Milo Moon: It Never Happened (20 page)

‘I wish I could help, but I’ve heard nothing about the attack in Geneva, so I don’t know if any progress has been made in that respect.’

‘Well, until the authorities find out who was responsible for the gunman, I think we’re stuck here for a little longer.’

‘Yes, seems so. Well, I might go to my quarters and read for a while to pass some of the afternoon.’

‘Good idea Marie. Not much we can do. I’ll be around if either of them need any help.’

‘Okay, I’ll be back for their afternoon break.’

Marie set of for her room. Half thinking of a short nap as she had woken much earlier than normal. She passed the room where Mary was being assessed and caught a glimpse through the glass window of the door of Mary smiling and seemingly enjoying her chat with Dr. Rousseau. Much further down the corridor was the room where Milo and Dr. Schmidt were. She continued on and only out of curiosity decided to pause for a split second to see if Milo was as happy as Mary. Instead, she caught a glimpse of Dr. Schmidt preparing a syringe. Giving it a small squeeze to clear any air and releasing a few drops. She opened the door without announcing herself.

‘Hi, is everything all right here?’

‘Er, yes, everything is fine,’ Dr Schmidt said, hesitantly.

‘Oh, I thought this was only an assessment. Not a treatment session doctor.’

‘It’s, it’s just a sedative.’

‘I don’t like you!’ Milo said.

‘Oh Milo. You shouldn’t say things like that.’ Marie said.

‘He’s from Sootere!’ Milo said, with unusual venom in his voice.

‘I really think you should leave and let me get on,’ Schmidt told Marie firmly.

‘Please put the syringe down doctor.’

‘How dare you young lady. Get out of here this instant!’

Marie drew her gun. ‘I said, put the syringe down doctor.’ Schmidt made a small hesitant move towards Marie with the syringe firmly gripped in his fist and aimed towards Marie.

‘Don’t even think about it doctor,’ Marie said and then, ‘Milo, would you press your little red button please?’

‘Oh yes Marie,’ Milo said happily, as he pushed his emergency buzzer.

‘Now, put the syringe down doctor,’ Marie repeated firmly.

Schmidt moved his hand down and looked as if he was about to drop the syringe. As his hand started to loosen its grip, he suddenly launched himself towards Marie with the syringe leading the way in his right hand. She moved instantly to her left, avoiding the threat of the syringe, and then struck towards the back of the neck of the doctor with her pistol grip. It only delivered a glancing blow, but enough to force him to the floor. The syringe dislodging from his grip as he landed and it slid into the corridor. Marie moved quickly to drag the prostrate doctor into the corridor while keeping her gun trained on him, and closing the door to Milo’s room.

Dr. Fleury came running after hearing the shouting and commotion, as well as Milo’s emergency buzzer. Once he caught sight of Marie with her gun aimed at Dr. Schmidt, he reached into his jacket pocket as he ran and pressed his security alert. Dr. Rousseau reacted to the noise as well and popped her head out from her door to see what was happening.

‘What the hell are you doing?’ Fleury shouted at Marie.

‘He’s from Sootere!’

‘Christ!’ was all Fleury said.

Chapter 18 - A Foot In The Door

‘I’m a German national. I demand that you contact the German authorities and ………….’

Schmidt was silenced mid-sentence by a savage knee to his groin, followed by an answer to his demand.

‘Get fucked!’

*****

Rudiger Staheli pressed the buttons on his secure telephone and called the French president.

‘Yes.’

‘We have one of them. A German doctor working part time at CERN. He’s been identified as having worked in the facility.’

‘Where is he now?’

‘In custody. We’ll be starting his interrogation shortly.’

‘Have you spoken to the Chancellor?’

‘No, not yet.’

‘Do you want me to pass on the news, Rudiger?’

‘If you think it would be appropriate.’

‘I spoke to the Chancellor only yesterday, so I’m sure it’ll be news well received. We’ve also made overtures to the US, UK and Russia, but not much reaction as yet. This might change things a bit.’

‘Certainly advise the Chancellor, but maybe give me twenty-four hours to see what we can get from this doctor before we serve up the news to the big three.’

