Genecaust Page 15

  “What do we need to do, go back to school? Will any of what you think we need help us find Granger?”

  Meret sighed. “I wish I knew. In a way, the problem the bad guys successfully faced to wipe out 1500 women for God only knows why, is the same problem that we face trying to find Granger.”

  “Which is?”

  “How can a virus find a specific genetic marker? Remember when the blood samples from Socotra victims started coming in? We had little trouble sequencing their collective DNA to locate their unique marker.”

  MJ waved to a waiter standing nearby. “We can’t go into each village or upscale hotel and sample for his DNA.” The waiter stood next her. “Two cheese cakes and more espresso.” She held up an empty cup in lieu of any Italian phrases she might have learned.

  Meret grabbed her forearm. “Sure we can. We can go sniffing around for him if we can narrow down his location to about fifty good possibilities.”

  She took out her cell and speed dialed SA Steve Fairchild in Aden. She tapped on MJ’s arm. “Buds.”

  MJ took out her buddy buds and handed them to Meret who plugged then into her cell. When SA Fairchild answered, Meret said, “MJ and I are outside having a coffee break. We’re both on ear buds for this call, got a minute to hear an idea about bringing a Hawk home to roost?”

  “If you mean the one named Granger, I’m all ears.”

  “How’s the INTEL on him?”

  “No change, we’ve gone deep under with some assets that live in and around the upscale neighborhood near the costal highway just north of the Junction of 90 near the Hotel Mercure Aden. Their opinion is that he’s being kept not interviewed in one of the many condos and apartment high rise buildings that face the ocean.”

  MJ asked, “You’re sure he’s just being interviewed, and not tortured?”

  SA Fairchild didn’t pause to choose words. “It’s definitely an interview. We suspect he’s being held as collateral for future negotiations.”

  MJ asked. “How good are the assets?”

  “Best plumbers and electricians money can buy, but both of you need to understand we are still deep in a time crunch.”

  “How’s that?” Meret glanced at MJ for reaction.

  “Well, the bottom line is, if they wanted something from him, they would torture him.”

  “What do you mean by that? Why do you say that? What could ever be better for us if they tortured him?”

  SA Fairchild’s voice dropped. “Better for him because people who are tortured tend to live longer.”

  Several things Meret had kept in the back of her mind crept into the reality of understanding how things work in the real world. She needed more than simply being read into events, she had to become an initiator and move their collective problems forward toward solution. Right now, that meant finding and freeing Granger. Meret gave MJ’s hand a prolonged squeeze as she spoke to SA Fairchild.

  “Has the tech I had shipped from Houston arrived and do you have access to them?”

  “A full dozen, they’re in a secure place and, yes I do. What’s on your mind?”

  “Let’s put them to work. MJ and I are leaving Rome tonight for your location. Have someone sequence Granger’s last known DNA and have it ready for us. I’ll need about a day before we can take any of this into the field. We’ll need six competent drone pilots. Anyone in your office who will admit to being a closet gamer will do. I can show them everything they need to know within three hours. And that’s counting flight time practice”

  She still had MJ’s hand when she ended the call. They stood for a happy tearful hug.

  “We’re going to do it?” MJ asked. “For sure?”

  “Bet your ass.”

  * * *

  Once again, Meret had to laugh at herself for taking the same seats on the same company jet to Aden, Yemen. Surely the other dozen or so finely crafted leather seats would be equally satisfactory. They were the only passengers on this flight, why did she always select the same seats?

  A phone rang and it wasn’t the company phone.

  Poppy’s on the line.

  “Hi, Poppy, how you doing?”

  “Oh, I’ve had a bit of a wog for a couple of days. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not taking a sickie or anything like that.”

  Meret thumbed ‘wog’ in her smart phone.

  Oh, careful of double meanings girl.

  “I hope that cold clears and you’re feeling better soon. We got Zhen’s beetles, thanks for expediting everything. What do you need?”

  “Oh, Zhen just showed me something he called his ‘SuperFly.’ It’s a much smaller version of the beetle and designed to perform a single mission.”

