3 pm, day 0
Holderness.
Sarah was sitting in the drawing room of the manor house, sipping on her coffee as Lucinda, Anne and Susan were talking. The incident at Blaketon Laboratories was in the past, and she had enjoyed the rest of her stay, looking at the twins as they played in the playpen at one side of the room.
“They’re getting bigger aren’t they,” Susan said as she put her hands on her own bump.
“Yes, they are,” Sarah said as she looked at them, “and they’re getting to be a bit of a handful.”
“Not really,” Lucinda said as she looked at them, “compared to your girls, they’re little angels.”
“I know,” Anne said as she looked at Andrew playing on the floor, “you should be grateful for that, Sarah.”
Sarah smiled as she watched It set after Bart crawl over to the far side of the playpen, and start to tease his twin sister. “Hey,” Sarah said as she looked over, “play nicely with your sister young man.”
“Problem,” Brian said as he came in, Lord Holderness on his arm.
“Nothing I can’t take care of,” Sarah said as Lord Holderness sat down, and she stood up and started to walk to the playpen – and then stopped.
“Sarah, are you all right?”
“I’m not sure,” Sarah said as she looked at Brian, “I stood up, and suddenly felt a bit light headed. In fact...” She suddenly stumbled a little, as Brian came forward and caught her.
“Sit down for a minute,” he said as he gently took Sarah back to her seat, “catch your breath.”
“Thanks,” Sarah said with a smile, “It’ll pass soon.”
Brian put the back of his hand on Sarah’s forehead, Lucinda watching as he started to frown.
“What’s wrong?”
“Yeah, I’m sure it will pass,” Brian said with a smile as he kissed his wife’s forehead, and then left the room. “I’ll get you a drink of water.”
Lucinda watched him leave, and then said “Excuse me a few minutes” as she stood up and followed him out. Looking up and down the corridor, she walked to the kitchen where she found Brian looking out of the window.
“Brian?”
“She’s got a temperature, Lucinda.”
“So? We all get colds from time to time...”
“Not Sarah – her DNA when it was modified meant she is immune to all viruses – but something is giving her a temperature.”
He turned and looked at Lucinda. “Can you take her the water? I need to make a phone call – and keep an eye on her please.”
“Of course,” Lucinda said as she took the glass and walked out, Brian waiting before he took out his mobile phone and dialled a number.
10.30 am EST, Day 0
FBI Laboratories, Augusta, Maine
Kayla looked up from her microscope and smiled at the agents.
“Definitely arsenic – mixed in with the porridge.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” one of the two men said, “we’ll take it from here.”
Kayla smiled as she showed the two men out, and then made some notes. As she finished typing, she heard her cell phone go off.
“Kayla Smith.”
“Kayla, it’s Brian. Are you free to talk at the moment?”
“Well, nobody else is here. What can I do to help you?”
“Sarah has a temperature.”
Kayla stood up and said “repeat that please.”
“Sarah has a temperature, and she’s feeling unwell. Kayla, this is meant to be impossible.”
“I know – apart from your recent work with Barry Hampton, has anything else happened?”
“No – why?”
“Listen, I’ll be on the first plane I can get out – can you get Mister Bridges to meet me at the airport?”
“Sure – in the meantime?”
“Watch her, give her plenty of fluids, and if she gets worse make sure she goes to bed – and don’t worry Brian. I’ll get to the bottom of this.”
Ending the call, Kayla looked round, and then dialled a number.
“Anne? Emergency on Project Pink Widow – can you get me on a helicopter to JFK, and a ticket on the next available plane after we land?”
6 pm EST, Day 0
JFK Airport, New York
“Once again, ladies and gentlemen, we apologise for the delay in departure to your flight,” the captain said over the intercom. “This was due to a medical emergency, and the need for two late passengers to join this plane...”
“Miss Duncombe, Doctor Smith,” the steward said as Anne and Kayla walked into the first class cabin, “your booths are over here.”
“Many thanks,” Kayla said as she put a medical bag and her own luggage in the over head locker, Anne doing the same before they both sat down and strapped themselves in.
“Please inform me as soon as it is possible to use a cell phone,” Kayla asked, the steward nodding as the final preparations were made for take-off.
“Have you talked to Brian again?”
Kayla nodded as she looked at Anne. “She’s feeling flushed and gone to bed – Lucinda is staying by her bedside while Brian looks after the kids.”
“He’s right – nothing should affect her like this. What’s going on?”
“I’ll find out once we’re airborne – the director of the laboratories they worked in is expecting my call.”
As the plane levelled off, the steward whispered in Kayla’s ear, and she connected her laptop to the internet, before starting a Skype call.
“Professor Blaketon,” she said as the face of a bearded gentleman appeared on the screen, “I am Doctor Kayla Smith. We spoke briefly on the phone earlier.”
“Doctor Smith – your matter sounded urgent. What can I do for you?”
“What I am about to say,” Kayla whispered, “is in complete confidence. It concerns the recent attempted theft at your research centre near Holderness.”
“Ah – I guessed as much. The couple who Hampton sent in pulled off a miracle that night. I would be more than willing to help in return for that.”
“Good – because the woman has fallen ill, and we think whatever it is causing her illness may have come from your laboratory.”
“Well, I checked the work details for her time here – she didn’t handle any hazardous chemicals or bio material.”
“Hmm – is it possible she may have accidentally brushed against something or touched something.”
“Nothing she was...”
“Professor Blaketon?”
“There is one thing – we’ve been conducting some trials for a US client, on a new virus designed to be harmless to humans, but lethal to a particular pest. They could not conduct final safety trials in the US, so we had an agreement to test it here.”
“What trials,” Kayla said quietly.
“We arranged to have work surfaces and tables sprayed with the virus, after assurances it was not toxic to humans, to see how long the virus would stay active. All staff were informed and consented, but...”
“But my people did not know?”
“I don’t think they were told – there was not time for the full induction. Doctor Smith, if we are responsible, then we must help with treating your colleague. We have excellent medical facilities here – if you can get her here, we will monitor her until your arrival.”
“The offer is appreciated, Professor Blaketon,” Kayla said, “but tell me – what was the pest the virus was designed to kill?”
“The Black Widow spider,” he replied as Kayla’s face blanched.