Chapter 27 Losham #2
"That sounds good in theory, but the reality of those soldiers is that they are at best too independent and at worst uncontrollable.
The Eight acted without authorization because they didn't even consider that they needed it.
" Kolhood lifted a hand when Losham wanted to interrupt him.
"And don't tell me that the authorization was implied.
That's not how a military organization works, and even you know that. "
Losham didn't have a good answer to that because he'd already admitted that he hadn't ordered the killing of Tarik and his group.
"I propose that the enhancement program be shut down immediately," Kolhood continued. "And the remaining eight enhanced soldiers be eliminated. And if Father questions our decision, we will point out the savage murders committed by them."
"Absolutely not," Losham barked. "The program represents years of research and millions in investment. Shutting it down would be a waste of resources we can't afford, and that's a direct quote from Father."
Kolhood opened his mouth to argue but then closed it. "Fine. We won't eliminate the Eight, but we won't make any new ones either. When Father returns, he can decide what to do with his crazy program."
Losham wanted to point out that Kolhood would never have dared to call the program crazy to Navuh's face, but he just wanted the damn meeting to be over so he could remove his jacket.
When his brothers finally adjourned, and Losham returned to his office, he felt like he'd been through a battle, with his shirt sticking to his back from how much he had sweated.
After removing the jacket, he poured himself a drink. He was halfway through the whiskey when there was a familiar knock on his door.
The special three-knuckle rap that Rami used to announce himself.
"Enter."
His assistant slipped into the room, closing the door carefully behind him.
"How did the council meeting go?" Rami asked.
Rami was one of the few males on the island whom Losham trusted.
"It went as expected." Losham set his glass down. "Kolhood is circling like a shark that smells blood. The others are watching to see which way the wind blows."
"I may have something that will interest you." Rami walked over to Losham's desk and put down a folder. "A witness report from the harbor incident."
"I've already heard the reports. Four warriors dead, hearts removed, bodies recovered for disposal."
"There is more." Rami opened the folder and slid a single sheet of paper across the desk. "A worker who was present before the Eight arrived claims the human scientist was fighting the immortals as if he were an immortal himself."
Losham frowned. "He's human. He wouldn't last three seconds against one trained warrior, let alone four."
"That's just it," Rami said. "According to this witness, he did, and for more than three seconds. The worker claims that the human was holding his own until help arrived."
"He must be using the enhancement drugs he's working on for the Eight," Losham said. "This could be the only explanation."
Rami nodded. "That was my thought as well. Should I bring him in for questioning?"
If Dimitri was using the enhancement drugs, that was both a problem and an opportunity.
A problem because it meant the scientist was conducting private experiments instead of dedicating all his time to improving the formula for Dave, but also an opportunity because it meant the drugs were capable of enhancing humans as well as immortals.
"Not yet," he said finally. "I don't want my brothers to get a whiff of this. I will speak to him in the laboratory."
"He might be problematic," Rami said. "Even potentially dangerous. We know how the first immortals who were experimented on reacted, and they were unstable. He might be a liability to the program instead of being an asset."
Losham nodded. "There's another concern.
If Dimitri can enhance himself, what's to stop him from enhancing other humans?
The workers, the servants, the support staff.
There are thousands of humans on this island.
What if he could have them all enhanced to match immortal speed and strength?
Then again, the drugs can't replicate everything.
Increased speed and strength, perhaps even aggression, but not the rapid healing and near immortality.
Those come from our genetics, not from any chemical compound.
Enhanced humans would still be fragile. They'd still die from wounds that we heal from in no time. "
"Still." Rami didn't look reassured. "We don't want an army of enhanced humans, even fragile ones. We need them to serve us, not fight us."
Losham turned to look out the window. "You raise a valid point.
We can't allow the scientist to distribute the drugs to other humans.
I'll speak to both of them. In the meantime, I want more scrutiny on the lab.
Put someone we can trust in the monitoring room and have him report to us who comes and goes, and what supplies are delivered. "
After Rami left, Losham returned to his drink and his thoughts.
The situation was more complicated than he'd realized.
The enhanced soldiers were supposed to be a tool—a weapon he could point at problems and have them disappear.
But they were also becoming a liability, a point of contention that his brothers could use against him.
And now the scientist was apparently enhancing himself, which was another variable, another complication, and another potential threat to Losham's control.