Chapter 19 Protect Norikuko #4
Keith’s mind was still reeling as he finally sat down on the DEA Jet.
The fight they’d just been through to make it to the airport was almost the death of them all.
Millard had shown up, and had it not been for the katana wielding duo of Toda and Nado beheading everyone in their way, they’d have never made it out.
He dropped his head into his hands and breathed in deep.
Torada had proven why he was selected to drive, taking hairpin turns at high speeds while Millard fired at them along with Taito-San’s grandson and henchmen.
‘How many bodies?’ he thought. ‘At least ten or twelve were beheaded, and another five or six killed by bullets.’ He lifted his head, grateful to have escaped alive without a scratch, though he couldn’t say the same for Jeff or Matt.
Each had been hit in the shoulder, but made it out with them.
The dropping of hundreds of tacks on the road from below the escape vehicle had been all that saved them in the end.
Torada deployed it at the only point they couldn’t evade it.
He sighed and leaned back. ‘That’s another close call that I can’t explain.
’ He looked over at Nado who had just sat down beside Norikuko while Toda took the window seat.
“Nado, what was that thing you were trying to tell me in the car on the way?” Keith asked.
“You said your friend was poisoned by Lance?”
“I did indeed,” he replied. “What of it?”
“Then you should know what poison he used.”
“Are you telling me that you know?” Keith practically begged.
“Of course I do. He’d have used a simple supplement – Kratom.”
“How is a supplement a poison?” Keith nearly demanded.
“Mixed with Fentanyl and Neratuna it becomes an inhibitor to the heart muscle and brain functionality, especially eyesight.”
“Kratom?” he replied incredulously.
“Kratom. Lance Marsden is hooked on the stuff. Gets a big stash of it every time he visits.”
“How do you know?” Keith asked with deep curiosity.
“You remember those heads that we had delivered to Taito Towers?”
“Yeah?”
“We got it from them before we removed their abilities to live,” he said as he made a cutting motion across his throat.
“That’s too samurai for me,” Keith said. “I prefer to use my guns.”
“Then you miss out on the honor of the kill,” he said. “You should learn martial arts.”
“Maybe, but not now. I need to make a call before we take off.” Keith got up and moved to the front of the plane. “Guys, how long before we taxi?”
“About three minutes, why?” the pilot replied.
“I’ve gotta make an important call to the States. Can you hold off until I finish?”
“You can have three minutes before we start for the taxiway and about a minute and a half before we reach the runway. After that you are S.O.L. buddy,” the co-pilot replied. “Uncle Sam’s not waiting for us to get back because you delayed us.”
“Fine. I’ll be as quick as I can.”
Steven and Darren rushed into the Lab. The bustle of activity was almost dizzying. Steven found Mary and pulled her aside, turning her toward Darren as he moved past to Erica. “Listen up people. This isn’t just one toxin, it’s two!”
“We realize that,” Erica said in frustration.
“But the other toxin is one that targets the heart and brain,” he added. “That should narrow your field down quite a bit.”
“That does indeed,” Erica said with renewed hope. “Tilde, could you give me a hand with reprogramming Mr. Mass-Spec here,” she said making frustrated hand gestures at the machine.
“Certainly Ms. Stamson,” she said as she moved over. “What parameters are we changing?”
“Look for specific ketones that affect the nervous system, specifically those that would affect the eyesight.” Erica ran her hands over her face. “Didn’t Keith say that this threat came from overseas?”
“He did indeed, Erica. I know everyone’s tired and it’s been a busy two days, but we’re running out of time for Greg.”
“We’ll find it, honey,” Mary said in the most assuring voice she could muster. Greta opened the door and pushed a cart in. “Finally!”
“I’ve got coffee and donuts!” she announced. “Get them while they’re hot.”
“Oh, that’s exactly what I need,” Erica proclaimed as she grabbed a donut and large coffee. “Greta, thank you so much for thinking about this.”
“We’ve gone nearly forty-six hours without sleep and one paltry little meal of soup and crackers. We needed this,” she said then took a massive bite from an éclair.
“Thanks, Greta,” Darren said, picking up a cup of coffee as he felt the buzz in his pocket.
“Dammm,” he said setting the coffee back down and grabbing his phone.
“This is Darren.” The excited voice on the other end was so loud that almost everyone could hear.
“Kratom?!” Darren exclaimed. “That’s just a supplement and it’s not even effective.
” He paused as he heard Keith scream over the roaring of the jet engine.
“It becomes a neuropoison when mixed with Fentanyl and Neratuna?”
“KRATOM!” Steven exclaimed. “QUICK-Check for it!”
“ON IT!” was the unanimous cry and the flurry of activity.
“If it was Kratom, then we need to give him a small dose of rat poison to counteract it!” Steven declared. “The two cancel each other out.”
“Verified!” Tilde and Erica exclaimed, followed shortly by Gina – “Affirmative.”
“That’s what that is!” Mary cried out looking back through her microscope. “I’ve only seen it once back in Iowa.”
“Let’s go people, we’ve got a patient to SAVE!” Steven yelled as he charged back out the door with a whole train of people following him.