[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

now.
June helped him to raise the upper portion of his body enough to gulp some of the hot coffee and make
good eye contact with the others, then he began.  Mr. Taylor, I may owe you an apology, he said, then
waited on the reaction. It wasn't exactly what he would have hoped for, but given the man's fixation on
mistreatment of blacks from the age of exploration until now, he wasn't surprised.
"Huh! Every motherfucking white in America and Europe owe us an apology. Damn little good that do
now."
"I told you before, I'm not responsible for anyone else's actions, only my own and the men I command. If
it makes you feel any better, I've never agreed with the way blacks have been treated, but that's neither
here nor there. What I wanted to apologize for is that I found out I might have been wrong. There is a
possibility you may have been right about the government being involved with instigating the Harcourt
virus. Or some people in government, at least."
"Doug, no! June exclaimed.  Our government couldn't have done this!"
Doug was watching Fridge's reaction rather than Qualluf's. He sensed that he was going to have to
depend on his old friend to hold things together until he had a better grasp of exactly what had actually
happened with Johannsen. And he needed the Colonel, too.
Qualluf stood up.  Just like I said. We can't trust any of you sorry motherfuckers. That's it, conference
over. He started toward the door.
"Fridge, stop him. There's more! Doug winced as he tried reflexively to reach his arm out to stop
him the wrong arm.
Fridge was nearer the door than Qualluf. He moved in front of it.  Preacher, let's hear it all before we
decide anything. Go ahead, Doug. I hope you got more than this, though."
"I do. Doug sipped more of the coffee. He could feel the effects of the pain killer lessening his hurt, but it
was also making him groggy.  June, stop the pain medicine. I have to stay awake."
Qualluf moved back to his chair, knowing he had reacted too quickly. What else did this man know?
How had he been hurt? How could he be used? Was there maybe a cure after all? Better to wait and
see.
After Qualluf had reseated himself, Doug continued, encouraged by June's hand slipping into his after he
downed the last of the coffee.  Let me tell you what happened when I went back to talk to Amelia. She
told me that some CIA agents had brought in that crazy scientist, Johannsen, who created the Harcourt
virus. He arrived right before the airport was closed, so Amelia and her scientific staff haven't finished
questioning him about whether he knows how to stop the virus or not. About the time Amelia was giving
me this information, she had to be taken to surgery to repair internal injuries as a result of the beating she
got while here. If it hadn't been for that I might have had more for you."
Doug saw that Qualluf's perpetual glare faded from his face for once, telling him plainer than words who
had been responsible for Amelia's torment. He thought the man might even have been in on it, but he
didn't want to know. It would only prejudice him in the hours to come.
"We want that man, Qualluf said.
Doug had been hoping for that reaction.  I may give him to you, but not before we drag every bit of what
he knows about the Harcourt virus out of him. He suggested there was evidence of his contacts in
government in some papers he told me about. That was after I rescued him from what I think were
government agents intent on silencing him. That's how I got hurt. He tapped the air cast on his arm to
emphasize the point.  Now here's what I want us to do. He explained his ideas as clearly as he could.
He had been thinking furiously ever since learning of Johannsen's presence and the possibility of
government involvement.
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
"So here's how I see it, Doug finished up.  I want some scientists and other experts to examine the
documents that Johannsen told me where to find before we say anything. Colonel Christian and some of
his men will go get them first and bring them back here in order to keep anyone else in the government
from stopping publication if they prove to be true. Same for the possibilities of a vaccine or a cure. We
want to get that out, too, but I see no sense in giving people false hope before we're sure, and frankly, I
don't think the black and Hispanic communities would believe us without proof. And last, I want the
people here released, with Mr. Taylor sending scientific representatives of his choice into the CDC to
monitor the work there. Mr. Taylor, you can either go into the CDC or go with Colonel Christian to
secure the documents or send your representatives to each place and stay here with your people; it's
your choice. He looked at the others, trying to gauge everyone's reactions, then added,  Whatever we
do, we don't want either the government or the military, other than the colonel here, to get wind of what
we're up to until we can publish our findings on the net in a believable manner. So far as I know, it's only
Edgar Tomin who's involved in this mess, but there may be others. In fact, there's almost certain to be
others and we want to get them, too."
Fridge blew out a breath of air.  Doug, you never did do things small. This is a lot to take in all at once."
"I know. And it may not be all, yet. I forgot to tell you, that I left word for Amelia to call me as soon as
she's out of surgery and awake. There was something else she was trying to tell me before she passed
out. She'll probably be in surgery, then recovery for a few more hours. Johannsen is in surgery, too and
as much as I hate the man, I hope he survives long enough to question him some more. He felt his
eyelids dragging.  In the meantime, I've got to rest for a while if you want me to carry on."
Fridge nodded.  He's right, Preacher. If there's a chance for our people, we got to go along with him."
Qualluf looked as if he had a bad case of indigestion.  How do we know he's telling the truth? Maybe
he's just trying to get those CDC people free."
Incongruously, Fridge laughed out loud. Even Doug peered at him curiously, wondering what was funny.
"Preacher, do you really think Doug would have shot his arm practically off and put another bullet in his
leg just to try fooling you? Or let you know his wife is here? Or that Johannsen is just one building over?
Uh uh. He's telling the truth. We're going to go along with him."
"Since when did you take command? Qualluf said.
"I didn't. But I will if I have to."
Doug noticed that both men had dropped almost all of the black vernacular.
Qualluf stared at his military commander and slowly nodded.  I'll pick the best men available to go into
the CDC along with the people we've been holding here. And I'll send some more men with the colonel
to be sure we see everything if he finds any papers in Charleston. Then as soon as I quiet the people on
the lines down, I'll be over at the CDC myself. I want to be present when Johannsen is questioned."
"Done, Doug agreed, then expounded on his last thought, which had depended on everything else to [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]