Chromosome 6 (53 page)
Authors: Robin Cook
Tags: #Fiction, #General, #Mystery & Detective, #Suspense, #Thrillers, #Suspense Fiction, #Fiction - Espionage, #Thriller, #Detective and mystery stories, #Espionage, #Onbekend, #Medical, #Medical novels, #New York (N.Y.), #Forensic pathologists, #Equatorial Guinea, #Forensic pathologists - Fiction, #Robin - Prose & Criticism, #Equatorial Guinea - Fiction, #Cook, #New York (N.Y.) - Fiction
They backed out of the reeds and started for the Rio Diviso. Unfortunately, there were lots of hippos
and even a few crocodiles forcing them to paddle twice the usual distance just to keep clear. Before they slipped into the foliage hiding the mouth of the jungle-lined river they caught a glimpse of some soldiers entering the clearing in the distance. "Do you think they saw us?" Jack asked from his position in the bow. "There's no way to know," Kevin said.
"We're getting out of here by the skin of our teeth," Jack said. The waiting was as hard on the women as it had been on Jack and Warren. When the small canoe pulled alongside, there were literal tears of relief. The final worry was the outboard motor. Jack agreed to attend to it because of his experience with similar engines as a teenager. While he checked it over, the others paddled the heavy canoe out of the reeds into the open water.
Jack pumped the gas, then with a little prayer, pulled the cord. The engine sputtered and caught. It was loud in the morning stillness. Jack looked at Laurie. She smiled and gave him the thumbs-up sign.
Jack put the motor in gear, gave it a full throttle, and steered directly south, where they could see Gabon as a line of green along the horizon.
EPILOGUE: MARCH 18, 1997 3:45 P.M.
NEW YORK CITY
LOU Soldano glanced at his watch as he flashed his police badge to get him into the Customs area of the international arrivals building at Kennedy Airport. He'd hit more traffic than he'd expected in the midtown tunnel, and hoped he was not too late to greet the returning world travelers. Going up to one of the skycaps, he asked which carousel was Air France. "Way down the end, brother," the skycap said with a wave of his hand. Just my luck, thought Lou as he broke into a slow jog. After a short distance he slowed, and for the one millionth time vowed to stop smoking.
As he got closer, it was easy to see which carousel he was looking for. Air France in block letters showed on a monitor. Around it, the people were four deep. Lou made a half circuit before seeing the group. Even though they were facing away, he could recognize Laurie's hair.
He insinuated himself between other passengers and gave Laurie's arm a squeeze. She turned around indignantly but quickly recognized him. Then she gave him a hug so fierce, his face turned red.
and even a few crocodiles forcing them to paddle twice the usual distance just to keep clear. Before they slipped into the foliage hiding the mouth of the jungle-lined river they caught a glimpse of some soldiers entering the clearing in the distance. "Do you think they saw us?" Jack asked from his position in the bow. "There's no way to know," Kevin said.
"We're getting out of here by the skin of our teeth," Jack said. The waiting was as hard on the women as it had been on Jack and Warren. When the small canoe pulled alongside, there were literal tears of relief. The final worry was the outboard motor. Jack agreed to attend to it because of his experience with similar engines as a teenager. While he checked it over, the others paddled the heavy canoe out of the reeds into the open water.
Jack pumped the gas, then with a little prayer, pulled the cord. The engine sputtered and caught. It was loud in the morning stillness. Jack looked at Laurie. She smiled and gave him the thumbs-up sign.
Jack put the motor in gear, gave it a full throttle, and steered directly south, where they could see Gabon as a line of green along the horizon.
EPILOGUE: MARCH 18, 1997 3:45 P.M.
NEW YORK CITY
LOU Soldano glanced at his watch as he flashed his police badge to get him into the Customs area of the international arrivals building at Kennedy Airport. He'd hit more traffic than he'd expected in the midtown tunnel, and hoped he was not too late to greet the returning world travelers. Going up to one of the skycaps, he asked which carousel was Air France. "Way down the end, brother," the skycap said with a wave of his hand. Just my luck, thought Lou as he broke into a slow jog. After a short distance he slowed, and for the one millionth time vowed to stop smoking.
As he got closer, it was easy to see which carousel he was looking for. Air France in block letters showed on a monitor. Around it, the people were four deep. Lou made a half circuit before seeing the group. Even though they were facing away, he could recognize Laurie's hair.
