Blood Harvest (14 page)

“I see. So a worldwide organization asks you and your company for help with some potentially lethal threat they knew nothing about and you expect me to believe you casually sent your people, people for whose well-being you are responsible, into the area without any information?”

“Well…it was hardly casual. We have procedures for going into ‘hot zones’ of activity, without knowing what we are up against, procedures for safely assessing, stabilizing and containing whatever the dangers.”

Mr. Daniels was constantly glancing at Kunnert, becoming more ill at ease with each passing moment. Kunnert seemed unfazed and did not react in any way.

“Very commendable; I’m sure you are very proud of your crew.”

“Yes, we are indeed.”

“Just so I understand, why does the corporate headquarters for a company that manufactures medicines and other pharmaceuticals need a Haz-Mat team? Especially, when it turns out that your closest manufacturing plant is in Iowa?”

“Well, we…I don’t see how any of this has to do with what happened at
The Inferno
. Who or what are you really investigating Detective?”

“I checked with the business license department and your company is not licensed to have a lab or research facility on site here in Los Angeles. So I guess my real question is, if you didn’t have a crew of researchers and scientists here, then where did they come from?” So much for the politically correct approach, Steve thought.

Mr. Daniels looked as if he might have a heart attack, but before he could respond Kunnert stepped forward, “I am sorry Detective, but as head of security for Pharmanetics there are some pieces of information we must keep confidential as a result of our government contracts. If you feel the information is crucial to your case I would suggest you contact members of the federal government for the release of the information. Otherwise, I am afraid there are some questions regarding the company that will have to go unanswered.”

As Kunnert spoke, Daniels seemed to have a transfusion of authority. “Detective, most of your questions seem to be an investigation into my company as opposed to an investigation into what happened at
The Inferno
. So, I ask you again, who or what are you here to investigate.”

Steve knew he had pushed too hard at this point, but there was no going back.

“If you must know Mr. Daniels, I have my reservations about the presence of a public company doing the work of the federal government. I have worked with the feds and I can tell you from experience they don’t let anyone play in their sandbox without having some serious leverage or need. So that leads me to your company and whatever may be Pharmanetics’ angle in the situation.”

Daniels was now completely composed and under control. He stood and slowly walked over to where Steve was sitting. “I appreciate your candor Detective; however, in light of what you just told me, I believe any information you need regarding Pharmanetics is a matter of public record. Any other information Pharmanetics or its employees may or may not have should be requested through the proper channels. At the very least I would expect the company’s attorneys to be present during the meeting. Now, please forgive us as we have no more time to spend with you today.”

Astonished by the blatant stonewalling, Steve could only think to say, “Mr. Daniels, do you really want me to get the court orders? After all I was under the impression the city and the LAPD were at your disposal.”

“Pharmanetics will happily provide anything it can to help the LAPD and the city, but we would appreciate the consideration of not being hounded as we perform our charity work. That’s all the time I have for you Detective. Mr. Kunnert will show you to the door.”

Steve stood up from his chair. “Thank you, but I can find my way out.” He turned and walked to the elevator where he pushed the down button. Looking back into the room, Steve saw the two men watching him leave as Ms. Reece walked toward him.

“I appreciate what time you were able to give me Mr. Daniels. I’ll be in touch.” A threat was audible in Steve’s voice.

“I look forward to it, Detective,” came the unfazed response from Daniels.

The elevator doors opened and Steve stepped inside, followed by Ms. Reece. Steve never saw Kunnert nod ever so slightly to Ms. Reece as the doors of the elevator closed. The room was silent for a moment before Daniels turned to Kunnert, “What did you make of that?”

“He’s fishing. You were right to cut the meeting short when you did,” Kunnert responded.

“What did you think of the court order he brought up?”

“I think he’s bluffing. He has nothing to go on and getting a court order against this company would not be easy under the best of circumstances. The Detective is operating solely on conjecture.”



“I agree. He’s off the mark, but not far off enough for me to be comfortable.”

“Do we make an example of him?”

Daniels thought for a moment, “No, I don’t think so. Not yet anyway. However, it may be prudent to keep an eye on him, just in case.”

Chapter 14

In the elevator Steve paced like a caged leopard, his head starting to throb. The residual effects of his concussion manifested when he was in any heightened state of emotion. This physical problem put him in an even worse mood than he would normally have been in after such a meeting. He definitely considered the Pharmanetics group, or at least its executives, suspects in this case. The problem was the motive. Why would a multi-billion dollar company risk something as public as what happened at
The Inferno
? Steve thought it more likely they had some kind of “bug-or-drug” that had gotten away from them and the whole clean-up they “volunteered” for was, in reality, a cover for something else.

Steve stopped in his tracks and looked at the woman sharing the elevator space with him. Her whole disposition had changed. She seemed smug and patronizing as she looked at him from where she leaned against the elevator wall.

“I guess you didn’t get what you wanted, did you?” she chided.

Steve didn’t answer; instead he looked away and tried to focus his thoughts.

“Aw, what’s the matter Quickdraw? Having a hard day?”

Steve couldn’t believe this. She was actually goading him. Oh, he so did not need this.

“Careful lady. I’m not in the mood,” Steve warned.

“Well, I am always careful and in the mood. I suppose I should tell you I wasn’t impressed by your little display in the lobby earlier and if you ever try something like that with me I’ll make you eat that gun.”

Steve chuckled at the remark, “Is that so?”

“Yes, that is so.” All humor had left her voice. “Johnson is a friend and believe me when I tell you I will be taking the issue of your threatening him at gunpoint to your superiors.”

“Go ahead,” Steve said without interest.

“I intend to have you suspended.” Ellen was getting riled.

