Night Game (3 page)

“You can say whatever you like about me, Gator. I believe we need research and yes, I admire his brilliance, even while I condemn the things he did. I do not put it before morality, but do you have any idea how far ahead of his time he was?”

“So you’ve said, more than once. Who are you trying to convince, Lily?”

“DNA was first sequenced in 1977. It wasn’t until 1997 the first genome was sequenced. Don’t you see what that means? He had to have been years ahead of the game. With the things he did, we should be able to figure out better gene therapy and possibly which viruses to use as vectors without the possibility of triggering cancer in unstable cells.”

“Lily…” Gator raked a hand through his hair in agitation. “You aren’t going to get me to see him as some kind of a world savior. He deliberately caused a child to get cancer, not once but repeatedly.”

“You aren’t listening to me, Gator. Don’t you see how the research he did, monstrous or not, could be beneficial? It all happened years ago. We can’t change what he did, but we can acknowledge his brilliance and use what he found out. It’s the only way to bring some good out f the horror he inflicted on us all.”

He breathed deeply to calm the temper pushing so close to the surface. Lily didn’t know what he was capable doing. No one did. Not even Whitney. And he suspected Flame was just as capable of the same mass destruction as he was. “Damn him to hell, Lily, for what he did to her. For what he did to all of you. All of us. I’ll do my best to find her, but I doubt she’ll be very cooperative. I wouldn’t be under the circumstances. I guess you’d better explain exactly what genetic enhancement and gene doping is to me. And do your best to explain in terms I can understand.”

He couldn’t look at her. Didn’t dare look at her. He didn’t want to have to kill Flame Johnson. He didn’t want to have to look at her face, knowing what a monster had done to her and put a gun to her head, but he might have no choice. Lily was giving him no choice, and right at that moment, he was nearly as angry with her as he was with her father. She had no right to ask this of him. They both knew it wasn’t going to be simple bringing Flame back into the fold. Damn both Whitneys to hell for this.

“Basically, gene therapy uses genes to treat or prevent disease. A gene can be inserted into a damaged cell to repair it. At this time, researchers are testing different approaches to gene therapy. They can replace a damaged gene that causes disease with a healthy one. They can knock out a mutated gene that is malfunctioning and they can introduce a new gene into the body to fight a disease.”

Gator stuffed two more shirts into his duffel bag. “In theory, gene therapy is a good thing.”

“In any experiment, Gator, there’s going to be failures; it’s how scientists learn.”

“Tell that to Flame.”

“I don’t have to. Do you think I don’t know what she went through? I’m the one reading her files firsthand. You’re getting the watered-down version.” For the first time, Lily looked angry, her eyes dark with temper. “I thought you’d be the best person to approach about this. You’re always calm and you think things through. Throwing stones at me isn’t going to help Flame.”

“Is that what you think I’m doing? I’m hearing this for the first time. I’m struggling to understand not only what he did to Flame, but how it impacts all of our lives. How did you react, Lily, the first time you realized what he’d done? Did you immediately think to yourself what a brilliant scientist he was, or did you wonder how it would affect you and Ryland and your kids, because it damn well made me think about it. Did you picture Flame as a child so sick and miserable she couldn’t walk, with no one to comfort her? Because I did. I’m sorry I’m not handling this to your liking, but someone needed to kill the son of a bitch.”

Lily winced. “Someone did, Gator.”

He rubbed his forehead and the sudden headache pounding at his temples. “I’m sorry, Lily, that was completely uncalled for. Tell me a little more about enhancement and why gene therapy is such a great thing. I swear, I’ll try to listen with an open mind.” He flashed a small grin at her. “And try to speak English. I have to actually understand what you’re telling me.”

Grateful that he was at least willing to try, Lily sent him a small smile in return. “I’ll do my best. Gene therapy expanded to include the ability to not only correct faulty genes, but also enhance normal ones. This where it gets a little complicated.”

“I’m following you,” Gator said.

“A carrier molecule or vector is used to introduce the desired gene—or genes—into a patient’s target cells. A virus is used as the vector because viruses have evolved a way of encapsulating and delivering their genes to human cells in a pathogenic manner. Are you following me?”

