The Alpha Strain Read online

  “Allow me to introduce myself. Matthew Fletcher, most people just call me Matt. Please, come in and take a seat.”

  Matt pulled out a black leather boardroom chair next to him at the head of the table. As if recited, the remaining men around the table immediately introduced themselves one by one — A scientist, paleoanthropologist, Air Force general, and a Frenchman whose title she couldn’t quite make out.

  “Can I offer you something to drink, Miss Hunt?” Matt didn’t wait for her to answer and signaled his assistant to pour her a cup of tea from a fresh pot that stood on a nearby table. Alex didn’t take the seat he pulled out for her. It was evident everyone jumped at his every command, and she needed to make a stand at the onset.

  “Mr. Fletcher, I —“

  “Matt, please. Everyone just calls me Matt,” he cut her short.

  “Ok, Matt, I’m not one to pass my valuable time with insignificant pleasantries, so can you please tell me why I was brought here and who you are exactly?”

  Matt’s lips curled into a slight smile over her directness. Then folding his hands on top of the table, he leaned in and adopted a more serious look in his eyes.

  “Alex,” he started “May I call you Alex?”

  Again he continued without an answer from her.

  “We brought you here because we need your help. Now before we continue, I need you to turn off your mobile phone, please?”

  At this point, Alex didn’t find anything surrounding the situation strange anymore and, taking her seat, somehow did precisely what he told her to do.

  “Welcome to ICCRU, Alex.”

  His declaration caught Alex somewhat off guard.

  “ICCRU? What business do I have with the International Cultural Crimes Recovery Unit?” she prompted, surprised at how calm her voice was.

  “I’m impressed. You’ve heard of us then?”

  “I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if I didn’t, Mr. Fletcher.”

  “Well, then you would also know that we take our work very seriously and while we are in a similar line of business as you, our powers extend far beyond any private sector recovery firm. We have the authority of the CIA, FBI, MI6, and Interpol behind us, not to mention the UN, Military, Navy, and Air force units of any country we so choose. Let’s just say we’re quite a bit more senior than the small firm you find yourself at”.

  The corners of his lips curled up as he paused. Alex didn’t answer. Instead, she took a sip of her tea, praying her internal trembling wouldn’t betray her composed facade.

  Matt cleared his throat and continued. “And while our firm has a highly skilled hand-picked and trained task force, and we go to great lengths to avoid involving outside parties in our assignments, we have become aware of your unparalleled reputation. It appears that your unique abilities make you the only candidate equipped and experienced enough to handle this particular crisis we find ourselves in. Now, my team will brief you on your mission, and you will have ICCRU’s full support no matter what, but you should clear your schedule. We deploy in three days.”

  Alex placed her empty teacup back on the table and cleared her throat.

  “Mr. Fletcher, while I appreciate the weight your establishment carries, and deem myself flattered with your gracious offer, I think you ought to tell me exactly what mission you’re presuming I’d push my paying clients aside for and jump to accept instead. With all due respect, I’m not easily intimidated or impressed by credentials, and frankly, the secrecy under which I was coerced to come here, leaves much to be desired.”

  A few of the men around the table fought back the urge to laugh at her audacious statement, fully aware of the fact that no-one ever took the liberty of declining anything Matthew Fletcher set before them.

  Equally amused, Matt’s mouth curled into the slightest of smiles as he moved around his chair and positioned himself in front of the large windows to admire the bird’s eye view of the city below. But his amusement soon turned to a stern voice by which he conveyed he wasn’t about to take no for an answer.

  “Mark, I think you’d better explain the situation to Miss Hunt before she assumes she has a choice in the matter.”

  “Of course, Matt,” the paleoanthropologist immediately responded.

  Dr. Mark Davies clicked a small black remote and excitedly took up position next to the projector screen on the wall behind Alex.

  “Miss Hunt, meet Homo naledi. The world’s first and only hominin, or in layman’s terms, the closest relation to our current human species.”

  Alex watched as the projector flashed an image of an odd looking combination of a modern man merged with a more primitive one across the screen. Though an artist’s rendering, it appeared bizarrely lifelike.

  “This remarkable discovery was made in 2013 during a recreational cave exploration just outside Johannesburg, South Africa. It bears a significant historical discovery that completely turns the evolutionary biology on its head. Over 1500 skeletal bones were excavated and now provide conclusive evidence of a unique human species that was, up until now, completely unknown to us. And I’m sure you can see the remarkable resemblance to humans as we are today. In fact, it took two more years to fully excavate, but our tests prove this is by far the closest relation to the human genus found to date. Further analysis shows us that it’s also the youngest species at somewhere between two hundred thousand and three hundred thousand years old. It’s as close to our human ancestral family tree as we can get! And although the thorax is primitive and appears more ape-like than human, its hands, in contrast, are shaped more modern which meant they were well equipped to making basic tools. Now, his feet indicate he walked upright, while his fingers appear to be more curved, a feature only seen in apes that spend most of their time in trees.”

  “All right Mark, simmer down.” Matt interrupted before finally taking his seat behind the table and continuing the brief.

