In Tehran, as Broker and Roger were surveilling Mostofi and Nassour, Doctor Jean Vermillion, a bearded, bespectacled man was introducing himself at MUT’s security gate.
‘These two,’ Zeb pointed at Bear and Chloe, ‘are my research students. I am here at Doctor,’ he drew a sheet of paper and handed it to the guard, ‘Bakhtyar’s invitation.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘I am giving a guest lecture to his students in a couple of hours.’
Meghan and Beth had hacked into MUT’s system, had gotten into the academic’s calendar and had set up such a lecture. They had printed out the invite and had prepared the cover for Zeb as the Swiss professor and his doctorate students, David Tinner and Leonie Rollie.
‘Vacci—’ the guard stuttered as he tried to read the letter.
‘Vaccinology,’ Zeb said in a superior tone, ‘I am not a doctor of the other kind. Research. Not medical. Bakhtyar and I have been collaborating for a long time. Where is he? Can you get him?’ he said impatiently. ‘We need to discuss, prepare for this lecture.’
MUT had a strict security protocol for visitors. Guests couldn’t just roll up to the campus and go to the reception desk. They had to be invited by either faculty or students and the invitors had to come to the gate to escort their guests.
The guard glanced at Zeb and his companions. His gaze lingered on Chloe, bespectacled, clutching a folder and looking equally impatient.
He reached for the phone, referred to a phone directory and dialed a number.
He won’t get the professor. Bakhtyar’s on vacation and will not be back in a month. The twins had searched for an academic who was away and had then forged credentials for the Agency operatives based on the man’s specialty and his seniority in the institution.
‘Someone is coming to get you,’ the guard replied after hanging up. ‘You can wait here.’ He waved at the small reception area inside his hut.
‘Someone?’ Zeb drew himself up. ‘I want—’
‘I know who you want,’ the security man replied rudely. ‘This is our procedure. We need to verify you in person.’
‘You seem to be enjoying this,’ Chloe whispered when the guard had turned his back on them.
‘It’s not often I get to throw my weight around,’ Zeb admitted.
They waited as other visitors arrived and were given the same treatment. The waiting area became crowded. Ten minutes passed, fifteen, but no one came for them.
Bakhtyar’s staff will be wondering about the guest lecture. How and why it’s been arranged when he’s away. They might call Lausanne as well, to verify me.
The twins had that in hand as well. There was a Professor Vermillion in that institution, who was a world-renowned scientist in vaccines. The real researcher also happened to be in Tehran just then and was giving various lectures.
We’ve also got the FIS on our side. Switzerland’s Federal Intelligence Service was a close ally of the Agency; its director had agreed to have a friend in Lausanne University answer any Iranian enquiries for Professor Vermillion.
A car swept up to the guard hut. Two bearded men in suits alighted. Their eyes swept through the bunch of visitors and landed on Zeb.
We are the only European-looking people here.
‘Professor Vermillion,’ one man held his hand out and addressed him in English. ‘I am Dr. Dabri and this is Dr. Seervai,’ he nodded at the other man. ‘We are Dr. Bakhtyar’s assistants.’
He frowned deeply. ‘He never told us about a guest lecture. We schedule his calendar, work with him very closely, we would know.’
‘There’s an appointment in his diary,’ he said hastily when he saw Zeb’s face darken. ‘We checked with Lausanne—’
‘You did what? I am Dr. Vermillion. Everyone in the world of vaccinology has heard of me.’
‘Yes, sir,’ Dabri said pacifyingly, ‘we were only following procedure.’
‘I tried calling him,’ the other assistant came to his coworker’s rescue. ‘I couldn’t get his phone.’ He sounded accusatory as if it was the visitors’ fault their boss wasn’t reachable.
‘He’s in Nigeria?’ Zeb put on astonished. ‘He told me he was going next month!’
Bakhtyar’s out-of-office message had warned that he would be in the African country and due to the remote locations, he was visiting, wouldn’t be easily accessible.
‘You know where he’s gone?’ Seervai’s tone warmed. ‘This is some kind of mistake—’
‘Mistake?’ Zeb drew himself to his full height. ‘I have a busy schedule. I made time for it just because Bakhtyar insisted. He and I have been collaborating—’
‘We have not heard of that, either,’ Dabri scratched his chin.
