Genesis (The Legend of Glory Book 3) (14 page)

She dissolved into giggles and rested her head on his shoulder. “You smell good. I bet the forest smells like you.”

“You smell real sweet, too.”

She kissed him. “You’re nice. Please don’t get fired.”

“I’ll try real hard not to.”

A tour of the shop revealed a swan made of plastic cutlery, a towering double helix created from wire hangers, and glass mosaics of birds in flight. The jagged human face made from a shattered mirror shook Zane. When he looked into it, he realized that the brokenness it reflected back at him was how he felt. Perhaps that would soon change.

Finally, he noticed Kate sitting at a corner table. She gestured for him to join her. He kissed Tessa’s cheek and set her down.

“If you have time, come see Alice and her boyfriend. They’re happier now.”

“Will do, honey.”

Across the table from Kate was a beautiful black woman wearing sunglasses and a scruffy redheaded man with an easy smile.

“Ruby and Junkman,” Kate said by way of introduction when he sat next to her. “This is Zane.”

“I’m told you have startlingly beautiful blue eyes,” Ruby said. She slipped off her glasses for a brief moment, and Zane could tell she was blind.

“That’s what they say, ma’am.”

“I like that you don’t entertain false modesty.”

“I’ve got my strengths and I’ve got my weaknesses. Seems silly to deny either.”

“You radiate such intense energy,” she said.

“Being a vampire will make that happen.”

“You sure made an impression my kids,” Junkman told him.

Zane grinned. “They made one on me, too.”

“In this corner, the cameras can’t see us, and of course, the mics can’t hear us,” Ruby said. “So speak freely. Kate’s explained the situation.”

Zane looked at the sunglasses Ruby wore and then the laptop. “Admittedly, I’m not techiest tool in the shed, but since you’re blind, how can you do what you do?”

She tapped her head. “I have a neural implant that interfaces with the computer. That’s actually the nature of the research I do for Wonderland. In the course of my work, I’ve discovered a lot of Wonderland’s secrets. Which is why I now work for the underground’s underground.”

“So, the resistance movement here is organized?”

She nodded. “We don’t want to escape because of the genocide they have planned. If they’re successful, some of us have to make it through to the other side of that to keep fighting.”

Kate removed the small address book from her pocket. “I have Evan’s private email addy. We need all the data related to my research emailed to him before you wipe it from the computers here. If you can send him anything else about Wonderland’s organization and agenda, that would be ideal. Evan could use his position to blow the whole thing wide open.”

Ruby turned the computer to face her. “Type in his address on the screen I just opened. I’ll do the rest.”

“And give me that book to destroy,” Junkman said. “In case you’re caught.”

“What do you know about the rest of their plans?” Kate asked as she typed.

“They’ve been manipulating human
DNA
for generations now, creating mutations. When the pandemic failed, they started triggering those mutations and mass genocide will result unless it’s stopped. They’re also implementing Project Blue Beam technology to trigger a collapse of religions and further facilitate their plans.”

Kate looked up with a stunned expression.

“What’s Project Blue Beam?” Zane asked Ruby.

“Blue Beam was
NASA
’s originally and has ties to
DARPA
’s
HAARP
program. Blue Beam utilizes three-dimensional optical holograms with deep perspective, and acoustic
ELF
,
VLF
and
LF
waves for sound. Using the massive amount of data collected over the past few decades on everyone and everything, the
NWO
can use the science to generate visual and audio phenomena targeting individuals as well as groups of people. That’s where all these visions circling the globe are coming from. Combine the
DNA
mutations, Blue Beam, time travel, and now what you’re telling me about the super soldier project and, well, the future does seem bleak.”

Zane could smell the cloud of terror surrounding Kate. Worried, he took her hand.

Kate said, “I had heard rumors of the
DNA
manipulation but always attributed it to conspiracy theorists. I’m such a fool. Over and over again, I’ve been such a fool.”

Zane squeezed her hand and held tight. “Do we have a plan to get the medicine from your lab? And then how will we escape Wonderland?”

Junkman said, “If you can grab what you need and get out, I can arrange to smuggle you up top. Beyond the labs, the river makes a ninety-degree turn and leaves Wonderland. The river itself is grated so nothing can swim out, but they didn’t count on there being natural tunnels that run alongside the river to the surface. Our groundsmen discovered them, and some of us worked to clear and reinforce them. It’s the biggest secret we have. I can get you out and arrange for one of our outside contacts to meet you topside with transportation.”

It sounded like a good plan to Zane.

“Do you expect trouble in the lab?” Ruby asked Kate.

“There shouldn’t be many people around, but of course there could still be trouble.”

“I don’t dare disable the security devices again so soon after I did it for the children,” Ruby said, regret in her voice. “If I had known....”

Junkman shook his head. “I can’t believe you broke my kids in there to rescue rabbits. So foolish.”

“Tessa was pitiful. I’m putty in her hands.”

Junkman groaned.

“Ruby, the most important thing you can do is get that information to Evan,” Kate said. “Everything you’ve got. And I must get my serum out of there so they can’t reverse engineer it.”

“Why can’t my wife smuggle it out for you?” Junkman asked. “Megan works tonight.”

“She couldn’t access the safe.” Kate tapped her face. “Iris scanner.”

“Seems to me that, rather than you trying to smuggle it out, it would be much safer to arrange a drop for Megan inside,” Junkman said. “You plant the medicine somewhere and she gets it out. She’s close friends with the guards; they don’t search her.”

Kate looked at Zane. “That’s a better plan than ours. Especially since the cameras will be on.”

Zane considered. “I hate to put your wife at risk.”

Junkman shrugged. “That’s what we do.”

