Vespers

Thirty

The bats had begun to disperse from the skies over the Hudson.

Though the vespertilionids remained in the city, Mayor George Taylor did not call for a state of emergency. There were already more people on the roads and trains than either could handle; turning up the heat would only cause panic and draw police from where they were needed: keeping people-especially journalists-from the subways and in the streets making sure bat-watch parties didn’t get out of hand. The air lanes over the Hudson River were reopened, people were advised to remain inside, dog walks were discouraged because of fear that their scent would draw bat attacks, and sanitation crews were put on “snow alert” status to deal with possible guano cleanup. The sanitation commissioner and his deputies got together at one-thirty in the morning to puzzle that one out, trying to decide whether hoses or shovels would be their better weapons. Homeless “squeegee men” were doing a steady business at stoplights and tunnel entrances. Because many people had already been in bed when the bats gathered, windows had been left open and police lines were overloaded with calls from people shrieking that there were bats in the bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. One man with eastern and western exposures called 911 to report that while he was lying in his bed, literally counting sheep, a line of bats had flown in one window and out the other.

Robert Gentry heard some of these stories as he was rushed by squad car from the Christopher Street pier to the downtown heliport to meet Nancy. When he arrived, ESU Emergency Medical Service paramedics were already treating her for lacerations she suffered during the attack. She looked a little shell-shocked but smiled broadly when she saw him. Gentry guessed that after the big bat even he looked good.

She told the paramedics that she didn’t want to go to the hospital. She wanted to be present when the big bat was removed from the bridge. Gentry was proud of her as she got in the squad car, though he didn’t have a chance to say anything then. The ESU pilot joined them as they drove out to the bridge, and he had a few dozen questions. Gentry wished the flier had been smart and gone home, like his copilot had done.

Al Doyle and Gordy Weeks were there when they arrived, standing at the windy edge of Dover Street, along with police from Manhattan and Brooklyn and literally dozens of reporters. Even though it was late at night, traffic was backing up in both directions.

Weeks wanted the bat off the bridge as quickly as possible so the cables could be checked for damage and the span could be ready for the morning rush hour. Because the bridge held landmark status, care would have to be taken when removing the bat. The initial idea, floated by Department of Transportation Acting Commissioner Marcy Chelmow, was that the Fire Department’s marine division try to dislodge the creature using high-powered hoses from a fire boat. But Al Doyle said that an autopsy was vital, and he feared that the water pressure might further damage the bat. Inspector Steve Snider, ESU commander, suggested bringing another chopper in and having officers rappel to the bat, put a cable around it, and haul it off. But the pilot of the pursuit chopper, who had remained at the scene, was concerned that the downdraft could cause the animal to fall from the bridge before it could be secured. He was also worried about the weight of the personnel and the creature. The bat looked like it had a lot of muscle and meat on it.

The mayor arrived while the issue was still being debated. Conferring alone with Taylor, and then talking again to both Chelmow and Doyle, Weeks decided on a quick, conservative, low-risk approach; he didn’t want to risk dropping the bat on anyone or anything, especially with TV cameras everywhere. He would have the bridges and tunnels division of the Department of Transportation send a quartet of “ironworkers” up the suspension cables. The engineers would attach a pair of slings around the bat’s waist and lower it to the span. The remains would then be trucked away.

When Weeks had a second alone, Joyce went over and introduced herself. Gentry stayed several yards away. This was her moment.

The tall, silver-haired, African-American OEM chief seemed genuinely happy to meet the young woman. He said that her stock was “very high in the Weeks market” because she’d said the big bat was coming to town and it did.

“I like working with people who are right,” he said.

Gentry was looking at the bridge, pretending not to eavesdrop. But he was proud of her all over again.

Joyce thanked the OEM director, then asked about the other bat.

“She turned northeast and went underground at Ninety-seventh Street,” Weeks said. “She was obviously following the trail of the other bat that grabbed the woman at Riverside Drive this morning. Unfortunately, we had no way of following the bat inside the tunnels.”

“What are you going to do next?”

