Catalyst (Breakthrough Book 3)(85)

Chris nodded. “I think people can only absorb so much change at once. And as a society, probably even less.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Alison’s eyes glanced back to the shore where she watched Echo Pier receding behind them. “It’s ironic, isn’t it? We tell stories and even make movies about how great a different future would be. But we rarely think about all the consequences.” Her eyes remained fixed on the horizon. “Remember when we first started this project? Remember all the research we did…and some of those crazy stories?”

“How could I forget?”

“Maybe some of them weren’t so crazy.”

Chris frowned. “Ali, some of those people claimed dolphins could shapeshift into mermaids.”

“I’m not talking about those. I’m talking about some of the others.”

“You mean the ones about healing.”

“Right. Some of those people claimed they were healed after touching dolphins.”

What was left of Chris’s grin abruptly faded.

“Maybe some of those people weren’t crazy, Chris. Maybe they can heal. If not directly then maybe indirectly.” Alison took a deep breath and turned around, leaning against the rail. “Now, thinking about what you just said, I think you may be more right than you know. Society doesn’t deal with change as well as we all think. At least not sudden change.” She looked up into Chris’s eyes. “What do you think would happen if people found out they can heal? What do you think happens to dolphins then?”

Chris sighed. “Elephant tusks come to mind.”

“And shark cartilage. And that doesn’t even work.”

He folded his arms. “People would go crazy. When millions of those people think they can be healed from disease by getting a hold of a dolphin.”

“Especially if it’s true.”

“Exactly.”

“And then there’s the plants. If they really are like what John recovered in Guyana, how in the world do you keep that secret?” She paused, thinking about John, and something he’d said just a few weeks earlier: beware the leap.

“Explosions,” Chris said.

“Okay, you’re right,” she said in a lowered voice. “This is getting scary.”

“And we’re right in the middle of it.” He watched Alison become quiet and decided to change the subject. “Anyway, now that you’re sorry you asked…how’s everything else? How’s John?”

“I don’t know.” She shook her head. “I haven’t talked to him in a few days.” She tried to convince herself it wasn’t a big deal. Just another routine mission that didn’t allow him to make calls. He’d said as much when they last talked. But something didn’t feel right. Something felt very wrong and she didn’t know why.





48





John Clay was also feeling worried, at the lights he and Tang were now seeing in the distance, above the trees.

Helicopters.

But these helicopters were not just searching. These were bigger…and they were landing.

Apparently it was decided that stopping everyone was better than trying to find them from the air. Borger was right. Someone knew.

The lights from the two large choppers descended and disappeared behind a dense patch of trees, leaving only a faint glow overhead to indicate anything was waiting on the other side.

As Tang rounded a slight curve, both men could see three sets of brake lights shining brightly from the cars ahead.

“This isn’t good.”

“No, it’s not.” Clay looked at the map on his phone again. They were less than seven miles away. Damn close. He immediately reached into the back and grabbed his bag.

The road straightened, allowing them to see the first set of headlights shining at them. The bright white lights flashed off momentarily before resuming, indicating something had just passed in front of the distant vehicle.

“Someone’s approaching on foot.”

“Slow down.” Clay shoved the satellite phone back into a side pocket and lifted the heavy bag onto his lap. “They’ll see us if we stop.” He then reached up and turned off the interior lamp.

“What are you going to do, jump?”

“Yep.”

“Okay, let me get closer.” Tang continued to slow the vehicle smoothly and drifted toward the edge of the road. They were now within a quarter mile of the blockade. Up ahead, flashlights appeared next to the first stopped car.

“Keep your brights on until you get my door closed again.”

Tang nodded. “Say when.”

Clay quickly checked his feet and legs to make sure they were clear, then found the handles of his bag and cinched them together. “Go!”