The Alpha Strain Read online

  “You’re hardly in a position to question me woman. I think the more important question is who are you and what are you doing here?”

  Alex didn’t answer.

  “So, we have ourselves a tough one here, guys? A little Miss GI Jane it seems.” The man held Alex up in ridicule. “Well, Miss Jane, you’re not going to live long enough to tell this tale in any event so I’ll bite and play this ridiculous little game of yours. You’re looking at the man who will rule the new world and blow all the pathetic little people left on this one to hell.”

  His arrogant words left Alex cold and she swallowed hard against the sharp blade on her neck. From above T-bone listened as the faceless man’s footsteps sounded through the lab.

  Chapter Ten

  “Find that tooth! I don’t care what you burn down or who you kill but I want that tooth!” The steely tone of the man’s voice instructed his posse. His words were harsh and heartless. Anger flooded her trembling body as Alex watched him walk up to her.

  “Ever wonder what the world would have been like if we never left the Garden of Eden, Miss Jane? Wouldn’t it be extraordinary to have a brand new world free from contamination, war and strife? A utopia, so to speak with pre-engineered humans who lived in perfect harmony with each other. Wouldn’t you rather have paradise than this?” Waving his hands around the room.

  “This isn’t all that bad. It’s bad people like you who mess it all up,” Alex snapped back.

  “Bad? You think I’m a bad person? Well, then you clearly don’t know who I am, Miss Jane. Ever heard of Ivan Volkov?” The man said smugly.

  Alex felt her jaw tighten as the introduction left her feeling numb in disbelief. She knew exactly who Ivan Volkov was — multi-billionaire inventor extraordinaire who had just executed the first successful mission to Mars. The same Ivan Volkov whose billion-dollar tech lab manufactured groundbreaking neuron-activated prosthetics and was on the brink of finding a cure to cancer. The man was a walking saint.

  “Ah, I see you have heard of me then,” Ivan smiled as Alex’s eyes revealed her thoughts. “I have the power to do whatever the hell I want, and extracting the mitochondrial DNA from this latest find is exactly what I need to build myself a new Garden of Eden. A perfect paradise with perfect humans. My very own creation in my very own new world. But enough about me and all my power, I’m betting your name isn’t really GI Jane.”

  Ivan waved his hand at the man behind Alex to release the knife around her throat. Alex exhaled quietly when her attacker removed the knife.

  “Now then, let’s try this again. Who are you and what are you doing here?” Ivan pushed.

  The attacker pulled the cable tie firmer around Alex’s bound hands reminding her of her vulnerability.

  “Alex,” she replied through tight lips.

  “That wasn’t so hard now was it? Judging from your British accent and combat attire you’re not here for a holiday. Why are you here?”

  Alex had her back up against the wall, but declaring her hand would expose the entire mission. Her keeper pushed his gun hard into her ribs.

  “Official university business and as for my outfit, it’s the latest fashion.”

  Ivan bellowed a deep sarcastic laugh. “Careful, Alex, you don’t want to mess with me. You mean nothing to me. The only reason you’re still alive is because I sense there’s more to it than what you’re letting on. Not to mention of course that I hate being surprised. So you will be collateral for now until I figure out what you’re really doing here.”

  Ivan Volkov turned on his heels and walked back into the laboratory where a small team of scientists were busy transporting test tubes to a large biohazard suitcase. “Lock her up in the back,” he shouted over his shoulder.

  Alex glanced back at Hawk’s dead body on the floor behind her. T-bone was nowhere in sight which meant he was still alive. A fleeting thought to make a run for it was quickly quelled when her ribs took another hard shoving of her keeper’s gun.

  The small storeroom in the back of the laboratory painted an equally dismal picture with no windows to escape through. The bodies of two university scientists lay in the middle of the floor. Alex wriggled her wrists in a futile attempt to free her hands but the cable tie was too tight — even for her small hands to slide through. She had her hunting knife hidden in her boot around her ankle but there was no possible way she could reach it with her hands bound behind her back.

