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Carpenter arrived at the hotel less than fifteen minutes after Lucas entered the hotel room. Gil was with him.
“So everyone’s here, Kat?” Carpenter asked, slipping out of his black trench coat. His shoulder holster secured his 9mm Beretta.
“Yes.”
“Good. I’m relieved to see that all of you alive. You’ve been under a great deal of stress. Not as much as the last time we all met, but I want you to know we’re here to ensure your safety and protect you.” He set a briefcase beside the table.
Kat looked surprised to see Morton sitting on the bed beside Felicia. “Daniel? That’s your cat, correct?”
Daniel nodded. “Sure. Why?”
She blushed and handed him the book she had taken off his desk. “I’m sorry. I picked that up at your apartment.”
“I see.”
Kat folded her arms and stared intently at Morton. “I only took it because of the picture on the back cover. Your cat is of great interest to me.”
“Why?”
She sighed. “When we went into your apartment we found three different pools of blood on your carpet. A fourth blood sample was found under the sofa that belongs to your cat.”
Daniel shrugged. “And? I’m not certain what you’re getting at.”
“Well, the blood analysis our lab tech, Todd, worked up is a bit odd. Your cat doesn’t seem to be a typical cat.”
Daniel frowned. Julia stepped beside him and placed her arm around his waist. He said, “He doesn’t behave like a typical cat, but what are you implying?”
“Forensic tests came back. Your cat seems to have the same blood markers as the shifters mentioned in your debriefing with the FBI three years ago. I take it, although I don’t know why, this cat is like those blood-thirsty animals.”
Morton’s eyes perked. He turned and faced Kat. “I never thirst for blood,” Morton said. “That’s beyond repulsive.”
Daniel shook his head. Kat and Carpenter stared at the cat. Bewilderment claimed their gazes.
“Yes,” Daniel said. “He possesses some shifter genes that make him, well, very unique. Dr. Helmsby created him in the lab when we lived in the research center. He’s one of a kind. Without him, none of my family would be alive.”
“But he talks?” Kat smiled. “Helmsby did this?”
Carpenter frowned and stepped closer. His curiosity overwhelmed him. “How is that even possible?”
“The scientific explanation is beyond my comprehension. You’d have to ask Helmsby for more specifics, but I doubt he’d tell you.”
Morton’s lips curled into a smile. “I can explain it. Though it’s over all your heads, but I know the systematics and the DNA anneals he used to align my sequences so I can talk and heal at remarkable speeds.”
Kat laughed. “I see he doesn’t just possess the ability to speak, but he has a high intellect, too. This definitely explains why I was so captivated by his picture on your book.”
Daniel said, “I know. I told him to act normal, but . . .”
“I did act normal,” Morton insisted.
“But,” Kat said, facing Daniel. “Why would you bring a shifter into your home with your child?”
“He’s the best pet and friend you could ask for,” Julia said.
“But he should be dead, judging by the amount of blood he lost at your apartment.”
“I heal fast,” Morton said.
Kat nodded, suppressing a smile. “I see. I suppose you killed the three attackers in the house? Or were you there, Daniel?”
“No, I wasn’t.” Daniel said.
“I merely did what was expected of me,” Morton said. “I defended our home. Daniel was here with Julia and Felicia.”
Carpenter studied the cat with great interest. “You’re telling us that you took out three men? A cat?”
“And that surprises you?” Morton asked, rising on all four legs. “I’m a shifter cat. They were humans. Well, except for one of them. He was a super human. His genes were tainted with canine DNA. One dog-ugly individual.”
“But a cat?” Tyler asked.
Morton offered an even smile. “I’m not always a cat. What I become I don’t like to bring out, but to protect my family, I go to necessary lengths. Felicia has never seen what I truly am. It would frighten her too much.”
“Helmsby created Morton to protect me when I roamed the streets for food and supplies. Of course, I never knew he had made Morton in the lab. Not until Morton explained it all to me. He’s been with me, us, ever since.”
“Okay,” Carpenter said. He looked at Lydia and said, “Lydia?”
“Yes?” she replied, still gripping Lucas tightly around the waist.
“There was quite a disturbance at your estate last night. Three men died there. From the report my men sent, and Gil can confirm the report, it seems someone who possesses the skills of a tactical soldier killed them. Did the clone turn on his own men?”
