsenic."

"If I recall my university geology class," Hopper said, thinking back, "a common arsenide is niccolite, a mineral often associated with cobalt."

"Still only the tip of the iceberg," cautioned Grimes. "Both elements combined were not enough to cause this mess. Some other substance or compound acted as a catalyst with the cobalt and arsenic to push the level of toxicity beyond tolerant bounds and mushroomed the red cell count, one we missed."

"And mutated them as well," Eva added.

"Not to muddy the mystery any worse than it already is," said Hopper. "But something else turned up in my analysis. I found very high traces of radioactivity."

"Interesting," Grimes said lukewarmly. "But if anything, long exposure to above normal radiation levels would have lowered the red cell count. I saw nothing during my examination to suggest chronic effects of radioactivity."

"Suppose the radiation penetrated the well water only recently?" Eva offered.

"A distinct possibility," admitted Grimes. "But we're still left with the enigma of an unknown killer substance."

"Our equipment is limited," Hopper shrugged. "If we're looking at a new strain of bacteria or some combinations of exotic chemicals, we may not be able to totally identify the causes here. We'll have to take samples back to our laboratory in Paris."

"A synthetic by-product," Eva murmured thoughtfully. Then she made a sweeping gesture around the desert. "Where can it possibly come from? Certainly not from around here."

"The hazardous waste disposal at Fort Foureau?" Grimes advanced.

Hopper studied the bowl of his pipe. "Two hundred kilometers northwest. A bit far to carry a contaminant against prevailing winds and deposit it in the town wells. And that doesn't explain the high radiation levels. The Fort Foureau facility is not designed to accept radioactive waste. Besides, the hazardous materials are all burned, so there is no way they could penetrate an underground water supply and then be carried this far without having any deadly chemicals absorbed into the soil."

"Okay," said Eva. "What's our next step?"

"Pack up and fly to Cairo and then on to Paris with our samples. We'll take our prime specimen also. Wrap him good and keep him cool and he should remain in decent shape until we get him bedded down in ice in Cairo."

Eva nodded. "I agree. The sooner we perform our research under proper conditions, the better."

Hopper turned and stared at Batutta who had said nothing but sat listening, pretending indifference while a tape recorder under his shirt monitored every word.

"Captain Batutta."

"Dr. Hopper."

"We have decided to push on to Egypt first thing in the morning. Is this agreeable with you?"

Batutta flashed a wide smile and twisted one end of his moustache. "I regret I must stay behind and report to my superiors on the plight of the village. You are free to continue to Cairo."

"We can't just leave you here."

"There is plenty of gas in the vehicles. I will simply take one of the Land Rovers and drive back to Timbuktu."

"That's a 400-kilometer trek. You know the way?"

"I was born and bred in the desert," Batutta said. "I will leave at sunrise and be in Timbuktu by nightfall."

"Will our change of plan place you in any difficulty with Colonel Mansa?" asked Grimes.

"My orders were to serve you," Batutta said patronizingly. "Do not give it another thought. I am only sorry I cannot accompany you to Cairo."

"That settles it," said Hopper, rising from his chair. "We'll load up our equipment first thing in the morning and take off for Egypt."