Solaria - S1 (28 page)

"Nothing will, Mr. Stalling," Finton promised. "I promise you I'll find them."

"Good. Now, I have a meeting with the members of the Organization of African Nations. Most of them have agreed to my demands if we supply them with the oil they need."

"Can we deliver that without the Sheik's daughter?"

"No, but they don't need to know how we plan to deliver our product, just that we can. Once we get the Hubots back and reprogram them, I have no doubt we will be able to deliver as promised."

Before Finton could reply, his cell phone rang.

"Finton, here!" he replied, signaling his apology to his boss. "I see... no, don't do anything yet. I want more information about this librarian... Yes, keep her under observation and monitor her calls but don't let her know she's being watched... good... no, I'll call you back in a few minutes."

Snapping the phone shut, he put it in his breast pocket.

"We may have a lead. Apparently one of the guests in the hotel was a woman who works at the library we investigated a few weeks back. We thought someone had hacked into our security system. Unfortunately, we didn't find anything. It certainly can't be a coincidence that she turned up at the hotel on the same night the girl and our Hubot disappeared."

"I agree. Keep me informed."

Recognizing the dismissal, Finton left. He wanted to learn more about this librarian.

After Finton's departure, Stalling punched in a number on his phone and waited for the other party to answer.

"Lawrence Billings."

"Billings, we have a problem. Another Hubot is missing. I want Finton and his people investigated. We have a security breach."

"You think Finton is the one behind this?"

"I don't know. Even if he isn't, we've lost two Hubots and the girl. At best, he's becoming incompetent and will need to be replaced."

"Do you have any one special in mind?"

"Yes but I'm not saying who just yet. I don't want any more mistakes. I've come too far to have things ruined because people aren't doing their jobs properly."

"I understand. Speaking of which, we've just re-negotiated the contracts with the Nigerian and Congolese Emissaries. If we can deliver our product in six months, they guarantee a favorable change in their leaders' policies. Next week we're making the same offer to South Africa and Mozambique. Once we bring them on line, we'll be positioned to move forward."

"Good work. Will there be any resistance from their people?"

"Nothing that can't be handled. The promise of better lives will sway most of them. They are so poor they'll do anything to put food on the table... and the ones who don't like it, Dr. Phillips' new drug should take care of."

"Well, once they realize we are there to save them from eternal damnation, they'll thank us. If it takes a few years of suffering to bring them around, so be it. The end result is all that matters. I have been chosen to bring in the new dawn of civilization. You can't imagine the joy I feel knowing how much faith He has in me."

Stalling's voice was filled with rapture as he pictured the statues and stories that would be written about him. He would be immortalized in this world and sit on the left hand side of God when he died... -if he died. Perhaps he would be granted immortality for his sacrifices and achievements; after all, he had forsaken marriage and children and
most
earthly pleasures in order to fulfill his master's wishes. Surely he would be rewarded for accomplishing what even his God's son hadn't been able to do.

"No I can't," Billings agreed forlornly. "It must be wonderful to know you've succeeded in achieving your dream."

"Almost," Stalling corrected, wanting to sound humble, but failing, "but soon, Billings, soon. A few minor setbacks can't stop us now. We
must
get those Hubots back."

"We will. How can we fail knowing God is with us? I mean you."

Billings knew Stalling didn't like others horning in on his accomplishments. Because he believed his boss was truly blessed, he was willing to overlook the man's arrogance.

"Yes, how can we? Alright, enough! I need to leave for a conference."

Without waiting for an answer, Stalling disconnected the call and left for his meeting.

*  *  *

Lawton and Finton sat in the black mini SOLR-V watching the woman as she walked up the library steps and unlocked the door.

"That's her," Lawton said.

"She's fat!" Finton exclaimed, unable to hide his disgust.

"Uhh, yes, she is."

Lawton wasn't sure how to respond to the remark. Being fat didn't mean she was stupid. From everything he had gathered on Jain Plaine, she was an intelligent, highly competent woman.

"What have you found out about her?"

"Basically, she's a loner leads a boring life from all indications. She goes to work every day; arrives twenty minutes early and leaves exactly at 6:45 p.m. Her mother and father were killed in a car accident when she was twenty-three."

"I don't need her life history... just anything that might connect her to the Hubots."

"The only connection we've come up with is that someone may have used one of the library's computers to hack into our security system and Ms. Plaine was staying at the hotel the night the Hubot disappeared. Homeland was unable to find anything in the library and no one at the hotel saw her with anyone."

"I don't believe in coincidences. Keep her under surveillance until I say stop."

"Will do, boss."

"Oh, and Lawton. You're already walking a fine line with Mr. Stalling. I suggest you make sure you and your men don't screw this one up."

Lawton nodded nervously.

"It's covered, I promise. She'll be under 24/7."

"Good."

