Trials in Walls of Ivy (Triskelion Trilogy Book 1) (23 page)

“I can’t believe you think I could do somethin’ like this.” He stormed away before I could say a word.

I closed the door quietly, leaving my hands pressed against the wood. How could I have done that to my friend? I had never believed it was him. But now, he thought the worst of me. I couldn’t blame him. I had asked him over, not telling him that an inquisitor squad was lying in wait.

*   *   *

We all woke to the sound of wailing. The screech ripped through the air, vibrating my eardrums. I leaped from my bed and fumbled for a pair of jeans. In true winter mood, it was still dark out. The wind had been gusting through the air vents all night. Still pulling my boots up, I left my room and bumped into Bree in the hall.

“Fire alarm?” She asked.

“I don’t think so. It sounds like it’s coming from outside too.” My heart froze. “It sounds like the bomb warning.”

“Ohmigod, not another one!” Bree screamed. “We need to block up the doors. Owen!” She thumped her fist against his bedroom door.

He opened it on the third thump, wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. “I’m here, calm down.”

He carried an armful of towels with him and headed down the stairs. Without word, we all took a towel and began blocking the door frame. It didn’t take us long to tape down the edges, blocking any access to the outside air supply.

We sat together, waiting for word of our impending doom. Bree sat between Owen and Warwick. I sat alone on the chair hugging my knees. None of us dared put the kettle on or switch on a light. We sat in darkness, waiting for a sign of life.

I had counted three hours on the clock when there was a knock on the door. We looked at each other in surprise, then ran as one to wrench it open.

It was Llamp. She pushed through, tutting as she saw our barricade.

“Would you like to explain yourselves?” She demanded, as she ticked our names from a chart she was holding on a clip board.

I wrapped my arms around myself. “Explain ourselves?”

“Yes, Miss Grove. Explain, why each of you felt justified in ignoring the emergency evacuation drill? If this had been a real bomb, you may all very well be dead right now.”

I turned to my friends, who all looked as shocked as I felt. “I’m sorry,” I said, “we thought it was another bomb. We thought it would be best to stay inside and block the gaps.” I pointed to the towels on the floor.

She nodded in agreement. “I see. But, that is all well and good if it were a biological attack, but what if it was simply, a bomb? Would it be best to remain in
that
situation?”

Warwick stepped forward to stand beside me. “We did what we thought was right for the current situation.”

She grinned at him. “Did you not consider finding the truth?”

We looked at her, blank.

“By listening to the university radio, for example?”

Bree laughed from behind. It sounded strange in the tense situation. “The university has a radio station?”

“Of course the university has a radio station. A station which broadcasts critical information during an emergency. This is all in the information booklet you were provided with upon enrolment.” She noted something besides our names on the clipboard. “I must say, I am disappointed.” She turned and left without hesitation.

We all stood by the doorway of rolled up towels, watching her retreat. She didn’t head toward any other house. We must have been the only ones to fail. How did we not see this coming? Of all the obvious and ridiculous things to fail in, we buggered up a routine drill.

“Another test?” Warwick shouted. “How the feck were we supposed to know that was another test?” He walked to the wall and punched it.

“Calm down, it’ll be fine,” Bree said, holding his fist so he couldn’t hit the wall again.

“No, it’s not fine. We’ve been through this, we can’t fail. You know what happens if we fail.”

“We have a suspicion of what happens,” Owen said.

“It’s not a suspicion. I know they murdered my brother. If we don’t get through this test, we’re going to end the same way.”

I jumped over the mass of towels and joined him and Bree. “Then, we’ll get this test finished.”

“Just like that?” He laughed.

“Just like that. I’ll go talk to Mark. You,” I looked at Bree, “will bug the science lab computers.”

Bree grinned. “We’ve already bugged them.”

“We can’t have gotten all of them. If Mark’s telling the truth, someone’s been accessing his computer. Levins says it’s all resting on Mark’s research. Mark says it’s stolen. I say, we need to be sure our snoops are still in place. We need to find the truth.”

Owen stood beside me as I knocked on Mark’s door. It looked disturbingly familiar after watching it on our monitor screens for so long; an act I was now feeling immensely guilty for.

I heard Mendel’s bark from inside. His nose snuffled against the letter box as Mark’s approaching footsteps echoed. He opened the door and his smile dropped the moment he saw us.

“What ye want?” He said, with no hint of welcome.

“We just want to get this cleared up. I don’t think it was you who set the bombs, Mark. But, we do need to talk to you to clear your name.”

“My word’s not enough?”

“I’m sorry. But, think about it. If your name’s come up in our investigation, it’s only a matter of time before the police come knocking. We want to find the real bomber. Help us find him.” I smiled at him, hoping he would one day see me as his friend again.

“Fine.” He stepped aside, letting us pass.

We followed him through to his living room. I smiled at the sight of his desk, piled high with papers and empty crisp packets. He shoved a stack of books off the settee and indicated for us to sit. He took the black leather desk chair.

“So, how do you want to question me this time?” He said, folding his arms.

