Exit 9

36

I.D. MINUS 2 HOURS 45 MINUTES

BLUEBIRD TIME 8:15 AM

THE DOP WAS furious. “I should have been told about this immediately!”

“Yes, sir,” Ross said. “I’m sorry. I thought you might want a bit more rest before the day began.”

Not just any day, the day. Implementation Day. There, in the bowels of Bluebird, it was eight fifteen a.m. on December 22^nd, but in a little less than three hours, at eleven a.m. Central Standard Time, it would be six in the morning in New Zealand on the 23^rd-given the island country’s proximity to the International Dateline, it was designated as the initial release location of KV-27a. At that moment, the DOP would enter the Go code into the system and messages would be sent across the globe-activating timers on the IDMs and other automated delivery devices so that they would begin releasing their contents at the busiest time of the day, and notifying those teams who were relying on manpower to spread the virus, such as the spraying operations in Africa and Southern and Southeast Asia, and plane operations scattered all across the world.

Ross had been right to let him sleep. It was a momentous day, one at which the entire directorate of Project Eden would be present to witness from the start. What he didn’t like, however, was beginning this day of all days with news like this.

The suit he was going to wear had been laid out the night before. He grabbed his shirt, yanked it on, and started buttoning it up. “How? How could this happen?”

“We’re…not sure yet.”

From his bed, the DOP picked up the paper detailing the conversation between the Australian transport company owner and the Project member who had been his contact. “This phone number-anything on that?”

“It’s a dummy. It reroutes half a dozen times then splits in several directions. Basically untraceable.”

The DOP snagged his pants off the hanger. “It’s them. I know it is,” he said, sure the people who had been a thorn in the Project’s side had just taken things to an unacceptable level.

“I agree.”

“Major Ross, since everything is in place now, surely we can spare some manpower to deal with them.”

Ross nodded. “Actually, sir, I’ve already pulled together an assault team, and they’re en route to the Montana location right now.”

The DOP strung his tie around his collar, tied the knot, and pulled on his jacket. He looked over his shoulder at Ross, locking eyes with his aide. “I want them dead. All of them. And not by the virus.”

“Yes, sir. I understand. I’ll make sure that happens.”

“You had better. Is there anything else?”

Ross seemed to hesitate, but then shook his head. “No, sir. That’s it.”