“We’ll have to talk about that,” he said. “I want your input. For now, we’ve shut down all the west side subways and are deploying police teams at every subway entrance. They’re carrying Ithaca shotguns-heavy duty-if the bat decides to do the town. I talked with the mayor and the police commissioner before coming out here. We’re getting ready to send ESU teams into critical junctures of the tunnels. Once each of those junctures is secured, we can send in Remote Mobile Investigators-our six-wheeled robots with cameras-to check out tunnels ahead of them. With any luck, we can pin the creature down and let the Health Department take it from there.”

Al Doyle wandered over. Weeks introduced Nancy. Chris Henry was right about him. Doyle was a short, round-shouldered man with an elongated nose, a sloping forehead, a small, recessed chin, and buck teeth. He looked like a mouse.

Joyce turned from Doyle back to Weeks. Even Gentry felt the chill rolling from her shoulders.

“What are you going to do about protecting your people from the small bats?” Joyce asked Weeks.

“The teams at the entrances are wearing their Viking dry suits-SCUBA gear. Al Doyle says that should afford the officers as much protection as they’ll need. And when we do go in, they’ll also have full face masks and air tanks so they’re completely covered.”

“That’ll give them about fifteen to twenty seconds of protection,” Joyce told him.

Doyle said, “Those suits have been tested in central South American freshwater against piranhas. They should hold against bats.”

“They won’t,” Joyce said.

“Why not?” Weeks asked.

“Piranhas don’t have claws. They can’t make repeated attacks at the same part of the body.”

Weeks arched a brow in Doyle’s direction. Doyle kept his narrow eyes on Joyce. Neither man looked happy.

“There are also a few hundred thousand bats in the city now,” Joyce said. “The male bat was able to summon them from miles around. I’m betting the female bat can do the same thing. If and when she moves in or out of the tunnel, she’ll have an escort like the heavenly host. Their weight alone, piled on top of your suits, will make movement difficult. The heat of their bodies will cause the heat inside the suits to rise very quickly. And the sounds of a few hundred batting wings won’t be pleasant.”

“So what do we do?” Weeks asked.

“I agree with guarding the subway entrances in case the big bat shows up,” Joyce said. “As for going inside, I’d wait. If we can find a way to jam her signal or lure her out, then we can capture her and kill her quickly. Then the other bats will either fly off or they can be disposed of through normal means.” She looked at Doyle. “As pests.”

“How do we lure her out?” Weeks asked.

Doyle said, “When the large bat flew down the Hudson, she was probably following the male’s call. If we can duplicate that sound, we can take her anywhere we want.”

“Is that possible?” Weeks asked Joyce.

“In theory, yes,” Joyce said. “In practice, it could take months or years to replicate the male’s call.”

“Why?”

“For many reasons. First of all, bats generate sounds that range between twenty and one hundred kilohertz,” Joyce said. “Humans can hear sounds only up to twenty kilohertz.”

“So we can’t hear what we’re listening for,” Weeks said.

“We can, but we’ll need special equipment to do it. We can get the gear in a day or two. That’s not the big problem. Where it gets complicated is that bat cries consist of both FM and CF elements. The frequency-modulated sounds cover a very wide range in a very short time-one hundred kilohertz down to fifty in about two milliseconds.”

“So the sounds are fast,” Weeks said.

“Incredibly so,” Joyce replied. “On top of which you’ve got the CF, the constant frequency. That sound remains at a single frequency and lasts for about fifty milli-seconds. Which means that each frequency has to be isolated and charted. Even if we can duplicate the sounds themselves, that won’t give us the specific ‘buzz’ that called the female or summoned the small bats. That could be any combination of FM and CF sounds, in any range and duration. It could take months or even years to figure out.”

“We obviously need a faster fix,” Weeks said. “Any suggestions?”

“Yes. To start with, I suggest you try and get any videotape that may have been taken of the female’s approach. There may be something that could help us. Her reaction to light, her control over the other bats, possible soft spots for your marksmen.”

Weeks got on his radio and told Marius Pace to hit the TV stations for copies of their tapes.

“What else?” Weeks asked.

“Not much,” Joyce admitted. “We may know more when we get a look at the dead bat. Cell structure, possible microbial weaknesses, circulation and respiration-to tell us how much sleep and food the big bats need.