He insinuated himself between other passengers and gave Laurie's arm a squeeze. She turned around indignantly but quickly recognized him. Then she gave him a hug so fierce, his face turned red.
"Okay, okay, I give up," Lou managed. He laughed.
Laurie let him go so that he could give Jack and Warren a handshake. Lou gave Natalie a peck on the cheek.
"So, you guys have a good trip, or what?" Lou questioned. It was apparent he was all keyed up. Jack shrugged and looked at Laurie. "It was okay," he said noncommittally. "Yeah, it was okay," Laurie agreed. "The trouble was nothing happened." "Really?" Lou said. "I'm surprised. You know, being Africa and all. I haven't been there, but I've heard." "What have you heard, man?" Warren asked. "Well, there's lots of animals," Lou said. "Is that it?" Natalie asked.
Lou shrugged embarrassingly. "I guess. Animals and the Ebola virus. But like I said, I've never been there."
Jack laughed, and when he did, so did all the others. "What's going on here?" Lou said. "Are you guys pulling my leg?" "I'm afraid so," Laurie said. "We had a fabulous trip! The first part was a little harrowing, but we managed to survive that, and once we got to Gabon, we had a ball." "Did you see any animals?" Lou asked.
"More than you could imagine," Laurie said. "There, see, that's what everybody says," Lou remarked. "Maybe someday I'll go over there myself." The luggage came, and they hoisted it onto their shoulders. They breezed through Customs and passed through the terminal. Lou's unmarked car was at the curb. "One of the few perks," he explained.
They put the luggage in the trunk, and climbed in. Laurie sat next to Lou. Lou drove out of the airport, and they were immediately bogged down in traffic. "How about you?" Laurie asked. "Have you been making any headway back here?" "I was afraid you weren't going to ask," Lou said. "Things have been going down like you wouldn't believe. It was that Spoletto Funeral Home that was the gold mine. Right now, everybody is lining up to plea-bargain. I even got an indictment on Vinnie Dominick." "That's fantastic," Laurie said. "What about that awful pig, Angelo Facciolo?"
Laurie let him go so that he could give Jack and Warren a handshake. Lou gave Natalie a peck on the cheek.
"So, you guys have a good trip, or what?" Lou questioned. It was apparent he was all keyed up. Jack shrugged and looked at Laurie. "It was okay," he said noncommittally. "Yeah, it was okay," Laurie agreed. "The trouble was nothing happened." "Really?" Lou said. "I'm surprised. You know, being Africa and all. I haven't been there, but I've heard." "What have you heard, man?" Warren asked. "Well, there's lots of animals," Lou said. "Is that it?" Natalie asked.
Lou shrugged embarrassingly. "I guess. Animals and the Ebola virus. But like I said, I've never been there."
Jack laughed, and when he did, so did all the others. "What's going on here?" Lou said. "Are you guys pulling my leg?" "I'm afraid so," Laurie said. "We had a fabulous trip! The first part was a little harrowing, but we managed to survive that, and once we got to Gabon, we had a ball." "Did you see any animals?" Lou asked.
"More than you could imagine," Laurie said. "There, see, that's what everybody says," Lou remarked. "Maybe someday I'll go over there myself." The luggage came, and they hoisted it onto their shoulders. They breezed through Customs and passed through the terminal. Lou's unmarked car was at the curb. "One of the few perks," he explained.
They put the luggage in the trunk, and climbed in. Laurie sat next to Lou. Lou drove out of the airport, and they were immediately bogged down in traffic. "How about you?" Laurie asked. "Have you been making any headway back here?" "I was afraid you weren't going to ask," Lou said. "Things have been going down like you wouldn't believe. It was that Spoletto Funeral Home that was the gold mine. Right now, everybody is lining up to plea-bargain. I even got an indictment on Vinnie Dominick." "That's fantastic," Laurie said. "What about that awful pig, Angelo Facciolo?"
