Read Online Lethal Outbreak by Malcolm Rose - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Malcolm Rose
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knows why majors have got fingerprints anyway. They don’t have a purpose – apart from giving you away at crime scenes. Come on,’ she said. ‘Motive first.’
‘Easy. It’s about keeping the human races apart.’
‘More than that,’ Lexi replied. ‘It’s about genocide with an unstoppable poison from Mars. For some strange reason, nature’s decided to let all you majors off. Your body’s evolved so it’s not affected.’
‘As far as we know.’
‘Yeah, okay. But it’s certain ours would take a hit. Nature got the design wrong.’
‘Both are brilliant designs really.’
‘Are they?’
‘The body’s a miracle of engineering. And … ’
‘Go on.’
‘Miracles are what God does,’ said Troy.
‘That’s the nonsense I thought you were heading for. But how many people do you know with bad backs? Then there’s giving birth. Ask any major mother what she thinks of the way it’s done. And us outers can’t do it at all any more. Not naturally anyway. Is that really a miracle?’
‘An imperfect miracle, but still a miracle. Look atthe human brain. It’s amazing what it can do. It can even come up with spreadsheets. No other animal makes spreadsheets.’
‘You’re stopping me making one as well. Come on. Suspects. The obvious ones are all majors. Agreed?’
‘Yes.’
‘Right. Name. Do they have the motive? Do they know enough about science? Do they have access to the BSL4 lab? Alibi for Sunday evening. That’s five columns. I’ll start with Precious Austin. She’s got enough of a grievance against outers and she’s a separatist. She’s probably got enough knowledge of science. She’s not on the Shallow End site any more but could have sneaked into it and she’s trained to go into containment level four. No Sunday evening alibi. Surely she’s our number one.’
Troy nodded. ‘There’s something we need to find out. When did she leave the labs? Did she work on SUMP or even know about it? Because our bad guy certainly does.’
‘Next is Saul Tingle,’ Lexi continued. ‘No known motive, probably not enough of a background in science, but he could go into the high-security lab and his alibi for Sunday evening isn’t strong. Eating with his family.’
‘What about Fern Mountstephen?’ said Troy.
‘Yeah. She doesn’t like outers and majors to get as close as Julia Nineteen and Eric Kiss.’
‘But she’s a Friend to the Integrated Games. Or was, when they were still on. That suggests she approves of mixing.’
‘Yeah. And she sounded … comfortable with outers. She talked about having outer friends. So,’ Lexi said, ‘not much of a motive. But she’s probably up enough in science to make the sticky tape. And she’s a regular at handling poisons in BSL4.’
‘A solid alibi for Sunday, though,’ Troy reminded her. ‘I checked with her gym. She was there all evening.’
Lexi sighed. ‘Eric Kiss. He distracted the lab supervisor at the time of the deaths.’
‘But where’s his motive? He seems to like outers – or at least one outer. He wouldn’t try to kill Julia Nineteen.’
‘If he’s not faking it with her. Anyway, he’s got the scientific know-how and access to the lab, and his Sunday evening alibi is weak. He was hiding out with Julia.’
‘I want Dominic Varney on the list.’
‘Really? A serving police officer?’
‘Yes. Not our top suspect, but he researched chemistry and worked in a pharmaceutical lab. He’sbeen exposed to separatists and maybe he got radicalized.’
‘You didn’t ask him what he was doing on Sunday evening.’
‘I didn’t want to ruffle his feathers. I needed him to think he was a witness, not a suspect.’
‘Okay. Sunday evening alibi – unknown. What about access to Shallow End’s lab?’
‘Mmm. That’s another unknown.’
‘Anyone else? Anything else?’
‘Not yet.’
‘Okay. I’ll write it up and work on the paint sample – and anything else I can think of. You go and rest your poor exhausted
‘Easy. It’s about keeping the human races apart.’
‘More than that,’ Lexi replied. ‘It’s about genocide with an unstoppable poison from Mars. For some strange reason, nature’s decided to let all you majors off. Your body’s evolved so it’s not affected.’
‘As far as we know.’
‘Yeah, okay. But it’s certain ours would take a hit. Nature got the design wrong.’
‘Both are brilliant designs really.’
‘Are they?’
‘The body’s a miracle of engineering. And … ’
‘Go on.’
‘Miracles are what God does,’ said Troy.
‘That’s the nonsense I thought you were heading for. But how many people do you know with bad backs? Then there’s giving birth. Ask any major mother what she thinks of the way it’s done. And us outers can’t do it at all any more. Not naturally anyway. Is that really a miracle?’
‘An imperfect miracle, but still a miracle. Look atthe human brain. It’s amazing what it can do. It can even come up with spreadsheets. No other animal makes spreadsheets.’
‘You’re stopping me making one as well. Come on. Suspects. The obvious ones are all majors. Agreed?’
‘Yes.’
‘Right. Name. Do they have the motive? Do they know enough about science? Do they have access to the BSL4 lab? Alibi for Sunday evening. That’s five columns. I’ll start with Precious Austin. She’s got enough of a grievance against outers and she’s a separatist. She’s probably got enough knowledge of science. She’s not on the Shallow End site any more but could have sneaked into it and she’s trained to go into containment level four. No Sunday evening alibi. Surely she’s our number one.’
Troy nodded. ‘There’s something we need to find out. When did she leave the labs? Did she work on SUMP or even know about it? Because our bad guy certainly does.’
‘Next is Saul Tingle,’ Lexi continued. ‘No known motive, probably not enough of a background in science, but he could go into the high-security lab and his alibi for Sunday evening isn’t strong. Eating with his family.’
‘What about Fern Mountstephen?’ said Troy.
‘Yeah. She doesn’t like outers and majors to get as close as Julia Nineteen and Eric Kiss.’
‘But she’s a Friend to the Integrated Games. Or was, when they were still on. That suggests she approves of mixing.’
‘Yeah. And she sounded … comfortable with outers. She talked about having outer friends. So,’ Lexi said, ‘not much of a motive. But she’s probably up enough in science to make the sticky tape. And she’s a regular at handling poisons in BSL4.’
‘A solid alibi for Sunday, though,’ Troy reminded her. ‘I checked with her gym. She was there all evening.’
Lexi sighed. ‘Eric Kiss. He distracted the lab supervisor at the time of the deaths.’
‘But where’s his motive? He seems to like outers – or at least one outer. He wouldn’t try to kill Julia Nineteen.’
‘If he’s not faking it with her. Anyway, he’s got the scientific know-how and access to the lab, and his Sunday evening alibi is weak. He was hiding out with Julia.’
‘I want Dominic Varney on the list.’
‘Really? A serving police officer?’
‘Yes. Not our top suspect, but he researched chemistry and worked in a pharmaceutical lab. He’sbeen exposed to separatists and maybe he got radicalized.’
‘You didn’t ask him what he was doing on Sunday evening.’
‘I didn’t want to ruffle his feathers. I needed him to think he was a witness, not a suspect.’
‘Okay. Sunday evening alibi – unknown. What about access to Shallow End’s lab?’
‘Mmm. That’s another unknown.’
‘Anyone else? Anything else?’
‘Not yet.’
‘Okay. I’ll write it up and work on the paint sample – and anything else I can think of. You go and rest your poor exhausted
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