The Delta Chain (41 page)

‘Of course,
’
said Westmeyer.
‘
Involved in a number of senseless acts over the years, including that big one, recently, in Russia…
’

‘An oceanographic institute the terrorists claimed was conducting genetic experiments on dolphins,
’
Hunter recalled.
‘
But what have they got to do with this?
’

‘You
’
ll make it appear they
’
re the ones responsible,
’
Westmeyer guessed.

‘There is no Back To Basics,
’
Asquith revealed with a smug expression. 'It
’
s an imaginary group created by Nexus to take the blame in scenarios such as this, where we need to perform an act of destruction on one of our own bases, or that of a competitor.
’

‘What was the Russian thing all about then…?
’
Hunter began.

‘Not your concern but…
’
Renshaw piped in, glancing at his boss before proceeding. Asquith gave a nod.
‘…we’
ll let you in on it.
’
The weedy little man was thoroughly enjoying this mission with his Nexus superior.
‘
The Russian scientists were experimenting genetically with dolphins. We wanted to put them out of action, that
’
s something on Nexus
’
own agenda. The Russian building was demolished in the same way that the Institute here will go down. Federal agencies here and overseas will make the link immediately.

‘What
’
s more, we
’
ll make it even more convincing, and put an end to further investigations into last night
’
s murders, by linking it with Melanie Cail. We didn
’
t have anything to do with her death. Apparently that was some pathetic little attempt at covering up by Mr. Donnelly.
’
Renshaw sniggered here, a stomach turning blend, Hunter thought, of a school bully and a corporate thug.
‘
But it can be of great benefit to us.
’

‘Explain,
’
said Westmeyer.

Hunter picked up on the frustrated world-weariness to his mentor
’
s tone. He knew Westmeyer hated Asquith and the whole Nexus thing as much as he did. Westmeyer had put up with it because of the enormous financial advantage, the chance to pursue his dream
–
the Delta Chain project, his obsession since his Vietnam days.

Asquith took up the explanation:
‘
Melanie Cail
’
s act of data sabotage was simply for her own journalistic ambitions. But it could also be easily seen to be an act of BTB terrorism. Our cyber boffins can hack into the databases of the necessary Australian and U.S. agencies and plant Cail
’
s name on their list of suspected BTB members.
’
Asquith turned his focus to Hunter.
‘
By the way, Stephen, I
’
m sorry about Ms. Cail
’
s murder. An unnecessary act by Donnelly. I understand you were having sex with her. My commiserations.
’

Hunter merely stared back at him. What sort of freaks were Asquith and Renshaw?

How did he even know that Asquith was genuine in his comment? His damning of his own man, Donnelly, could have been a pretence, for the purpose of keeping Stephen on side.

How the hell had he ever got involved with them?

But of course he knew the answer to that. Because of William, because of the project, because of
the speech
: that it was all for the greater good; for the benefit of Man; that a few deaths along the way for science was nothing when compared to the millions of deaths in wars… He had believed it. Really believed it.

When had he stopped believing? He wasn
’
t sure. After Rhonda?

Or now, after Melanie?

He
’
d stayed away from the human experiments in the sub-level, but he hadn
’
t been able to avoid reading about the girl washed up on the beach. That wasn
’
t supposed to happen. But it had.

When had he stopped believing, stopped being able to turn the blind eye? Perhaps it had been a little at a time, a little of the idealism, a little of the passion, eroded slowly day by day.

‘I don
’
t know why you
’
re involving me in these meetings,
’
Hunter remarked icily,
‘
I don
’
t need to know all of…
this
.
’
He wanted to walk out in disgust.

‘As the senior scientist on Delta Chain you
’
re second only to William. You need to know exactly what is happening and why. And I need you to advise me if our plans jeopardise anything we haven
’
t allowed for?
’

‘Such as ?
’

‘Such as the resources on the sub-level. We
’
re well under way with backing up the DataStorming lab results and DNA sequences at HQ, but given the urgent need to commence the relocation is there any-
’

‘We don
’
t need the reptiles and we
’
ll be starting afresh with a new subject for the completion test,
’
Hunter said, avoiding use of the term “human”, resenting being drawn in further.
‘
However, to avoid re-supply of the reptiles, the blood is needed…
’

‘Taken care of,
’
Asquith said.
‘
A road freighter with the necessary gear to cryo- freeze the blood storage units will be here, loaded up and gone again, within the hour.
’

Hunter smirked.
‘
You won
’
t be able to load them that quickly-
’

‘Can. And will. Anything else?
’

‘Yes. A question. How can you demolish the building today, when you
’
ve only been here a few hours. It takes weeks of preparation, even for the top demolition firms.
’

‘You forget those teams are going in, having to plan their demolition from scratch,
’
Renshaw explained.
‘
Obviously, Nexus has had the Institute
’
s layout on file since you
’
ve been here. We already had a precautionary demolition plan worked out, not just for the Institute but for all the buildings housing Project Babel schemes. What
’
s more, we don
’
t need to worry about being as precise as a commercial demolition. We don
’
t need to ensure surrounding buildings are safe, as there are none.
’

