The Toymaker (10 page)

London would be the true test of his disguise. Security might not be as easy to fool that close to Ireland. His face and reputation were notorious in England. Interpol and Scotland Yard would still be looking for him to cross through Customs. A gamble he had to take. He had to become mobile again if he stood any chance of restoring his line of business. He didn’t have any other skills. Killing was all he knew. And killing was all he wanted to do.

Traditional means of transportation were still the easiest, most convenient, and many times, the cheapest way to travel. But it wasn’t the safest. His former ally in the shipping business, the Libyan, was no longer a viable option—not since the man and woman came snooping around, asking about Collins’ whereabouts. Information the Libyan didn’t know and therefore couldn’t reveal. As far as the world was concerned, Ian Collins had disappeared off the face of the earth. He intended to keep it that way.

For now.

Collins was flying west, which made for a long day with all the time zone changes. He planned to sleep on the overseas flight to the United States. He would need it. Tonight he had to stake out his next target.

He opened his laptop computer to check and confirm his hotel reservations in the United States. He double checked the status of his rental car and noticed the British Airways Airbus 320 pulling into his gate. Another thirty minutes before the first boarding call.

He’d planned his revenge with intricate care, no detail overlooked. His greatest challenge was not being recognized when he traveled. The gray hair and beard, brown eyes behind wire-rim glasses, and the meticulously placed theatrical make-up gave Collins the appearance of a man twenty years older. He even added age spots to his hands. The business suit and high-end luggage offered further deception of his true identity. He enjoyed the thrill of the ruse. Its high risk was exhilarating. As was plotting his revenge. Even without compensation, he knew he would enjoy this job.

Jake Pendleton would feel his wrath.

One piece at a time.

One
painful
piece at a time.

CHAPTER 16

MEtech Labs

Leuven, Belgium

“
D
R. KYLI?” JAKE was surprised. He was learning something new every minute it seemed. “Doctor of what? And why not Dr. Wullenweber?”

“Mr. Wiley’s idea of a joke.” She held the door open for Jake.

“Well Dr. Kyli, what kind of doctor are you?”

“I’m not a doctor of anything yet. I’m working on my dissertation for a PhD in Biological Science. Kind of boring, huh?” She laughed.

Jake stepped inside and Kyli closed the door. “On the contrary, it sounds impressive.”

“Don’t be impressed. I was raised around scientists and engineers, it’s in my blood.” She motioned to Jake. “Come on, Let me show you around.”

Kyli spent the next hour showing Jake the different areas of the bio lab and introducing him to several of Wiley’s employees.

“MEtech is basically a fully equipped biological and electronics laboratory.” Kyli explained. “We have 2D and 3D simulation equipment, software, and a full complement of biological and electronics testing equipment. If there is anything we don’t have, we get it from IMEC. The electronics lab designs RF and microwave custom antennas and subsystems as well as some QRCs.”

“Remind me again. What are QRCs?”

“Quick reaction contracts.”

“Oh yeah.” Jake smiled. “I remember now. Wiley told me about them.”

“As I was saying, the bio lab handles genetic research and testing. This is where I work most of the time.”

“What exactly do you do?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Try me.”

She smiled. “Don’t want to bore you, but since you asked, most of my work deals with DNA testing. I take a DNA sample, process it, and look for genetic weaknesses.”

“Weaknesses? Jake held up a vial from Kyli’s lab station. “What type of weaknesses?”

“A genetic Achilles' heel. But I concentrate on flaws that would prove fatal, such as cardiac issues, susceptibilities to cancers, brain and circulation issues. Things of that nature.” She pointed to a sample DNA string diagram mounted on the wall. “I look for those problem areas in a DNA string that indicate a potential cause of death.”

“You can do that?”

“Yes, I can. Science has made historic advances in genetic research over the last decade. You’d be amazed at what we can do with DNA.”

“So,” Jake interrupted. “Your research can lead to cures or ways to reverse these genetic flaws?”

“Not exactly. More like DNA weapon research.”

“DNA weapons? I’ve never heard of anything like that.” Jake took a step back. “Okay, now you’re scaring me.”