  “Our doctor here can get a tad carried away with obvious excitement over this, so let me get to the crux of the matter. It’s the most unique human ancestral species found to date. Nothing like it exists anywhere else on the planet and it’s crucial we preserve it at all costs. As Mark alluded to, it pushes the boundaries on evolution as we know it and proves early man to be more similar to what we look and behave like today versus the original hypotheses that we were all ape-man and Neanderthals. And that’s where you come in Alex. You need to find the last piece of the missing link.“

  Chapter Three

  Alex listened intently as Matt Fletcher and his team explained the mission. Archaeology was and always would be in her blood, and the longer the brief continued, the harder it was for Alex to deny that his proposal excited her beyond measure. Opportunities to have a hand at finding a missing puzzle piece to the human origin family tree were rare. However, as good as she was at her job, and as much as this project enthused her, she sensed there was much more to the quest than what she was being told.

  Desperate for solitude to digest the information, Alex escaped Matt’s powerful gaze and took her turn looking at the city view from the window. Conscious of the team’s piercing stares on her back in anticipation of her acceptance, she broke the silence and turned to address the men at the table behind her.

  “Gentlemen, it’s tempting, I confess, but I don’t quite understand. If the remains of Homo naledi were already discovered and excavated, it seems you merely need to send one of your teams to Johannesburg and retrieve it yourself. I don’t understand why you need me. If it’s a mere case of getting down into the cave to excavate the fossil in question, why not just get a team to go down and get it?”

  No one spoke as her question hung thick in the air.

  “We already tried, Alex. We can’t find it. What’s more is that we now have reason to believe the head of the excavation team already retrieved and hid it somewhere.”

  “So why not just ask the man where it is?” Alex continued.

  “He’s dead, Alex. Professor Graham was found bludgeoned to
death in his office. We suspect whoever did this was after the fossil and Professor Graham must have intentionally concealed its location to protect it from landing up in the wrong hands. Problem is, he never told anyone else where he hid it.”

  A moment later the short stocky man with the outlandish accent spoke for the first time.

  “Miss Hunt, given the sensitive nature of this assignment it would be our duty to support you throughout the entire mission. Your safety is of primary concern to us”.

  “Safety! You haven’t the foggiest idea who killed the professor and if they found whatever they killed him for or not? How the hell do you intend keeping me safe Mr.…?”

  “Jean-Pierre DuPont, official representative for UNESCO,” the French man introduced himself.

  Stunned with his introduction, Alex went silent.

  “That’s United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; headquartered in Paris.” DuPont added assuming her silence meant she didn’t know what UNESCO was. “We are largely responsible for building global peace and security. We’re also the ones who appointed ICCRU to intervene and handle this particular mission for us.”

  “I know what UNESCO is Mr. DuPont.” Alex paced the room as she listened to the French delegate ramble on about his agency. Mr. DuPont’s accent was too heavy for Alex to fully understand his every word, but when the United Nations was involved in anything it usually meant serious business. Alex rubbed her fingers over her brows.

  “Mr. DuPont, why would this mission require the UN to intervene? A man was killed over a human fossil that’s now presumed stolen. Seems it’s a simple case of solving a murder, that’s all.”

  The group of men shuffled uncomfortably around the table. It was the scientist in his crisp white lab coat’s turn to speak for the first time.

  “It’s not just any fossil, Miss Hunt. We’re talking about an extremely unique hominin species we believe can prove ancestral heritage dating back to Adam and Eve. Our recent genetic research suggests that all females are descended from a single female and all males from a single male, which is consistent with the Biblical portrayal of Adam and Eve. We believe the missing fossil piece contains, what we refer to as the mitochondrial gene that will link humanity all the way back to the Garden of Eden! I think it goes without saying what an immense impact it will have on the entire world if our human lineage traces us back to Eve itself. But if it gets destroyed or buried forever, we might never have another opportunity to prove the primary biblical concept the entire world thinks is just a myth. We’re pinning science against religion, Miss Hunt!”

  Matt cleared his throat signaling a man with a well decorated uniform seated at the other end of the table to speak.

  “General Willie Dreyer, South African Air Force Ma’am,” the man in a blue uniform with a strong South African accent introduced himself. “Unfortunately there are additional strenuous circumstances complicating the situation even further, Miss Hunt. The political climate in South Africa has taken a turn for the worse. The opposing political parties have created much division across the nation and civilians have taken things into their own hands. The South African people have overthrown the presidency and we now find ourselves in the throngs of a civil war. The country has quite literally gone haywire and the excessive violence and public uproar is making it nearly impossible to get any archaeology teams on the ground. We will provide safe entry and exit into our country with the help of the South African Defense Force and the UN, but the rest is up to you. We already have a dedicated special task force to accompany you at all times on standby awaiting our ‘go’.”

  The Air Force general’s words left Alex cold.

  “Civil war? Have you all lost your minds? I’m in no way equipped to fight in a war. Caving for fossils, sure, but being thrust in the middle of a war with a faceless murderer after the same thing? That’s preposterous!”

  Matt met up with Alex where she was still pacing the length of the window.