“Dr. Joyce,” Weeks said, “will you be available when we do the autopsy on the big bat?”

“Actually,” Joyce said, “unless anyone has any objections, I was going to suggest that you let me handle it.”

Weeks shoved his hands into the pockets of his white windbreaker. He looked at Joyce. “Al?”

“We have a long-standing relationship with Dr. Berkowitz at the Central Park Zoo,” Doyle said.

“Berkowitz isnot a bat person,” Joyce huffed.

Weeks said, “The long relationship aside, would you personally have any problem with Dr. Joyce conducting the autopsy?”

Doyle’s thin lips and heavy eyebrows dipped in disapproval. “I’d have no problem with herbeing there-”

“Mr. Doyle,” Joyce said, “I’ve done microdissections on more than seventy different species of bats. I know what to look for and how to get it without damaging the surrounding tissue.”

“Al,” Weeks said, “Dr. Joyce has been the point person on this situation from the get-go.I’d like her to conduct the autopsy and write the report. Can we do that?”

Gentry was watching with interest. Weeks hadn’t left Doyle much room to maneuver.

Doyle said, “Berkowitz probably won’t let us use the zoo facility.”

“That’s not a problem,” Joyce said quickly. “I’d be taking the bat to Professor Lowery’s laboratory at the Museum of Natural History. I’d also want him to work with me on this.”

“Professor Kane Lowery?” Doyle sniffed.

“That’s right.”

“He’s very good.”

“Right again.”

“Then we’re all okay?” Weeks said. “Let me know, because I’ve got to run.”

Doyle nodded once. “We’ll bring the bat to Professor Lowery’s laboratory. But your report goes to me, Dr. Joyce, and I take it from there. And you don’t talk to the press.”

“I don’t care about the press,” she said.

Still standing off to the side, Gentry frowned.

“Excellent,” Weeks said. “Thank you, Al. Thank you both.”

Weeks went over to talk to the mayor, who was watching the ironworkers rig lifelines before walking up the cables. He was trailed by a small string of deputies who held reports about bat activity from around the city. From what Gentry could overhear, the worst problem at the moment was dogs going wild whenever bats flew past windows or went down chimneys. Weeks said he could live with that.

Doyle walked over to the DOT personnel at the bridge. Gentry came over to Joyce. She was looking across the river. The lights of the bridge were sparkling on its dark surface.

Gentry looked at Nancy. Her black hair was twisting away from her neck, riding the wind. There was a moment when her courage, her mind, her determination, her eyes, the smoothness of her skin, the delicate curve of her shoulders, her slender fingers, the way she stood with her feet pointing outward slightly-when everything came together and made his breath catch in his throat. It was a moment such as Gentry had never experienced.

“I can probably scare you up some coffee or a windbreaker if you want,” he said.

“No thanks.” She was frowning. “That bastard Doyle let me have the bat as soon as I put Lowery in the picture.”

“At least you have it.”

“Yeah, but it’s still a boys’ club.”

“I’m still not sure I agree with that. Doyle jumped at your Lowery reference because it gave him a way out. Who could refuse letting a scientist of his stature examine the bat? He can sell that to Berkowitz and to the press. Anyway, like I said back at the apartment, Weeks is on your side.”

“That’s true, at least.” She looked at Gentry. “You know what I’d really like?”

“What?”

“I’d like to sit down somewhere and close my eyes.”

“I think we can arrange that,” he said. “There are a couple of ESU REP trucks on the corner of Front Street. They’re probably going to hang around in case they’re needed for rescues or a bat attack. I’m sure no one would mind if you stretched out in one of them.”

“Great,” she said. “I just want to call President Lowery first and let him know I’ll be coming in.”

“Withyour trophy,” Gentry said. “Make sure he knows that.”

“He’ll know.”

She went to the closest truck. Gentry introduced her to the officers and she made her call from there. When she was finished, the ESU personnel were delighted to have her crash there. One of the younger officers, having heard of her exploits, declared his love for Joyce and asked if she would entertain a marriage proposal.

Gentry said, “Sorry, officer, but you’ll have to take a number and wait in line.”