I took out a note pad and clicked my pen. “We need to know what you know about the bomb toxin. You said it was targeting the chromosomes?”

“That’s what it looks like. The police ‘ave called in Levins as advisor. He’s been asked to study the toxin, to find a vaccine or cure.” He didn’t look away. His fingers tapped against his elbow as he watched us.

“When did they call him in as advisor?” Owen asked.

Mark shrugged. “Some time after the second bomb. The bombs used the same toxin an’ used his delivery system. The police wanted him tae find a way to block it.”

“Why would he create something like that?” I asked.

“He didnae. He just made the delivery system. Whoever the bomber is, they adjusted it tae behave their way. He’s just tryin’ to find a way to stop it.”

“Can he? If he can block it, then people won’t become infected, right?” I said.

Mark shook his head. “No. He’s been working on that delivery system theory for years. It would take just as long to create a counter agent.”

“Then, what have you all been working on?” Owen asked.

“We’ve been tryin’ to create a biological diversion. Somethin’ to draw in the toxin and keep it contained in one area.”

“Like a cure?” I asked.

“No. More like a trap. Whoever is infected will still be at risk. But, if we can create this agent, the toxin will be drawn toward it and congregate in that one area. Then, whoever has been infected will need to have that area surgically removed.” He dragged his hand through his scruffy hair, looking down. “It’s drastic, we know. But, it’ll give people a chance tae survive.”

Owen held up his hand. “Hang on. The toxin kills within minutes. So, for this to work, won’t the people already need to have this diversion agent in them? Is this what you’ve been working on?”

“I told you, it’s not my work. I work with faulty genes. I’m lookin’ for a way to surgically correct, not infect.”

“Then, how will you get the agent in them? That would mean you need to know who will be targeted next.” My eyes widened in horror. Owen grabbed me by the arm and began to drag me back.

“Wait!” Mark shouted. “You’ve got it wrong.”

Owen stood in front of me, blocking my view. “Then explain how you know who will be targeted next.”

Mark sank in his chair. “We don’t. We’re goin’ to have tae give everyone the agent. The entire country. That’s what we’ve been workin’ on. We have tae be sure it’ll be safe for everyone before they disperse it.”

“How?” Owen asked. “The bombs have been set throughout the country. How can you possibly give the agent to
everyone
in the country?”

Mark shoved himself away from the chair and paces the room. He dragged his hand through his hair again and again, looking at us and then back to his feet.

“Mark. What is it?” I ask.

“I just don’t know what to think any more.”

We waited. Mark paced, hunched, like he had the world’s weight on his shoulders.

“The research ye showed me.” He pointed to a file on the floor. “Ye were right, every victim had L08 in their system.” He kicked a box across the room, making Mendel bark.

“Mark?” I asked.

“It’s my research. L08 is mine.”

“You said that back at the house. Whoever stole Levins’ research must have stolen yours too.”

“No.”

Owen stepped forward again. “What do you mean, no?”

“L08 is designed to saturate into a patient’s body. I designed it tae recognise specific genes, or more to the point, faulty genes. It spreads through the body and stays there.”

“Doing what?”

“At the moment, nothin’. I’m still workin’ on it. If I can get it to work, it’ll force faulty genes to function correctly.”

“So what you’re saying is?” Owen urged.

Mark stared at us, helplessly. “I’ve been working with samples from the bombin’ victims all year. I’ve done every test imaginable on them, trying to find a way to stop the toxin.” He stepped forward. Desperate. “Roz, my L08 wasnae in
any
of those samples. I would’ve recognised it instantly if it was.”

“What are you saying?” I asked, grasping to keep up.

“The neutralising agent, the one that’s going to be given to literally everybody? Levins and I created it in the lab together from the same samples.”

His face was panicked, waiting for us to understand. He huffed in frustration and picked up the file.

“Your evidence, the presence of L08, that’s the real target. Levins and I have been makin’ an agent which won’t match. We’ve been workin’ from the wrong specimens. Don’t you see?”

“See what?” Owen asked.

“Levins’ agent is goin’ to be delivered through
his
delivery system? My work shows up in the official samples but not the ones where I would see it? Can’t you see? It’s all his work. He provided the samples I’ve been workin’ on all this time. He’s the only person who could access ma work and provide false samples. You have tae believe me; my work doesnae fit with this. It can’t work that way.”

He looked at me pleading, waiting for me to understand, to believe him.

“Do you understand?”

I shook my head. “Not completely.” I admitted.

He rushed over and gripped my hands. “Ma work, it’s all about gene sequencin’. I tell the defective gene to act in order with its correct sequence. But, it’s not finished. My L08 is still dormant. Don’t you see? It cannae do what the toxin’s doin’.”

“But, it’s in all the victims?” Owen said.

Mark huffed in frustration. “It is, which means someone has distributed my L08 to intended victims.”

“Why? What’s the point, if it doesn’t work yet?” I asked.

Mark stared into space, his face white. “Because, there’s nothin’ else like it. I invented it; I manipulated it into bein’ a harmless agent. I’m the only one who had access to it.” He gripped my hands harder, pleading. “Because, it’s the perfect targetin’ agent.”