  “What’s it do, Poppy?”

  “The all SuperFlys can see and hear, but the two prototypes are specialized for explosives, and gathering DNA or chemical trace. He’s very excited and I’m probably stealing his thunder. As far as that fellow you told me to watch out for is concerned, I haven’t seen him, but something strange happened. I was taking up bar space where you like to sit indoors at the Zalea, after a working dinner with Dr. Zhen Jianjun, when this hunk of an Italian guy walks up to me and starts asking about you.”

  “You didn’t recognize him?”

  “Nah, but funny you ask, ‘cause Dr. Zhen left me with one of his new gadgets. Ya’ know, a pen that records audio and video of conversations. He said he put a few in the box with the beetles, didn’t you get them?”

  “I’ve been in the field for a few days, but I’ll look for it in the morning.”

  “Well, I’ll send you a copy of my conversation. All I need to do is pull the top off the pen and stick it into your smart phone. I may lose our connection if I do this, but I think what he says is worth the try. How are you doing?”

  “My schedule’s tight, but before you go, Poppy, did you discuss anything with this guy?”

  “Funny you asked. He told me you would prefer to meet with him in person. All I needed to do was to give you his card and he said you would want to meet with him by what wrote on the back of it.” She placed his card on her cell screen and took a picture. “Here you go, mate.”

  “Thanks, Poppy, I’ll call you from where ever I am tomorrow. Cheers.”

  She checked her cell for new messages. When it dinged, she download both photos.

  The first displayed a business address as a place in Aden, Yemen. Holy shit. Looking at his hand printed message on the other photo, she whispered son-of-bitch. The only word was (R1$Pr (4$9.

  28

  The Toolbox

  Late May, Rome - Aden by morning

  After seeing the word (R1$Pr (49 on the back of the card the Italian fellow gave to Poppy, Meret decided to immediately return her call.

  “Poppy, did you recognize the word on the back of that guy’s business card?”

  Poppy hesitated before responding. “Well I’ve spent my share of time online. But I thought it best to present it to you without my filtered bias.”

  She almost laughed at her reluctance to appear to know more than her job description. In a more serious tone, she replied, “Well, Poppy, I respect your gaming skills as much as I do your knowledge of current biotech. You opinion and ideas are not just welcome, they are required.”

  “Oh, well, here goes then. An Italian guy wants to talk to you about a CRISPR-ca9. He’s probably new to the spy business, but since his first job was most likely a geek, he knows LEET, This isn’t a case of designed false modesty, he doesn’t seem much up on stronger codes, so unless he’s really clever, I recommend a meeting. Shall I set one up?”

  Meret wanted to hug her over the phone. “How about a late lunch at the Hotel Mercure Aden?”

  “I can do that. Anything else?”

  “Things are moving fast, Poppy, I haven’t examined the recording you made with Zhen’s pen yet. Will I see the Italian’s face on it well enough for facial recognition?”

  “Yes, no worries, I got a good shot of him. How about I forward the message
and video to SA Fairchild? I’ll copy him in when the Italian provides a time and place for your meeting as well.”

  Meret nodded to herself. “I just realized how underpaid you are, Poppy. We’ll have to so something about that. Thank you.”

  “Ta.”

  She looked at the blank screen of her phone thinking of how that meeting with the Italian would play out and speed dialed SA Fairchild.Company does in these situations. I’ve arranging a meeting with an unknown Italian contact who is somehow involved with Granger or with the pending genetic attack or both. He was in Houston 24 hours ago and gave my assistant his business card for a company in Aden.”

  Fairchild spoke with a calm voice. “It sounds like this guy knows a great deal about our concerns, but I don’t like that he knows you are working with us. Perhaps he doesn’t and just got lucky. Give me a description and confirm the time and place of the location as soon as you—” He paused. “Poppy just sent me a bundle of INTEL.”

  “Right. You’ll see a video recording of the guy and get the time and place for the meeting the minute Poppy knows it. Meanwhile, how are we doing with the drone team? How soon can we begin the search for Granger? I’m told we’ll be on the ground in Aden just after sunrise.”

