Yes. Ask whatsomemeans.
“Max said there was nothing dangerous in there,” Kaden said. “And what doessomemean?”
“The material wasn’t dangerous. But any incident like this has to be thoroughly investigated. No one signed to say part of the contents had been removed for incineration. There’s a protocol that has to be followed. It could just be a slip, but noone admits to incinerating anything. And why take some of the material and not all? Martin is livid. He’s demanding answers.”
“What does it have to do with me?” Kaden felt strangled by guilt. But what didsomemean? He didn’t feel he could ask again without making Harris suspicious. But were the others still in the tank or not?
“I didn’t do anything.” Kaden wanted the words back as soon as they’d left his mouth. But then he hadn’t said them. Joe had. How had he done that?Stop it, Joe!
“I know,” Harris said. “We think the material was there when you left yesterday afternoon.”
Think? Oh shit.
“What remained has now been destroyed. The entire building is being deep cleaned. Good thing you weren’t coming in today or tomorrow. Well, you wouldn’t have been given access.”
“What about CCTV?” Kaden mentally crossed his fingers.
“Not in the labs. No one who hadn’t been authorised entered the building. It’s unfortunate the disappearance coincided with your visit.” Harris stared at him intently.
“I assume you don’t want me to write about that.”
Harris gave a short laugh. “Did you take anything from the lab?”
“No.” Kaden spoke firmly. “You just said you thought the material was there when I left. Why would I take anything?”
Harris frowned. Kaden felt the need to distract him. “Have you considered any alternatives?” He had just the question. “What if the archaea turned cannibalistic and ate each other?”
Harris snorted. “Not the explanation we’re looking for.”
“Can you be sure? Maybe you weren’t feeding them what they needed. They died one by one andthenwere eaten by the survivors. Like sea monkeys. Not cannibalistic as such but they feed on the dead ones.”
“If that was the case, only one would remain.”
“So there was more than one left? How many went missing?” His pulse jumped.
“None if your theory is correct. It’s also possible a lab technician destroyed some of the material prematurely and doesn’t want to admit it.”
So why had he come? This didn’t seem like something Harris ought to be telling him. And he’d still not said how many remained in the tank.
Ask him again.
Kaden couldn’t without making him suspicious.
Ask!
Harris sucked in his cheeks. “Are you okay?”
Ah. Maybe that was really why he was here. “What do you think?”
“I…I went too far last night. I’m sorry. I’m glad you seem to be all right. I worried I’d done you some serious damage.” Harris half-smiled as he reached towards him but Kaden stepped back well out of reach.
“Don’t touch me.”You did do serious damagesaton his lips but all his bruises and scrapes were gone and he had no way to explain that.
“Come on, Kaden. I was just…disappointed.”
That I had the nerve to dump you?“You hurt me.” His heart thumped and Joe soothed it. His stomach roiled and Joe calmed it.
Harris gave a short laugh. “Not as badly as I’d thought, clearly.”
