'Excellent,' Twelve said, shaking my hand. 'Congratulations on a job well done.'
I thanked him, realizing it was the first time I'd actually touched an alien. He felt surprisingly human. Twelve gave me a final nod before moving on to shake hands with an equally surprised looking Dan.
Our team was at a party with The Agency staff. People were really letting their hair down and relaxing. I'd decided to relax too, particularly as I couldn't remember celebrating any other party. I couldn't remember birthdays or Christmases or christenings or anything else, so I intended to make the most of this one.
Three days had passed since the destruction of Pegasus. Our role in destroying the rocket was still a secret to most of the staff at The Agency. There were a hundred projects taking place here at any one time, and our effort to save New York City just happened to be one of them. The attack was also a secret as far as the American people were concerned. The Agency had a policy of keeping things quiet.
Brodie sidled up to me. 'Looks like we're suddenly Twelve's best friends.'
'I think whoever gets the job done is his best friend,' I said. 'Anyway, the operation wasn't a complete success.'
I suppose I was hard on myself. Typhoid wasn't finished, but Mister Jones informed us the organization had been dealt a severe blow. Maybe the biggest disappointment was that Solomon Wolff had escaped. I would have liked to have seen the terrorist leader languishing in a cell, considering everything he wanted to put us through. Where he would turn up next was anyone's guess.
Still…
'Stop brooding,' Brodie nudged me. 'You saved New York City from certain destruction.'
'Me and another guy, a fighter pilot I never got to thank.'
She pressed my arm. 'The world is made up of nameless heroes.'
Doctor Sokolov sidled up to me.
I gave her a smile. 'Come to join the party?'
She returned the smile, but it was strained.
I wonder what's wrong.
'I thought I'd add my congratulations to the all-conquering heroes,' Doctor Sokolov said. Her eyes shifted to Brodie and across to Twelve before taking my arm. 'Have you tried the canapés?'
The doctor gently led me over to the table. I fired a glance at Brodie, not knowing if she were worried or just plain jealous. It was sometimes hard to tell with Brodie. The doctor gave me a paper plate. On it sat a cream cheese cracker.
'These are very good,' she said, her eyes boring into mine. 'But you must be careful not to eat them too quickly.'
She smiled and glanced over my shoulder. 'Harry!' she said, smiling. 'I didn't expect you here!'
Disappearing into the crowd, I was left standing there with the paper plate and the single savory. Brodie sidled over.
'What was that all about?'
I shrugged. 'Oh, nothing,' I said. 'The doctor's a foodie. That's all.'
I hated lying. If there were anyone I'd come to trust, it was Brodie. I would—and already had—entrusted my life to her a dozen times over. Still, I was told something a lifetime ago that had kept me alive this long.
Trust no one.
I made some more small talk before gently extricating myself from the party and into the gentleman's bathroom. Taking refuge in one of the cubicles, I pulled the savory from my pocket. Under the cream cheese was a folded piece of paper.
On it was written:
Corridor 11E / 16:00 hours
Nothing else.
What's this about?
There was something wrong here. Seriously wrong. When I'd first awoken in that room, Doctor Richards had told me to seek out The Agency. But what did he say?
Some…at The Agency…will help you.
Some.
That single word held a lot of meaning. Some people at The Agency were on our side, but others were our enemies. Who were they? Who could be trusted? Could I trust Doctor Sokolov? How do I know she's not some sort of double agent?
My mind whirled in confusion. I stood in the cubicle and mulled over my options. In the end, I realized there was only one thing I could do. I had to meet with her. At least I had my powers, and I'd be on my guard the whole time. If it were a trap—
Well, I'd just stopped a nuclear missile. I thought I could handle a solitary scientist.
The next few hours passed slowly. Chad and Dan wanted me to join them above ground for a throw of a ball, but I told them I was busy. I moped around our dorm room until the time arrived. Then I made my way to the destination on the note. When I arrived, I realized the spot had been chosen for a specific reason; it was one of the few areas not monitored by security cameras.
No sooner had I arrived than a nearby door eased open. I could just make out Anna's figure in the doorway.
'Quickly,' she urged. She pulled me in through the door, securing it behind me. We were in a narrow corridor, an access tunnel with pipes running along the roof. The silence closed in around us. 'We must be fast. We'll be missed if we take too long.'
'What's this about?' I demanded. 'I'm not going anywhere until you—'
She gripped my arm. 'Listen!' she said. 'You and your friends are in terrible danger! If you want to survive, you must come with me!'
It was a hard argument to ignore. I followed Doctor Sokolov down the corridor. It quickly became apparent that this wasn't a well-traveled service tunnel. Dust covered the floor, and the lighting was non-existent in places.
Where are we going?
Finally, Anna stopped at a manhole in the floor. Pulling it up, she reached into the gap and flicked a switch. A weak, electric light illuminated a ladder below.
'We must go down here,' she said.
I shook my head. 'Not until I find out what is going on,' I said. 'I've followed you this far, but how do I know you're not trying to kill me?'
'You silly boy.' Anna rolled her eyes. 'I am trying to save your life. As did Doctor Richards and the other members of The Alpha Project.'
'You mean when Typhoid attacked The Agency?'
Anna started down the ladder. 'Typhoid did not attack The Agency.' She stopped to look up at me. 'He and the other scientists were trying to save you from it.'