not create
suspicion. Why does Ari look so nervous and guilty? Camden thought as he gave
Ari a sideways glance. He knows nothing
of the biomer sample. He did know about the meeting with Colonel Ganesh,
however, and that made Camden a little uneasy. He doubted Ari had ever been in an interrogatory situation
before.
“Professor
Camden Riles?” The head official
of this small group spoke as they came within a few feet of him.
“Yes,
hello…officer…” He held out his hand and squinted his eyes a little as he
offered his best fake smile to this man.
“Oh, right
then… it’s Officer Aldretti.” Taken back, Aldretti certainly didn’t expect a
pleasant introduction session from this sudden encounter. Aldretti looked to be in his
mid-forties. He had small, closely spaced brown eyes and a long nose. His hair looked like a failed attempt
at proper grooming and his skin was more weathered than the average person his
age. Camden figured he was some
kind of government version of a bounty hunter. Aldretti reached out and shook Camden’s hand
cautiously. Camden pulled back
from the man but Aldretti did not release his hand.
“Professor
Riles, we need you to come with us. And we need to search your transport.” He leaned in forcefully and spoke
softer now, close to Camden’s ear. He continued quickly,
“We don’t
need to make a scene here, but we will if necessary.”
Camden
recoiled and straightened his posture. His eyes tightened and his smile became almost sinister.
“I will be
happy to accompany you gentleman this morning, but I assure you, searching my
transport is not necessary.”
He was not
worried about them finding his secret hiding place so much as he was concerned
that Ari would crack under the pressure of interrogation. He didn’t know what Camden was
carrying, but Ari was sure to remember the rolling suitcase that entered the
transport with him this morning. In fact, Camden was counting on that. Ari must still get that suitcase to Lee; otherwise, the
future of the human race could be in trouble. This last thought hit Camden like a rock and he felt selfish
for previously considering withholding his findings from Lee.
Aldretti
motioned for the other men to enter Camden’s transport. Camden looked relaxed and smiled.
“I brought
nothing with me today. Your men
are wasting their time.”
“Well, they
are going to your home next, so don’t worry, their efforts will not be in vein, ” Aldretti replied.
Camden
wasn’t concerned about them possibly finding the hidden lab in his flat. It was
foolproof. Aldretti seemed to gain pleasure from exerting his power over
Camden. Camden did not gratify him
with a reaction of any kind, but was admittedly curious to know exactly what
these men knew. However, he
would wait to ask his questions, until they were in the confines of the
government transport and out of audible range of Ari. The less Ari knew, the safer he would be. He had a family that relied on him,
after all, three little ones and a beautiful wife. Getting picked up by the government would not benefit him in
the least. Camden glanced over at Ari, who surprisingly, looked slightly more
composed. He had wiped the sweat
from his face and was a little less fidgety. Camden gave him a subtle nod with
serious eyes. Ari sat up
straighter and made his mind up to protect his friend and employer, at all
costs.
Two of the
three men went to the back of the transport where Camden sat moments
earlier. The third walked over to
Ari and asked him to exit the transport. Ari smiled and said,
“Of course,
sir.”
Camden was
silently impressed at his drivers’ rapid recovery from panic, but then again,
Ari did not know about the stolen government sample from an alien world.
Just then,
Aldretti took Camden by the elbow and escorted him to the government transport
parked nearest to them. As
suspicion. Why does Ari look so nervous and guilty? Camden thought as he gave
Ari a sideways glance. He knows nothing
of the biomer sample. He did know about the meeting with Colonel Ganesh,
however, and that made Camden a little uneasy. He doubted Ari had ever been in an interrogatory situation
before.
“Professor
Camden Riles?” The head official
of this small group spoke as they came within a few feet of him.
“Yes,
hello…officer…” He held out his hand and squinted his eyes a little as he
offered his best fake smile to this man.
“Oh, right
then… it’s Officer Aldretti.” Taken back, Aldretti certainly didn’t expect a
pleasant introduction session from this sudden encounter. Aldretti looked to be in his
mid-forties. He had small, closely spaced brown eyes and a long nose. His hair looked like a failed attempt
at proper grooming and his skin was more weathered than the average person his
age. Camden figured he was some
kind of government version of a bounty hunter. Aldretti reached out and shook Camden’s hand
cautiously. Camden pulled back
from the man but Aldretti did not release his hand.
“Professor
Riles, we need you to come with us. And we need to search your transport.” He leaned in forcefully and spoke
softer now, close to Camden’s ear. He continued quickly,
“We don’t
need to make a scene here, but we will if necessary.”
Camden
recoiled and straightened his posture. His eyes tightened and his smile became almost sinister.
“I will be
happy to accompany you gentleman this morning, but I assure you, searching my
transport is not necessary.”
He was not
worried about them finding his secret hiding place so much as he was concerned
that Ari would crack under the pressure of interrogation. He didn’t know what Camden was
carrying, but Ari was sure to remember the rolling suitcase that entered the
transport with him this morning. In fact, Camden was counting on that. Ari must still get that suitcase to Lee; otherwise, the
future of the human race could be in trouble. This last thought hit Camden like a rock and he felt selfish
for previously considering withholding his findings from Lee.
Aldretti
motioned for the other men to enter Camden’s transport. Camden looked relaxed and smiled.
“I brought
nothing with me today. Your men
are wasting their time.”
“Well, they
are going to your home next, so don’t worry, their efforts will not be in vein, ” Aldretti replied.
Camden
wasn’t concerned about them possibly finding the hidden lab in his flat. It was
foolproof. Aldretti seemed to gain pleasure from exerting his power over
Camden. Camden did not gratify him
with a reaction of any kind, but was admittedly curious to know exactly what
these men knew. However, he
would wait to ask his questions, until they were in the confines of the
government transport and out of audible range of Ari. The less Ari knew, the safer he would be. He had a family that relied on him,
after all, three little ones and a beautiful wife. Getting picked up by the government would not benefit him in
the least. Camden glanced over at Ari, who surprisingly, looked slightly more
composed. He had wiped the sweat
from his face and was a little less fidgety. Camden gave him a subtle nod with
serious eyes. Ari sat up
straighter and made his mind up to protect his friend and employer, at all
costs.
Two of the
three men went to the back of the transport where Camden sat moments
earlier. The third walked over to
Ari and asked him to exit the transport. Ari smiled and said,
“Of course,
sir.”
Camden was
silently impressed at his drivers’ rapid recovery from panic, but then again,
Ari did not know about the stolen government sample from an alien world.
Just then,
Aldretti took Camden by the elbow and escorted him to the government transport
parked nearest to them. As
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