"He's still in the slammer," Lou said. "We have him nailed on stealing Franconi's body. I know it's not
much, but remember Al Capone was reeled in on tax evasion." "What about the mole in the medical examiner's office?" Laurie said. "Solved," Lou said. "In fact, that's how we have Angelo nailed. Vinnie Amendola has agreed to testify." "So, it was Vinnie!" Laurie said with a mixture of vindication and regret. "No wonder he's been acting so weird," Jack said from the backseat. "There was one unexpected twist," Lou said. "There was someone else mixed up in all this who has taken us by surprise. He's apparently out of the country at the moment. When he comes back into the country, he's going to be arrested for murder of a teenager by the name of Cindy Carlson over in Jersey. We believe Franco Ponti and Angelo Facciolo did the actual killing, but it was at this guy's behest. His name is Dr. Raymond Lyons. Do either of you guys know him?" "Never heard of him," Jack said.
"Nor I," Laurie said.
"Well, he had something to do with that organ transplant stuff you people were so interested in," Lou said. "But later for that. Right now I'd like to hear about the first part of your trip: the harrowing part." "For that you'll have to buy us dinner," Laurie said. "It's kind of a long story." Glossary:
bonobo: An anthropoid ape classified as a species in 1933. Related to chimpanzees, they occasionally walk upright and are found only in a localized area of Zaire. The estimated population is less than twenty thousand. centromere: A specialized portion of a chromosome that plays an important role in the reduplication of the chromosome during cellular division. chimera: A combination of a lion, a goat, and a serpent in Greek mythology. In literature, a chimera is a creation of the imagination: an impossible mixture. In biology, a chimera is an organism that contains genetically distinct cell types. In genetics, a chimera is an entity containing a mixture of DNA from different sources. chromosome: An elongated structure in the nucleus of a cell that contains DNA. In humans and anthropoid apes, there are twenty-three pairs of chromosomes for a total of forty-six. cicatrix: A scar. crossing over: The exchange of parts of chromosomes between chromosome pairs during meiosis. dna: The acronym for deoxyribonucleic acid, which encodes genetic information. endothelialization: The healing of the inner surface of blood vessels by the cells that cover such surfaces. forensic pathology: A branch of pathology that relates pathological science with civil and criminal law. gene: A functional unit of heredity that is composed of a sequence of DNA located at a specific locus or place on the chromosome. genome: The complete complement of genes of an organism. In humans, the genome contains approximately one hundred thousand genes. granuloma: A growth of a mixture of specialized cells as a result of chronic inflammation. histocompatibility: A state when two or more organisms can share organs or tissue (e.g., identical twins). homologous chromosome: Chromosomes that are similar with respect to their genes and visible structure: e.g., each chromosome of a chromosome pair. homologous transposition: The exchange of corresponding portions of DNA between homologous chromosomes. lymphokine: An immunologically active hormone produced by certain immune cells called lymphocytes. meiosis: A special type of cellular division that occurs during the creation of sex cells (eggs and sperm), resulting in each sex cell having half
much, but remember Al Capone was reeled in on tax evasion." "What about the mole in the medical examiner's office?" Laurie said. "Solved," Lou said. "In fact, that's how we have Angelo nailed. Vinnie Amendola has agreed to testify." "So, it was Vinnie!" Laurie said with a mixture of vindication and regret. "No wonder he's been acting so weird," Jack said from the backseat. "There was one unexpected twist," Lou said. "There was someone else mixed up in all this who has taken us by surprise. He's apparently out of the country at the moment. When he comes back into the country, he's going to be arrested for murder of a teenager by the name of Cindy Carlson over in Jersey. We believe Franco Ponti and Angelo Facciolo did the actual killing, but it was at this guy's behest. His name is Dr. Raymond Lyons. Do either of you guys know him?" "Never heard of him," Jack said.
"Nor I," Laurie said.
