CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
“What does this man hope to accomplish?” asked the military commander, staring at the men in front of him.
“He is mad,” said Logan. “He believes that he can wipe out entire populations of people who are the result of marriages within their families.”
The man stared at him, unsure of what he was saying.
“What my friend is trying to say, is that this man believes there should be no intermarriage within families. Even distantly.” Now the man understood and he frowned.
“It’s not as common here as it once was but in some of the older sections of our country, the poorer areas, it still occurs.
Arranged marriages are still very common here and families often make matches within their own families.
They’re usually within an appropriate distance to avoid health issues, but not always. ”
“We understand,” said Logan. “It still happens in remote parts of the United States.” The man looked surprised and shook his head.
“I would never have guessed this,” he said. “The Americans and British seem so proper. Although, I suppose the British aristocracy were very familiar with this process.”
“Yes, they were,” nodded Moose. “So were many other European monarchies. They believed it would keep the bloodlines pure, and of course royal. It actually did the opposite, creating so many problems for the children. Not just physically but mentally as well.”
“I do understand this,” he nodded. “My grandfather lived in a remote village and there was a neighboring village where all the people were related in one way or another. They frightened me as a child because they all looked so odd.”
“This man intends to murder millions of people, here and in other countries. We have to stop him,” said Logan.
“Tell me what you need my men to do.”
Knowing they had time to plan, the men divided the local law enforcement and military to cover water sources. It would be the fastest way for him to deliver his serum to this many people.
One of the commander’s men came running toward him, speaking rapidly and waving his arms.
“What’s wrong?” asked Conor.
“I believe your man skipped our road stop. A brother and sister with physical deformities, were found dead about a mile from their family farm. We don’t know what killed them but since they were both physically different, we have to assume it was your man.”
“What were their deformities?” asked Logan.
“Nothing related to what you were telling us. The brother’s hands were mangled by a piece of farm equipment several years ago. The sister had a cleft palette. It is a genetic defect that ran in their family. But they did not intermarry.”
“He’s just picking people off at will,” said Saint. “He doesn’t care any longer if they meet his criteria. If they appear different, he’s going to kill them. Where were the bodies found?”
The young soldier spread a paper map and pointed.
“We are here. They were found here, two miles from the police checkpoint.”
“What’s between here and there?” asked Logan.
“Many things. Small farms, villages, a hospital…”
“A hospital?” asked Moose in his bellowing deep voice. “What kind of hospital?”
“It is a Leper Colony,” said the young soldier. They all stared at one another, then back at the commander and his young protégé. Finally, Logan rubbed his hand over his face and spoke.
“Oh, fuck.”
“We have to get there,” said Moose. “We have to get there before he does. AJ? Brother, please tell me you can find this asshole on the drone?”
“Who is he speaking to?” asked the commander.
“A friend back home,” said Logan. “Assuming he was on this cart with the donkey, how quickly would he get there?”
“Maybe two hours, at best. He’s probably thirty or forty minutes away from it now.”
“That’s good. That gives us time to get there,” said Saint. The commander laughed, the young officer shaking his head.
“This is impossible, sir. It cannot happen. The traffic is at its worst right now. It will take us hours to get there. His donkey cart is faster than a car at this time of day.”
“We’re not taking a car,” said Logan.
The soft whir that was familiar to the men made them smile but none of the local authorities seemed to hear it. But they did see the shadow cover them and looked up, jumping back.
“Don’t worry,” said Pax. “They’re with us.”
One by one the men boarded the Osprey and before they could even wave goodbye, they were gone, leaving the local authorities behind.
“Wh-what was that, sir?” asked the young man.
“I don’t know and I don’t want to know. Get the cars ready. We’ll be late but we’ll get there and help where we can.”