Crime Zero (13 page)

Naylor nodded slowly, her smile gone. Unblinking, she stared at Kathy, a snake watching its prey.

Kathy shrugged. "Well, that would be great if it didn't compromise the results. Accelerate it by how much?"

There was a pause as the dark eyes studied her even more closely. Kathy had the distinct impression she was being tested, judged on her reaction. "Let's say we wouldn't so much accelerate the trials," said Naylor, "as bypass them."

"But we have to do tests. To make sure it works."

"Not if they've already been conducted," said Alice.

"But that's impossible; that would have taken years."

A nod as the director's thin lips twitched into a smaller smile, which didn't reach her eyes. "Eight years, in fact."

Kathy stared at Naylor, searching for the teasing irony. "Come on, Director, I don't understand. Tell me you're kidding."

But the director of the FBI was no longer smiling.

Kathy put a hand over her mouth and looked at Alice, but she was looking down at the table. "You've been conducting secret trials on our work--on my work?"

"It's not quite as simple as that," said Naylor. "Without our knowledge a group of overzealous senior FBI officers and ViroVector scientists found out about Conscience and began a secret unauthorized trial. Naturally all the people involved will be severely disciplined. But the point is, their trials worked."

For some seconds Kathy's disbelief numbed her to any other feelings. Then, as she realized that this was serious, her anger surfaced. She pushed her chair away from the table and paced around the office. "But who are these people? Why weren't they discovered earlier?"

Naylor sat coolly in her seat. Prince squirmed in hers.

"It doesn't matter now," said Naylor, "but, Kathy, you must be aware of the improved crime figures in California."

Kathy was so furious she could feel her nails digging into her palms. Of course she was aware of the state's improved crime figures. The news and current affairs shows were full of theories to explain them, especially now that the governor credited with them was running for President.

"Well," continued Naylor, "they are a direct result of tests conducted on violent criminals using your theories on gene manipulation." Naylor held up Kathy's proposal. "The people who did this test have done nothing different from what you planned. Indeed some of the criminals on your list have already been given the treatment. In one way you could argue that it's good news; your theories have been proved to work. You've been saved ten years."

Kathy reached across and snatched her proposal document from Naylor. "Well, this was a bloody waste of time, wasn't it? My team and I worked our butts off for nothing.

And how the hell could the tests have started eight years ago? The safe Version Nine serum approved by the FDA was developed only four years ago."

Naylor paused and gave a small sigh.

Kathy felt sick as she understood. She could see her life's work, the hours of dedication and sacrifice wasted, the whole of her research discredited and put back decades. "Good God!" she shouted. "They used the original serum, didn't they? Christ, I bet the subjects weren't even volunteers."

"No, they weren't. But you could argue that after the crimes they had committed they weren't given any choice about going to jail or death row either. The criminal subjects might not have been aware of the tests, but almost all have benefited. Kathy, consider one thing. No one has been harmed by the treatment. Some sixteen thousand convicts have been tested, and not only does it work, but it's safe."

"How the hell do you know? The effects could manifest themselves years into the future. God, our own research indicated that testicular and prostate cancers could be caused and accelerated by the early vectors. Not just in the subjects themselves but their children too. Male babies born with testicular cancer could be--"

Alice Prince shook her head. Her voice was almost pleading. "Kathy, I saw your early reports. Causation was never proved. I've looked into it."

"How can you say that, Alice? You know it was."

"OK, OK. But the percentage risk was minute. Come on, Kathy, the difference between the early vectors and the final Version Nine is negligible."

"Negligible? What gives you the right to say that?"

Alice looked flustered and looked toward Naylor. She had always hated conflict.

"Why don't you wait outside, Alice?" said Director Nay-lor. "Let me handle this."

Alice paused, and then with a look of shame and relief on her face she stood up and walked out.

Without missing a beat Naylor continued. "Kathy, the negligible differences are vital for gaining official FDA approval, I grant you, but hardly necessary to be safe. Kathy, the money and lives that have already been saved by doing what these people did more than offset any minute risk involved. And after Pamela's preelection announcement all future treatments will use the FDA-approved Version Nine anyway."

"What announcement?" said Kathy. She couldn't believe this.

"This Friday, Pamela Weiss--"

Kathy stopped her pacing. "Is that what Weiss was talking about on yesterday's TV debate?"

Naylor nodded. "Yes, and that's what we want to talk to you about. Once we learned that the unauthorized tests worked and your Version Nine had received full FDA approval we decided to use the crisis to the project's advantage. A scandal could push Conscience back decades, but a brave visionary announcement that seizes the opportunity might not only save the project but actually accelerate its acceptance.

"So with the full support of President Burbank, Pamela Weiss will take responsibility for the successful results of the criminal tests, putting an end to all the speculation about the positive California crime figures. She will also announce a proposed policy to treat all convicted violent criminals across the nation with your FDA-approved version of Conscience. She will tell the American people that if they elect her, she can guarantee to reduce crime across the country. What's more, Kathy, Alice, who is just as horrified about the unauthorized trials as you are, suggested you share full credit for the successful tests.

"Think about it, Kathy. You'll be famous. A Nobel Prize isn't out of the question. But more important, with the full political power of the presidency behind it, you will see your life's dream of a cure for crime realized sooner than you could have imagined. Not just in this country but worldwide. However, it's important that no one is left in any doubt that the tests conducted over the last few years were done with the FDA-approved vector. Although we know the trials were safe, we have to be seen to have known all along. Pamela Weiss must appear as a bold visionary taking calculated risks, not as irresponsible or dangerous."

