Chapter Seventeen
8:12 a.m.
Ava’s hands shook, she was so angry.
She was tired of arriving too late.
Tired of finding victims.
Tired of explosive devices stopping her from doing her job.
She pulled out her cell phone and called Dr. Rodrigues. She was so angry it took two tries to enter the correct numbers.
“It’s me,” she said, knowing she sounded like she wanted to kill someone. “I need a list of everyone who used the lab in room number 217 in the biology building at the college.”
“You found something?” her boss asked, sounding exhausted.
“Another dead body and another grenade. If we open this door, we blow ourselves up. However, given the use of the grenade, there may be important evidence in there.”
“Let’s try to avoid another explosion, shall we? I’ll make some calls and get back to you.”
Something in Dr. Rodrigues’s voice caught Ava’s attention, and she tapped the speakerphone tab so River could hear. “What happened?”
“The college was cooperating completely with us until about fifteen minutes ago. Now I’ve got lawyers trying to put limits on our powers of investigation in court, and the college won’t give us any more information until the judge makes a ruling.”
“Can they do that in a state of emergency?”
“They’re arguing the state of emergency is unwarranted.”
“Unwarranted?” Shock turned her voice shrill. Ava couldn’t believe it. “How many people have to die before it’s warranted?” She wanted to hit something.
“You got lists of Roger Squires’s classes and those of his roommates’ classes, too, right?” River asked, joining in on the conversation.
“Yes, that came in before this latest brouhaha.”
“Compare those lists with anyone in a position of authority at the college. Maybe someone’s kid got mixed up in this, and Mom and Dad are trying to do damage control. This place needs to be off limits to everyone until we can get in there and figure out what happened,” River said.
“Homeland sent agents. They should be there any time. They’ll assist you in securing the room.”
“Understood.” He looked unhappy, but resigned. “And if this lead doesn’t pan out?”
“Sergeant River, I’d like you to take a look at the bombing sites at the mall and at the army base. Dr. Lloyd, I’d like some samples from both sites as well. Is there evidence of the same types of explosives being used? Could the grenades you keep finding come from the base?”
The stairwell door at the opposite end of the hall opened, and three homeland agents came through it. Toland, and another two they’d already met.
“What did you find?” Toland asked, once they were close enough to talk without shouting.
“One lab has lights on. I gave the room a visual check before opening the door and discovered it was booby-trapped with a grenade.” River held out the dental mirror.
Toland took the tool and laid it down flat on the floor in front of the door. He took his time, using the mirror to check as much of the room as River did. He got to his feet and held the mirror out to River. “The wires and grenade seem like a rudimentary mechanical trap to me. I can’t say I’ve seen anything close enough like it to suspect a specific terrorist group.”
“It sort of reminded me of the kind of trap used to catch rabbits or small game,” River said, nodding.
“How did they get out?” Ava asked. The question had been bugging her since River described the tripwire tied to the doorknob.
“We need some better optical equipment and a bomb tech,” River suggested. “I think the only trap is the trip wire, but I’m not willing to risk anyone’s life on it.”
“The FBI has the kind of equipment we need.” Toland pulled out his cell phone. “Their bomb experts might be the best people to call in.”
“Do you think this is it?” Ava asked River quietly. “Have we found the source?”
“Maybe the place the bug was manufactured, but there’s got to be more people involved in this. Someone called Roger Squires at the coffee shop. The explosions at the mall and the gate at Fort Bliss were caused by suicide bombers, who almost always have a handler. Someone to choose the target, provide the explosives, and keep the bombers focused on their targets.”
“An iceberg,” Ava whispered. “What we’ve seen so far is just the tip of the iceberg. Most of it is below the waterline, out of sight.”
“Yeah.”
“Whatever is in that lab might help reveal who else is involved.”
“Maybe.” He sounded uncertain. “What I don’t like is how easy it was to get here. Too easy. No hocus pocus, just a straight line from A to B. It was a straight line to the dorm and another straight line to this lab. Evidence left where it could be found with names and locations. I think we’re being led around by the nose.”
“What do you suggest we do? Ignore the lab?”
“No. If we can disarm the trap and get in there safely, I’m sure there will be plenty of intel in there. I’m just thinking that whoever is behind all this left lots of low-hanging fruit to distract and delay us.”
