Thicker Than Blood (8 page)

The triangles in a small section of the brown blob began fading in and out of sight. A nearby glucose molecule snapped into the side of the giant brown sphere. Suddenly the triangles stopped shifting, then moved again and then stopped. They waited for a few seconds and then the glucose molecule was sucked violently into the big blob. It looked positively mechanical. Mark started to understand what he was looking at. "Did the nanite just eat that sugar?" "It sure did," Kento said, "About ten times a day per nanite. I'm going to need a new set of heads for the microscope. I had it scanning constantly all night. The nanites are huge compared to a single molecule." Mark was truly impressed. He felt a little heady. "We mapped the whole sample. How did we miss that web?" "I don't think you did. I think it was built while I was watching another part of the sample." The smile fell off his face. "Do you know what this means?" "What?" Mark's brain was moving quickly. "It means these nanites were meant to run indefinitely," Kento looked somber. "And." Mark was trying to think why he would want nanites to run indefinitely. "Not exactly the one time use emergency oxygen suppliers they appeared to be in the hospital," Kento was speaking patiently. Mark was frustrated with his own slow responses. I'm not awake, he thought. "I think I need some tea." Mark was thinking out loud. "How long can you swim under water if you don't need to breath?" Kento said, "How much faster can you run if your heart rate accelerates half as fast?" Mark looked a little afraid. Kento was clearly frustrated. He looked Mark in the eyes. "How long can you be dead before it actually starts to hurt your brain?" "Holy crap." Mark's jaw was open. "Well said." Kento turned to stare out the window. They both stared into space for a while. Shocked by the enormity of Joe's prize from his trip to hell and back. Mark walked over to the electric teapot and filled it with water. He focused on the simple task of preparing a mug while the back of his mind processed the implications of such a find.

Mark shouted across the shop. "Kento. You know whoever this belongs to is going to figure out we have it, sooner or later." Kento paused and said, "Mark, something this important can belong to no one. We are all surely damned." The door burst open as Lucy, Joe, and Finny shu?ed inside. Joe looked positively catatonic. Lucy and her daughter seemed chipper and alive. "Kento whats up," Lucy asked affectionately. She walked over to Kento and gave him a hug. "You smell," Lucy grinned. "What kind of workshop doesn't have a hot shower?" Kento smiled. "Yeah you smell," Finny chimed in. Kento looked from side to side, pretending he didn't know she was talking to him. "Hey Joe," Kento yelled, "You look like you need some coffee." "Uhhhhhhh," Joe responded. He trudged toward the coffee machine. Mark was looking for something to do and began to prepare some coffee for Joe. He was still reeling, thinking about whoever these nanites belonged to. They would come looking for them. What was Joe's aunt mixed up in. What kind of shadowy underworld figures could sneak something this advanced around under the government's nose. In a hospital? How did they get away with it, Mark wondered. Mark watched as Lucy busied herself settling Finny into her play area. I don't think I could handle that kind of responsibility, he thought as he poured hot water in his mug. He absent-mindedly grabbed a teabag out of its box next to the kettle. Mark's mind changed gears. I don't want to dwell on my immanent demise. Lucy has got to see Joe's fight, he thought. He walked over to Lucy. "Did Joe tell you he and Kento were attacked?" Mark asked. "Reluctantly yes. I heard he almost got my van stolen," Lucy did not sound amused. "I have it on video," Mark grinned, "He was amazing." "Okay," Lucy sighed, "Lets see it." She followed Mark over to his workstation by the cyborg base. He played the video for her. Mark smiled and scowled, but Lucy just kept a straight face. At the end of the video, Lucy looked perplexed. Mark, unsure, asked, "What did you think?" "I think I know that guy."

"The victim?" Mark was confused. "The trucker," Lucy responded. "From where? We have to thank this guy." "I don't know," Lucy was lost in thought. Mark rewound the video and stopped it on the best shot of the truckers face. They both stared for a minute. Mark broke the silence, "Kento found something out about the nanites last night." "Really?" Lucy seemed interested. "They eat," Mark said proudly. "What?" Lucy asked. "Glucose," Mark said. "He turned them on?" Lucy asked. "Nope." "Wow," she still looked perplexed over the face of the trucker. "Hey guys come over here," Kento shouted. "I need your input." Joe staggered over in a fashion that convinced Mark that his coffee cup was actually holding him up. Lucy led the way, Mark followed. "For Joe and Lucy, we now have reason to believe that the nanites never actually power down," Kento said business-like. "The nanites continually feed on nearby glucose, a superfluous function for machines meant to fail in a short time. I have come to believe that these machines have been made with the intention of enhancing a human to give them super strength and endurance. Somebody very powerful must be behind the development of these machines to keep them a secret throughout their development, and we are now racing the clock with our very lives." "Great," Joe said with no enthusiasm. Mark cracked a smile. You have to love Joe's style. "If we destroy all samples and data, we may have a chance at creating plausible deniability. We would have to continue our lives as if we never encountered these. Any chance we had of working in any kind of legitimate nanoresearch is gone." "Fine with me." Lucy smiled. "If we choose to continue down our current path, we must expedite and accelerate the discovery process as fast as we can. Ultimately, only instant simultaneous disclosure of functioning plans in the very near future will protect us from swift extermination." Kento's eyes bugged a bit before he squinted.