‘So the whole structure will just…collapse in on itself, completely, within minutes?
’

‘Less,
’
Asquith said, drawn in by his pride.
‘
A controlled demolition is about implosion
–
small amounts of explosives strategically placed in the structural columns of the building and detonated in sequence. Gravity then steps in to do the rest. The explosives just get things going.
’

‘And we use a specially created Nexus method for laying the explosives,
’
Renshaw said.
‘
Instead of spending days laying detonating cord between the explosives
’
blasting caps, we
’
ve developed computer controlled digital sensors to do that job instead, controlling and detonating the explosives in a delay pattern. So yes, a Nexus demolition takes just hours instead of weeks.
’

‘The moment the data transfer is complete the demo team will have finished positioning the sensors,
’
Asquith said.
‘
We
’
ll shut down the computer network. All staff will be advised the system is down and they
’
ll be told to take the rest of the day off, so the place is clear when detonation is activated.
’

‘What if some of the staff work back regardless of the system being “down”?
’
Hunter asked.
‘
Staff here are dedicated, some will work on in spite of IT problems.
’

‘That
’
s not your concern.
’

There was an uneasy pause as the inference of Asquith
’
s words took hold.

‘You can
’
t just go ahead if there
’
s innocent people-
’

‘Not your concern.
’
Asquith didn
’
t have time for this. Scientists. A necessary pain in the butt.
‘
When you agreed to come on board, Stephen, you knew this was a covert operation. You
’
re one of the few who do, and even then it was only because of your outstanding potential in blood genetics and William
’
s insistence you be part of the executive team. You may choose to ignore the unpleasant aspects of a military research project like this but you knew the deal when you signed on.

‘You didn
’
t mind reaping the benefits, having the chance to lead a team on a revolutionary breakthrough, the “cover” of not having to go through decades of mundane industry laws and codes. If it
’
s any consolation, we
’
ll make every effort to ensure no one is left in the building. As for yourself and William, you
’
ll be flown out tonight with the rest of the management, under the cover of attending a specially convened scientific think tank in New York.
’

Hunter didn
’
t respond. He averted his eyes from the military man
’
s stare.

He wasn
’
t evil; he
’
d never thought of himself as evil. He
’
d been selfish and weak, not allowing himself to think about the inhuman practices that the Nexus Group undertook. And that, he suspected, was also true of William. Grabbing for the prize with both hands while turning away from the inhumanity. Doing a sales job on his soul that it was acceptable because it was for the greater good.

And of course it was bullshit.

He looked at William and saw not the great man he
’
d once revered, but the tired shell of a man who
’
d given everything to his obsession, who
’
d sold out his soul, all their souls, to the twin devils of power and greed.

After their encounter with fisherman Hughie Jones, Kirby and Harrison had raced to the Cail home. With no answer at the front door they moved around the back. As they did, Costas, Barbara and Joey were slowly stirring from their drug induced stupor.

Kirby broke into a run.
‘
Call for back up,
’
he instructed Harrison as he knelt beside them. Thunder rolled from the distant corners of the sky and a light rain had started spitting down from a ceiling of clouds.

Kirby didn
’
t need to search the premises to know the boy had been taken.

Jean Farrow reflected on the irony that caused her to be sitting in the back of an idle taxi in the very street from which a boy had been taken
–
forcibly she now realised
–
and transported to the rear dock of the Institute. She couldn
’
t let Kevin
’
s killers be responsible for the murder of yet another young man.

‘I
’
ve a favour to ask you now,
’
Jean said to the driver as he pulled up in front of the Institute
’
s main entrance.

He was a craggy faced, middle-aged man with a strong Aussie twang.
‘
Just name it, missus.
’

‘Could I use your radiophone to place a call to the police. It
’
s…an urgent matter.
’

‘Yeah? Well then, sure you can.
’
He picked up the handset.
‘
Jillie, can you patch me through to Northern Rocks police. Got a lady here who needs to speak to them urgently.
’

‘This may sound a little…well, dramatic,
’
Jean explained, her tone apologetic, as she waited for the call to be placed.

‘Lady, you would not believe some of the things I
’
ve seen and heard driving this cab.
’

Heart racing and breath catching in her throat, Kate rushed to the front area of the second floor. She felt a deep fear, as great as the one she
’
d felt when running from the croc hunters in the Marakai wetlands. She couldn
’
t let these men know she
’
d overheard them.

William. And Stephen. She could scarcely believe they
’
d be involved in anything like this…

Rounding a bend in the passageway she collided with James, just steps away from his temporary office.
‘
Whoa, Kate.
’
They steadied themselves and Reardon could see, immediately, that Kate was distraught.
‘
You okay?
’

‘Fine.
’
She sucked in a deep breath, composing herself. Reardon took her gently by the arm and led her into his office.
‘
You know, Kate, I was looking forward to seeing you this morning…but I was concerned, and so is Betty, that you
’
re back at work too soon.
’