The TekWar Series Books 1–3 by William Shatner

Author:William Shatner [Shatner William]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781504048989
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 2017-09-13T00:00:00+00:00

19

ON THE VIDPHONE SCREEN the same blond android medic was telling Jake just about what he’d told him the last time he’d checked with the Marina Hospital. “Mrs. Cardigan’s condition remains virtually unchanged,” he said from behind his neat white desk.

“She isn’t any worse, though?”

“Nor is she any better. At this point there’s no cause for either undue optimism or pessimism.”

“And my son?”

“He continues in good health, with no symptoms.”

“That’s great. How long before you’ll consider he’s out of danger?”

“Another day or so. Is that all, Mr. Cardigan?”

“Yeah, thanks.” The screen went blank, Jake leaned back in the alcove chair. Closing his eyes, he rubbed at his forehead with his fingertips.

The door to the hotel suite opened.

Jake jumped up, spun and reached into his jacket for his stungun. “Oh,” he said, grinning and dropping his hand.

“Nice reflexes.” Beth shut the door behind her. “Any news?”

“Kate’s no better. Dan still isn’t showing any signs of the plague.”

“Did you talk to him?”

Jake shook his head. “I skipped that this time,” he answered. “I don’t want Dan to think I’m forcing myself on—”

“He doesn’t think that,” she said. “And he’s coming around—eventually he’s even going to forgive you.”

“Forgive me? For what—being dumb enough to let Bennett Sands and Sonny Hokori frame me?”

Beth glanced up at a floating ball-clock. “I can allow you about two more minutes for selfpity, Jake,” she said. “Then I really would like to tell you what I found out from my friend at UC.”

Jake said, “Okay, I’ll cut my sulking short. What?”

She sat on the sofa, crossed her legs. “His name is Ralph Jimgrin, by the way.”

“That’s pretty illuminating right there.”

“Ralph knew both Chesterton and Belarski. He’s been studying the San Francisco plague. He has friends at the National Disease Control Agency, so he was able to get reports from all the hospitals that are treating victims. Based on what Belarski told him, back when he was beginning to crack up, Ralph is fairly certain that the Chesterton synthetic virus is what’s being used.”

“XP-203.” Jake started to pace. “What about supplies of the virus?”

“All supposedly destroyed years ago.”

“Then how can somebody be using it in Frisco?”

“They’re obviously able to manufacture it again.”

“Does Jimgrin have any notion how they could do that? Was Chesterton’s research preserved, stored somewhere?”

“All destroyed, too, as far as Ralph’s been able to learn.”

“Could Belarski have passed along the knowledge needed to whip up new supplies of the virus?”

“It’s possible. But Ralph doesn’t believe, considering what Belarski’s moral stand had become, that he’d do anything like that.”

“He could’ve been forced,” said Jake. “What about the antidote?”

“I’m afraid that was destroyed, too, along with all of Chesterton’s notes on it,” said Beth. “Sounds like what we’ve hit is a dead end.”

“No,” said Jake. “Because Chesterton knows how to produce the antidote.”

“But he’s up in the Freezer and...Oh, yes, I see. He can be revived and questioned.”

“I’m going to talk to Bascom. He’ll finagle us a Reanimation Order and then we’ll go to the Freezer.”

“Are you up to doing that?” She watched his face.

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