Exasperated with the woman, Steve rubbed his eyes. “Lady, do whatever you want or feel you need to do, but in the meantime would you be so kind as to shut the fuck up.”

This had the opposite effect as Ellen started screaming at him.

“Who do you think you are? And who the hell do you think you are talking to?”

As the car continued it’s descent, Steve turned to Ellen and pointed an accusatory finger at her face.

“What are you doing here? I said I could find my own way out.”

Ellen moved past the finger and stood nose to nose with Steve without flinching.

“Frankly Detective, this is my job and I don’t give a rat’s ass what you do or do not appreciate.”

Slack jawed and beside himself, Steve was unable to respond.

“The fact that the CEO has asked you to leave the building means I don’t have to be polite anymore, so let me tell you what is going to happen from this point forward.”

Steve noted Ellen was talking with the command of a basic training drill instructor, which was actually quite disconcerting.

Ellen continued, “You are going to walk out of this elevator and I am going to walk out next to you. We shall pass through the lobby and exit the building where we will shake hands and you will then proceed to get the hell off the property!”

Ellen let the force of her words sink in, as Steve remained too stunned to speak.

“If you decide to stray in any way from this plan I will see to it that badge or not, Johnson and his thugs will get you off property by force. Do we understand each other?”

Steve regained his composure and began to respond, “Lady, I don’t know who…”

Ellen cut off what he was saying by punching him with a right hook that rattled his teeth. Steve gripped his chin and spat blood into his hand. The inside of his lip had been cut on his teeth from the blow.

“This is not negotiable, Detective. Speak again and I’ll drag you out myself.”

Steve looked at the blood on his hand as he stood up straight and reached for Ellen. She blocked his grab and twisted Steve’s arm behind his back in a hammerlock, forcing him face first into the elevator wall. The car rocked slightly from the impact as it continued its descent.

“Some men never learn,” Ellen warned as she wrenched upward on Steve’s arm.

Steve found himself pinned to the wall by the blonde Amazon behind him. Damn, she was another one. She was another member of Pharmanetics security and probably some well-trained mercenary who had been covering him since she had come out of the elevator earlier. He had completely missed all the signs, possibly because she was female and attractive. He had been caught off guard and underestimated her so severely she was now in complete control, really putting it to his arm. It felt as though it might pop at any moment.

“Too bad you had to attack me in the elevator,” Ellen pulled out a small two shot Derringer and placed it against the back of Steve’s head, “self-defense, ask any one of the witnesses.”

The deadly seriousness of the situation became immediately evident. Steve let his body go slack under the woman’s grip in mock surrender as he reached for the Emergency stop switch, pushing it from left to right with a click and a snap. The elevator car lurched to a stop, sending Steve and Ellen toppling onto the floor as alarm bells blared.

Steve recovered and rolled to his feet as Ellen kicked herself up to a standing position. The concussion he had suffered a couple of days earlier screamed to life as the effort of regaining his footing shot pain into his head and sent his equilibrium into a tailspin. His head cleared enough for him to realize that Ellen had maneuvered behind him and encircled an arm around his throat.

Steve could feel her bear down and try to sink the chokehold; however, her efforts were suddenly laughable compared to the strength and skills he had at his command. Effortlessly, and almost mockingly, Steve flipped her over his shoulder and threw her against the far wall of the elevator. Ellen groaned as her body collapsed motionless to the floor and Steve stood over her as he flicked the emergency stop switch back to the off position. He felt the elevator come back to life as it once again continued its descent while he watched the illuminated numbers count down toward the lobby.

A sudden sound explosion erupted within the elevator car. Steve felt an intense burning in his side. As he reached down to his right flank just below the rib, his hand came away wet with blood. Steve turned to see Ellen holding the tiny Derringer she’d just fired, one of its two .38 caliber rounds had struck point blank into his side.

The elevator made a “ding” sound as it came to a full stop and the doors opened to reveal Chris standing there waiting to get on board.

“Oh!” Chris smiled when he saw Steve, “What’s….?”

Chris’ words caught as he saw Steve collapse to his knees and then shifted to the corner of the elevator where a woman was pointing a tiny handgun directly at Steve’s head.

“Wait!” Chris cried out, but Ellen was either too stunned or was simply ignoring him as she used her thumb to cock the hammer, ready to shoot again.

“No!!!” Chris awkwardly leapt forward. Ellen finally took notice of him as her eyes went wide with surprise and shock. Chris’ momentum carried his body into hers like a ton of bricks, flattening the startled woman and smashing her head into the wall of the elevator. If she were dead or simply unconscious was unimportant to Chris. He quickly picked himself up and began to drag Steve out of the elevator. Steve stifled a scream of pain as Chris pulled him into the lobby. A wave of dizziness washed over him; Steve’s eyes closed and total darkness ensued.

Chapter 15

The smell of detergent and bleach gave Steve the unusual impression he was in a laundromat. Something else lingered in his mind about his surroundings, something he noticed in the air, something foul. Groggy, he opened his eyes then immediately shielded them from the blinding luminescence from a tower of floodlights directly over his head. Spots flashed in his mind, impressions left by the powerful lights. He kept his eyes closed and fumbled for a handhold to help pull himself up to a seated position. He was lying supine on top of some kind of smooth metal table, cold to the touch.

Finding the edge of the table he grasped the side with his right hand and struggled to a seated position. Ever so slowly he opened his eyes in order to survey his surroundings; the sight only exaggerated his disorientation. He was in what appeared to be a large surgical theater complete with stainless steel trays and medical cases. Instead of electrical monitoring equipment surrounding one operating table there were several tables evenly spaced throughout the room. Stranger still, each table looked more like a giant washbasin or sink with hoses attached to showerheads hanging overhead. It all seemed vaguely familiar, but his head was still swimming.