  Her eyes scanned the contents of the room for any sharp objects to cut through the restraint. There was nothing but folders and plastic bottles of chemicals. A single glass vial with a plastic daisy stared back at her from the bookshelf. That would work but breaking it would make too much noise and alert them. Unable to grab it with her hands she used her mouth and slowly lifted it off its wooden base. The vial tasted dusty on her tongue. She looked at the bodies on the floor. Making use of the shelf against her back she sat down against it and used her feet to push the two bodies next to each other. Maneuvering the furthest body to act as a stopper, she pushed the one closest to her on its side and then leaned over to drop the small glass container on the floor beneath it. The corpse provided the perfect sound barrier as Alex pushed down hard onto the vial. The muffled sound of breaking glass told her the plan worked and she quickly slid a piece of glass up and down against the plastic cuff around her wrist. It took some doing but before long her wrists were freed.

  Propping her ear up against the door she heard Volkov talking to the scientists. Her hands might be free but she was a long way from escaping. With that being the only way out all she could do was wait until they were gone.

  “Psst,” a whisper came from above her head and Alex found her looking up at the ceiling into T-bone’s welcoming eyes.

  “You’re a genius T-bone,” she whispered back, impressed at his ingenuity to have lifted one of the ceiling panels.

  Alex reached up but was too short. With their fingertips barely touching it was impossible to gain a firm grip on his outstretched hands. She gently tugged at the bookshelves which proved far too flimsy to hold her weight without falling over. Her eyes skimmed the two bodies on the floor. Alex pulled the smaller of the two on top of the other and carefully climbed on. The improvised step produced the exact amount of height. She tried not to ponder on the disrespect toward the deceased scientists under her feet and whispered apologies at them. With her body raised it allowed enough height for T-bone to wrap his hands around her wrists and pull her up through the roof.

  “Am I happy to see you,” Alex whispered as T-bone slid the ceiling panel back in place; covering the trail.

  “Come, this way.” T-bone led Alex across the rafters and through a maze of air ducts until the pair found themselves escaping through the back of the building. Their feet thumped on the tarmac as they ran toward their dilapidated minibus.

  T-bone jumped in behind the wheel taking a moment before starting the engine. “Hawk’s dead.”

  “I know. I’m so sorry. We ran straight into Volkov’s men. He didn’t stand a chance against them. Are you ok?”

  T-bone nodded and sped off. “Who’s this Volkov guy anyway?”

  “You don’t know? He’s probably the most loved man in the world; everyone’s Mother Theresa. A real wolf in sheep’s clothing he turned out to be. If only they knew what he was up to.”

  “Yeah I couldn’t quite make that part out from where I was. What exactly is he up to?”

  “He’s a psychopath. Yes, he managed to build a shuttle that flew to Mars and back but the genius has it in his mind to create his own paradise of pre-engineered humans and take over the world.”

  “Did you say create humans?” T-bone asked confused.

  “Yup, the very tooth we’re after contains a unique strain that traces us back to Eve. It’s called the mitochondrial gene. Somehow scientists have figured out a way to extract this gene and according to Volkov, he can use it to create his own humans. I guess he wants to play God.”

  “So he wants to clo
ne us?”

  “For lack of a better word I suppose. We know China just successfully engineered a new species of monkey so I guess it’s entirely possible.”

  “Well, then we need to find that tooth before he does, Ma’am. Whereto next?”

  Alex pulled the puzzle out from her shirt, grateful Volkov’s men never searched her. “Ok, let’s assume we’ve correctly cracked the first two images — Wits and Art. The next image is a music note. What could that be?” Alex mumbled to herself. “Music. I can’t think of any words that rhyme with music. Wits Art… I think it is safe to say the university isn’t quite where one would have art, right? So perhaps we’re looking for another venue altogether?”

  T-bone frowned. “Your questions are rhetorical correct? I mean it’s not like I know what you’re talking about.”

