Odin by David Archer & Blake Banner

Author:David Archer & Blake Banner [Archer, David & Banner, Blake]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Felix Marcos had been in the room for thirty-six hours, at least. It was impossible to be sure. They had taken away his watch and his cell phone; there were no windows in the room, no television, no radio. There was no point of reference from which to calculate the passage of time. It made every moment an infinity. And in the infinity of each passing second he lived with the uncertainty of what had happened to his wife and his children. He wept silently and cursed himself for not having made plans, for not having prepared.

Dr. Hampton had warned him and advised him. They had sat at the corner table in Starving Sam’s while Dr. Hampton spooned chicken sotanghon into his loose, wet mouth. He spoke looking at the soup, slurping as he sucked it off the spoon.

“The United States Government can protect you up to a point, Dr. Marcus,” he had said. “But you must understand we have no jurisdiction here, and any influence we may once have had, well…”

He had let the words trail off, then dabbed his mouth with a paper napkin. “We can pay you well, of course, but in terms of actual influence with the government, the Chinese are in the ascendant right now. You understand that.”

Dr. Marcus had nodded vigorously. “It’s why I am here.”

Dr. Hampton had returned to his sotanghon, muttering, “Of course,” between slurps. “But I must emphasize,” he paused and creased his face into an abortive smile, “at the risk of being tedious, I must emphasize that the risk is high—”

“I am not scared about that.”

“You should be. You have a family and if the Chinese come after you, we will not be able to help.”

Dr. Marcus had frowned hard. “Are you telling me you do not want my information? This department they are setting up is designed specifically…”

“I know, Dr. Marcus, to target the United States and NATO, primarily at least, I know. And I very much want the information you can get me, but I also want you to be safe. And for that you have to make provisions, Dr. Marcus. Do you understand what I am saying?”

“Make provisions?” He had shrugged and shook his head. “How?”

Dr. Hampton had sighed, tipping the plate toward him, spooning up the last of the broth.

“You must acquire a credible American passport and driver’s permit, or British or Australian, New Zealand, Canadian… One of those. And you must stash away plenty of money to cover your escape. You have to keep this all in a secure place where your wife can access it easily.”

“I have no intention of fleeing in the face of the enemy.”

“That’s splendid, but your wife and children might see things differently. For that matter, so might you when you discover the Chinese Táotài bù are coming to get you. Make provision, Dr. Marcus—the wise man always makes provision.”

He had dismissed Dr. Hampton’s advice as American cowardice, but he bitterly regretted not having heeded him now.

He stood and paced the room for the thousandth time.

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