CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Where to next?” asked Fitzwilliam.
“Wherever my heart takes us,” smirked Wadston.
“That little experiment went much better than expected. Think about it, Leo. We’re going to be able to reduce populations in dozens of countries, helping the environment, prolonging the life of our planet, and wiping out certain diseases.
With any luck these ignorant cultures that are intermarrying will get the hint. ”
“Don’t get too excited, Isaac. We’ve pissed off some people that won’t rest until they find us,” said Leo.
“Please,” he scoffed. “You’ve been looking behind you since we killed that kid outside the bar. He’s dead, Leo. You don’t have to worry about him.”
“It’s not him I’m worried about, it’s his family. You don’t seem to understand who they are and what they’re capable of. Besides, we didn’t kill that kid outside the bar, remember?
“He survived, Isaac. How the fuck did he survive? First the injection didn’t work on him and then he wasn’t shot.
All because that sister of the kid in Afghanistan couldn’t pull the trigger.
These aren’t men that will just look the other way or hope someone else will stop us.
They will take all this on as their personal mission. ”
“Again, you’re overreacting to the entire situation,” frowned Isaac. “I’m not sure why he didn’t die. Perhaps he’s got an unusual body chemistry, something strange. If we have the time, perhaps we find him and kill him. I’d love to examine his blood and DNA. It’s just fascinating.”
“That would explain the whole fucking family,” said Leo. “Did you see the size of him? His father and grandfather are even bigger, Isaac, and I know men in their circle who are even bigger, stronger, more talented.”
Isaac frowned at him, then looked out the window of the passenger train.
“Size should not affect this. It doesn’t matter, Leo. Stop worrying. We’re doing this successfully and we’ll be able to show the world what we’ve done for them.”
“Look, Isaac, it’s not that I’m not behind this one-hundred percent but understand that I’ve tossed a military career out the window.
I have nothing except what I had in savings and what we hope to make from this discovery of yours.
I’m all in but this has to work. Some of the countries you hope to sell this to, are the very countries that advocate interfamily marriage. ”
“We’ll change their minds, because it does work, Leo.
Stop worrying so much. Everything will be fine.
My buyers are going to see what we’ve done and be more than happy to pay whatever price we ask for.
When we’ve got our money and I’ve handed over the formula, we disappear.
There will be no way anyone will find us. ”
“You don’t know these men,” said Leo staring at the other man.
“They don’t give up. Ever. And they will never forgive an attempt on Logan Anders’ life.
Because that stupid fucking woman didn’t shoot him, and I feel certain they’ve taken her and questioned her, we’re fucked. They know we are behind everything.”
“That stupid fucking woman would be dead if you’d waited until she was at the orphanage for her sister. They both needed to be there so I could get her kidney as well.”
“If the sister didn’t have the markers you were looking for, she wouldn’t either. Their parents weren’t related,” said Leo resting his chin against one fist, leaning against the window.
Isaac stared at Leo, his anger rising inside him.
How dare he question his plan, his intelligence!
He knew the sister wouldn’t have any of the markers they were looking for but she could still provide tissue and blood that might prove useful.
She was just another subject, a body that he could use to prove his inventive, insightful work.
“Try to get some sleep,” he said staring at Leo.
“We’ll be in India in three days’ time. Since we’re stuck using the train system and can’t fly, we’re relegated to ancient travel.
With any luck, our little experiment will show the world what we’re capable of.
Imagine it, Leo. We’ll be able to wipe out two million people in the snap of our fingers. ”
“Two million people in India won’t make a dent,” frowned the man, slowly closing his eyes.
“It will make an impression,” said Isaac.
“The world will take notice. Military leaders will take notice. They’ll think it’s a pandemic of some sort.
No one will figure out what we’re trying to do and no one will understand how we’re doing it.
It’s all so simple, really. You just had to have the vision, the fore-thought to imagine the possibilities. ”
“You know, Isaac, I appreciate your brilliance but couldn’t it have been focused on cancer research or irradicating type one diabetes or something like that?”
“Are you losing your nerve?” he growled low, leaning forward toward his friend. “Are you going to turn on me, Leo? Because if you think you are, I can tell you that you won’t live through it.”
Leo leaned forward, gripping the man’s lapels.
“Don’t threaten me, Isaac. I know all too well how your mind works and what you’re capable of.
But don’t underestimate me. I’ve killed more men with my bare hands than you can possibly imagine.
You need me to make introductions for you and to get you through these blockades. You. Need me. Not the other way around.
“I could get off this train, take my money and hide on an island for the rest of my life. I don’t have visions of grandeur and glory. Been there done that. I just want to be able to live a peaceful life, alone, away from the chaos of D.C. and the United States military.”
“Oh yes, the great warrior heroically fighting for his country in wars and skirmishes that no one gave a damn about,” he said sarcastically.
“We all see your medals on your chest, parading through the halls of the Pentagon and military installations worldwide. We get that you’re a big deal,” said Isaac in air quotes.
“Don’t forget, Leo. We’re family. Cousins,” he smirked. “Or should I say brother-cousins. Of course, we are the way we are because of our parents marrying when they shouldn’t have. I mean everyone knows that second cousins shouldn’t marry but I guess there’s no accounting for love.”
“There’s nothing wrong with either of us,” said Leo staring at Isaac. “Your intelligence isn’t due to our parents marrying one another. You have a gifted mind. My health issues are due to exposures in the military.”
“You really are tirelessly na?ve, Leo.” He leaned back in his seat, reclining it so that he could close his eyes and get some rest. Leo stared at him. There were so many times he wanted to kill him but couldn’t let himself do it. His own flesh and blood. Too much blood in fact.
“Not na?ve, Isaac. Realistic.”