JONES LOOKED UP as Steele and a medic entered his brig cell. Steele enjoyed the way his expression changed to trepidation when the medic held up the syringe.
“What is this? Surely you’re not resorting to truth serum.”
Steele smirked. “Surely not. No, Landen, this is even worse, at least for you: we’ve got an HRV vaccine, and everyone gets a dose – even a worthless piece of shit like you.”
“Well, Steele, nice to see your true colours coming out at last.”
“Just shut up and roll up your sleeve.”
The medic shot Steele a look that she hoped Landen hadn’t noticed; she knew the man was a dedicated healer and didn’t like being part of this deception, but their country’s future rested on the lie.
Jones took his time unbuttoning his cuff and rolling up the sleeve. The medic swabbed his arm and said, “Make a fist, please.” Landen did, the medic found a vein, and the shot was quickly delivered.
“Ow,” said Jones with exaggerated boredom, looking at Steele.
She was just following the medic out when Jones said, “Oh, by the way, Steele – be sure to congratulate the President on the creation of the vaccine. I’m not quite sure how your research team was able to figure that out when ours wasn’t . . . looks like you won all the way around.”
“Sometimes the good guys do,” Steele said, just before stepping out and locking the door.
She sent the medic back up to Bolling, and then met Ty down the hallway. “Did he buy it?” Ty asked.
“I didn’t leave him much choice,” Steele said. “So, what’s next?”
They started walking towards the Command Center. “The message has gone out to Moreby,” Ty said. “If he has any IT experts on hand they might figure out it didn’t come from New World Pharmaceuticals and we’d be fucked then, but that’s a chance we’ll have to take. If we don’t get an answer in the next twenty-four hours, we probably won’t hear from him at all and the plan will be off.”
Steele took a deep breath and answered. “We wait, then.”
“We wait,” Ty agreed.
From: |
President James Moreby <moreby@nzo.org> |
To: |
Landen Jones <landenjones@nwpharm.com> |
Sent: |
SAT, Nov 23, 4:16 PM |
Subject: |
RE: Request for Meeting |
Dear Landen: I am certainly most interested in hearing what my old friends at NWP have to offer, and I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss this further. Is tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. here in the Oval Office acceptable? You of course have my personal assurance that you will be unharmed, provided you come unarmed and alone.