‘That’s how the Phoenix virus survives as well,’ DC said. ‘If it thaws, it disintegrates. If it’s preserved by a meteorite, like the one on your back, it can last a lot longer.’
‘Yeah,’ Aviary said, ‘so these scientist dudes discovered a new virus that combined with the Tunguska virus. It exchanged and recombined genes, creating a hybrid virus. More deadly, more pathogenic. So yeah, it can be done. You can combine viruses for sure.’
‘Great,’ Damien said. ‘I feel better now.’
‘Yeah,’ Aviary said. ‘I’m glad we had this talk too.’
‘But has anyone specifically tested the Phoenix subtype?’ Sophia said. ‘When all three mix together?’
‘No one has. At least not in modern history,’ DC said. ‘There are just tales.’
‘Fairytales,’ Sophia said. ‘But this Phoenix combo sounds like—’
‘A sort of psychic mind control,’ Aviary said.
‘Orders would leap instantly into the soldier’s brain,’ DC said.
‘You’d be a walking Seraphim transmitter,’ Damien said.
‘So you can understand why we can’t let this happen,’ DC said. ‘We need to stop Denton from possessing the viruses in any of these meteorites — even this one. But there’s a problem.’
She almost didn’t want to ask. ‘Which is?’
‘Denton has already stolen this one,’ DC said. ‘Or at least his operative, Czarina, did. Which means he’ll be tracking it, possibly even underground.’
‘How?’ Damien said, his voice pitched higher than usual.
‘Bioreactive taggant,’ DC said. ‘The rock now contains deposits of it so he can track it from within a certain distance. We need to get the rock off this island and then destroy it. Completely. Not even a particle can remain.’
‘We?’ Sophia said.
‘That’s going to need something burning real hot,’ Aviary said. ‘I’ll need some serious ingredients.’
‘That will have to wait,’ Sophia said. ‘We need some distance first.’
‘Drop it in the ocean,’ Damien said. ‘Somewhere deep.’
DC shook his head. ‘That won’t stop Denton from finding it. Hell, you could drop it on the moon and he’d get it back.’
‘A volcano!’ Aviary said.
‘Do you know any local?’ Sophia said.
‘Well, there’s … Ecuador,’ Aviary said.
‘A little out of our way,’ DC said.
‘Are you working for the Fifth Column?’ Sophia said, hand resting on her holstered Glock.
DC swallowed. ‘Yes.’
‘Were you working for Cecilia?’ she asked.
‘She thought I was,’ he said.
‘I should shoot you right now and keep walking,’ Sophia said.
‘But you won’t.’ He looked at her Glock.
‘I haven’t decided yet,’ she said.
‘This isn’t your fight,’ DC said. ‘Right now, we have half the Central Detachment in New York. Sixty-two Blue Berets sourced from Delta, USAISA, SOAR, DEVGRU, Twenty-Fourth, JTF2. The best soldiers in the world.’
‘I'm more concerned about the operatives.’ Sophia said. ‘Denton has them all?’
‘We don’t know how many are sympathetic to his cause,’ DC said. ‘Until we know for sure, they’re supposed to be inactive.’
‘Aw, they’re grounded,’ Aviary said.
‘This must be pretty important to the Fifth Column,’ Sophia said. ‘Why are you stealing it, DC? You’ve already intercepted it from Denton’s operative. And I can’t help but notice you somehow managed to lose your Blue Berets.’
‘Because I don’t think anyone should have it. Not even the Fifth Column,’ DC said.
‘Thinking for yourself now?’ Sophia said. ‘So you’re just walking out with it? Shoplifting from the secret world government?’
‘Not anymore.’ DC flashed a smile for the first time. ‘You’re shoplifting, I tried to stop you but you got away.’
‘Thanks,’ she said. ‘I’m flattered.’
She considered her options. As usual, there weren’t many. She handed DC the paper.
‘I want to trust you, I really do, but I can’t,’ she said. ‘If these are anywhere near as powerful as that scribble of paper says — because I’m hoping that like a lot of ancient writing it’s been grossly exaggerated — then Denton can’t go anywhere near this. And neither can the Fifth Column. On that, we agree.’
‘The Fifth Column have enough special forces soldiers to handle this,’ DC said. ‘We stole this meteorite, after all.’
‘Yeah sure, if you want the Fifth Column to have it after all,’ Sophia said. ‘And anyway I stole it from them. And hey, I’m just one operative. How are you going to go with eight of Denton’s pet superhumans on your tail? Actually, nine — I’m sure that one you had back there has escaped by now, or been rescued by Denton.’
DC glared at her, but said nothing. She had a point, and he knew it. ‘If you’re keeping the meteor,’ he said, ‘then I hope you intend to move it very far from here, very fast.’
He turned and, without a word, continued down the tunnel.
‘Where do you think you’re going?’ Sophia said, drawing her pistol.
He sighed and turned to her barrel. ‘If it’s alright with you, I have a psychopath to stop.’ He pointed down the tunnel. ‘Denton is holding a party below Grand Central right now and I’m not invited.’
‘Not without a plus one,’ Sophia said.
DC halted. ‘What are you talking about?’
Sophia blinded him with her torch. ‘I’m your date for tonight.’
STAGE 2
LOCKDOWN
Chapter 22
Denton strode through Grand Central terminal. The only sounds around him were the quick tramp of boots across the marble floor as his Blue Berets moved in. He looked up at three arched windows making up most of the wall of the main concourse. Above them, a large American flag was hanging, stripes down.
He recalled the first time he’d set foot here, as an OSS agent. The three windows were in that time three panels. They were hand-painted with government-sanctioned murals. Under them, in big bold letters: BUY DEFENSE BONDS AND STAMPS NOW!
Grand Central terminal had been evacuated upon his arrival, save for a lingering few staff who he’d spoken with upon entering. They were eager to join the rest of New York City’s residents in the mandatory evacs, happy to hand responsibility over to Denton and the CDC. Or the CIA. Or whatever badge he’d used — he honestly couldn’t remember.
Predictions suggested this hurricane was going to be worse than the last, and no one was taking any chances. Evacuation centers had been set up in schools throughout Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. All inpatients had been transferred to hospitals much farther north of the hurricane’s projected path. Police had, in waves through the afternoon, evacuated all the sick and elderly. Even the Day of the Dead festival had been cut short. He didn’t care much how his fireworks show at the museum had impacted on FEMA’s work: there was certainly no way it could have meant more New Yorkers in his way.
All subways, buses, trains and ferries had shut down. All of Grand Central terminal’s pedestrian entrances were covered off with pink tape. All two hundred trains were tucked away in above-water tunnels and platforms.
All the bridges had been manned with police, supported by paramedics and firefighters on standby. There had also been transportation officials with tow trucks ready to handle any vehicles that congested the evacuation.