Read Online The X-Files: Antibodies by Kevin J. Anderson - Free Book Online
Authors: Kevin J. Anderson
Tags: Fiction, Media Tie-In
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discourage any but the meekest of vandals.
“Apparently Vernon Ruckman’s death has proved a greater deterrent than any signs or guards,” Scully said. She held on to the chain link for a moment, then followed Mulder into the burned area. “I contacted local law enforcement, trying to get a status on their arson investigation. But so far, all they would tell me is that it’s ‘pending—no progress.’ ”
Mulder raised his eyebrows. “A protest group large enough to turn into a destructive mob, and they can’t find any members?”
The FBI crime lab was analyzing the note claiming responsibility. By late that evening they expected to have results on whoever was behind Liberation Now.
From what Mulder had seen, the letter seemed to be a very amateurish job.
He stared at the blackened walls of the DyMar facility for a moment, then the two agents entered the shell of the building, stepping gingerly. The smell of soot, burned plastics, and other volatile chemicals bit into Mulder’s nostrils.
As he stood inside the ruins, looking across the hilltop vista toward the forests and the city below, Mulder imagined that night two weeks earlier, when a mob of antibodies
57
angry and uncontrolled protesters had marched up the gravel drive. He drew a deep breath of the ash-clogged air.
“Conjures up images of peasants carrying torches, doesn’t it, Scully?” He looked up at the unstable ceiling, the splintered pillars, the collapsed walls. He gingerly took another step into what must have been a main lobby area. “A mob of angry people charging up the hill to burn down the evil laboratory, destroy the mad scientist.”
Beside him, Scully appeared deeply disturbed. “But what were they so worried about?” she said. “What did they know? This was cancer research. Of all the different kinds of science, surely cancer research is something even the most vehement protesters will abide.”
“I don’t think it was the cancer part that concerned them,” Mulder said.
“What then?” Scully asked, frowning. “The animal testing? I don’t know what sort of experiments Dr.
Kennessy was doing, but I’ve researched animal rights groups before—and while they sometimes break in and release a few dogs and rats from their cages, I’m unaware of any other situation that has exhibited this extreme level of violence.”
“I think it was the type of research itself,” Mulder said. “Something about it must have been very scary.
Otherwise, why would all of his records be sealed away?”
“You already have an idea, Mulder. I can tell.”
“David Kennessy and his brother had made some waves in the research community, trying unorthodox new approaches and treatments that had been abandoned by everyone else. According to Kennessy’s resume, he was an expert in abnormal biochemistry, and his brother Darin had worked for years in Silicon Valley. Tell me, Scully, what sort of relationship could there be between electronics and cancer research?”
58
T H E X - F I L E S
Scully didn’t offer any of her thoughts as she poked around, looking for where the guard had been found. She saw the yellow-taped section and stood gazing at the rough outline of the body impressed into the loose ash, while Mulder ranged around the perimeter. He moved a fallen sheet of twisted metal out of the way and stumbled upon a fire safe, its door blackened but ajar. He called for Scully.
“Does it contain anything?” she asked.
Mulder raised his eyebrows and rummaged around in the sooty debris. “It’s open, but empty. And the inside is dirty but not burned.” He waited for that to sink in, then looked up at his partner. From her expression, it was clear she thought the same thing he did. The safe had been opened after the fire, not before. “Someone else was here that night, someone looking for the contents of this safe.”
“That’s why the guard came up here into the ruins. He saw someone.”
Scully frowned. “That could explain
“Apparently Vernon Ruckman’s death has proved a greater deterrent than any signs or guards,” Scully said. She held on to the chain link for a moment, then followed Mulder into the burned area. “I contacted local law enforcement, trying to get a status on their arson investigation. But so far, all they would tell me is that it’s ‘pending—no progress.’ ”
Mulder raised his eyebrows. “A protest group large enough to turn into a destructive mob, and they can’t find any members?”
The FBI crime lab was analyzing the note claiming responsibility. By late that evening they expected to have results on whoever was behind Liberation Now.
From what Mulder had seen, the letter seemed to be a very amateurish job.
He stared at the blackened walls of the DyMar facility for a moment, then the two agents entered the shell of the building, stepping gingerly. The smell of soot, burned plastics, and other volatile chemicals bit into Mulder’s nostrils.
As he stood inside the ruins, looking across the hilltop vista toward the forests and the city below, Mulder imagined that night two weeks earlier, when a mob of antibodies
57
angry and uncontrolled protesters had marched up the gravel drive. He drew a deep breath of the ash-clogged air.
“Conjures up images of peasants carrying torches, doesn’t it, Scully?” He looked up at the unstable ceiling, the splintered pillars, the collapsed walls. He gingerly took another step into what must have been a main lobby area. “A mob of angry people charging up the hill to burn down the evil laboratory, destroy the mad scientist.”
Beside him, Scully appeared deeply disturbed. “But what were they so worried about?” she said. “What did they know? This was cancer research. Of all the different kinds of science, surely cancer research is something even the most vehement protesters will abide.”
“I don’t think it was the cancer part that concerned them,” Mulder said.
“What then?” Scully asked, frowning. “The animal testing? I don’t know what sort of experiments Dr.
Kennessy was doing, but I’ve researched animal rights groups before—and while they sometimes break in and release a few dogs and rats from their cages, I’m unaware of any other situation that has exhibited this extreme level of violence.”
“I think it was the type of research itself,” Mulder said. “Something about it must have been very scary.
Otherwise, why would all of his records be sealed away?”
“You already have an idea, Mulder. I can tell.”
“David Kennessy and his brother had made some waves in the research community, trying unorthodox new approaches and treatments that had been abandoned by everyone else. According to Kennessy’s resume, he was an expert in abnormal biochemistry, and his brother Darin had worked for years in Silicon Valley. Tell me, Scully, what sort of relationship could there be between electronics and cancer research?”
58
T H E X - F I L E S
Scully didn’t offer any of her thoughts as she poked around, looking for where the guard had been found. She saw the yellow-taped section and stood gazing at the rough outline of the body impressed into the loose ash, while Mulder ranged around the perimeter. He moved a fallen sheet of twisted metal out of the way and stumbled upon a fire safe, its door blackened but ajar. He called for Scully.
“Does it contain anything?” she asked.
Mulder raised his eyebrows and rummaged around in the sooty debris. “It’s open, but empty. And the inside is dirty but not burned.” He waited for that to sink in, then looked up at his partner. From her expression, it was clear she thought the same thing he did. The safe had been opened after the fire, not before. “Someone else was here that night, someone looking for the contents of this safe.”
“That’s why the guard came up here into the ruins. He saw someone.”
Scully frowned. “That could explain
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