44

Sarah Bellman picked at her breakfast while Holst held forth from the position he had recently assumed at the head of their table in the corner of the compound’s mess hall. In a small concession to their dignity the four scientists were allowed to eat together, away from the Sabre officers and NCOs who shared the same mealtimes. Kennedy, sitting opposite her, and Sphyris to her right, were feeling equally queasy. Oblivious to the effect he was having on his three colleagues, Holst tucked into his sausages with gusto, gesticulating with his fork between mouthfuls.

‘Everything is ready for the next trials. I can assure you no harm will be done.’ He smiled at Bellman. ‘When can I expect you to deliver the first batch of usable particles?’

She glanced at Kennedy. He had grown thinner and frailer even in the last two days and hadn’t said a word since they had sat down.

‘Professor?’ she prompted.

‘In a day or two,’ Kennedy said.

‘Excellent. If we are anything like as successful as you have been in your primate trials, the end will soon be in sight.’ Holst smiled, his eyes bright and alive above his glowing cheeks.

Holst noticed, as if for the first time, that the others weren’t sharing his enthusiasm.

‘Are you quite all right, Professor?’ he said to Kennedy. ‘I hope it’s not rude of me to say that you’ve not been looking yourself lately.’ He appealed to the others for confirmation. Sarah stared into her cup. Sphyris pretended to be absorbed in removing the peel from an orange.

‘I’ve felt better,’ Kennedy said sourly. ‘You, on the other hand, Dr Holst, seem to be positively thriving. This work seems to be suiting you.’

Holst’s smile faded.

Sphyris, who had scarcely uttered a word, stepped in to defuse the tension. ‘We all have different ways of coping with stress, I’m sure.’ He offered Holst a conciliatory smile.

‘Nevertheless, I think perhaps you ought to see a doctor, Professor. Just to be on the safe side.’

Kennedy put down his fork and placed his yellowing hands either side of his plate. ‘You have no need to worry about my ability to complete this project, Dr Holst. I will do it just for the pleasure of telling everyone who cares to know exactly what you have done. Perhaps you would be well advised to spend the next forty-eight hours finding some obscure corner of the planet on which to live out your days, because no decent human being will ever want to consort with you again.’

‘Good morning, everybody.’ Dr Razia appeared with his breakfast tray. ‘May I join you?’

Kennedy pushed up from the table. Abandoning his food, he marched unsteadily towards the door.

‘Is everything all right?’ Razia said, detecting the frigid atmosphere.

‘He’s not well,’ Sarah said. ‘I’d better go.’

Leaving the others at the table, she went after him.

Bellman caught up with Kennedy halfway across the parade ground that separated the mess hall from the block that housed their quarters and laboratory.

‘I told them you were ill. You shouldn’t work today. You need to rest.’

‘I’ve made up my mind, Sarah. My involvement with this project is over … You must do as you wish.’

‘What will you do? They’re not going to let you –’ She stopped mid-sentence as Kennedy came to a sudden halt. His breathing was laboured. He staggered as if about to faint. Bellman caught and steadied him. She called out to the guard standing outside their quarters, who jogged over to help.

Bellman entered the laboratory alone. Kennedy was sleeping, having received a large dose of intravenous antibiotics for a suspected infection. She had been able to tell Holst that he was delirious and to take no notice of his outburst. She would handle the remainder of the work. The first batch of nanoparticles was nearly complete. They would be ready for their first human trials in forty-eight hours.

She sat at her computer and brought up the lines of genetic code that would be programmed into the targeting mechanism. This sequence of several thousand letters would be chemically translated into the biological equivalent of a weapons guidance system that could distinguish and lock on to a handful of cells amidst the billions that made up the human body.

But what if the code didn’t work? What if she could jam a spanner in the wheel that would slow their progress and buy them time to find a way out?

Dare she try?

Bellman glanced over her shoulder. There was no one at the door. She was alone with her conscience. For the first time in her life she decided to be brave.