Nancy didn’t respond as she climbed into the backseat and lay down.

Gentry felt a little bad. After he said it, he realized he hadn’t entirely been joking.

It took just over four hours to get the bat off the bridge. Once it was down and bundled in canvas-its wings carefully folded over-Doyle supervised its loading into an ESU Construction Accident Response Vehicle. Inside the wide CARV, the bat was laid out on a pair of four-person inflatable rafts. The rafts were arranged in two rows of two to cushion the creature. It was secured there with a 220-foot-long 5/8-inch lifeline.

Kathy Leung tried to get herself and her muscular camera operator T-Bone Harrold past the police barricade. She was turned back. Until the bat was down and the cables had been checked out, no one was going near the bridge. Then she tried to get Gentry’s attention by shouting over. He pretended not to hear her. He didn’t like ignoring anyone or helping to shut down the press. Four years ago, in one of those freak incidents that happens only in real life,New York Times crime reporter Sam Lawrence had scored an interview with Akira Mizuno up in Connecticut. Gentry was in the room when Lawrence arrived. The two of them used to bump into each other once or twice a week at the Lord Camelot diner on Forty-fifth Street and Eighth Avenue, just a few blocks from theTimes. Lawrence would have had a hell of a story if he’d chosen to blow Gentry’s cover. But he didn’t. Things like that would give the press a good name if people ever heard about them.

Only when the bat was down, only when Doyle was finished with it, did Gentry go over and wake Nancy. He was a little light-headed from not having slept. But he’d wanted to make sure that Doyle didn’t give the bat to Berkowitz while she slept. Doyle was the kind of clever bureaucrat who wouldn’t hesitate to tell Weeks, “Securitycame first. I couldn’t find her so we took the bat to Berkowitz’s lab.” When the big bat had come down, Gentry had gone over to the ESU drivers and personally made certain that they knew where to go.

Nancy hadn’t moved from where she’d fallen across the seat of the REP truck. Gentry looked at her. Behind him, across the East River, the sun began to lighten the skies.

Gentry had no trouble seeing the girl in the woman. He hadn’t always seen that in his wife or some of the other women he’d been with. But he saw it in Nancy. Despite the occasional bursts of indignation and anger, there was a sweetness that life hadn’t squeezed from her.

He leaned into the truck, his hand on the back of the front seat. He reached down and lightly shook her arm.

She awoke with a jolt. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Gentry said quietly. “We’ve got the bat down. We’re ready to head up to the museum.”

“Right.” She sat up and looked at her watch. “Almost six-thirty. That was pretty quick.”

“You feel any better?”

“Yeah,” she said. “Much.”

Joyce swung her long legs from the seat. Gentry backed away from the truck and she slid out.

“Are we supposed to notify Professor Lowery?” Gentry asked.

“I will,” Joyce told him. “He usually gets in at seven o’clock.”

Gentry asked Joyce if she wanted something from the “chuck wagon,” the coffee-and-muffin cart that the DOT had set up by the river for the crews. She said she wouldn’t mind a bran something-or-other, so they got that and then headed over to CARV.

Gentry made sure that the paperwork from OEM had arrived, giving Joyce authority to take charge of the bat. It had, brought by one of Gordy Weeks’s assistants who would be accompanying Dr. Joyce to the museum. The assistant, a twenty-something biologist named Heidi Daniels, would be taking notes and writing the report that was going to Al Doyle.

Joyce thanked Gentry for everything he’d done, then climbed into the back of the truck with Heidi and an ESU sergeant. They headed uptown.

Joyce was very intense and focused and she hadn’t said anything about seeing Gentry later or getting together again. Maybe she didn’t plan to. Or maybe she’d just assumed they would.

Gentry had. That was a swift, disturbing sock in the gut.

When she left, the slightly shell-shocked Gentry bummed a ride up to the station house. There would be paperwork and voice mail to attend to. He’d also try to stay on top of any other missing person or animal reports, information that might tell them something about the whereabouts of the female bat.

A reason to call Nancy.

And he’d get a little rest if possible. With all those bats roosting in town-including the big one-Gentry had a feeling that sundown was going to rock New York.