"Well, he had something to do with that organ transplant stuff you people were so interested in," Lou said. "But later for that. Right now I'd like to hear about the first part of your trip: the harrowing part." "For that you'll have to buy us dinner," Laurie said. "It's kind of a long story." Glossary:
bonobo: An anthropoid ape classified as a species in 1933. Related to chimpanzees, they occasionally walk upright and are found only in a localized area of Zaire. The estimated population is less than twenty thousand. centromere: A specialized portion of a chromosome that plays an important role in the reduplication of the chromosome during cellular division. chimera: A combination of a lion, a goat, and a serpent in Greek mythology. In literature, a chimera is a creation of the imagination: an impossible mixture. In biology, a chimera is an organism that contains genetically distinct cell types. In genetics, a chimera is an entity containing a mixture of DNA from different sources. chromosome: An elongated structure in the nucleus of a cell that contains DNA. In humans and anthropoid apes, there are twenty-three pairs of chromosomes for a total of forty-six. cicatrix: A scar. crossing over: The exchange of parts of chromosomes between chromosome pairs during meiosis. dna: The acronym for deoxyribonucleic acid, which encodes genetic information. endothelialization: The healing of the inner surface of blood vessels by the cells that cover such surfaces. forensic pathology: A branch of pathology that relates pathological science with civil and criminal law. gene: A functional unit of heredity that is composed of a sequence of DNA located at a specific locus or place on the chromosome. genome: The complete complement of genes of an organism. In humans, the genome contains approximately one hundred thousand genes. granuloma: A growth of a mixture of specialized cells as a result of chronic inflammation. histocompatibility: A state when two or more organisms can share organs or tissue (e.g., identical twins). homologous chromosome: Chromosomes that are similar with respect to their genes and visible structure: e.g., each chromosome of a chromosome pair. homologous transposition: The exchange of corresponding portions of DNA between homologous chromosomes. lymphokine: An immunologically active hormone produced by certain immune cells called lymphocytes. meiosis: A special type of cellular division that occurs during the creation of sex cells (eggs and sperm), resulting in each sex cell having half
the usual number of chromosomes. In humans, each sex cell has twenty-three chromosomes.
mitochondria: Self-replicating entities in cells that produce energy. mitochondrial dna: DNA necessary for mitochondrial replication. It is inherited only through the maternal line. merozoite: A stage in the life cycle of some parasites that enables the organism to disperse and infect additional cells within the host. parasite: An organism that lives on or in another organism (or host). A parasite does not help the host; in fact, it typically harms the host. parasitology: A branch of biology dealing with parasites. pathology: A branch of medical science involving the cause, the process, the anatomic effects, and the consequence of disease. recombinant dna: A composite molecule of DNA that has been formed in the laboratory with DNA from separate sources. recombinant dna technology: The applied science of separating, producing, and recombining segments of DNA or genes. ribosomal proteins: The proteins that form a ribosome. The DNA that codes for these proteins is species specific and is used to identify the species of tissue (e.g., to determine if blood is human blood or blood of a particular species of animal). ribosome: A cellular entity responsible for manufacturing all cellular protein. transgenic: An organism whose genome contains one or more genes from another species (e.g., pigs containing human genes to facilitate human reception of pig heart valves). vaccine: A substance given to an individual to produce resistance to disease or infection. xenograft: An organ or tissue taken from one species and transplanted into another species. Generally, a xenograft refers to an animal organ or tissue dial is transplanted into a human (e.g., a pig heart valve). The End
About this Title
This eBook was created using ReaderWorks(r)Publisher 2.0, produced by OverDrive, Inc. For more information about ReaderWorks, please visit us on the Web at www.overdrive.com/readerworks
mitochondria: Self-replicating entities in cells that produce energy. mitochondrial dna: DNA necessary for mitochondrial replication. It is inherited only through the maternal line. merozoite: A stage in the life cycle of some parasites that enables the organism to disperse and infect additional cells within the host. parasite: An organism that lives on or in another organism (or host). A parasite does not help the host; in fact, it typically harms the host. parasitology: A branch of biology dealing with parasites. pathology: A branch of medical science involving the cause, the process, the anatomic effects, and the consequence of disease. recombinant dna: A composite molecule of DNA that has been formed in the laboratory with DNA from separate sources. recombinant dna technology: The applied science of separating, producing, and recombining segments of DNA or genes. ribosomal proteins: The proteins that form a ribosome. The DNA that codes for these proteins is species specific and is used to identify the species of tissue (e.g., to determine if blood is human blood or blood of a particular species of animal). ribosome: A cellular entity responsible for manufacturing all cellular protein. transgenic: An organism whose genome contains one or more genes from another species (e.g., pigs containing human genes to facilitate human reception of pig heart valves). vaccine: A substance given to an individual to produce resistance to disease or infection. xenograft: An organ or tissue taken from one species and transplanted into another species. Generally, a xenograft refers to an animal organ or tissue dial is transplanted into a human (e.g., a pig heart valve). The End
About this Title
This eBook was created using ReaderWorks(r)Publisher 2.0, produced by OverDrive, Inc. For more information about ReaderWorks, please visit us on the Web at www.overdrive.com/readerworks
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