Huh? Terrorists aren't going to come crashing through the door in the next five minutes, Mark thought. "Kento you've gone off the deep end. I know somebody would be pissed about the reproduction of these things, but we're just looking, and how would they know." "So you think we should try to reproduce these?" Kento was deadly serious. "This is a one way fork in the road, we must make a decision right now. Your whole life will be very different from here on in if we continue." Kento's voice was soothing and very powerful. Even Finny stopped playing and looked on. "So you think our future depends on ending this here?" Mark asked. Mark hated the idea of stopping, but the whole ruined life thing was very compelling. I guess Kento read me right, I don't really care what the future holds if I have to let this go. Kento turned to Lucy, "Are you prepared to give up your daughter? To go to jail and not see her? To run from somebody every day for the rest of your life." Lucy looked to her daughter, to reassure her. Finny didn't look upset, trusting her mother completely. Lucy didn't answer. "How about you Joe? Amman is right, this is no game." His tired eyes looked more open now. He paused and said, "I chose when I took them." Joe definitely knew himself. Mark always liked that about him. "What about Amman?" Joe asked, "Can we trust him?" "I don't know," Kento seemed sincere. "He is very angry." No way am I letting them speak for Amman. "He has been through enough terrible shit." Mark looked surprised that words were coming out his mouth. Everybody turned and stared at Mark. Mark hated the idea of speaking for Amman when he wasn't present. He stood there silent, looking back at everyone. Amman wouldn't want them to know. Joe doesn't need defending, he'd always choose the adventure. I don't know Kento. Oh wait dammit, I don't have a choice do I. They need to know everything. Lucy and Finny need to know everything. Mark tried to speak but nothing came out.

Nathan dwelled on the Chief's words. "Confirm carnal knowledge." Those seemed to fit with Scott's version of what happened in the meeting. Now Nathan needed to test their new legal loophole against the spirit of the chief's words. Actually technically they weren't going against orders, since technically they weren't enlisted or contracted to do any of this. But to be safe, Scott wanted yet another level of protection for MIR and mainly himself. Nathan was expected to use an unrelated violation of protocol between a general and Homeland Security's intelligence to confirm the state of Vallone's net search in a round about sort of a way. Sort of a bureaucratic blackmail. It really was a beautiful manipulation legally speaking. The system is so inefficient, Nathan thought, it's time for the Pentagon to finally acknowledge the truth. MIR's specialists are just better equipped at modern warfare. In the age of the nanite, troops were never more effective than the nanites defending them. Soldiers are for show, it's the machines that do the work. No MIR, no machines, no more effective US defense against global terrorism. He squinted to see the time on his watch in the darkened makeshift office. Nathan picked up the phone and dialed the chief of military cybercrimes division of Homeland Security. The phone rang three times and he heard a young man with a squeaky voice answer the phone. "Hello, cyber-forensics, Chief's office, Lieutenant Douglas Franklin speaking." "Hello, Lieutenant Franklin, I am Nathan Jones, core operations supervisor at Municipal Integrated Robotics, I need to speak to the Chief," Nathan said. He knew that would be impossible. "What is this in regards to," Lieutenant Franklin trailed off. "Security Protocol five bee dash forty two point six. I am requesting a secondary review of procedure h on Joseph Vallone." "Please hold," the squeaky man uttered. The phone went silent. One minute later, "What case was procedure Hanna being reviewed for, and under who's authority?" "The authority of the Joint Chiefs," Nathan said with certainty. That is the beauty of it, Nathan thought. Done in by their own hand with their own authority. It suited them to drown in their own legal mire. "Please wait, while I verify MIR's security status and lock down your location." Nathan heard some intermittent rustling and tapping on the other side of the phone. "According to our records, Vallone has been handled appropriately for a low confidence status." So Intelligence thought Mr Vallone was no risk. It won't be so easy to convince Scott, he thought. "So you're certain all transmission types are covered?" "Sir, I need you to call back on a secure line to tell you that." Nathan was suddenly flush. "I thought you told me that Vallone was a low risk." "Yes sir," uttered the nervous Franklin. "Then what is the problem?, What could possibly require a secure line?" Jones felt his pulse race as he imagined his conversation with Scott about this. "Sir, I can only grant you the grade status of the case under that security protocol. You need to be in the secure grid to receive any further detail on that case." "I know what you are doing," Nathan's voice began to raise, "You're hiding something." Nathan's words were a bluff but his tone was fueled with fear. "Sir, I will be filing a complaint about this, if you do not cease your accusations immediately!" The lieutenant spoke with a new vigor, but still squeaked. "Then why not tell me now, you know that you'll have to soon, despite your protests," Nathan was sinking fast, this was not in his plan. "Sir, use of the security grid is in place for a reason as is the five bee request for case status. Your lack of respect for procedure shows a clear lack of understanding of the need for accountability or the sensitivity of the information involved" Lieutenant Franklin's tone leveled off.

