Biowar

40

Rubens stood back from the console, contemplating his options. Seizing the lab would naturally give them a lot of information, but it would also tell whoever was running the operation that they were on to them. Until he actually knew what was going on — and until he was confident he could take down all of the operation in one swoop — Rubens was reluctant to move.

On the other hand, the Austrians would surely catch on soon, and delay risked their moving without him. That would provide additional obstacles, even in the best-case scenario.

If there was an engineered bacteria in the lab, he had an obligation to shut it down as soon as possible. Every hour of delay — there was no way of knowing how long it would take to gather these various strands together — increased the risk that the bacteria would be used or escape his grasp.

However, if it already had escaped his grasp, if it wasn’t here — and the low security argued strongly that was the case — then moving now would lessen the odds it could be tracked down.

Rubens’ watch buzzed. He glanced at it, momentarily unsure what he had set the alarm for.

The Homeland Security working group on the Internet. There was a meeting in two hours.

Eminently missable.

“Mr. Rubens?”

“Marie?”

“Johnny Bib wants to speak to you.”

“Now?”

“He claims it’s urgent. He was speaking to Dr. Chaucer but insisted on talking to you.”

“If this is another theory on Fermat’s Equation, Marie, I am going to be less than overjoyed.”

She held up her hands in a helpless gesture.

“Go ahead, Johnny,” said Rubens as the circuit clicked in.

“Fungus.”

Rubens sighed. “I’m afraid we must have a problem with the connection here,” said Rubens. “I thought you said ‘fungus.’”

“Fungus,” repeated Johnny Bib.

Rubens finally realized what he was trying to say.

“Johnny, you’re on an open line, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“The computers are still hooked in?”

“Affirmative.”

“Type up the data. I’ll have Ms. Telach—” He turned and saw the Art Room supervisor waving at him. “I will have Marie set up something on this end so we can see what you’re typing.”

“I need time to compose it.”

“Take your time,” said Rubens. He pressed the button on the headset control to kill the connection, then turned to Telach. “What?”

“We’ve lost Charlie Dean.”

“What?” Rubens turned and looked at the screen where the op’s position was supposed to be marked.

“They went into a tunnel and didn’t come out.”

“That’s impossible,” said Rubens.

“I know,” said Telach. “That’s why I’m worried.”