The Genesis Plague (2010)

with Brooke occasionally chiming in for clarification. Jason focused mostly on Brooke’s recollection of the cave’s layout.
    ‘Brooke, you only saw the first leg of the tunnel?’ Jason clarified.
    ‘That’s right.’
    Flaherty felt a tug on his sleeve. When he looked over, Brooke held up the BlackBerry and tapped on the USAMRIID logo. Then she pointed to the phone and mouthed, ‘Tell him.’
    ‘I’m afraid it gets even stranger,’ Flaherty warned. ‘It wasn’t just the military that watched over the excavation. Seems the guys at USAMRIID were involved too.’
    ‘What? You mean the biochem guys?’
    ‘Yeah.’
    A pause.
    ‘Any idea what the connection might be?’ Jason finally asked.
    ‘No,’ Brooke said. ‘Sorry.’
    ‘Brooke didn’t see anyone suited up in Hazmat gear,’ Flaherty added. ‘So I don’t think there is any hazardous material in there.’
    ‘All right,’ Jason said. ‘We’re prepping a recon bot to send into the cave. I’ve got enough surprises to worry about.’
    Flaherty wanted to ask Jason if the quarry was still trapped in the cave, but ruled against it. Jason sending a bot into the cave did, after all, provide indirect confirmation that the hunt was still under way. ‘I’m afraid there’s something else. Something you should definitely be concerned about.’
    ‘Great,’ he said. ‘Hit me.’
    ‘Right after I spoke to Brooke, some guy with a gun came after her. Tried to kill her.’
    ‘Christ,’ he groaned in frustration.
    ‘Yeah, we barely got out of there alive,’ Flaherty said. He painted a quick picture of the incident that took place outside the museum.
    ‘That’s too much of a coincidence for my taste,’ Jason said.
    ‘Not sure who the gunman was … or who might have sent him,’ Flaherty said. ‘But Brooke offered a good suggestion. Seems USAMRIID sent out some samples for processing. If our guys can dig through USAMRIID’s records, we might find out what they were studying … and who ordered the tests.’
    ‘Smart thinking. Look, Tommy, you two need to keep safe until we figure out what’s going on here.’
    ‘I know. I’m taking Brooke to the office now,’ Flaherty said. ‘You watch over your shoulder too.’
    ‘Will do,’ Jason said. ‘You’re in good hands, Brooke. Nice talking with you.’
    ‘Thanks,’ she said.
    ‘Gotta go,’ Jason said. ‘I’ll be in touch shortly.’
    The line went dead.
    Flaherty pocketed the phone.
    ‘Sounds like a clever fellow,’ Brooke said.
    ‘If only you knew,’ Flaherty said. In the rearview mirror, the angular headlights swooped in from behind - the vehicle a mere shadow through the rear window’s crackled glass. Checking the side mirror, he saw a Hyundai sedan was putt-putting along in the fast lane, about three car lengths back. Then the vehicle tailing him made another abrupt manoeuvre and eclipsed the Hyundai. The silver Ford Explorer had returned, and for the first time, Flaherty glimpsed the driver’s silhouette. When he finally discerned the driver’s narrow face and big ears, his heart jumped into his throat.

29
    ‘Red light!’ Brooke yelled, throwing both hands on to the dashboard. Instead of slowing, Agent Flaherty stomped on the accelerator and blew through the intersection. He nearly clipped a green and white taxi that was cutting along Belvidere Street. The taxi slid to a stop in the busy crosswalk outside Prudential Center’s south exit.
    ‘Just hold tight,’ he said. In the mirror, he saw the Ford Explorer weave erratically around the taxi and shoot forward in pursuit.
    ‘Are you crazy! What are you—!’
    ‘That’s him in the Explorer … behind us.’
    She turned to get a look. ‘Oh my God…’ she gasped. ‘Does this thing have airbags?’ she nervously asked, staying low in the seat.
    He didn’t reply, and focused on the traffic up ahead. A meandering canary-yellow duck boat chugged along the centre lane, splitting between a bus in the slow lane and a car easing to queue for a left turn where signboards pointed to Prudential Center’s underground parking lot.
    Flaherty’s anxiety spiked. ‘Come on … come on! ‘ he yelled at the half boat, half truck.
    ‘You can’t stop!’
    ‘I know …’
    He considered an evasive U-turn along the wide avenue, but the traffic coming in the opposite direction was too thick and allowed no adequate opening.
    Any hope of making a right on to Garrison was instantly dashed as the bus eased to a stop with its right