After Finton left, Lawton radioed two of his best men and ordered an around the clock surveillance on the library and Jain's condo with camera, phone taps and long distance voice monitoring. Unfortunately, they wouldn't be able to eavesdrop inside of her complex due to the specialized voice scrambling equipment that had been installed there several years ago. The people's distrust of government had created a boon in anti-spying technology making it difficult to monitor conversations in many private establishments.

J
AIN WAS BORED. Solaria had left the condo several days ago and hadn't been heard from. Neither was there any news about Joanie.

They probably think they're protecting me,
she thought and sighed.
Someone could have at least told me if Joanie and Betta made it home okay.

Sifting through the returned book basket, she pulled each one out and examined it closely for damage or wear and tear.

"I never realized what a boring job I have," she grumbled.

Halfway through the box she noticed one with a paint stain on the binding. Shaking her head in disgust, she rubbed the white stain with her thumb.

Still wet! Maybe I can wash it off!

Walking into the ladies room, she grabbed a paper towel and began blotting the stain. Whatever the substance was, Jain realized it wasn't paint. In fact, by the time she finished rubbing it, the stain was vanished.

"Hmmm. Strange," she murmured flipping through the pages to see if the inside had been damaged. A small piece of paper tucked between two pages caught her attention. Pulling it out, Jain read the note.

Recently found package delivered to owner but tracking number still active. Company researching all possibilities pertaining to initial disappearance and any possible persons involved in handling up to time of discovery. H.A.

"What the hell! H.A?" Jain muttered, rereading the note. "Shit! Hackattack! The bastards are watching me. I hope Solaria knows this."

Tearing the note into tiny pieces, Jain divided them into several sections and flushed them down three toilets.

"Let the assholes find this."

Frowning, she glanced around the bathroom suspiciously, looking for anything out of order.

Like I'd really be able to spot a bug.

Shrugging she grabbed the book and headed back to her desk. If she was being watched, she'd make sure whoever it was understood what a boring life she really had. If that didn't put them to sleep nothing would. The rest of the day she made sure she followed her normal routine but was frustrated knowing there was no way to warn Solaria.

*  *  *

It had taken Solaria more time than she expected to find the right scientist to impersonate and then alter Carley's I.D.. Dr. Sasha Sonella had advanced degrees in Physics and Microbiology but specialized in retro-viral research. From everything Solaria had read about her, the woman was dedicated to discovering a magic bullet to cure several forms of cancer using genetically altered viruses to attack malignant cells in their embryonic state. Curing cancer at such an early stage would be mankind's greatest medical success, and worth billions to whoever held the patent.

Similar in build and bone structure, it would be easy for Solaria to alter her features. Because Dr. Sonella had dark hair and wore it short, Solaria would need to cut her own hair and dye it.

It'll grow back,
she thought and then wondered if she could excite the hair follicles enough to cause them to produce longer hair faster than the normal growth rate.

Maybe I'll try it after I'm done with all of this.

Immediately, she filed the thought away and concentrated on her plan. Dr. Sonella was known for her eccentric irregular hours. It would be a gamble entering the complex as the doctor, but Solaria hadn't been able to come up with anyone else who fit the requirements she needed to accomplish her goal. The woman had a high security clearance, was physically similar to Solaria and erratic enough to make her sudden reappearance in the same day accepted behavior. At least she hoped. She was about to find out.

Parking her car in the shadows, she climbed out, straightened her lab coat and glanced at the security station several hundred feet away.

When the security guard saw Dr. Sonella walking toward the gate, he nudged his partner.

"The woman's fuckin nuts. Why anyone wants to spend so much time at this place is beyond me."

Shaking his head, the other guard flipped the page on the porn magazine.

"Just make sure you check her out good. We're in a red alert here and I'm not about to lose my job because you screwed up."

"Yeah, yeah. If you're so damned worried, you check her out."

Giving him the finger, the guard's eyes never left the nude centerfold picture.

"Good evening, Dr. Sonella. What brings you back here tonight?" the first guard asked, trying to sound pleasant. It wasn't in his best interests to alienate someone with her clearance.

Giving him an irritated look, the doctor pulled out her I.D. and handed it to him before he could ask for it.

"My work," she replied, curtly.

"Of course. Could you place your palm on the screen and look into the optic scanner?"

Dr. Sonella mumbled something unintelligible under her breath but did as she was asked. Two green lights appeared simultaneously on the security console.

"Thanks. Sorry about this but orders are orders, doctor."

Handing back the I.D., he signaled her to go on in knowing she had three more gates to go through.

"This place hires nothing but kooks as far as I'm concerned," he muttered, looking at the other guard in disgust.

"As long as I get paid I don't care who they hire. It's a cushy job with good benefits."

"I guess."

Picking up one of the magazines his partner had brought in, the guard sat down and relaxed. It was going to be another boring night.