“Okay. So, we need two teams? One to investigate here and another to push forward, past the low-hanging fruit?”
River nodded. “Time to check in with Dr. Rodrigues and fill her in on what we’ve found and what we think needs to happen.” He glanced down the hall at Toland and the other two agents.
Ava backed up several steps and called Dr. Rodrigues. “River is…suspicious.”
“This is a complicated situation,” the other woman said slowly. “One that’s rapidly getting worse. The death toll is now at sixty-three, with another two hundred and fifteen showing symptoms. We need to know who created this strain and how they did it to have any hope of understanding this bug quickly.”
Ava understood her boss’s priorities, but if River was right, they needed to figure out what the real endgame was.
She glanced at the knot of men quietly discussing how best to get inside the lab. Three of them in their dark suits, wearing respirators. River wore his respirator and scrubs with his body armor on overtop and his rifle cradled in his arms, but that wasn’t what set him apart.
He was of average height, but in every other way, he was exceptional. Observant, intelligent, motivated, and yes, decisive. Even wearing safety gear covering more than half of his face, he was easily the most attractive man she’d met in a very long time.
Despite his tendency to irritate and flat-out make her angry, she respected him. He offered his trust first. His respect, and then he’d offered her pleasure before taking his own.
Yes, she did trust him.
How, in the few hours since they met, had that happened?
Allowing herself the luxury of depending on another person was not an easy thing for her, and yet she’d done it. She hadn’t even hesitated.
The room spun, and she bent over to combat the disorientation.
Suck it up.
“I don’t disagree,” she said to the other woman. “I’m concerned at the length of time it would take to create this strain. Months. It would take someone in authority and probably a lot of money to make it happen.”
“Information,” Dr. Rodrigues said. “We need more. If you come across a lead you think deserves investigating, do it. Don’t wait for permission from me.”
“What about the college’s court challenge?”
“A booby-trapped door, a grenade, and a dead body will be more than enough evidence to kick that crap out of court.”
Ava ended the call, then took in deep breaths until the dizziness passed. She walked back to the knot of men clustered around the lab door, with no good news to share.
A door at the opposite end of the hall opened. El Paso police officer Palmer and several men wearing FBI-marked gear along with respirators strode toward them. The FBI agents nodded at Ava and River, then went around them to approach the booby-trapped door and the Homeland agents who waited next to it.
“How are things in the city?” Ava asked Palmer. “Are people complying with the quarantine?”
“Most are. There are always a few idiots who think it’s a license to go shopping with a crowbar instead of cash.” His tone was dry, and Ava found herself liking the man.
“We appreciate your help,” River told him. He approached the group of men.
“How are you doing, ma’am?” Palmer asked. “Get any sleep?”
The question jerked her head around. Had there been a hint of innuendo in his voice? His expression didn’t show it, a combination of earnest innocence.
“Yes, thank you.”
His gaze turned concerned. “Ma’am, can I give you my personal cell phone number? Just in case you have any questions about the city or need a fast ride somewhere?”
A local source of information might be very helpful. “Thank you, that’s a good idea.” She dug out her phone and handed it to him so he could enter his number.
“How long have you lived in El Paso?”
“All my life,” he said with pride as he handed her phone back.
The huddle of men broke up, drawing her attention.
River walked back to her. “They’re going to cut the wire connecting the grenade to the door.” He said it like he was asking her for permission. This was his forte, not hers.
“Okay.”
“They’d like us to leave the building.”
“Why?”
“Mostly because we’ve been blown up twice already.”
Really? “FBI Bomb techs are superstitious?”
He gave her a lopsided smile. “No one would ever admit it.” He tilted his head toward Palmer. “We’re not the only ones they want out. Homeland and Palmer have to leave, too.”
Toland and his two buddies surprised her when they walked to the exit as River was speaking and left first. Palmer followed with Ava and River right behind, all six of them thumping down the stairs from the third floor and outside. They walked across the street, then turned to watch the building.
“The trip wire was quite simple in its construction,” Toland added. “The lead tech has twenty years in, and has seen—”
A punch of sound, light, and vibration knocked them all off their feet as a fireball erupted out of the side of the building.
On the second floor.