Part 26 (1/2)

The golf cart came to a stop in front of one particular cage. Plastic curtains created an opaque screen completely around it.

”This is your cage,” Higgins said. ”You see we took extra precautions.”

”That's all?” Aaron said. ”Just a curtain?”

Higgins swallowed. ”We have special procedures, too. We only let specific, highly trusted workers inside. n.o.body is stealing from you. It's impossible.”

”I'd feel better if the fence were electrified.”

”You really want that? Sure. I'll make it happen.”

”Let's take a look inside.”

”I don't have the key.” Higgins grimaced.

Ethel took a set of lock picks from her pocket and went over to the cage. She opened the padlock in a few seconds, her fingers moving so quickly they were just a blur.

”We don't need keys,” Aaron said. ”After you.”

Higgins gave Ethel a fearful look. He opened the steel door and went into the cage. Everybody else followed.

As soon as they were safely behind the plastic curtains, Ethel kicked Higgins in the back of the head. The impact sounded like a hammer striking a melon. He crumpled to the concrete floor and lay still.

”When he wakes up,” Aaron said, ”he'll know he was duped.”

”He certainly won't tell the Eternals,” she said. ”They'd kill him for being an idiot. Start looking around.”

There were hundreds of boxes ranging in size from a few inches to large enough to hold a piano. He read the s.h.i.+pping labels, and it seemed like every box had a different name listed as the recipient.

”These Eternals are paranoid,” he said. ”They must use even more fake ident.i.ties than we do.”

”Hurry,” Ethel said. ”Open the boxes.”

Aaron took a knife from a sheath on his ankle and began slicing into cardboard.

”I found body armor,” Smythe announced. ”High grade.”

”Bottles of benzene and styrene,” Aaron said.

”Two hundred syringes,” Ethel said.

”Diamond tipped drill bits,” Smythe said.

”Black felt,” Aaron said.

The inventory continued for several minutes. As expected, the Eternals had purchased a lot of military gear and chemical supplies, but many other odd items were mixed in. The combination had Aaron scratching his head. What are they planning to do with this stuff?

”This is interesting,” Smythe said. ”Business cards.”

”We already got one,” Aaron said. ”It's black.”

”These are green and pink. Wiley's Wild and Wacky Carnival of Fun.”

”Huh?”

Aaron and Ethel rushed over. The business cards showed a silly clown face with rainbow colored hair.

Ethel took out her phone and made a call. ”Edward,” she said, ”tell me about Wiley's Wild and Wacky Carnival of Fun.” She turned on the speaker so Smythe and Aaron could hear the reply.

After a moment Edward said, ”A traveling carnival. Rides, games, and small circus acts. Judging from the website, it looks like a good sized operation. It recently made stops in Missouri, Indiana, and Illinois.”

Smythe's eyes opened wide. ”Can you correlate those locations with PRooFS outbreaks?”

”Yes, sir,” Edward said. ”Give me a minute.”

Smythe s.h.i.+fted from foot to foot like an impatient child. Aaron had never seen him so animated.

”You're a genius,” Edward said. ”The locations match perfectly! The carnival was in town a month before the start of every outbreak. It can't be a coincidence.”

Smythe grinned. He put up his hand and Aaron gave him a high five.

”Good work,” Ethel said. ”Continue studying this carnival. I want a very detailed report.”

”Yes, ma'am,” Edward said.

She closed her phone.

”I can't believe it!” Smythe said. ”We actually found a possible source of PRooFS! This is amazing.”

”I'm glad you're happy, finally.” Ethel rolled her eyes.

”We have to tell somebody. The authorities need to know!”

”No.” She furrowed her brow. ”This is a Spears investigation until I say otherwise. We won't tell anybody, especially not the authorities.”

”But ma'am, innocent people are dying right now,” he said. ”Hundreds of them.”

”We will deal with that issue at the proper time and in the proper way.”

”I have a sworn duty to heal the sick.”

”Yes, but not this minute.” She stood close to him and stared into his eyes. ”I've been in this business for almost three decades, and I know what I'm doing. Trust me. Every problem will be addressed in the correct order. Any other path always leads to disaster.”

He clenched his hands. Aaron wondered if Smythe knew how close to death he was. Ethel hated insubordination more than anything else.

”Yes, ma'am.” Smythe lowered his eyes.

Aaron noticed yellow light flas.h.i.+ng on the ceiling. He went out of the cage and peeked around the plastic curtain. A golf cart loaded with four security guards was approaching rapidly, and it had spinning yellow lights on the front.

”Trouble,” Aaron said. ”Four guards.”