  Alex smiled. “Where’s the map?”

  T-bone pulled the map out from where Hawk left it in the driver’s door. From the corner of his eye he observed Alex studying the map all the while still mumbling the clues to herself. “Wits Art Music Dream… Wits Art Music Dream. Got it! Wits Art Museum. The music note is the first two letters of Mu-seum and the dream rhymes with ‘seum’. Get it? That’s it. Let’s go, it’s not far from here.”

  T-bone shook his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you figured that one out.”

  “Years of experience and the two best mentors in the world, T-bone. What’s your real name, by the way? I’m sure your parents didn’t really name you after a piece of steak.”

  “No Ma’am, it’s Ezra. I have a birthmark on my collar bone that resembles a T. So the guys in the squad started calling me T-bone.”

  “Well, nice to meet you Ezra. Please stop calling me Ma’am. My name is Alex, short for Alexandra. I think we’ve long passed the formal titles.”

  Alex and Ezra navigated the streets of Johannesburg with caution. By now Volkov would have discovered her gone and, after declaring his deranged plans, would certainly stop at nothing to find and kill her. He had a squeaky clean reputation and exposing him for who he truly was would undoubtedly lead to his demise. But right now, exposing Ivan Volkov as a fraud wasn’t her top priority. Yes, they needed to watch their backs, but finding that tooth was her mission and the only thing occupying her mind.

  Nearing the centre of the city, Alex and Ezra proceeded with extreme caution. The streets were eerily quiet; as if everyone had just picked up and left. Passing a street of houses they noticed the residents peering out from behind the curtains. The doors and windows were shut, barricaded from the outside with wooden planks nailed across the frames.

  “So that’s where everyone is; hiding inside their houses,” Ezra commented.

  A loud thumping noise against the rear window caught Alex and Ezra by surprise. Several more banging noises on the back of the van and along the sides caused Ezra to drive faster. Out of nowhere a group of young men jumped in front of the car and flung firebombs at the front window. Fueled by unsolicited anger and hate the gang shouted phrases of profanity at them.

  “Drive Ezra!” Alex directed reaching for the windscreen wipers to squirt water on the flaming wiper blades.

  Ezra pushed his foot hard on the pedal, knocking one of them over. Both Alex and Ezra cringed in silence as the wheels lifted and drove over the gang member’s body. The unavoidable act increased the gang’s fury sending one of them into a shooting frenzy. Six bullets hit the minibus’s back door. Ezra sped off and turned the corner, avoiding the possibility of getting their tires blown out. They’d stand little to no chance fighting off an enraged gang of eight on their own. But, while they had managed to get away from the gang behind them, the pair had driven directly into another group of violent youths beating a middle-aged white man with baseball bats in the middle of the street in front of them.

  Ezra stepped hard on the brakes sending the van’s rear end into a screeching forty-five degree angle stalling the engine. The stationary position of the minibus left them trapped and exposed across the street. On the one side, the angered gang came running around the corner and on the other side, they came face to face with the violent youths beating up the resident.

  Without a second thought Alex climbed between the seats and flung the van’s panel door open. Two of the four youths charged at her with a baseball bat and a hockey stick. She grabbed the first one by the arm and flung him up against the doorpost causing him to become disorientated. She yanked his baseball bat from his hand and whacked it hard against his back leaving him to fall unconscious to the ground. The second youth flung his hockey stick at Alex’s head. She ducked and punched the baseball bat into his stomach. Incapacitated and gasping for air, he fell to his knees in pain. Ezra’s frantic attempts at starting the engine again finally succeeded. With two of the four youths down the other two cowardly ran away leaving the badly beaten man curled up on the street.

  “Get in!” Alex shouted and pulled the injured man into the van before ordering Ezra to step on it.

  Twenty seconds later they turned three more corners and were in the clear.

  Chapter Eleven

  “It’s ok, you’re safe now. I’m Alex.”

