Read Online Days' End by Scott L Collins - Free Book Online Page B

the same technician who brought her the cloth swatches that morning returned. He waited patiently in front of her desk until she looked up.
    “I’m here to collect the samples and any DNA you might have recovered,” he stated blandly.
    “What?”
    “All samples and DNA must be returned at the end of the day for storage in the vault. Mr. Scario’s orders.”
    “Why?” Nysa asked.
    “I don’t know. I just do what I’m told, Dr. Knight. I can come back if you would like more time.”
    “No, now is fine,” snapped Nysa. “Give me a minute to put everything together.”
    Nysa spent the next ten minutes gathering everything together for the tech. When he was gone she looked over at Dr. Leyden who had spent the day on one of the lab computers. He gave her a shrug that said “Who knows?” and returned to his computer.
    Nysa returned to her room, undressed, and collapsed on the bed. She drifted off to sleep quickly and dreamed fitfully. She couldn’t remember much of her dreams the next morning, only that people had been yelling and throwing things at her and that she had been scared. She shrugged it off, showered, dressed, and got back to her labs.
    What an exquisite piece of work! Piero’s son truly is a master at his craft. I managed to have one of the priests sneak me in for a look at the piece, and while I have trained my eye over the years in examining art, even I have trouble differentiating the original from the replica. He has truly found his life’s work. I regret though, that the people I have used to sneak him in and out of the church must never be allowed to tell what they know. I have already taken the steps necessary to assure that my secret does not get out. Piero will be allowed to keep his son, he has done good work for me, but the others must be silenced. My sins continue to accumulate. How will I earn forgiveness for these? Judgment Day will be particularly difficult for me I think.

February 1, 9:15 AM
    Los Angeles, CA
     
    Although Nysa had only been gone for a couple of days, Alastair missed her horribly. He’d had problems concentrating on his work all morning and had spent most of his time surfing the Internet reading news from around the world. Florida, California, Arizona, and New Mexico were all battling major fires that raged uncontrolled. Embers spit into the air were raining back down miles away, creating yet more fires for the already overmatched firefighters. The California fire alone had already claimed over two hundred homes and fifty businesses. Reports indicated it was only ten percent contained. Crews were being called in from other states to assist with the fight, but most had already sent what they could to one fire or another. The wildfire in Florida was currently the longest burning as it had been started almost two months ago. It had very quickly been determined to be the act of an arsonist and, although there were currently no suspects announced in the case, police insisted they were in possession of considerable evidence and it would only be a matter of time before a suspect was announced, arrested, and charges were filed. In South America, slash and burn farmers had lost control of their “burn” and had now managed to reduce roughly one hundred thousand acres of the rainforest to smoldering ash. Professional firefighters and equipment from all over the world were being flown in to assist in the efforts. Very little was actually being accomplished though. For every piece that the crews got contained, two more would break out down the line due to gusting winds and the difficult, uneven terrain. The only hope in sight was a storm that was expected to arrive later in the week.
    “Well done, jackasses,” muttered Alastair. “I hope they can put the fire out before you destroy another hundred thousand.”
    Rioting in Somalia, civil war in South Africa, and yet another fire sweeping through southern Russia. Alastair, tired of the bad news, locked his terminal and went