  Steve asked, “Can you meet with the drone team right after you arrive?”

  “Yea, and I’ll need several rooms with windows. Oh, and the beetles will not be armed until the drone team is ready to go live.”

  “Good point, and that goes for you with your meeting. We’ll go over details when I meet you at the airport. Safe flight, Meret.”

  * * *

  The announcement of final approach to Aden International arrived far too soon for Meret. Resetting her seat into a business attitude in time to receive a breakfast tray of coffee, tomato juice and yogurt with berries, she noticed MJ’s empty tray and empty seat.

  As the attendant started removing the trays, MJ’s cheery morning voice approached from behind her. “Ah, you’re up. I took the liberty of ordering for you.” She took her seat. “We land in twenty, good timing. I just took a call from Steve, he’s waiting on the tarmac by our gate.” She sipped her coffee holding the cup in both hands. “He also filled me in on the action today and the good news about your training for the drone pilots. Excited?”

  Meret nodded and wiped her chin. “Are you part of the backup at the Hotel?”

  “Wouldn’t miss it. Have you heard anything from Poppy?”

  “Not yet.”

  * * *

  Flying with the Company had its benefits, least of all, she knew a security team and a secure SUV waited at the foot of the ramp. Climbing down the short set of stairs extending from the plane’s fuselage, SA Fairchild stood out standing on the wide expanse of empty concrete like a scarecrow on a snow covered football field. Except Steve’s black slacks, tieless white shirt, and black Jacket made him look like a CIA scarecrow. His warm greeting added to all that. “Heard anything from Poppy?”

  Once in the SUV, Meret took another glance at her phones. Neither Company nor personal phone offered any updates from Poppy. Perhaps she had asked and expected too much. Steve checked his phone and their eyes made contact.

  Meret said, “She’ll call. What’s the plan?”

  “We’re spending the night at the Hotel Mercure Aden. We booked six rooms, all on different floors and under different names. Respecting the local culture, the three of us are one traveling family. I have a room adjacent to the two of you.” He returned the phone to his Jacket. “When Poppy confirms the time, you’ll be meeting with the Italian guy. The team, armed and ear-plugged, will stagger their arrival to the restaurant and cover your table in the same fashion as we do on stake out. Meret, you will need to carry your weapon.”

  She needed to call Poppy, but after the praise she shred last time, she didn’t want to leave her new assistant thinking she had somehow failed.

  She glanced ahead on the costal highway, catching sight of the Arabian Sea as they drove by and the large layered building ahead she knew to be the Hotel Mercure Aden. She checked her phone to make sure it wasn’t in Airplane Mode and the volume was not set mute.

  Shit, call her for Pete’s sake.

  The phone rang and she almost dropped it.

  “Poppy? What can you tell me?”

  The other cell phones in the car took their turn ringing.

  Then she noticed Poppy had initiated a download. She clicked to accept it and all the attachments. The screen filled with her upbeat message addressed to each of them. Most of it focused on the Italian guy and on her meeting with him. Meret looked for information about Poppy’s efforts to set up a meeting and was pleased to see she nailed it.

  Poppy’s recorded message sounded like a crisp bottom line. “Lunch with Dr. Piero della Francesca, Ph.D. at 1:30 pm, hotel restaurant, reserved table by window with ocean view. I took the liberty of using Dr. Francesca’s prints and have copies of his records.

  Graduate School: Biology and Molecular Medicine PhD, Biochemistry

  Department: Alessandro Rossi Fanelli School of Biochemical Sciences

  He worked with the Italian team that discovered the CRISPR-cas9’s protein in bacteria and eventually hooked up with the team of women at UCSF people who recognized its potential as a powerful toolbox for genetic engineering.

  The UCSF team used CRISPR-cas9 to insert specific new sequences to correct mutations in T cells. It’s unclear what role Piero played in helping solve the problems by streamlining the delivery of Cas9 protein and single-guide RNA to cells, but his contribution, over all, seemed sound.

