Read Online Genesis by Keith R. A. DeCandido - Free Book Online Page A

al-Rashan was your friend—and I can’t imagine that the settlement Umbrella gave his wife did much to alleviate her grief. It took a lot of guts to do what you did.” Alice took a long breath. “You want the virus?”
    Lisa didn’t let herself say anything for several seconds. This was the dangerous part. She had no idea if she could trust Alice or not. But then, she could very easily have killed Lisa by now, and without ever telling her why.
    On the other hand, if this was legitimate, it was the ticket she and Matt needed.
    Alice knew about Mahmoud. But there was no indication that she knew about Matt’s organization. There was no need to let her know that she wasn’t working entirely on her own.
    Struggling to keep her voice neutral, she said, “I might.”
    â€œI can help you get the virus. I have access to security plans, surveillance codes, the works.”
    Alice hesitated.
    â€œBut—?” Lisa prompted.
    â€œBut there’s going to be a price.”
    That, to Lisa’s mind, was a given. “Name it.”
    Speaking very slowly, Alice said, “You have to guarantee me that you’ll bring this corporation down.”
    Lisa came within a hairsbreadth of laughing in Alice’s face. That wasn’t a price, that was a gift.
    But she didn’t. Instead, she forced herself to keep focused on the mission, and most importantly not to expose Matt and his people.
    â€œWhat makes you think I want to bring anyone down? Maybe I just want to use the virus to kill the people who killed Mahmoud.”
    Again, that damned smile of hers. At this point, Lisa just wanted to smack it off the other woman’s face.
    â€œYou’re not that type, Lisa. Trust me, I know killers. I’ve spent all my adult life surrounded by them, on both sides of the law. You don’t have it in you. What you do have is outrage, and that’s what I need.”
    Something else occurred to Lisa. “Why can’t you do this yourself?”
    â€œI’m too far inside. There are ways they can shut me down. You’re still pretty clean, though. You’ve only been here a couple of months; they haven’t been able to sink their claws all the way into you yet.” Alice’s voice had taken on an almost melancholy tone. “If I try it won’t work. To be honest, it may not work for you, either. These people are good.”
    Lisa took in a deep breath through her nose and let itout through her mouth. “And if I screw it up, you’re still clear.”
    Alice smiled. “You’re not nearly as stupid as Spence looks.” The smile fell. “This is a dangerous game, Lisa. You sure you want to play it?”
    â€œCompletely sure.” Lisa had already had this conversation with Matt a dozen times and herself about a million times. And in the end, it always came down to the same thing.
    She thought about Fadwa.
    After that, it was easy.

SIX
    THE ONLY THING THE RED QUEEN’S SECURITY cameras picked up was the human figure in the Hazmat suit.
    Somehow, someone had found a way to get into the suit without the ubiquitous cameras recording the action.
    However, the Red Queen, despite her artificial intelligence, was still at heart a literal-minded machine. The person in the Hazmat suit entered the proper security codes to get through the titanium-reinforced door to the temperature-regulated room that housed the T-virus. Therefore, the computer did not question the identity of the individual, even though the suit’s reflective faceplate sufficiently hid the person’s identity from the cameras.
    The first thing the figure did was walk over to one ofthe utility closets and remove a hypo-gun and a metal case. While not as well reinforced as the door—that was impossible to achieve without sacrificing portability—the case was impenetrable by most standards when sealed. As for the gun, it fit neatly into one of the case’s slots.