Lydia closed her eyes tightly. Tears etched down her cheeks. Lucas squeezed her, and he said, “It’s okay. Tell them what happened.”
Kat, with her arms still folded, looked from the cat to Lydia.
Lydia shook as she retold the incident.
“So you killed all three men?” Gil asked.
“In self-defense,” she said defensively.
“We’re not questioning your motive, Lydia,” Carpenter said. “I know it was self-defense. They were there to kill you. But what I don’t understand is how you countered their attacks with the professionalism you used. They were soldiers with sniper rifles and possibly had mercenary ties. They were very dangerous, highly trained men.”
“I really don’t understand how I did what I did. I just . . . reacted. I don’t remember killing them. I do remember seeing their bodies afterwards.” Her eyes were distant as she thought. “I felt threatened and I took action. Lucas and I trained with weapons a lot on my property. Guns, archery, knife throwing, and martial arts.”
Carpenter grinned. “Really? All that? Like you were preparing for an attack?”
“She had to be prepared for anything,” Lucas said. “I trained her because I knew my clone was probably still out there. Even though she didn’t really believe me, she went along with it.”
Kat smiled. “That’s definitely good for her.”
“And me,” Lucas said.
“Did you kill the clone?” Carpenter asked.
Lydia shook her head and lowered her gaze. “No, I had the opportunity, but I couldn’t.”
“Why not?”
“I couldn’t pull the trigger because it would be like shooting Lucas. At least in my mind it would have been. I couldn’t live with that. For some reason, I second-guessed myself, too. Just in case it was really him.”
Carpenter nodded and grabbed his briefcase. “I can understand that. If my wife had had a clone, I’d feel the same way even if her clone were evil. How could you be absolutely certain?”
“Yes, exactly,” Lydia said. “But he never tried to kill me. He acted like he wanted to protect me.”
“That’s his deception,” Daniel said. “He did the same thing to us in Pittsburgh.”
Lucas nodded. “That’s how they programmed him. Gain peoples’ trust and then kill them.”
“But you figured out he was Lucas’ clone?” Kat asked. “How?”
She explained the tattoo, then she said, “Little things he should have known, he didn’t. These were things Lucas wouldn’t have forgotten.”
Johanna stepped closer and asked, “Have you found out anything new about my studio?”
“Nothing new,” Kat said. “I’m sorry. They killed two of your employees and torched the place. I believe they knew you’d figure out their intent.”
Julia nodded. “Of course we’d know. They sent men after us not long after the news reported Lucas’ arrest. We were the first attacked. In broad daylight, too.”
“I’m not familiar with this,” Kat said.
Carpenter frowned. “No. I’ve not heard about this, either.”
Julia explained the car chase in fast detail.
“The police never gave us a report of your call,” Kat said. “It may have been overlooked by the dispatch as not being related to this, but we can find the report if necessary.”
“But,” Carpenter said. “If what Lucas told us earlier is true, I don’t believe we have much longer to worry about TGC. Once we shut down that facility for good, all these problems should end.”
Carpenter cleared the hotel table and rolled out a map. “This is an aerial map of TGC. Any idea, Lucas, how many perimeter guards are posted and their positions?”
Lucas ran his finger along the L path of the fence line. “Their main concentration is on these two strips of the fence. The fence line that runs alongside the river is the least guarded due to the steep, rocky embankment. That section of fence is also electrified.”
Carpenter eyed Lucas. “At your best estimate, how many men are posted along the river?”
“No more than two.”
“Okay,” Carpenter said. “Besides Dr. Helmsby, do we have anyone else we should take the precaution to protect once we reach the inside?”
“A female guard named Yvonne,” Nancy said.
“Yvonne? The one who helped you escape?” Kat asked.
“Yes.”
“Anyone else?” Carpenter asked, looking from person to person. They shook their heads, “No.”
“Well,” Daniel said. “Kyle is still there, but Helmsby insists that Kyle’s not going to live much longer.”
“How bad is he?” Lucas asked.
“Deteriorating rapidly, but he’d never be the same even if he did live.”
Carpenter nodded. “We’ll try to get him out, too, but if his condition is that severe, I can’t guarantee it.”
“I understand.”
Carpenter rolled up the map and said, “Lucas, get whatever gear you need or tell us where you need to go and we’ll take you to get it.”
Lucas picked up Rex and tucked him under his arm. “This is all I need.”