“There’s a large, bushy potted plant in my lab. I could leave it in the pot,” Kate said. “The other option is to simply destroy the drug. If Ruby gets my data transferred to Evan, I’ll have what I need to make it again.”

“Wouldn’t destroying it attract more attention than just planting it?” Junkman asked.

“Well, yes,” Kate said.

Junkman smiled. “Then do the drop. Get in, get out, and get to the rendezvous point. Megan will meet us there with the goods. If for some reason she can’t, we’ll get you out and destroy the medicine ourselves.”

Ruby smiled and nodded. “It’s decided then. Now you have a few hours to kill until dark settles, so make yourselves at home.”

Zane enjoyed Tessa’s company, visited the rabbits, checked out all the art, thought long and hard about Glory, and then did what he always did before a fight—he prayed twice.

†          †          †

It was dark when Zane and Kate arrived at the science building. One guard stood at the entrance. Zane assessed him and noticed the gold badge on the handle of his holstered gun that identified it as a .357 Python. And despite the man’s polite smile, Zane could smell his hostility.

“Pete,” Kate said in greeting.

“It’s awful late for you to be coming in, Dr. Templeton,” Pete said.

“We got sidetracked sightseeing,” Kate said. “I just need to check some things in my lab. Won’t be long.”

Pete patted down Kate and did the same to Zane.

“Are many of my colleagues about?” Kate asked.

“A few. Dr. Adams is working. I think Dr. Oshiro is in the time lab.”

“My daughter?”

“Saw her earlier. Do you want me to tell anyone you’re here?”

Kate shrugged. “No, but it’s good to know about Dr. Adams in case I have any questions about Zane’s test results.”

After being properly groped, they made their way to her lab.

She punched up reports on her computer and reviewed the screen. “Your test results are perfect, Zane.”

“So, we do it tomorrow?”

“Looks like. Let me just double check everything and then we’ll start early in the morning.” Kate walked to the wall safe, operated the iris scanner, removed a large vial and palmed it. Another vial of the same size was ready in her other hand. She examined it and returned that one to the safe.

“So, the miracle drug is all set to cure me?”

“Yes. Everything looks copasetic.” She hugged him and slipped the vial into his pocket. “I’m very hopeful.” Returning to the counter, she shuffled around medical supplies.

Zane walked to the window, bent to brush mud off his boot, and stashed the vial inside the potted plant.

The lab door flew open and several people charged in—Pete, Erica, and a man in a lab coat. Pete had his gun drawn.

Kate let out a startled cry. “Dr. Adams? What the hell?”

“You don’t think we saw what you did?” he replied.

“What do you think I did?” Kate asked. “I’m setting up for tomorrow.”

“Your behavior has been suspicious since the vampire arrived. Not much escapes us, Kate.”

Erica said, “Disabling bugs in your apartment that you shouldn’t even have known about. Getting drunk. Spending the day with suspicious characters.”

Kate burst out laughing. “Suspicious characters? You mean the artists? They’re a breath of fresh air in this monument to claustrophobia. Getting drunk? What else is there to do around here to blow off steam? Occasionally, family has the need for private conversations.”

“Family?” Dr. Adams asked.

“Zane is family. We share common concerns about Glory. We have a right to privacy.”

“No one has a right to privacy anymore. That’s the way the new world is ordered.”

“Well,
Sieg Heil
Big Brother,” Kate said.

“Sarcasm doesn’t become you, Kate.” Dr. Adams started to pat her down. Roughly.

“Hey!” Kate said.

Zane moved toward her, but the guard grabbed him from behind and put the gun to his temple.

“Come on, Kate,” Dr. Adams said. “Tell us what’s going on. Why did you open the safe? What are you up to? We don’t want to kill the vampire, but we will. We know of others we can bring in to complete the testing. We’ve been keeping a close eye on patient zero of this cluster, Bo. And, of course, there’s Zane’s family in Texas.”

Erica approached Zane and patted him down. She seemed to find special interest in his crotch.

He grinned. “You gonna linger there, princess?”

“Like that, would you?”             

“I think you’d like it way more.”

She gave his family jewels a rough squeeze, but he refused to let her see him flinch.

Dr. Adams strode to the safe, opened it, and snatched up the vial. “This is saline. What did you do with the drug, Kate? Come clean and we’ll let the vampire live to see this through. We know you’ve got a vested interest in him because of Glory.”

Zane struggled, but Pete pulled the hammer back on his Python. “Think you can survive cop killers, Mr. Vampire?”

So he’s using armor piercing bullets
, Zane realized. That was good. “Can you?” he asked. Then he yanked the gun down, placed the barrel high on his chest, and fired. The bullet passed through his own body, struck Pete, and the guard fell dead. Zane gasped, but pushed back the pain.

Erica screamed and scrambled to get away.

Dr. Adams grabbed Kate to use her as a shield.

Zane aimed the gun at the doctor’s forehead and fired. The shot bulls-eyed and the doctor dropped to the floor.

Erica ran from the room screaming for help.

Zane grabbed Kate’s hand and pulled her toward the window. “Get out and run as fast as you can. I’ll cover you. And lose that wrist communicator so they can’t track you.”

She opened the window and climbed out just as three armed guards charged into the room. Zane’s mind was clear and his nerves steady. He grabbed a large fire extinguisher mounted on the wall just inside the window, threw it toward the guards, and shot it midair. When the canister exploded in a cloud of gas, it provided enough cover for him to leap out the window. However, he knew he had to stop them or he and Kate would never escape the complex. Outside the window was a tank of Halon gas like the one Tessa had used as a stepstool the night before. Zane yanked it off its brackets, threw it through the window, aimed, and fired. It exploded with a cloud of gas that would incapacitate anyone in that room for at least a half-hour.