Owen flinched. “Targeting? The delivery system?”

Mark nodded. “Ye want a delivery system tae only target specific people? Ye want a guarantee that it won’t affect you? Ye send it to infect L08, the genetic manipulation agent which works by saturatin’ the body. Maximum results.”

“Mark, the delivery system is targeting your research, to deliver a deadly toxin? What does that mean?”

“It can only mean one thing: it’s Levins. He’s the bomber!”

The three of us stood in shock. I watched Mark, unable to speak. He was shaking, his hands balling into fists. Owen rushed over to his bag and ripped out his laptop. He began pattering on the keys, leaving mark and I stood alone.

“Mark,” I whispered. “I know it looks bad, but don’t forget, his lab was broken into. His research was stolen. The bomber is just using his research.”

He was already shaking his head as I spoke. “No, the thief only took his delivery research. We knew they were using the delivery system tae target victims. But, the different toxin samples, targetin’ my L08? Only he could do that.”

“Couldn’t someone else have done it with his delivery system?”

“No, he hadnae even published a paper on it yet. The delivery system an’ the toxin work in massively different ways. No one person could use both together without years of study, let alone understand ma work too. They’re two different specialities. It has to be him, there’s nobody else who could program them both.”

He sank into his chair, holding his head in his hands. My heart sank to see him so defeated.

“All this time, he’s had me researchin’ the delivery system, findin’ a way to draw in the toxin. Not once did I consider what it was targetin’, how it was developed. If I had stopped to think, noticed the replacement samples; if I had stopped and seen it for what it was I could’ve stopped him.”

“Mark, why didn’t you tell anyone about this?” I asked.

He looked at me like I had slapped him. “Ye think I knew? How could I know? He’s had us rushed off our feet perfectin’ the diversion agent while he’s been away helpin’ the police. If ye hadnae made me stop and think about it, I don’t know when I would’ve realised. How was I supposed to know the victims had been exposed to my research? I never saw any official reports.”

He stared at Mendel, rolling in the middle of the room for attention.

“All I’ve done is work on drawin’ in the toxin before the delivery system takes hold. I never had time to think about its development.”

“But, you’re sure its Levins?” I asked.

“The toxin’s so damn convoluted; no-one without Levins’ level of genetic understandin’ could even begin to understand it. Even then, they’d need years to follow his research. He really is the lead in the field.”

His voice shrank, cowering under the realisation of his plight.

“He’s setting me up for the fall. He’s framing me for mass murder.”

I knelt by his feet, gripping his hands. “We won’t let that happen. Mark, we’re with you.”

He grimaced back, unable to force a smile.

“There’s nothing on his computer to prove this.” Owen said.

I pulled Mark to his feet and held his hand across the room. I could feel the tremble in his fingers as he peered over Owen’s shoulder.

“That’s Levins research. How did you get that on here?”

“I just hacked it.” Owen said, confidently. “And don’t look at me like that. If we want to stop the bomber, we need to find the truth.”

“Well, ye won’t find anythin’ that way,” Mark said.

“Why’s that?” Owen asked.

“Because, ever since the break in, Levins has kept his computer isolated and offline.” He laughed aloud. “Good cover for changing his routine, I suppose. Bloody fake break in. The guys a genius. You must have just broken into one of the lab computers.”

“Then we need to get in there and look at his computer. It may tell us where he’s going to target next.”

*   *   *

The three of us hurried through the campus with a feeling of dread. All this time the bomber had been right under our noses. He’d purposely steered me into suspecting Mark, setting the bombs specifically when Mark didn’t have an alibi. I realised now, every time we had spoken, he had pulled my strings, turning me like a marionette, exactly where he needed me to be. He had used me, just like he was using Mark.

I grabbed Mark’s hand and squeezed, a silent gesture of hope. He squeezed back, without a smile. A group of student passed us, cheering loudly. I shrugged at Owen, guessing they were celebrating a win for one of the many sports teams. It was a strange feeling to be surrounded by so much activity, yet feel so dangerously isolated.

“Mark McKnight.” A male voice shouted, from across the path.

We looked passed the roaring group of students to see them. Four identically dressed security guards. Each of them holding their telescopic metal sticks at the ready.

I pulled Mark closer, holding him still. “What do they want with you?”

“I guess they’ve been followin’ the same clues as you. They think I’m the bomber.”

He pulled his arm free from my grasp and took a step forward. He raised his arms in surrender.

I twisted to my left to see a second group of guards.

“Over here too,” Owen whispered, from my right. We were surrounded.

The group of passing students stopped to watch. Two guards from the front group moved forward, while the outer two groups circled around. They were corralling him, weapons held aloft, ready to strike.

I felt my hands shake as anger filled my vision. “It wasn’t Mark. You’re arresting the wrong man.”

Mark twisted his head to see me out of the corner of his eye. “Dinnae worry about me. Get the proof ye need. It’s the only way to stop him. But Roz, be careful…”