Kat and Carpenter exchanged glances. In unison they said, “A dog?”
“It’s a long story. When this is over, I’ll give you a detailed report.”
Carpenter smiled. “Fair enough. The rest of you sit tightly. I have a lot of agents posted outside to protect you.”
Daniel shook his head. “No, I go with Lucas.”
Lydia tightened her hug on Lucas and said, “Me, too.”
“Count me in,” Johanna said, grabbing her purse. “It’s the least I can do for my producer and friend.”
Morton jumped from the bed to the table and said, “No one goes anywhere without me.”
In exasperation, Carpenter shook his head. “I appreciate that all of you want to help, but the FBI needs to handle this. I’ll have a sniper team in position within the hour and the National Guard is on standby.”
“Don’t you understand?” Daniel said. “You try to take TransGenCorp by force and Helmsby is dead. Idris will kill him without hesitation.”
“What do you suggest?” Carpenter said.
“I’m going back,” Nancy said.
Kat shook her head in protest. “No, dear, you can’t.”
“I have to,” she replied. “He’s my father.”
“She’ll be okay,” Lucas said. “She’ll be with us.”
“How do you plan to get inside?” Carpenter asked. “They’ll shoot you on sight.”
Daniel’s cell phone rang. He waved a finger at Carpenter. “Let me answer this and then I’ll tell you. It’s Dr. Helmsby.”
“Dad?” Nancy whispered.
***
“Hello?” Daniel said.
“Thank God, you’re alive,” Helmsby said. “I heard about the attack on your home and Johanna’s studio. Have you heard from her or Lydia?”
“They’re okay. They’re with us.”
Carpenter frowned and shook his head at Daniel for giving out too much information.
“I warned you, Dan. I told you they’d come after you.”
Helmsby’s voice was shaky, nervous. He could hear Helmsby swallow hard. Daniel detected someone breathing heavily near Helmsby.
“Yes, you did,” Daniel said.
“I know where Lucas is.”
“Where?”
“I can’t discuss it over the phone, in case it’s bugged. Come here like you did yesterday, and . . .” Helmsby’s voice stopped short. In a choked whisper, he said, “Then I can tell you.”
“I’m afraid I’m not in the most trusting mood right now.”
There was a long silence. Helmsby gasped and took in several large gulps of air. Someone had forced him to make the call. That someone was probably Idris.
“You’ll be safe here with me. I promise. I’d like to see Lydia and Johanna again.”
“Have you heard from Nancy lately?”
“No, Dan. It’s been a long time.” He sounded near tears. “You’re coming, though, aren’t you?”
“We’ll be there. But there’s something else you should know.”
“What?”
“The sabbatical is over.”
Daniel disconnected the call.
***
Helmsby hung up the phone with a shaking hand. Idris removed the gun from Helmsby’s temple.
Idris holstered the gun and smiled at Yvonne. “I have a meeting that requires my immediate attention. Notify me when they enter the gate. Until then, Yvonne, watch his every move.”
“Yes, sir,” she replied. She waited until Idris marched through the door and down the hall before she whispered, “Are you okay, Bob?”
A nervous smile crept across his pale face. “Actually, I’m better than you might expect. Daniel told me that the sabbatical is over, so that means Nancy must be with him. You did it, didn’t you? You freed her?”
She smiled. “A promise is a promise.”
“Indeed. If it costs me every penny . . .”
Yvonne took his arm, looked caringly into his eyes, and shook her head. “Don’t promise me your fortune, Bob. You promised you’d help. That’s all I expect. Nothing more. It may be I’m a woman who cannot bear children. If so, I have to accept it. Besides, we need to get out of this place alive. I’ll be damned if Idris hurts you or your friends.”
“Once they arrive, Idris plans nothing less than to kill them right in front of me. He wants me to suffer before he ends my life.”
“Why does he hate you?”
Helmsby released a sound so pitiful she couldn’t tell if it was an attempt to laugh or cry. “Let’s just say that we have a horrid history and leave it at that. When he discovered the military placed me in charge of his experiments, he planned to take it back at the cost of my life and my friends as well. A few of the other Pittsburgh survivors were killed recently. They died in suspicious ways. I believe Idris had a hand in it.”
Yvonne flashed a bold, determined smiled. “I have a few plans of my own. He’ll be the last to expect them, too.”