While Justice Sleeps(103)

“No, sir.” Avery lowered herself to the bench beside him. “This is Jared Wynn. He specialized in reconnaissance and stealth maneuvers in another life. We were able to evade our shadows, but we do not have long.”

“Ah, the Navy analyst.” Ani nodded to himself. “You lost your dream because of Boursin’s. And now you risk much for your father. He was not certain you would.”

“Neither was I.”

“Why do you?”

“Now is not the time for our confessions, Dr. Ramji.” Jared spoke quickly, his voice low. “We’ve come to hear your story.”

“My confession, yes.” Ani hunched his shoulders. “I have much to atone for.”

    Avery watched him as his eyes darted toward the park entrance, then toward her. “What do you want, Dr. Ramji?”

“To give you the keys to Jared’s survival.” He reached into his pocket and removed a USB drive. “What we did—what I did at Hygeia—was monstrous. Ungodly. But with this, perhaps some good will come.”

“Then it’s true?” Avery asked. “You conceptualized a genetic weapon to kill Muslims?”

“Religion is an imprecise scientific tool, but yes. Those who shared the genetic markers of the targeted haplogroup would die from the virus we developed. India has made great strides, but our leaders continue to fear that a partition between Hindu and Muslim is insufficient. They wanted a—a fail-safe, I think you’d call it. A way to act should conflict arise and threaten our existence.”

“How far did the research go?”

“How far?” Ani repeated, his brow furrowing. “What do you mean?”

Ling had told her what to ask for. “Is this information on the genetic structure of the weapon? A genomic map of the proposed virus? Theoretical models?” Avery pushed: “What did you give us?”

“I thought you knew.” Ani’s forehead cleared, and his eyes darkened. “We perfected the weapon. Tested it.”

“Tested?”

“What I have given you is a video of the experiments, as well as other information. The virus works almost perfectly. Three hundred subjects tested. A twenty-four percent survival rate.”

Avery and Jared were silent as the shock set in.

“You infected people…and a majority died?” Avery whispered.

“Yes. That is why I am here,” Ani replied.

“There are people you infected who are still alive?” Jared demanded.

“No, there are not. Eventually, all test subjects were terminated for the sake of secrecy.” Ani lifted his chin. “The evidence you will need to prove what happened is here. We recorded our findings, for later review and examination. And for protection. We had a liaison in America, and he was kept apprised of our work. When we ran our tests, he was present.”

“Who?”

“I do not know his name. But my colleagues and I thought it best to have proof that we were operating under governmental direction, hired by the Americans to work in partnership.” Ani knew their actions were indefensible, but penance required confession. “If it means anything, we used prisoners. Offered them extraordinary sums for their families if they agreed to participate.”

    “Did they know what was going to happen?”

“No. No one knew except us.”

Jared shifted and scanned the perimeter. “Who else has this information?”

“No one. After we were told to terminate the survivors, I could not continue. I joined the project out of patriotism and scientific curiosity. To understand the power of the genome. To play God. But we were not gods, and patriotism cannot justify our sins. When our team tried to tell the Indian government that we would not continue, they shut down the lab, and my colleagues began to die. I have managed to hide, but they will find me soon if I remain here much longer. I offered the recording to Howard, but he refused to take it. He said it would not be safe with him. Only with you two.”

Looking at the drive in his hand, Jared asked, “What is Avery supposed to do with this?”

“Show it to the world. Save your life and others. Do not let those men and women die in vain.” Abruptly, he turned to Avery and grabbed her hands. “I believed initially this research would have a patriotic purpose. Even ethical, if the jihadists are to be believed. I was wrong. And my weakness pulled me too deeply into the horrors. Justice Wynn was a good man who faced a terrible choice. He knew you would figure out how to stop them from winning. But if you reveal what has been done, they will try to kill you and everyone you love.”

“What about your family?”

His face turned ashen. “Slaughtered for my sins.”

In the silence that followed, Ani clenched his fingers tighter around hers. “Good can come of this, Avery, but it cannot be either buried or revealed. Do you understand?”

“No,” Avery admitted, turning her hands beneath his. “Come with us. You can tell the FBI what’s happened. You can help me finish this.”

“I cannot go with you.”

    Refusing to accept his rejection, Avery argued, “I have a friend who will help you. He’ll put you in protective custody. I need your help.”

“They will kill me.”

“Like you killed Justice Wynn?”