Kyli laughed and stepped closer to Jake and in a soft tone said, “What if I told you I could read your DNA, find out your genetic failing point then make a liquid or aromatic drug that, when introduced into your system, would attack your body at your weak spot and kill you within forty-eight hours without leaving a trace?”

“That doesn’t sound moral…or ethical.”

“This had nothing to do with morals or ethics nor is it considered medical research. I’ve only experimented on mice.”

“Well, now I feel better.” Jake said sarcastically. “Did it work?”

“It did.” She pointed to a wall with several cages. “The first experiments had limited success, but three years of trial and error perfected the process and now we have a one hundred percent
kill ratio
.”

“Kill ratio? Who are you people?”

“I told you it was technical. Remember, forewarned is forearmed.”

“What does that mean?” Jake was uncomfortable. What kind of lab was Wiley operating? Even more important, what did Bentley get him involved in and did he even know about this?

He was having difficulty grasping the gravity of her work, but the look on Kyli’s face let him know she understood his confliction.

“Jake, you of all people know these are dangerous times.” Kyli explained. “We’re not the only ones who know the implications of DNA string manipulation. We cannot protect against what we don’t understand. We must know how it works or else we’re vulnerable to attack by those entities out there—and there are plenty—that would not hesitate to use this as a weapon.”

“So you aren’t DNA assassins, you’re what, DNA guardians?”

“Don’t be so short-sighted, Jake. That’s how people die.”

Her words struck a nerve. “Protecting yourself with guns and knives I understand, but this is scary.”

“It’s very scary. Let me give you a plausible, albeit simplified, example and you can see just how scary it could be.” Kyli walked over to a large metal door that resembled a small version of a bank vault door. “Let’s say a country hostile to the United States, China for example, developed a contagious formula that would fatally attack anyone who did not have a specific Chinese marker in their DNA. All they’d have to do would be to introduce the contagion at strategic locations. Large international airports would be the most effective spots in which to release the contagion and move it worldwide the fastest. By the time anyone could figure out what was happening, the world’s population would decline. Within a matter of months China would be able to obtain world domination. Got your attention yet?”

“I’d never thought about anything like that. Is it really possible…I mean with humans?”

“If I can do it with mice, I can do it with humans.” Kyli pointed to a large metal door. ”Enough about that. Any idea what this is?”

“Let me guess. The vault.”

“Yes it is.” Kyli walked to the door. “Only Mr. Wiley’s card, password, voice authentication, and retina scan will unlock this door.”

“What’s in there?”

“You’ll have to ask Mr. Wiley. I’m not at liberty to discuss the contents of the vault.” Kyli grabbed Jake’s hand and pulled him toward the bio lab exit. “We’ll talk about it at lunch. I’m hungry.”

“But, you know, right?”

Kyli gave an impish grin, her eyes sparkling as she led him away.

† † †

The Hotel Carpinus was in the neighboring village of Herent across the canal from MEtech. For the second time that day Jake was a victim of Kyli’s heavy foot, this time in her Mini Cooper. They arrived at the hotel in ten minutes.

She pulled the car to the front door of the hotel and shut off the engine. “Grab your bag.” She unlocked the hatch.

“I thought we were having lunch?”

“We are.” She said. “Let’s get you checked in first. I made our lunch reservations here as well. You’ll like it and the food in the restaurant is splendid.”

When they walked into the lobby, Kyli went to the registration desk and spoke to the man in Dutch. The wallpaper behind the man had gold and white vertical stripes, the colors complimented the rest of the lobby’s furnishings.

Kyli signed the hotel registry and the man handed her a key. She signaled for Jake to follow her. “You’re in room seven. Lucky number seven.”

“Superstitious? Not what I would have expected from a scientist.”

“Why would you say I’m superstitious? Seven happens to be my lucky number. It might end up being yours too.” She laughed and motioned toward a hallway. “Let’s check it out.”

There was that glisten in her eyes again. Jake didn’t know what to think. Was she flirting? Kyli was friendly and certainly attractive but he’d just met her. He hadn’t even thought about another woman since Beth’s death and wasn’t sure if he was ready for anything other than business.

