than the first.
“Here's an image of you, taken during your stay at Sector 77 of Zelenogorsk Gorod, in Siberia. It's meta-marked, which tells us the location and date: May 14, 2037, three years before the invasion.”
The Russian stopped eating. He looked at the slate with a neutral stare. “Where did you dig up that photo?”
The image changed. The face of Oleg was replaced by another.
“Valery Orlov worked there as well.”
The Russian shook his head energetically. “I don't know him. My assignment was made up of secondary duties.”
“Sector 77... it's a special weapons complex, a city if I believe your country's military archives.”
“Possibly. For a while, there were more secret cities in Russia than vacation camps.”
Without warning, Jave exploded. The tray flew across the room and broke against a wall, spraying it with food. The massive table was moved a meter when he pounced with predatory agility on the human, whose fragile neck he clasped between his fingers, raising him up from the floor. “I want the truth!”
“I... I don't know anything.”
The Lynian increased the pressure. “You worked in this bacteriological warfare laboratory, correct?”
Oleg nodded. His wide open eyes seemed close to bursting from their sockets.
“Just like Valery Orlov, the great Valery Orlov.”
Once again, Jave got confirmation. “So, explain to me why our drones picked you up on Staten Island, in the United States of America, twelve thousand kilometers from there.”
“How did he find this product?” the reptilian officer inquired.
How did they look over this
? Naakrit almost said in return.
He knew Orlov. His name had caught his attention before the invasion. The scientist had discovered a cure for an illness which affected the human immune system. He had become very famous, a figurehead of scientific research, a position which he held for only a brief moment. His sudden disappearance had caused a commotion, a shock equal to the hopes that he had offered to millions of suffering products. The worldwide vaccination campaign which followed constituted a sort of tribute to him.
Before the mercenaries landed, cases of a strange and violent ailment were propping up in several large cities. Naakrit had neglected these reports from the human health service, which blamed the miracle cure.
The Lynian had definitely included this in his analysis. Nobody really understood how these beings managed to assemble such disparate information. The Primark was sure of one thing, however: he had been unable to reverse the process which led to the uncontrollable proliferation of infected products. The emissary was trying to establish a link between Orlov and the epidemic. He had already followed this lead, without success, but it had just become hot again.
After jostling him, Jave let the Russian recover his composure and take his seat once again. Oleg rubbed his temples and scratched his scalp. “I assure you that I know nothing. All that... It was ultra-secret, or even more. Us technicians didn't know the purpose of the project.”
“Tell me what you think you know.”
The individual took a breath. “Command ordered us to go to America, to New York, to participate in the creation of a sort of task force charged with the fight against terrorism. Given our specialty, we were going to dedicate ourselves to biological threats. Smallpox, diphtheria, anthrax, the plague, hemorrhagic fevers. We had to develop fast and efficient counter-measures.”
Jave raised a finger. “Continue.”
“I think that it was a cover for a larger-scale undertaking.”
“Why?”
“Orlov expressly prohibited the team members from being treated with VRC-098b, better known by the name of Siva-B. Also, we worked solely on the regeneration of necrosis in human tissue.”
“Did you make advances?”
“I can't really say any more. I’m only a level 2 lab technician. The big-wigs worked away in the sector confined to level
“Here's an image of you, taken during your stay at Sector 77 of Zelenogorsk Gorod, in Siberia. It's meta-marked, which tells us the location and date: May 14, 2037, three years before the invasion.”
The Russian stopped eating. He looked at the slate with a neutral stare. “Where did you dig up that photo?”
The image changed. The face of Oleg was replaced by another.
“Valery Orlov worked there as well.”
The Russian shook his head energetically. “I don't know him. My assignment was made up of secondary duties.”
“Sector 77... it's a special weapons complex, a city if I believe your country's military archives.”
“Possibly. For a while, there were more secret cities in Russia than vacation camps.”
Without warning, Jave exploded. The tray flew across the room and broke against a wall, spraying it with food. The massive table was moved a meter when he pounced with predatory agility on the human, whose fragile neck he clasped between his fingers, raising him up from the floor. “I want the truth!”
“I... I don't know anything.”
The Lynian increased the pressure. “You worked in this bacteriological warfare laboratory, correct?”
Oleg nodded. His wide open eyes seemed close to bursting from their sockets.
“Just like Valery Orlov, the great Valery Orlov.”
Once again, Jave got confirmation. “So, explain to me why our drones picked you up on Staten Island, in the United States of America, twelve thousand kilometers from there.”
“How did he find this product?” the reptilian officer inquired.
How did they look over this
? Naakrit almost said in return.
He knew Orlov. His name had caught his attention before the invasion. The scientist had discovered a cure for an illness which affected the human immune system. He had become very famous, a figurehead of scientific research, a position which he held for only a brief moment. His sudden disappearance had caused a commotion, a shock equal to the hopes that he had offered to millions of suffering products. The worldwide vaccination campaign which followed constituted a sort of tribute to him.
Before the mercenaries landed, cases of a strange and violent ailment were propping up in several large cities. Naakrit had neglected these reports from the human health service, which blamed the miracle cure.
The Lynian had definitely included this in his analysis. Nobody really understood how these beings managed to assemble such disparate information. The Primark was sure of one thing, however: he had been unable to reverse the process which led to the uncontrollable proliferation of infected products. The emissary was trying to establish a link between Orlov and the epidemic. He had already followed this lead, without success, but it had just become hot again.
After jostling him, Jave let the Russian recover his composure and take his seat once again. Oleg rubbed his temples and scratched his scalp. “I assure you that I know nothing. All that... It was ultra-secret, or even more. Us technicians didn't know the purpose of the project.”
“Tell me what you think you know.”
The individual took a breath. “Command ordered us to go to America, to New York, to participate in the creation of a sort of task force charged with the fight against terrorism. Given our specialty, we were going to dedicate ourselves to biological threats. Smallpox, diphtheria, anthrax, the plague, hemorrhagic fevers. We had to develop fast and efficient counter-measures.”
Jave raised a finger. “Continue.”
“I think that it was a cover for a larger-scale undertaking.”
“Why?”
“Orlov expressly prohibited the team members from being treated with VRC-098b, better known by the name of Siva-B. Also, we worked solely on the regeneration of necrosis in human tissue.”
“Did you make advances?”
“I can't really say any more. I’m only a level 2 lab technician. The big-wigs worked away in the sector confined to level
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