Открыть фик целиком в отдельном окне
“We are about to find out.”
“A week is a hell of a long time to sit on this, the NID boys may have already destroyed the evidence.”
Joel huffed. “Makes no difference Matt. This will never see the light of day, the presidential committee will deal internally and those who have been obvious will be convinced that they need to work within the confines of their system.”
“The results being disastrous for those who are left unattended hey Joel?” Matt was disgusted. “Makes us no better than them.”
“We are all them, that’s the problem. We need to minimize fallout. We get rid of Mackinroth, Carroll, Elsinger and everyone else in the interim. I would say we win.” Joel poured another scotch and looked out the window at the passing clouds.
“You know that according to our intelligence, Doyle is possibly still alive?” Matt finally asked the question that had bothered him for the last week.
He’d waited on tender hooks for the first thirty-six hours and then through the raid to lock down the base. No injuries, Elsinger under lock and key and status reports. The White House flew in a special team including doctors and scientists along with a complete security force, and the long wait began.
“Yes, there is a possibility. From the liberated files,” Joel leaned forward and tapped his palm pilot to open the secure documents, “it would appear that Doyle was transferred along with the bodies of the Russian team and three live parasites to the facility in a cryo unit, just as you suspected. His condition is registered as stable but I’ve also taken the liberty of discussing the tests that have been conducted.”
Matt paled. “Tests.”
“Connor was kept alive for the first fourteen months in a drug-induced coma. The doctors made detailed notes on the condition of the parasite during this time and conducted several experiments. From what I gather, he was in a great deal of pain so they kept him heavily tranquilized when they did allow him to awaken.”
“Human lab rat?” Matt moved closer to peer into the tiny hand held screen.
“For all accounts and purposes. The doctors who have accessed these files have confirmed that there was a major amount of damage done to him from the parasite and the tests on a whole were very invasive. It wasn’t until six months ago that they decided to terminate the project.”
“NID was going to kill him.” Matt scrolled the page.
“Yes. But the doctor wanted to see what the parasite would do under pressure changes. I’m no scientist but it seems they put him in a hyperbaric chamber and observed. The parasite was destroyed within his system completely, and in doing so released an enzyme which speeded his recovery.”
“So the project continued to see what the long term affects would be.”
“Precisely. Connor is not a docile man, he was very active and vocal.”
“So they sedated him?”
“Fairly constantly from what we can deduce.”
“What’s his physical condition?”
“Quiet good. He’s regained the weight he lost during the initial phases of the project and his muscle tone is excellent. But.” Joel looked deeply into the eyes of the man next to him.
“His mental condition is deteriorating.”
“Yes. You’ve seen service men who came back after the gulf who were detained?”
“Yeah, not a pretty sight.”
“This is a difficult situation Matt, he is withdrawn. For the last six months or more his entire world has been a ten-foot square, well-appointed cell. He hasn’t seen the sun, been allowed fresh air and has had nothing to keep his mind active except the totally dehumanizing experiments he endured.”
“And the monthly visits he’s had from Elsinger?”
“Tapes are still coming in, but it wasn’t pleasant. Elsinger hated him.”
“No kidding?” Matt sat back and rubbed his neck.
“You haven’t mentioned this to Axon yet have you?”
“No. Peter was on assignment in Toronto with Rollins and got stabbed. He’s due to be released from hospital today, I don’t think he’s strong enough to handle this yet.”
“Especially given what we might find.”
“Doyle may no longer be sane.” Matt sighed.
~~~****~~~
“Hey Dad.” Peter was packed and waiting by the time his father arrived, his arm securely bound by a sling over the thick woollen jumper.
“You ready?”
“More than ready.” Peter rolled his eyes. “Thank you for being here Dad.” He muttered awkwardly. Ray Axon sat down in the chair and gazed up at his son.
“Are things really so strained between us son?”
Peter pinched his forehead with thumb and forefinger before answering, a clear sign of his discomfit. “No I guess not. I’m just not used to the attention Dad.”
“I know, but we have to start somewhere don’t we?”
“If you want to. Dad I don’t want to be discarded again when you can no longer stand my lifestyle or am embarrassed by me.”
Ray gripped his son by the shoulder and smiled. “I’ve been angry, but I have never been embarrassed by you. You’re my son. To hell with what the world thinks.”
Peter sniffed before drawing himself painfully to his full height. “I miss him Dad.”
“I know son, I still miss your mother. I wish I could tell you it gets easier.”
Peter smiled slowly. “Dad, they never told me but I died on the table didn’t I?”
Both Anton and the hospital psychiatrist had agreed not to mention certain details to Peter. Dying on the table was one of them- the residual affects of the drugs had caused his nightmares to increase and for several days after the surgery, the post operation malaise had taken hold. But Ray coaxed his son back to him, knowing the inner strength in the quiet man had been damaged.
“Yes.” Ray sat heavily on the seat and stared up.
“See I know it was twice, the first time Dad I was ready to go, wasn’t going to fight it because I wanted to be with Connor.”
“I never realized you believed in an afterlife.” Ray smiled.
“Seen too much not to, but Dad, Connor wasn’t there. That’s why the second time I fought to come back.”
“Peter, Connor is dead.” Ray became alarmed.
“No he’s not, and you’ll think I’m hallucinating but I’m not. Dad I don’t expect you to understand, I don’t myself, but I know the reason why I couldn’t let him go.” There was a touch of urgency in the voice.
Страница 15 - 15 из 24
Начало | Пред. | 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 | След. | Конец
