laptop, but you didn t tell Dr. Howard. It s true, isn t it?
Eddie nodded, watching him warily. I told Howard the compound was dangerous, but he told
me not to do anything about it. He insisted I was exaggerating, but he wouldn t let me prove it to him.
I suspect he has been siphoning the grant money for his own personal use and didn t want me to use
any more of it. He showed up one day in a fancy new car instead of his old VW.
Fox shook his head. No, it s worse than that. He s selling the dangerous pesticide to some dude
from Uganda who s involved in some political shit.
Uganda? That s where the pesticide is headed. It s uniquely designed to work in the Ugandan
climate. Howard went there last year to do some research. The whole thing was his idea. He secured
the grant money from Comtrex.
Fox nodded excitedly. Eddie was finally listening. Maybe that s where he met Mr. Maputwa. I
don t know how they got involved. Maybe he got back in touch with him when he realized he had
something to sell him. I just know he promised the bloke your lethal version of the pesticide. You ve
got to destroy any information about the original compound, because Howard will be looking for it,
and he ll hand it over to Maputwa to manufacture and use as a bioweapon.
As if considering his words, Eddie looked hard at him before shaking his head. This is just
another one of your fantastic lies. You tell so many lies you wouldn t know the truth if it hit you on the
head.
Fox moaned in frustration, though he could hardly blame Eddie for not believing him. How did
I know you changed the pesticide? How did I know the name Lintrane?
Rubbing his furrowed forehead, Eddie blew out a hard breath. I don t know, he replied
quietly.
My dad works as a mercenary soldier now, and he s been to loads of African countries, Sierra
Leone, Ethiopia, Uganda. Anywhere there s trouble. I don t know how he met Maputwa or how
Maputwa met Dr. Howard. I just know that the three of them are involved in some deal to make sure
that your deadly version of Lintrane is breathed in by as many Ugandans as possible in the areas of
the country that don t want Maputwa and his maggots in charge. Howard is making a fortune off this,
and my father is going to distribute the chemical on an unsuspecting population for another fortune.
Have they no morals? Eddie asked, plainly exasperated.
No, dear, Fox said. None at all. Unlike you who have too many. You re such a good bloke.
You called me dear. Eddie s expression softened a little. But this isn t adding up. How are
you involved? You with all your high moral ground about not enslaving anything with a face.
Fox hated what he had to say next, admitting more lies and his own weakness at not being able to
say no to William Baillie. I m not really a rentboy, not even for art s sake. I came looking for you
because my dad told me to steal your laptop with the information about the Lintrane. I swear I didn t
know what it was all about. I only found out last night, and I came straight to you today with it.
Is this just more of your lies? Eddie asked. All this intrigue and international terrorism must
be very exciting for someone with your imagination.
With his fingernail, Fox scratched at an old bit of chewing gum trodden on the floor. I don t
blame you for not believing anything I say, but hear me out. I was in my father s office last night
looking at his guns and checking his life insurance policy because I m planning to kill him. I almost
got caught when they all came in.
You re planning to kill your father? Because he s a mercenary? Can t you just talk some sense
into him? Acquaint him with the immorality of what he is doing?
Looking into Eddie s face, Fox began to laugh. It wasn t funny, but it was absurd. We are
talking about the same man who tried to kill you in Regent s Park.
Oh, right, Eddie said as though he had forgotten the assault. Yes, he was rather unreasonable.
He despises homosexuality, but indiscriminate killing is well within the scope of his moral compass.
That s my dad, Fox said. I m sorry about all the lies. I wish you d believe me.
Spare me more of them, Eddie said. You stole my computer on purpose. If this is a genuine
threat, then you re in on the whole thing. You re part of all this. You live off the earnings of a
mercenary soldier.
No, it wasn t like that! Fox burst out.
I don t believe any of this. It s outrageous. Howard was furious when I told him my laptop was
stolen with all the data.
He was pretending. Did you suggest calling the police? Fox asked.
Yes, Eddie said. I d like to call them now and turn you in. Let them sort fact from fiction.
And what did he say, Howard? Go ahead and call them?
Quietly Eddie replied, No. He told me not to. A play of thoughts scurried across Eddie s face,
first confusion, then a glimmer of comprehension and hopefully realization.
Eddie, I& Footsteps in the corridor outside sent Fox scurrying behind a workbench just as the
laboratory door opened. Sitting behind the door, Eddie nearly got slammed into the wall. With his
forefinger to his lips, Fox mouthed, I m not here.
Shit! It was Howard.
Dr. Howard muttered about lights being left on and the door left unlocked as he made his way
across the lab to a small safe tucked under a workbench. With difficulty the man got down on his
knees and tried to drag the safe out from under the bench. When he realized he could not budge it, he
ducked his head under the bench and began to try various combinations, cursing at each failure.
Squinting his confusion, Eddie looked at Fox, then back at Howard. What are you doing, Dr.
Howard?
Taken by surprise, the doctor looked up so abruptly that he slammed his head into the bench
above. Fuck! he screamed and crawled backward to get out. With both hands on his head he threw
a look of rage at Eddie. Atherton, why are you sitting on the floor? Why are you still here?
I m tired. Just thought I d have a rest before going home.
Christ, Eddie, try to sound more convincing and less idiotic. Around the corner of the bench
Fox could see Eddie still seated on the floor and Dr. Howard s legs.
On the floor? You re a very strange man, Dr. Atherton.
So I m told, Eddie said. What are you doing with my safe?
Howard s tone was scathing when he said, It s a miracle you ever got through Oxford.
I got through Oxford because I m brilliant.
Yes! You tell him, Eddie.
I need all your data on the Lintrane.
Eddie stood up until all Fox could see was two sets of legs, one stout and one skinny. You have
it. I sent you the report in an encrypted file a couple of days ago. You have the password.
You changed the compound without my permission. I told you not to change it until I gave you
the go-ahead.
Please, Eddie, think about what I ve said.
It had to be changed. The original compound did not stand up to the large animal tests. It killed [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]