“Right,” Hank said. “My NSA contact unofficially reported that the Department of State received a threat that if they negotiate tighter anti-drug trafficking enforcement, there will be retaliation. Other nations involved in that conversation have also received the same threat.”
“Which confirms Vasquez’s intentions,” Crusher said. “What I don’t get is why Teuling would let Vasquez go through with his plan.”
“Unless Teuling doesn’t know where Vasquez planned to deploy the virus,” Hank said.
“Or he has plans to stop the release at the summit.” Crusher shook his head. “That’s too many assumptions. We have to plan on stopping Vasquez before he or his people release the virus, and we need to expose the truth behind Teuling’s non-profit and the additives Helvetic is producing for the clean water initiative.”
“I have my people gathering concrete data that can’t be disputed,” Hank said.”
“You’ll have to do better than that,” Crusher said. “Teuling is a billionaire. He can buy his way out of anything. He’ll claim ignorance and throw someone else under the bus to save himself.”
“We’ll work on that,” Hank promised. “Let us know if we can help in any other way. Out here.”
After Hank’s face disappeared, the monitor blinked, and a schematic appeared.
“These are the architectural drawings and floor plans for the Helvetic BioSolutions building,” Dmytro said. “I pulled them from Zurich records.” Using his cursor, Dmytro pointed to a section on the second page of the document. “This is the BSL-3 lab, located in the basement of the facility.”
The team studied the drawings and noted the corridors, elevators and staircases leading into the building and to the basement lab. They came up with a plan to stake out the complex. When they had sufficient data, they’d put a rescue plan in motion.
“I’d like to be on the first shift,” Crusher volunteered. “I need to see the complex and get a sense of what we’re up against.”
“I get that you’re anxious to free Dr. Hale,” Hammer said, “but think about it. If she was brought to Zurich because of her knowledge of viruses, she might be right where she needs to be in a BSL-3 lab.”
The man had a point. “But we don’t know whether they brought her here to work on the virus Vasquez plans to deploy. We’re running out of time. The Summit is in three days. She needs to work on the antiviral or at least be in a place where she can access Vasquez’s research database to jimmy the binding proteins, or whatever it is she does, to make the virus less effective. Can’t we just storm the complex and bring her out?”
Hammer and Jaz shook their heads. “This is bigger than saving one person. That operation has to be shut down before anyone else dies. We need irrefutable evidence to shut them down for good and put the people responsible away for a very long time.”
Crusher’s gut clenched. He didn’t give a damn about anyone else, but he did give a damn about Marta. He drew in a steadying breath and let it out slowly.
Yes, he cared about Marta. Yes, he knew they had to consider the greater good of all the souls who could be affected by a pandemic. That’s what Marta had insisted on from the beginning.
“You’re right,” Crusher said. “We need to gather the information necessary to shut down Helvetic and Teuling’s non-profit and put the people in charge, including Teuling, in jail so they can’t try something like this again. Dr. Hale would want that, and so do I.” He squared his shoulders, ready to do whatever it took to make it happen and rescue Marta. “I still want to be on the first shift.”
Chapter 16
Marta did what she could with the samples and data she could get her hands on, but she needed more. She needed internet access to enter the database that Vasquez’s scientist was working on and to check his progress in untangling the flaws she’d inserted into the DNA of the binding protein. She also needed access to the CDC database and all her notes on the work she’d done with an antiviral that would slow or diminish the effects of this particular virus.
They’d gone through many trials to perfect the antiviral but hadn’t fully tied up all the loose ends. She’d been so close when the administration had gutted the CDC staff. She couldn’t move forward without her notes. Not in a timely manner. With the Summit in three days, they didn’t have much time.
She approached the man who’d shown her where everything was. “Excuse me. What should I call you?”
“My name is not important,” he said. “What do you want?”
“I can’t get very far without my notes, and I need access to the internet.”
“No,” the man said and turned away.
“Then I’m done here. Without the notes, I have to start from scratch. I spent several years studying this virus, and recreating that information could take several more years. Either I get access to the internet to download my notes, or I can’t help with Mr. Teuling’s project.”
The man’s bushy brows drew together in a V over his nose as he stared at her, as if deciding whether she was lying. When she didn’t flinch or back down, he nodded stiffly. “I will look into the matter.”
“While you’re at it, I need an assistant to help with various tasks in the laboratory,” she said. “One who speaks English well enough that I don’t have to translate everything I say.” She’d heard the other lab workers talking, but none had done so in English.
“I am the only one in this lab fluent in English.” He looked down his nose at her. “I am a scientist, not an assistant.”
“I don’t need a scientist. I just need someone to fetch and carry items I need when I can’t break the sterile field.”
“All of the workers in the lab have assigned tasks. I will see if we can hire another assistant.”