“So far. I think being around you so much, I’m beginning to pick up all your scientific jargon.”

“Besides viral-mediated gene delivery systems, there are several nonviral options for gene delivery. The simplest method is the direct introduction of therapeutic DNA into target cells. But that approach is limited in its application because it can only be used with certain tissues and it requires large amounts of DNA.

“Another nonviral approach involves the creation of an artificial lipid sphere with an aqueous core. This liposome, which carries the therapeutic DNA, is capable of passing the DNA through the target cell’s membrane.”

“Hell, Lily, you just went into the ozone with that explanation.”

“Sorry. It wouldn’t enhance, let’s say, your legs. You’d need to reach a tremendous number of cells to do that. But…” Lily frowned and something in the way her face stilled and her voice lowered made Gator pay closer attention. “There are forty-six chromosomes in the human body. My father appears to have been working on a forty-seventh chromosome. One that would exist autonomously alongside the standard fortysix—not affect their working or causing mutations. It appears to be large vector capable of carrying substantial numbers of genetic codes. If he succeeded, the body’s immune system wouldn’t attack it. The difficulty, of course, is how to deliver such a large molecule to the nucleus of a target cell. If he managed to do that, it would solve a lot of the problems with gene therapy, but create other, much more frightening hazards.” One hand fluttered protectively over her stomach. “In the data we have so far, gene enhancement doesn’t appear to affect the next generation, but if he inserted a new chromosome, all bets would be off.”

“You have to discuss this with Ryland.” Gator couldn’t help but notice that her hands were shaking.

“I don’t know anything for certain, I wouldn’t have come forward yet, but you were leaving for New Orleans and this is probably our best opportunity to find Iris Johnson.” She tilted her head and stared up at his face, her gaze meeting his squarely. “When I realized Flame might be in New Orleans, I really paid attention to the data we have on her. Most of it was on her health and genetic enhancements, not on her psychic abilities. She can do extraordinary things from the enhancement, but little was said about her potential as a weapon. She can manipulate sound, Gator. She can use her voice for a wide range of sounds including the lower frequencies that we now have learned make excellent weapons. Given the fact that I’ve found years of research on her and she could be both ill and dangerous, not to mention she’s in valuable to medical research, she has to be found.”

Gator kept every expression from his face. He was beginning to feel like a lab rat all over again. He felt very sorry for Flame. She had to have had a miserable life, used solely as a caged experiment. Mostly he detested that Lily sounded so much like her adoptive father. Disconnected. Impersonal. More scientist than human. “How do you know she can manipulate sound?”

“I pay attention to detail, the same as you do. Don’t play dumb with me.” She pressed her fingertips harder just above both eyes, obviously trying to ease a bad headache. “I’m angry. You’re angry. I can accept that, but we’re in this together. Why are you being so difficult?”

“Why aren’t you talking to everyone about this?” Gator asked. “We’ve always done things a certain way, Lily. We’ve always been a team. You’re deliberately dividing that team. Why?”

“Because I just had a very fast lesson in how sound can be used as a weapon and, quite frankly, it scared the hell out of me. Dahlia is a very frightening person with the powers she wields, and if what I suspect about Flame is true, with her personality she’s even more so. Flame could be a major threat to all of us.”

Gator studied Lily’s expression. “You know she’s royally pissed, don’t you? You know more than you’re letting on to me. I don’t like games. I never have. You can either tell me what you know and let me decide for myself whether or not I want in, or you can forget about receiving any help from me.”

“I don’t
know
anything for certain, Gator, I only
suspect
. There’s a huge difference between the two. If you asked me straight-up what I believe about Flame, I’d have to tell you I don’t think there was any home or any adopted parents. Not ever. I think the story in the computer is a complete fabrication.” She sank down onto his as if her legs bed wouldn’t support her anymore. “I think she was held somewhere and the experiments continued long after her childhood, maybe even until she was in her late teens. I think she escaped.”