‘I am not surprised,’ Zeb replied scornfully. ‘Your boss suspected someone was stealing his research. He and I are studying— Forget it. Why am I telling you! David, Leonie, let’s go. We have canceled our other lectures for nothing and wasted our time here. I was so looking forward to the university tour Bakhtyar had promised me. I had heard a lot about MUT … he’s going to get an earful from me when he returns.’
‘Sir,’ Dabri caught him by his sleeve when he had spun on his heel. ‘We have heard a lot about you. Let us try to make amends. I am sure there has been some mix-up. Unfortunately, we can’t arrange a guest lecture for you, but we can show you around. Your visit will not be wasted.’
‘You?’ Zeb looked down at them. ‘Bakhtyar said he could show me all parts of the university because of his clearances. I understand the military has closed—’
‘We have the same access as he has, sir.’
‘Doctor, maybe we should take them up on it,’ Chloe glanced at her watch. ‘We have time to kill and we have come this far.’
Zeb rocked on his heels as he thought about it. ‘I guess it won’t hurt. Our visit will not be an entire failure. Can I meet some of the doctorate students?’
‘I am sorry, sir,’ Dabri looked crestfallen. ‘None of the doctor’s students are here.’
‘Show us the university,’ Zeb said in irritation.
‘You came by taxi?’ Seervai looked at the gate.
‘Yes.’
‘In that case, please join us in our car. It will be a tight fit, but we can manage. We’ll arrange a taxi for your return to the city.’
An hour later, Chloe nudged him. He took one look at her and Bear. They’ve had enough of the tour.
‘Where’s the other research done?’ Zeb frowned when the assistants had shown them through yet another lab and given detailed explanations.
‘What other research, sir?’
‘Military.’
‘That’s a common misunderstanding,’ Seervai said condescendingly, ‘that the armed forces own the university or decide what research is done. All they do is grant us some funds and access to some of their bases.’
‘I am sure they want something in return,’ Bear said slyly. ‘I haven’t heard of any military in the world that gives away money for free.’
‘Our forces are different,’ Seervai said patronizingly.
‘What’s there?’ Zeb asked nodding at a sharp turn in the hallway. The assistants had been leading them away from it.
‘Nothing. This is the end of the campus. There’s— Sir! You can’t go there.’
Zeb ignored him and went swiftly down the corridor. Looked around the corner and drew his breath sharply. An armed guard, but someone who clearly wasn’t a rent-a-cop. The soldier stood alert, hands on his HK MP-5, in front of what appeared to be a thick, opaque glass door.
Dabri reached him, caught his sleeve and dragged him away. ‘There’s a military conference going on in there,’ he said urgently. ‘We can’t go anywhere near it.’
Zeb allowed himself to be pulled away, but not before Chloe and Bear sneaked a peek as well. The assistants hustled them away quickly, reprimanded them politely and led them back to the reception area where their vehicle was waiting.
‘That’s all?’ Zeb asked in surprise.
‘Yes, Doctor,’ Dabri said. ‘You’ve seen every part of the university and while we would love to talk to you about your research, Seervai and I have some reports to write. You know how it is in our field. More writing than actual research.’ He forced a laugh.
He’s sweating. Scared. They want us off the campus.
‘I understand,’ Zeb patted him on the shoulder. ‘I hope I didn’t put you both into any trouble, back there. I am impulsive,’ he smiled as if that explained it.
‘That’s alright, sir. There’s nothing but an event room there. Here, take our car. The driver will drop you off at the gate where we’ll get a taxi to come pick you up.’
Zeb thanked them and shook their hands. He kept his silence until they were back at the gate, outside the university’s premises.
‘Did you see it?’
‘Not just saw it, I photographed it,’ Chloe said proudly. ‘My phone was in my palm, hidden from their sight.’ She brought up a photograph on its screen and zoomed it with her thumb and forefinger.
There was the guard and his weapon. The door behind him. But it was the sidewall that drew their interest, the small writing inscribed on it.
Research Lab.