Sleeping Giants (Themis Files #1)(74)
We’re a few steps from med bay. There should be one guard with Alyssa. Vincent, do you want to do the honors?…Just throw your grenade in there and disarm the guard…
Kara’s sedated and strapped on a table, I don’t think you can disorient her any more than she is…Here you go. Get in there!
I told you he’d be fine, sir. You should know the kid was smiling through most of it. I think he might have taken a little pride in improving his tie-wrap technique. I just hope he doesn’t figure out what was going on in there.
—Are you referring to the tissue samples Ms. Papantoniou was collecting?
—She’s not collecting tissue, sir. That’s why I called you. I swear, I had no idea what she was doing when I signed up. I just thought I could help.
—I believe you. Now tell me what you witnessed.
—Well, you know Alyssa’s been collecting samples from Kara and Vincent: blood, skin, bodily fluids. When I went to see her this morning, she had Kara in a…She didn’t have any pants on…I asked what was going on, and she told me she was removing eggs from Kara’s ovaries.
—Is that what prompted your rebellion?
—I wasn’t finished. She told me she’d attempt in vitro fertilization the next day. Could she do that, sir?
—My understanding of IVF is very limited, but I do not believe she has the necessary equipment. She does have access to cryogenic material, however. She could freeze the ova and semen samples from Mr. Couture. She would need to take them to a clinic outside the compound. The eggs and semen would then be thawed. Those that survive the process could be fertilized and left to develop for a few days. Most clinics will now perform what is known as blastocyst transfer.
—I don’t…
—A blastocyst is an embryo in which cell division has occurred enough times in the first few days. The embryos that have reached that stage can be transferred into a host after five days with a reasonable chance of success.
—You mean into another woman?
—That is correct.
—That’s insane!
—Indeed. Your decision to intervene was timely.
—I would never have agreed to help her if I’d known. You know that, sir. Don’t you?
—I do, and you have told me already.
—Vincent’s back with Kara…Hello, Sleeping Beauty! What do you mean she’s not there?
—Ms. Resnik is gone?
—No, Alyssa is…Are you sure you checked everywhere?…I know it’s a small room. Look, Kara can barely stand, why don’t you guys go sit over there?…
I don’t know what to say, sir. We’ve been pretty much everywhere. She was here twenty minutes ago. Unless she went in one of the guards’ room, we should have run into her. It’s not like she can get out.
—Perhaps she can. She did supervise the construction of that complex.
—I gotta look for her.
—Let the Marines do it. Ms. Resnik may need immediate medical attention. You should let the Marines in now.
—I will in a minute. I gotta tell them about what Alyssa’s doing.
—You will do no such thing. Both of them have been through enough already. You will not add to their ordeal by telling them about a situation they can do nothing about.
—Sir! They could have a child a year from now and not know about it.
—They could have a dozen. You will say nothing to them, Mr. Mitchell. Do you understand?
—Sir! They have a right to know.
—They do. I will tell them when the time comes.
—Do I have your word on that?
—You do. Now open the door and let the Marines in.
—OK. I’m getting on the elevator now. What’ll happen to us when they come in?
—They will cuff you. They will most likely separate you until you all have been debriefed. I suspect it will be a…thorough debriefing. After that, I do not know. At best, you will go back to Fort Carson to finish your sentence. At worst, we will all receive a lethal injection.
—What should I tell them?
—Unfortunately, there is very little the United States government does not know at this point. What you say, or do not say, will be of no consequence. Make this easy on yourself and tell them what they want to hear.
—OK. Thank you, sir, for everything. I’ve unlocked the main door. Here goes nothing…
Hi, guys! Welcome to Puerto Rico! OUCH! Come on! I just secured the whole place for you, shithead! Does it have to be so tight?! Come on, man! That hurts!…
FILE NO. 257
INTERVIEW WITH INES TABIB, ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS
Location: White House, Washington, DC
—Do you have anything to say before I have you arrested and tried for treason?
—I fail to see the point, but I am happy to let you posture for a short while. How are Ms. Resnik and Mr. Couture doing?
—Your pilots are still in Puerto Rico being debriefed. They’re fine. You can all stand trial as a happy family.
—You and I both know I will not stand trial. Justice is usually much swifter for someone in my trade. It comes unannounced, usually from behind, and, as far as I know, it is never prefaced by a meeting at the White House. What happened? Did the president stop you herself, or did someone else intervene when you tried to have me arrested? You are relatively new to this line of work so I would presume that having me killed would not be your first choice.