Chapter Seven #4
Helen nodded. Every contract agent understood how government departments never seemed to share relevant information, even when they were supposed to be working together.
It had happened to GEM several times while they were on an operation—different government departments at odds with each other and putting lives at risks.
COMCEN, with the help of an influential admiral, had set up a liaison system a few years ago to avoid any more blunders.
“I don’t know how long it’s going to take me for the remote session. Sometimes it can go for hours.”
“The med team will wait,” Dr. Kirkland said.
“Good remote viewers are usually useless after their sessions,” Dr. Kasparov said. “Are you sure you can handle the serum so soon after your session?”
Helen shrugged. “That’s the test, isn’t it?
They want to see how all this comes together in one mission.
” She wasn’t totally sure what would happen herself.
That feeling of weakness after a tough session was a problem but her many months of training was meant to overcome this exhaustion.
“The drug is supposed to make me feel less tired, right? That’s part of it. ”
“Yes, but certain CIA records revealed their tests had been a bust,” De Clerq said. “What happened to the test subjects, Dr. Kirkland?”
“The CIA have their own version of the serum. What interested me most was the difference in dosage and timing they use on the subjects. They still haven’t shown all their classified records to our side.
It’s highly probable that the subjects have been released from the program, but we don’t really know. ”
“I wonder whether they suffer from any ill effects,” Armando interrupted offhandedly. “They could have taken a Tiny Alice pill and might be walking around looking at a huge, frightening world.”
There was a pause as those in attendance shifted in their seats uncomfortably.
Helen supposed everyone was probably wondering whether that was what was happening to Armando Chang.
She couldn’t quite put a finger on it yet, but she had a feeling she would be learning a lot more about the unfathomable commando in the near future.
“We’re taking every precaution to make this as safe as possible,” Dr. Vaughn assured from the other side of the table. “Our V-program works. V2 will be just as successful.”
“V2. SYMBIOS 2. I’m beginning to get an inferiority complex,” Helen drawled. Her joke succeeded in distracting the group as they became more focused on each step of the mission.
By the end of the hour, everyone was satisfied they had all the details of the operation.
Most of it would have to wait till after Helen’s session.
That was Dr. Kirkland’s project, the integration of VR and remote viewing.
The challenge was to race against time and skepticism.
Helen appreciated that no one at the meeting had voiced any disbelief about remote viewing.
She had faced some tough grilling at some of the other departments.
But that was why GEM had approved its partnership with COS Command Center.
Covert and subversive operations covered everything and anything.
There was a hint of anticipation in the air at the end of the meeting.
That no one there knew the specified location, and that the success of the operation depended on someone they hadn’t worked with was a challenge.
To follow her guesswork and believe her orders after that was an even bigger challenge because this would involve using operations high-tech transportation and manpower.
The coordinates of the location had been sealed in an envelope, its location a secret until the end of the operation.
Everything depended on the candidate. If Helen Roston failed, hundreds of thousands of dollars would go down the drain.
Helen was well aware of this, yet felt strangely relaxed. As she shook hands with her operation coworkers, Armando Chang spoke softly in her ear.
“Great show. Wrong question, though, Helen.”
She turned, surprised. She hadn’t seen him making his way to her. These commandos could move fast. “What’s the wrong question?”
“It’s what the drugs do to you, not for you.” His dark eyes glittered secretively. “But the crown is now yours, and what treasure there is.”
“Illusion is part of a GEM operative’s skills.” She picked up his cloak and passed it to him. “You aren’t scaring me with that insane act, Chang.”
A corner of his lips lifted derisively. “Damn. Call me later and we can meet, and I can correct this problem. Fear is…oh, I forget. You won’t be feeling that.
” He barked out a short laugh. “But you might still need me for other things. Remember—assimilation and synthesis. Only I’ll understand what you’ll be going through…
if you’re really as good as they say, Hell. ”
“Oh, I’m good. You should watch me disappear sometime,” she quipped.
Armando gave her an amused smile. “I’m not crazy, I’m just a little impaired,” he sang softly before turning away.
Helen stared at his departing back before glancing down at the tiny electronic communication card he had slipped into her hand. She pivoted and came up against T.
“We need to talk,” T. said.
“You don’t say,” Helen drawled. A thought had flashed in her mind when Armando sang that lyric. Might her monitor be one of these COS commandos?