This was unbelievable. Kathy walked back to her desk and leaned against it. "But she is being irresponsible and dangerous."

For the first time Naylor looked angry. "No, she isn't. The future President still isn't aware of the minor differences between Version One and Version Nine. As far as Pamela Weiss knows, the FDA approved what was tested in the unauthorized trials. And that's the way it has to stay."

"You can't do this to me. It's completely unethical. You want me to lie about my life's work?"

"No, of course not. This whole project is based on your life's work. We just need you to see the bigger picture and make the most of the opportunity. This irresponsible test threatened to ruin the credibility of everything you worked for. But this way you can use it to your advantage to make the world a better place. How can that be a bad thing?"

Kathy sat on the desk and shook her head. Minutes ago her future had been bright and challenging, but most important of all, it had been her own. Now all her dreams were being ripped from her. "But it's a lie. I'm not sure I can go through with it."

"Come on, Kathy, you have to be pragmatic to protect your ideals. The choice is simple. You can embrace what has happened and make the world a better place. Or you can denounce it, merely because some petty rules were broken, and a tiny percentage of convicted violent criminals were possibly exposed to a negligible risk of disease. If you do the first, you will achieve everything you've ever dreamed of, including the realization of your vision of a gentler world. If you do the second, then you will destroy any hope of your vision becoming a reality."

"But it's still wrong. Don't you see that?" Kathy said, her mouth dry with anger. "You want me to commit a crime to promote something that's supposed to stop it."

Naylor stood slowly and spoke calmly and forcefully. "What's done is done. The question now is, what do we do next? Do we build on your work or destroy it? Think about it. This is important. I need to know your decision by six o'clock tonight. Is that clear?"

Kathy said nothing for a moment. Her head ached with the unfairness of it all. If she kept her integrity, she would compromise her life's work, perhaps destroy it. But if she compromised her integrity, she would see her dreams realized in a fantastically short space of time. It was a deal with the devil.

"Six o'clock. Is that clear?" Madeline said again, her face impassive as she opened the door to leave.

"No, it's bloody not," said Kathy eventually. "Nothing's clear anymore."

Alice Prince squirmed inside as she waited in her car in the parking lot. She felt like a coward for walking out, but she was secretly glad to let Madeline deal with Kathy. Alice knew she owed Kathy so much. It made it difficult to lie to her. But Madeline didn't care. She was fearless.

Alice could remember the first day she met Madeline as clearly as if it were yesterday. She had arrived at St. Joseph's School in Baddington, in upstate New York, the oddest-looking girl Alice had ever seen.

Madeline was only thirteen when the principal introduced her to Alice's class, halfway through the fall semester. She had the whitest hair Alice had ever seen in an aggressive spiky cut and dark, defiant eyes that stared out of her long face. All the other kids laughed at Madeline because she looked so odd and because she lived with her grandmother, Mad Mrs. Preston, the stern old lady who lived in the rambling old house on Oxford Street, not two houses from Alice's family.

No one knew then that Madeline was staying with her grandmother only because her own mother had abandoned her when she was a toddler and her policeman father had been shot dead in front of her two weeks earlier, the shock of which had turned her hair white. Instead they teased and bullied her. Alice was glad at first because it took the heat off her.

But when the two biggest boys in the class, the Tyndale twins, picked on Madeline in the yard, Alice felt sorry for her. At least until Madeline turned on them like a wildcat, scratching them and punching them, not stopping until the boys limped off. Afterward, Alice picked up the bag and books the boys had knocked out of Madeline's hands and returned them to her. "Hi, I'm Alice," she said. "So, what's it like living at Mad Mrs. Preston's? Is it true she's got dead bodies buried under the floorboards?"

Brushing herself off, Madeline shrugged. "I don't know," she said. "Let's go take a look."

Alice still loved Madeline's fearlessness and was still frightened of her. She only hoped she wouldn't do anything to Kathy.

Striding into the sunlight of the Stanford University parking lot, Director Naylor wasn't too disappointed with the meeting. In a perverse way the fact that Kathy Kerr had been so openly combative pleased her. It made her decision easier.

Naylor had lied about who was responsible for the criminal tests on Project Conscience, to probe Kerr's true feelings. She had feigned innocence of the unauthorized tests to convince Kerr they were on the same side and were both forced to make the best of the situation. But Kerr hadn't bought the pragmatic approach. She was opposed on a matter of principle. Naylor had learned that when it came to compromises, people with principles could never be trusted. Whatever she said at six o'clock tonight Kerr was too much of a risk. Not only would she jeopardize Conscience, but she could also raise doubts in Pamela Weiss's mind when Crime Zero was activated. Kerr had to be taken out of the mix. Fast.

Approaching her official car, she saw Alice Prince sitting in the backseat of her Mercedes, her driver sitting obediently in front. As soon as Alice saw her, she got out of the car and came over to her.

"How did it go?" Alice asked.

"You heard her. Kerr isn't listening."

"Really?"

"Don't feel bad about it, Ali. I gave her every chance, but she's adamant."

"Are you sure?"

"As sure as I can be."

"So what do we do?"