  Of special note, there are spooky links connecting him to Israel’s Institute for Biological Research, Ness- Ziona, but my hacking skills were a bit rusty for me to dig deeper. Perhaps your new friends can take this information along with his enclosed prints and current DNA and find more. – PS-E

  “Son-of-a-bitch” She glanced at Steve and MJ who had answered their phones at the same time. Both caught her eye and gave ‘thumbs up’ responses.

  She began to look forward to that lunch.

  29

  Lunch at the Hotel Mercure Aden

  Late May, Hotel Mercure Aden, Yemen - Desert Designer Couture

  From her top floor window, Meret gazed across the Hotel Aden's pool and narrow beach below toward the remote coastal peninsula without actually seeing it. Her mind had focused on the Italian Biochemist she would soon meet. She wondered if could be seeking employment in her new consulting firm. It didn't seem likely. His academic credentials were too good and probably gave him expectations of a higher position than she could currently offer.

  With all his knowledge and his potentially dangerous connections with Israeli secret INTELligence services, he was a shoe-in for some espionage. So why was he meeting with her? Shit. Did the whole world somehow know she was working with the CIA? She called Steve.

  "What the hell. I have no idea what I'm doing. What am I supposed to say to this guy?"

  "You'll be fine. Go with your first thought and pretend it's like a job interview for your consulting firm. If Piero's looking for more, let him take the conversation in that direction. I don't need to remind you not to give away any information."

  Fairchild's plan called for his team of eight agents to arrive as hotel guests in pairs over a period of a half hour. He and MJ Wilson, acting the married couple, would enter last. For Meret, waiting alone in the restaurant was out of the question. Women did not sit alone in public in Yemen. Nor did they sit bareheaded. MJ gave her a gray silk scarf to wear with Meret's loose black silk turtleneck and black slacks. After several tries, she arranged one end around her head and neck to her satisfaction and left the other draped over her shoulder and chest. She liked it and was comfortable wearing it as a traditional Hijab. Now she waited.

  She'd heard that punctuality was not a major Italian trait and began the identifying the different kinds of sea birds. It was not a successful tact as she knew only three names and was so distracted she cou
ldn't keep track of the differences in the others she had seen. She left the window and paced. By the time her hidden wireless ear bud crackled with Steve's voice, she didn't know if she should be relieved or terrified. "Subject's entered the room and taken his seat."

  Meret had reconnoitered the table Poppy had reserved for the meeting with Dr. Piero della Francesca. She went toward it with confidence the man who sat was facing the entrance was her appointment. He stood at her arrival.

  He was tall and startlingly good-looking with his dark face and neck, displayed in a casual shirt open at the collar. It was hard not to look around to check on her back up, yet his presence drew her. He seemed completely at ease, and Meret wished she could say the same. She inhaled a slow, steadying breath and decided on the spot she would offer this handsome man a job. His unfashionably long hair was neat and framed a face she could get lost in, especially in those laughing eyes.

  He stepped from behind his side of the table and extended his hand, which she met it with her own.

  "Doctor della Francesca. I'm Doctor Meret Mather."

  "It 's nice to meet you, Dr. Mather. Thank you for taking the time to allow me to talk with you." He shook her hand then pulled out her chair.

  Meret refocused. This was her first sting operation, and she had to pay attention to every detail. Two items quickly crossed her mind. One, she had to get Poppy to understand the meaning of ‘full disclosure' when arranging meetings like this and two, remembering what was at stake here. "Dr. della Francesca, your academic background is quite strong. What brought you to seek an interview with me in Houston?"

  "Please, call me Piero," he said in perfect English with an American accent. "I have lived in Boca Raton, Florida since attending boarding school there and didn't return to Italy until I did graduate studies at Sapienza in Rome. As I am sure you saw from my profile, I got my master's at UCSF, an institute you are familiar with." He stopped and smiled with his dazzling white teeth. "I recently visited a niece at Rice where I learned of your new endeavor. You built your firm on a progressive concept, and unfortunately, a real one. I wanted to meet with you and explore the possibility of a position with—" He lifted a hand, at a loss.