The Serpent's Kiss

10

Mary Linzey stalked back and forth behind the Channel 7 News van, glaring at anyone who came near her. They were sitting on top of the biggest news story in years, and it was growing stale. The FBI ASAC, Matthew Gray, had come over and done a stand-up, saying practically nothing useful. It would make a decent sound bite, but it didn’t contain anything of substance.

She was trying to think who they could talk to, who they could interview. There was the SAC, and there were the HMRU guys in their space suits, but so far they hadn’t made themselves even remotely available. She had noticed one of the guys from DHS drive off with one of the FBI agents. It might be a scoop to talk to him, but she didn’t know where he’d gone. Nobody seemed to know. And when she had suggested that Steve Shay, their reporter, ask Gray about the Department of Homeland Security, Gray had merely said the DHS was present in an advisory capacity.

There was a shout from over by the restaurant. Someone said, “They’re bringing them out!”

Thank God, she thought. Finally, something to put on tape. Her cameraman, Ed Wachoviak, was a pro, perfectly capable of framing Shay so they could see these corpses brought out by the anonymous FBI agents in their creepy space suits. She knew damn well the network would be using this. She should get over there and make sure everything ran smoothly. Make sure Bill didn’t trip over his own tongue and say something really stupid.

Her cell buzzed. Not hiding her irritation, she punched receive. “Mary Linzey here, WXYZ.”

“You’re a producer at Channel 7, right?”

“Yes.” She tapped her foot impatiently. Who was this? Some guy, his voice sounding kind of strange. Distorted. “Yes, I’m a producer with Channel 7. What can I do for you?”

“I have a statement to make.”

She sighed. Mary was 37 years old, had a Master’s in Communications, and had been twice-divorced. Her life revolved around her job. She had no children. She was a pro, through and through, and had spent years dealing with nuts. She figured this guy for a nut.

“A statement about what?” She ran her hand over her short hair, worn cropped to her skull. Only a black woman could get away with hair that short.

“I am the Serpent.”

Definitely a nut. “The Serpent? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Are you at the Boulevard Café?”

“Everybody’s here. So what?”

“I made it happen,” the voice said.

She stood up straighter, suddenly on high alert. “Made what happen?”

“I planted the sarin gas in the restaurant. And I’m going to do it again.”

“What? Say that again?” Mary’s heart was racing now, adrenaline pouring into her veins.

“You heard me. I have a statement.”

“No, no,” she said desperately, looking around for Bill and Ed. “Why should I… why should I just take your word for it?”

Silence. She thought she’d lost him. Maybe he was a crank after all. Then the voice said, “The gas canisters were red. There were six of them, all connected with a regulator. They were placed in a cabinet in the main room of the restaurant that was part of a booth seat and divider. They were set off via cell phone.”

I can verify that, she thought.

“I have a statement to make.”

“I… I can record this.” She could, too. “Just give me—”

”I am the Serpent,” he said.

“Why the Serpent?”

The voice was silent again. Only now she didn’t think he would click off. He was going to wait her out. This guy was for real. Probably. Finally the Serpent came back with: “Are you taping this?”

Mary was fumbling through the back of the news van, looking for the digital voice recorder. She snatched it up, thrilled to see the jacks were still there. “Just a second. I’m getting the recorder. Hold on.”

“Better hurry,” the voice said. “I’ll give you thirty seconds or I’ll go to someone at Fox.”

“Don’t do that! Don’t do that! I’ve got it. I’ve got it. Here. Just a second.” She slammed the microphone jack into the cell phone and hit record, deeply satisfied that the batteries were charged. “Go ahead,” she said.

The Serpent was silent for a long moment. Don’t shut up on me now, she pleaded, cell phone pressed against her ear. And then the Serpent spoke and Mary didn’t know whether to be thrilled to be on top of this story or sick to her stomach.