  “We’re not looking for bones, Alex. We’ve successfully managed to rescue all one-thousand-five-hundred-and-fifty bones that had been excavated from the cave back in 2013. We’re looking for the molars; or at least one and at this stage we’re not sure if it’s still in the cave. Fact is, Alex, we have lost all contact with our previously deployed team and new Intel suggests they might have never made it to the check-in point in the first place. If there was anyone else we thought equipped enough to handle this mission, we would have sent them. There isn’t. You’re the best at tracking down relics, and your proven combat skills make you the ideal candidate to retrieve possibly the biggest piece of history yet. The professor had some eccentric methods. He was known to be very fond of encrypting anything he thought was of value and this is one of those things. It’s so deeply hidden not even his closest colleagues are able to find it and all the leads we had up to this point ran dead. We’re missing something and I’m told you have a knack for cracking these things. You’re our only hope at finding the molar and bringing it home.”

  “So let me get this straight. You’re asking me to somehow figure out where the professor hid the teeth in the midst of a full blown civil war, run the risk of getting killed all the while not knowing who I’m up against?”

  Matt nodded. “The world needs you, Alex.”

  Alex paused as Matt Fletcher’s eyes conveyed the seriousness of the situation. But, beyond the distinguished layer of power and business, his eyes revealed a tenderness she didn’t think existed. One that contradicted his all-about-business exterior, and instead, revealed a heart filled with passion for a cause she too shared. The risks were enormous, but proving biblical maternal lineage would rewrite history. Her archaeological expertise was superior, and her survival and combat capabilities sharpened by the best instructors the British army offered. If ever she were ready for an assignment of this magnitude, this would be it. Once again she turned away from him and stared at the city through the window. Her heart pounded hard against her chest as she heard herself reply.

  “I’m going to need my colleague on this too; that’s a non-negotiable.”

  Alex heard several sighs of relief coming from the men at the table as Matt replied.

  “I expected as much. Arrangements have already been made to include Dr. Quinn.” Matt smiled in victory and slapped his palms together as he motioned the dismissal of the meeting.

  “Let’s make it happen, gentlemen. We reconvene tomorrow morning to finalize the logistics.”

  Matt hurried across the room and summoned his assistant from the phone on his desk before looking up at Alex again.

  “You’re doing the right thing, Alex. This is your chance to show the world how far you’ve come. We’ll make sure you’re properly prepared. I’ll have Duncan drop you off at your apartment so you can get your affairs in order. Your boss has already been informed, so no need to go into the office. Someone in my team will pop by your apartment over the next twenty-four hours to deliver your gear and brief you on the details of your departure. I’ll leave it up to you to bring Dr. Quinn up to speed on the matter.”

  * * *

  Alone at her apartment Alex pulled her duffle bag from her closet and started to pack. The events of her day was a blur — as if she was in a deep sleep she might not have woken up from yet. Thinking about it now she realized she never had a snowball’s chance in hell of not agreeing to the assignment. That much was evident when she phoned her boss who confirmed Matt had already been in touch with him and that her work was taken care of. Matthew Fletcher was a man who got what, and who he wanted, no matter what.

  It was almost dinnertime and Sam was due to arrive any moment. She silently prayed he’d be as enthused about the mission as she was. It was after all any archaeologist’s dream. She tried not to let her mind ponder on the dangers involved and allowed the thrill of discovering the world’s first evidence of mitochondrial Eve smother her fears.

  An hour later, Sam arrived and spotted her bag on the floor at the front d
oor. “Going somewhere, sweetheart?” planting a passionate kiss on her lips. “Hope you were planning on a decent goodbye before you upped and left?” he playfully nuzzled her neck.

  “What makes you think I’m going anywhere without you?” She flirted back and walked to the kitchen to pour him a glass of wine.

  “Oh, so you planned a little dirty weekend away for us somewhere? Then why pack anything at all?”

  “You have such a wicked mind, Sam Quinn. But as it happens, it might very well get a little dirty, and actually, it would be a tad longer than just a weekend”.

  Alex carried the bowl of pasta to the dining table as Sam followed sporting a sheepish smile across his face. She loved how close they have become in their relationship.

  “Anything significant happening at the Uni at the moment? Think you can clear your schedule?” Alex asked.

  “For a dirty weekend away with you, any day! Why? What’s up?”

  Sam tucked into his dinner as Alex tried to find the best way of getting him on board.

  “How would you like to help me find out if Adam and Eve and the whole Garden of Eden hypothesis is fact or fiction?”

  Sam put his fork down and took a large sip of wine. “That big, huh? You don’t play around with your expeditions lately do you, Alex, my love? Is the Pope Catholic?” He mocked sarcastically. “Of course, you know I wholeheartedly believe in the truth of the Holy Bible, so digging up evidence to prove it — why not? What evidence are we looking for here, though?”

  Relieved she had him hooked she quietly deliberated whether to let him in on the dangers of the mission or to just leave it be. Deciding she’d amplify the archaeological significance first, she ignored his question and spent their entire dinner telling him all about Homo naledi and what she’d managed to Google on the subject so far.

  “I’m expecting the full brief to come through tomorrow, so we’ll know more then, but what do you say? Can I count you in? I can’t do this one without you, Sam.”