"Goodbye Lieutenant, I will remember this gross lack of judgment," Nathan was angry about being out-argued. "Goodbye sir." Franklin hung up the phone. Nathan began to rapidly sift through his papers. I need some good news. I can't face Scott with the minimum accomplishment. I need more. He suddenly stopped at a folder marked 'Dr. Teressa Graceland', with red ink. We can't be sure about the state of the investigation. I'll force her hand. I get her to arrange a meeting with Vallone. One interview and we'll able to hold him. Nathan began to smile. He wedged the phone between his shoulder and chin, and dialed. He tapped a pen nervously on the desk as the phone rang. An annoyed woman answered, "Hello, intensive care and radiology." "Dr. Graceland please, it's urgent." "It's always urgent from that area code, may I ask who's calling?" The woman sounded very annoyed and a bit sassy. "This is Nathan Jones from MIR..." "Please hold," the woman put him on hold before he could finish talking. Nathan ran through his script of the conversation he wanted to have with Dr. Graceland in his mind. He was tapping his pen faster now. "Hello?" "Dr. Graceland, this is councilor Nathan Jones from MIR. I believe you already know my superior, council Conner." "Yes, how may I help you, counselor?" Teressa inquired. "I need to set up an interview with you and your nephew, Joe Vallone," Nathan stated plainly. "Out of the question," Dr. Graceland said swiftly. "He has nothing to do with the decision to administer the hyperrespiratory formula. My report should illustrate that." She is very defensive, Perhaps she's hiding something. Nathan slowly cracked a crooked smile. "I don't believe that we have a choice doctor. National security is at stake." Nathan was grinning. "I will not submit him to any interviews. He was mostly dead when they were activated. He is not a terrorist, he is a hemophiliac, and that is the end of it." "If you prefer we can begin with you," Nathan said. Nathan had an idea. We don't need Joe, he thought. I had better keep her going or I'll look weak. Teressa began fume, "Why don't you end with me instead. He knows nothing about what was done to him."

"So you say. You forget the needs of the people around you. You, your hospital, MIR, and Homeland Security have specific interests that this information does not come out. Did you forget the waivers and contracts you signed? Did you not apply for security clearance just to be a part of this project? Your lack of respect for procedure shows a clear lack of understanding of the need for accountability or the sensitivity of the information involved." Nathan paused, but heard nothing but breathing on the phone. "I would like to meet you both tomorrow." "I am in surgery all this week. The first time I can meet you is next Tuesday," Teressa sounded exasperated. "That is not acceptable," Nathan sounded cold. His confidence was growing. "Fine, I am out of the study. I'll turn in my withdrawal papers tomorrow." No wait, I can't let her out of that contract, not yet. Nathan felt his desperation growing and his toes curl. I have to take control. "We can do without Joe for Tuesday." Dr Graceland held the line in silence. "I'll need all your trial data for this quarter as well, I'll meet you at eleven hundred hours, before your shift begins," Nathan's voice revealed little emotion. This will finally earn me some R and R, he thought. Scott will have to appreciate my initiative. Nathan heard a man's voice across the phone. "Dr Graceland, you're needed in ER now." "Good bye council Jones. I must go now," Teressa sounded cold. She hung up the phone before he could respond. Just wait until Tuesday, he thought. Nathan cracked a smile.