Catalyst (Breakthrough Book 3)(33)

“But why a hero Lieutenant then?”

“Because if you need it done fast, and you’re going to be seen, you better be damn sure you can trust the man bringing it!”

“Ahhh,” Borger replied, nodding his head. “Someone you could trust not to screw you.”

“Right.”

“So, someone in the government was out to get the sample first, and used our friend Li to protect it.”

Clay shook his head again. “Not just anyone in the government. A politician wouldn’t use someone like Li. A military man would. A military man with a hell of a lot of clout to commandeer a new prototype like the Y-20.”

“So…now we find out who he took it to. Someone in the military.”

“That’s right. And someone who knew exactly what was happening in that jungle in Guyana!”

Borger smiled, then clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “Our next challenge.”

Clay stood up and stretched. “How about a caffeine break?”

“Nah, I’m good. Just bring me another.”

Clay nodded and picked up the empty can of Jolt cola from Borger’s desk. “Didn’t they make this stuff illegal?”

“That’s NOT funny!”

With a chuckle, Clay turned and left the dark room. The sun was up outside, but without any windows, there was no indication of time in Borger’s “bunker.” Once outside and into the light, Clay blinked and quickly made his way down the wide beige-colored hallway toward the stairs.

As he was walking, his cell phone rang in his pocket. He retrieved it and looked at the small screen with a smile.

“Well hello, beautiful.”

“Good morning,” Alison’s voice sounded on the other end. “How are you?”

“Not too bad. How’s paradise?”

Alison stopped and looked around the parking lot of her research center from where she was standing. The warm sun was well off the horizon and a refreshing breeze wafted through the palm trees overhead. “It’s a beautiful morning. I tried to call you last night but got your voicemail.”

Clay pulled the phone away and looked at it again. He hadn’t noticed the small icon indicating a new message. “I’m sorry. I’m downstairs in Borger’s lab where there’s not much signal. We’ve been tied up most of the night.”

“Most of the night?” Alison asked, a hint of concern in her voice. “Did you get any sleep?”

“Not really. I’m too nervous to fall asleep in Borger’s lab. I’m afraid he’ll try to put something on my head and scan me.”

She laughed. “Well, you must be exhausted. I’m really sorry.”

Clay reached the top of the stairs and opened a door, stepping this time into a carpeted hallway. “That’s all right. Talking to you is perking me up.” When he looked back at the phone, he also noticed Alison had used the special encryption application like he’d shown her. The slight delay in their conversation confirmed it.

“You’re such a smooth-talker. Almost as smooth as your friend Steve who showed up here yesterday, by the way. And unannounced I might add.”

“Oh, right. Sorry about that. I meant to warn you.”

“Warn me is right,” she teased. “We had a very interesting conversation.”

“Well, Steve’s an interesting guy,” Clay joked, pulling open the door to the small vending room. The place was empty.

“I presume you know why he was here.”

“I do.” Clay closed the door behind him. He promptly punched a button on the machine for his coffee, then reached over and opened the door of a refrigerator. Inside were two cases of Jolt cola with a large piece of paper taped to the top. On the paper was a scribbled message that read: “Do not drink! Property of Wil Borger!” Clay always wondered why Borger felt compelled to label his drinks when no one else on the floor would drink them. “So,” he continued, “how did it go?”

“Probably not as well as Steve was hoping. DeeAnn’s still having a pretty hard time. She wasn’t very receptive. But Steve didn’t push her too hard. Oh, and speaking of DeeAnn, there’s something else I haven’t told you yet. She’s leaving.”

“Leaving?”

“Yes. She’s taking Dulce back to the Gorilla Foundation in California. She’s been really shaken up by all this, and unfortunately, I can’t stop her.”

Clay sighed and pulled his coffee out of the dispenser. He set it on the counter next to two cans of Borger’s Jolt. “No talking her out of it, huh?”

“I’ve tried. Believe me. She’s going and there’s nothing I can do to change her mind. I think there’s more going on with her than she’s telling me.”