He followed her to his room. She opened the door with the key and entered, holding the door open for Jake. “Your room, Mr. Pendleton.” She imitated a bellboy.

Kyli took the bag from his hand and tossed it on the bed. She turned and moved toward him. She stopped close, in his personal space. Jake felt uneasy. She arched her back pushing herself closer to him. Her amber eyes full of mischief. Her perfume invaded his nostrils, Chanel Chance. Beth’s favorite perfume. Why hadn’t he noticed it before?

His body stirred, head spun, and he felt flush again. He tried to say something, anything, but nothing came out.

She raised her chin and said in a sultry whisper. “Jake? Do you know what I really want? Right now?”

He couldn’t speak. He just shook his head like a schoolboy trying to be cool but failing miserably.

“I really want to get something to eat. I’m starving.” She turned and walked out of his room.

He lowered his head and followed her out of the room.

I’m such an idiot.

CHAPTER 17

T
HE FIRST NAME on the list was a waste of time. The man knew nothing, so Kaplan and Chase went in search of the next lead. The pair located the second source but he denied any knowledge of the terrorist cell in Hajjah or the abduction of Hunt. Kaplan's instinct told him the man was lying. The more Kaplan questioned him, the more the man contradicted himself until finally the man backed himself into a corner. Beads of sweat collected on the man’s forehead and then Kaplan turned up the heat.

Kaplan threatened to kill the man’s family and expose him as a traitor. The man seemed reluctant at first until Kaplan threatened to turn him over to al Qaeda. Then the man talked. Not only did the Yemeni know about Hunt’s abduction, it also turned out his brother was a member of the terrorist cell. He was only trying to protect his brother by lying to Kaplan.

Kaplan needed more information. He needed names and places. Needed facts. He pressured the man but at the first mention of Hashim Khan, the man shut down. Kaplan was close, but was running out of time. The terrorist cell wouldn’t keep Hunt alive for long. He needed to confirm that Khan was involved with the Yemen cell…and with Hunt. The interrogator went to work.

Chase drove back to the safe house while Kaplan held the unconscious man in the back seat. The quick blow to the back of the man’s head had dropped him.

The back room in the safe house was empty and dark—no windows—the coldest room in the house. With a temperature around fifty-five, it was ideal for what Kaplan had in mind. He needed the man to talk, to tell him everything. Anything short of that would prove very painful to his captive. He understood the man’s reluctance, once he gave Kaplan the information, there would be a warrant for his death, his brother’s death, and the deaths of his entire family. A warrant not from Kaplan, but from Khan.

Kaplan found all the materials necessary for the makeshift interrogation room. He stripped the man then secured his feet to a metal hook anchored in the floor. He bound the man’s hands with flex cuffs, doused him with cold water, and forced the naked man to stand in the cold room.

Every time the man would start to fall, Kaplan would slap him then douse him again in cold water. The shivering started in less than an hour when the man’s body temperature started to fall.

He questioned the man repeatedly but the man’s fear of Khan outweighed Kaplan’s efforts.

Several of the Delta brick’s team assisted Kaplan with his interrogation. But nothing seemed to weaken the man’s resolve.

After six hours, Kaplan grew impatient. He knew eventually the man would succumb to this technique but some prisoners had lasted over forty hours before they talked. The luxury of time was not something he could afford. The clock was ticking and he knew the longer it took to find Hunt, the greater the odds she would not be alive.

Kaplan cleared the room except for Chase and ordered Chase to guard the prisoner while he left the room.

Ten minutes later Kaplan returned with an eight-foot board and a backpack. He and Chase tied the man to the board, feet first then hands. Chase wedged something under one end of the board elevating the man’s feet slightly above his head. When the prisoner was secure, Kaplan reached into his backpack and pulled out a roll of cellophane.

“Sir. You can’t do—“ Chase started to object.

“I can and I will Captain.” Kaplan interrupted. “There are too many lives at stake here. This man knows something. Without that information people will die. What this man knows can save those lives.”