Gator took an aggressive step forward, looming over Lily. “And you’re still defending that bastard? What the hell is the matter with you?”

“I’ve never defended him.
Never
.” She lifted her face to his, tears swimming in her eyes. “I don’t trust what I’m reading anymore. I can’t even tell you exactly what’s making me suspicious, but I have this horrible feeling the stories about the girls are planted. Or at least about Flame.”

Gator forced his temper under control. Lily suddenly looked fragile enough to shatter. “Why haven’t you gone Ryland with this?”

“We’ve been trying to have a baby.” Lily burst into tears and covered her face with her hands, her slender shoulders as she wept. “We’ve been trying for months. I was so excited, and now I’m terrified. I’m not enhanced, but he is. I know he is. And how much more can he take before looks at me the way you just did a few minutes ago?”

“Lily…”

“I’m like him, like my father. I have the same mind, the same drive to get answers. The same need to push every thing to the limit. Eventually, if all I suspect is the truth, if it all comes out, Ryland will leave me. He won’t be able to look at me.”

“That isn’t true.”

“Yes it is. I loathe my father. Every time I look in the mirror, I feel like I’m looking at him. When I’m reading about the things he did, instead of thinking what a monster he was, I can’t help my first reaction, the awe that his mind was capable of visualizing so far in advance of our most gifted researchers. What does that say about me, Gator? How can I look Ryland in the eye knowing I have that kind of reaction? I just stood here arguing with you about what a brilliant man my father was after admitting he deliberately gave a child cancer. If he’s a monster, what does that make me?”

“Are you pregnant, Lily?” Gator guessed shrewdly, watching the way Lily pressed her hands to her stomach.

A fresh flood of tears answered him. His stomach twisted in sympathy and sudden understanding. In fear for her and his friend. “You need to talk to Ryland.” His voice was much gentler.

She shook her head adamantly. “I don’t have all the facts yet, Gator. There’s just so much data to sift through. When I finally realized what I’d stumbled onto, I started working as many hours as possible to compile information to get a clearer picture.” She wiped at her eyes again. “The picture just keeps getting worse and worse. I don’t know if anything is true. I’m tired and discouraged and overwhelmed. How can I tell any of you what my father did when I don’t know for certain myself?”

“You need to tell all of this to Ryland,” he repeated, sitting beside her and taking her hand. “He’ll understand.”

She sighed. “I don’t understand. How can I expect him to understand? If the stories and the letter from my father asking me to find the girls and help them is all a sham, what’s going on? Why would he bother to write me such a letter? I’m spending a fortune trying to find the other girls he experimented on.” She leaned toward Gator, visibly trying to get a handle on her emotions and become the scientist she was much more comfortable with. “Do you know that the computer is programmed to send a flag each time someone with the screen name of ‘babyblues’ logs on to one particular blues site? Why would that be, Gator?”

“You have an idea.”

I don’t much like the idea I have. I think babyblues is really Flame. I think she loves blues music and someone was smart enough, after she escaped, to figure out her screen name. They attempt to find her location whenever the goes online and happens to get an update of what is happening in the blues community. And that scares the hell out of me. Who programmed the computer to do that? If it was my father, why did he write the letter to me stating the girls were all given away for adoption and he wanted me to find them? How come, with all my resources, I haven’t been able to track them?”

“Where do you think they are? He can’t have sanitariums scattered all over the United States housing these women, can he?”

“I’m beginning to think he could do anything. And I’m beginning to think some of this was government sanctioned. Not outright of course, but he had to have had help. He had money, Gator, more money than even I can conceive of. And he had top security clearance. How much they knew, I have no idea, but they had to have wanted the weapons he could provide. If Flame can do the things I think she can, she would be invaluable. Even as an experiment. It’s possible they allowed her to escape with the idea she’d get sick and have to come back.”

“Like Dahlia and the sanitarium. She had to return because she couldn’t make it on the outside. It was her only refuge.” Gator was beginning to feel very protective toward the absent Flame. “So Flame goes out into the world and does whatever it is she does, and they know she has to come home sooner or later because her body is going to betray her.”