  The injured man lay stretched out across the row of seats in the minivan. Still crouched in pain from the violent beating he forced his swollen eyes open; silently thanking Alex for saving him.

  “Here, have some water,” Alex offered. “Do you live nearby?”

  He nodded.

  “Where’s your family?” Alex continued.

  The injured man gulped down several sips of water. Finally able to breath normally he sat up and answered in a strained voice.

  “Back there; at my house. They’re locked in the basement.”

  “What were you doing out in the streets? They nearly killed you,” Ezra cut in.

  “I was trying to get home from work when they attacked my car.”

  “What exactly is going on? Why are people hiding in their houses? I mean it doesn’t appear to be racial? We’ve just come from the university and found victims across all ethnicities.”

  “It isn’t about the color of your skin anymore, Alex. It’s a war between political parties; a struggle for power. Unfortunately there are thirteen different parties all believing they know what’s best for the citizens and this country. But if you ask me, none of them have a clue what they’re doing.”

  “And the civil outbreak? Why isn’t the government stopping this?”

  “Things didn’t go down too well after the recent presidential election. Before we knew it we had a coup on our hands and well, things got out of hand and people took matters into their own hands. I don’t see it ending unless the parties reach a peace treaty. And to complicate matters even further, there are about eleven different cultures all fighting for their own ancestral rights. It’s a mess.”

  The man paused and stared at Ezra’s reflection in the rearview mirror. “Which side are you on?” he directed a question at Ezra; a hint of hate in his voice.

  Alex cocked her head to one side. “What do you mean ‘which side is he on’?”

  “He’s colored. He can’t be both.”

  Ezra felt the cold sting of the man’s harsh words. He had never thought of himself being of any color. All he ever wanted to do was fight for what’s right; regardless of race, faith or creed.

  “Does it matter?” Alex said sternly while climbing back into the front seat next to Ezra. “He saved my life and indirectly yours.”

  She glanced at Ezra’s stern face. Hurt stung behind his brown eyes. She didn’t know anything about him, but what she had come to discover already was that Ezra was a man of courage and strength.

  Alex looked back at the man they had just saved. “You can’t come with us. We’re going to drop you off at the church up ahead. You should be safe there.”

  Ezra found the church icon on the map in his lap and set off toward it.

  “I see how it is. You’ve obviously hooked up with the guy. Seems a bit young for you, but hey, t
o each its own, right?”

  Alex stiffened at the man’s shameless accusations. If she were the heartless human being he clearly was, she’d deliver him back to that gang for a well-deserved beating.

  “Stop the van, Ezra. I think he can find his own way from here.”

  Alex pulled her gun from her holster and pointed it at the man’s face. “Get out,” she ordered in an emotionless tone.

  “You can’t leave me here. I won’t make five yards down the road. They’ll kill me!”

  “Perhaps they should. Now get out.” Alex beckoned with the gun.

  Ezra leaned out his window and opened the sliding door from the outside. “You heard the lady.”

  “Assholes! You’re going to regret this!”

  As soon as he stepped out Ezra sped off leaving clouds of exhaust smoke in his face.

  “You ok?” Alex whispered as she took her seat next to him again.

  “I’ve had this all my life, Alex. Nothing I’m not used to by now. But I am sorry you got dragged into it.”

  “I’m a woman, Ezra. Most men forget we were put on this earth for purposes other than sex. He’s an ungrateful, chauvinistic pig who got what he deserved. We, on the other hand, have a mission to complete. So let’s get on with it, shall we? The museum isn’t far from here.”

  It came as a surprise when, contrary to the rest of the city, the museum wasn’t desecrated. With the extensive glass panel doors perfectly intact and locked, the pair stood out front and contemplated their entry.

  “We can’t draw attention by setting off the alarm,” Alex commented as she traced the keypad lock with her fingers. “There has to be a freight elevator around the back.”

  The back of the glass building seemed undisturbed and they quickly climbed the high security gate with ease. Empty pet bowls warned the possible presence of guard dogs, but closer inspection revealed none.