Joseph O’Rourke. His uncle.
Something wasn’t right. Nothing that Kane mentioned could be found in these files. Instead, he found information that suggested certain scientists-and their loved ones-appeared to have been targeted.
Glancing up, he looked around the room again. He rose and began going from room to room, searching for something-anything-that would shed light on why he was sent to this apartment. He came up empty. Finally reaching the bathroom, he looked around and noticed the shower curtain drawn across the tub. He had missed that on his first sweep of the place. He flung the curtain back and saw a man lying in the tub.
Dead.
Ron Adleman.
The high and low wail of a police siren pierced the silence. He bolted to the bay window and saw an emergency vehicle more than five blocks away heading in his direction. Shutting down his laptop, Gerrit yanked out the thumb drive and tossed both inside his briefcase, slamming the lid closed.
He glanced around the place to see if he’d left anything behind, then grabbed his briefcase and dashed through the doorway into the hallway. Pulling off the gloves as he ran, he made it downstairs and out the lobby as the siren grew more intense.
He was a half a block away before the first car-its blue lights flashing-screamed past. Almost in a blur, the vehicle’s gray, blue, and red markings streaked by, the word Polizei in white letters on the side of the car.
The officer shot a look at Gerrit as he drove past, seeming to study him. Gerrit walked until he reached the corner. Turning, he saw officers running toward the front door of the apartment next to where he’d emerged. More police cars were coming.
They’re going to the wrong place.
As he rounded the corner, another thought began to nag at him. They were sent to the wrong address. Someone was watching him? He had no time to think this through. Time to run.
Gerrit clutched the briefcase as he looked for a cab. There was one stop he must make before returning to his hotel. Then he was getting out of town as fast as possible. This operation just took a turn for the worse, and he must figure out what just happened.
He knew one thing. If he stuck around, sooner or later he might end up behind bars.
I just became a person of interest.
Chapter 16
Gerrit turned the key in the lock to his hotel room and slipped inside a darkened room. No one lurked outside to talk to him. Good sign. He took two steps toward the bedroom before he sensed someone in the room. He turned to face the intruder, mentally searching for something close to use as a weapon.
A lamp flicked on, illuminating Richard Kane’s features. “I see you managed to escape unscathed, Gerrit. You bring anything back with you?”
The two men eyed each other. Gerrit looked away, searching for anyone else standing in the shadows. They seemed to be alone.
“The briefcase and everything with it is lying at the bottom of the Danube.”
“What a waste. That computer was a gift to you.”
“Was Adleman’s body another one of your gifts?”
“That was a surprise to us, too.”
Gerrit couldn’t tell whether the man was lying. “Once they discover the body, the cops may well come looking for me as a person of interest if they start canvassing the neighborhood. Someone might have seen me.”
“Don’t worry. We will protect you. Just leave Vienna as soon as possible.”
“Protect me from what? From whom?”
“Have a seat, Gerrit. We need to talk.”
Gerrit remained standing. What the heck was Kane up to?
“Suit yourself.” Kane paused. “I have had my eye on you for some time. You’re a man with many talents and I want you to come to work for me…for us. You’ll be well compensated, and you will be doing work that is really meaningful. To you. To our country. To the entire global community.”
“I already have a job. And I have unfinished business back at home.”
“I know why you’re really in Seattle. It’s about your folks and uncle, right?” Kane hunched forward. “I can help you with that unfinished business, Gerrit. Whatever it takes. I…we…want you to find out what happened to them. I promise you unlimited resources will be at your disposal. And you can use whatever contacts we have to open those doors. You need to put this business behind you in order to focus on the future. Our future.”
“And who is we?”
“I was hoping you’d ask that question. We are all those who believe we are entering a new era, a new world order that recognizes the potential and danger of new technology.”
Gerrit shifted the weight on his feet.
Kane clasped his hand together as if to pray, resting the tips of his fingers under his chin. “Technology is about to lead us into a world beyond comprehension of the average citizen. I know you are aware of these developments as a scientist and recognize the potential.”
Gerrit found himself nodding, even though he disliked the man sitting across the room. “This is not new. Governments have been gearing up for years.”
Kane shot him a look of irritation. “Governments do not have a clue what the future holds. They are too busy looking over their shoulders, making sure their backsides are covered, that they don’t see what is right in front of them.”
The man rose and began pacing the room. “Molecular manufacturing-nanotechnology some call it-is about to make significant breakthroughs that will make the industrial revolution look like a hiccup in man’s history. On the military side, biological, nuclear, and chemical weapons capable of mass destruction will be made cheaply and numerously while hidden in quantities too small for us to detect. Rogue nations will be able to join the arms race-nations we have been able to prevent from getting their hands on this technology and resources so far. The rules are about to change and these countries will soon become viable threats to our national security.”
Gerrit watched the man, still pacing, seem to lose himself in his own one-sided conversation. He’d just let Kane ramble.
“Not to speak of the economic tsunami that will roll over us when molecular manufacturing becomes feasible on the open market. Inexpensive manufacturing costs coupled with replication of designs will cause economic upheaval and environmental devastation on a global scale never before seen.”
He stopped pacing and turned toward Gerrit. “We have to contain and control this before it gets out of hand.”
“Who is we?” Gerrit asked again, trying to prod the man into divulging those Kane represented. “The United States has been on top of this for more than a decade. Isn’t that what the National Nanotechnology Initiative and the White House Office of Science and Technology policy is all about? Coordinating efforts so our country can control and contain this information?”
“Ever known a politically motivated body to do what is in the country’s best interests?” Kane scoffed. “They are too busy protecting their own budgets and keeping their own power base to spend time on the greater good.”
“So people like you-and whoever you work for-have the country’s best interests at heart?”
Kane shook his head. “Not just our country’s-the world’s. The whole world must share in these breakthroughs with some controls and power resting with a few reasonable leaders.”
“And who decides this?”
“The group I represent will decide this. We will keep politics and self-interest out of the equation.”
Gerrit couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Listen to yourself. Whomever you represent, they are setting themselves up as the ultimate power brokers. The ruling elite. How does democracy and representation by the people factor into all this?”
“People have elected representatives to protect the country’s interest. These representatives-like Senator Summers-can see the national security issues voters might not recognize. We in the U.S. work to ensure these interests are protected. In turn, I work with other like-minded individuals around the world who are working with world leaders, representing countries with similar agendas. Together, we can help shape international policy to allow these responsible countries to retain control collectively in this new era.”