The Serpent's Kiss

39

Derek hobbled out of the interrogation room using a cane one of the cops had found for him. He found a uniformed cop studying his GO Packs, which had been taken from Jill’s car and delivered to the Birmingham Police Department. The cop had blond hair so white it seemed practically transparent. His eyes were a glacial blue, his skin the color of bone. Derek wondered briefly if he was an albino.

Derek moved to the table and unzipped the packs.

Jill, behind him, said, “We don’t have time for this.”

“Yes, we do,” he said. He glanced up at the albino cop. “Everything had better be here.”

“It is,” the cop said. His badge said Officer Blackburn. “Here’s your phone. That’s an Iridium, right?”

Derek took it from him, checked the charge, and clipped it to his belt. “Yes.”

“I couldn’t access it.”

“That’s right,” Derek said. “You couldn’t. It’s password protected.”

Blackburn reached into the bag and pulled out a device about the size of a Magic Marker, with a double cartridge. “Sir…” The cop suddenly looked a little nervous. “We were wondering… What is this, sir?”

Derek took it from him and held it up. It read:

“You have problems reading?” He placed it carefully back into the duffel bag. “It’s an atropine injector. If you get exposed to nerve gas like VX or sarin, you can give yourself an injection with this.”

“Does it work?” He licked his lips.

“Yes, it works. Hope you never have to test it.”

Derek made sure everything was there, then looked at Jill. “Will you carry these, please?”

She grudgingly hefted the GO Packs with a grunt and led the way out of the Birmingham Police station. Michael was pacing nervously in front of his Honda. A gust of chill wind blew the hair off his forehead, and he crossed his arms over his chest to stay warm.

Derek froze, leaning his weight on the cane. “Jesus Christ!”

Jill turned to look at him. “What?”

Slowly Derek turned back to Jill, reluctantly taking his gaze off Michael. “Is that your son?”

“Yes. That’s Michael. It’s a long story. He wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t stolen my car.”

“Borrowed.”

Derek shuffled after Jill, eyes fixed on Michael.

Jill threw the bags into the back of the Honda and turned once again to Derek. “Derek, this is my son, Michael Church. Michael, this is Agent Derek Stillwater. He’s a troubleshooter for the Department of Homeland Security.”

Derek shifted the cane to his left hand and held out his right hand. “Hello, Michael. I knew your father. You look just like him.”