‘Yes. No problem. I’ll pass the news onto the Chancellor, and you come back to me tomorrow with an update.’

Rudiger Staheli’s phone rang an hour later.

‘Good afternoon Chancellor.’

‘I’ve heard the news. Are you sure he’s a German national.’

‘Yes, we’re sure. Do you want me to send you his details.’

‘For the moment no.’

‘And representation for him?’

‘No. Not at the moment.’

‘We’ve started interviewing him. Do you wish to have an observer?’

‘No. No need. Do what you have to do. If he’s been involved in this ghastly experimentation in anyway at all, just do what you need to do to close it down.’

‘Thank you for your confidence, Chancellor. I’ll keep you informed.’

‘So, Dr. Schmidt. Let’s start with a few facts. How many, should I call them patients, are there in this place called Sootere?’

Schmidt sat silent with his hands facing palms down on the table.

Crack! A fist crashed into the fingers of Schmidt’s left hand, sending instant pain shooting up his arm and inducing a grunt of pain from him.

‘You don’t get to pass on any questions, my friend.’

Schmidt nursed his probable broken fingers and winced.

‘Let me make myself clear Dr. Schmidt. I suggest you answer our questions. We know you have a wife and three little daughters at school in Geneva.’

‘You wouldn’t dare!’ Schmidt spat.

‘Oh Dr Schmidt. This is not American television. You have no idea what I’m capable of. Really. It would surprise you.’

‘I demand to see a consular representative from the German Embassy.’

‘I’m sorry Dr. Schmidt. We’ve already spoken to your Chancellor. And do you know what he said? He said you can rot in hell. So, no. I don’t think there’s any need to call anyone for you.’

Schmidt remained silent.

‘Okay, I’ll send the order to get your children and take them to a safe house.’

‘No! No!’

‘Well, it’s up to you Dr. Schmidt.’

‘There are about one hundred and eighty residents I think. I’m not really sure.’

‘That’s better. And how many people controlling?’

‘I’m not sure either.’

‘Looks like we might have to pick up the kids after all.’

‘No, no. Let me think. I don’t know everyone. But at least one hundred.’

‘Good man. Now we understand each other.’

Schmidt was still nursing his throbbing hand.

‘So you entered CERN, and then hopped in an elevator down to this Sootere place?’

‘No. It’s not so easy. It takes an hour to get down. All by stairs.’

‘Through the collider?’

‘No.’

‘So what did you do down there?’

‘Assessment and profiling.’

‘How often?’

‘About once every two months.’

‘And who do you answer to?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Oh come on Dr Schmidt. You were doing so well. Your youngest is called, Angelique, I believe.’

‘No, No. Honestly I don’t know. I never knew. I just received messages.’

‘So? From who?’

‘They were only ever signed, Frank.’

‘You were paid I presume.’

‘Yes. From a Cayman Islands account.’

‘Okay then. We’ll come back to that. I’m going to leave you with Klaus here, and you’re going to give him a list of names.’

‘Who?’

‘All the people you work with at CERN who also work in the hell hole.’

‘But I don’t know that many.’

‘Oh Dr. Schmidt. Really. I think little Angelique would expect her daddy to have a better memory than that.’

Schmidt hung his head. ‘Good. I think we understand each other better now. I’ll see you later, Dr Schmidt. Have fun giving Klaus some dictation practice.’

*****

‘Is Milo okay, doctor?’

‘Yes, he’s fine, Marie.’

‘So what was in the syringe?’

‘Not really sure. We’re having it analysed but I don’t think it was sedative or….’

‘Look, sorry to interrupt you doctor,’ the Lieutenant Colonel said apologetically. ‘We’re going to have to move you all.’

‘I had a feeling,’ Marie said.

‘Yes. If this Schmidt communicated the location to anyone, it’s better to be careful. The helicopters will be ready to take you in twenty minutes.’

‘That fast?’ Dr. Fleury asked.

‘Taking no chances sir.’

‘Can I ask where we’re going?’ Marie asked.

‘Ticino. Bellinzona.’

‘At least it’s warmer,’ Fleury smiled.

*****

‘We’ve got a problem.’

‘What is it?’

‘One of our CERN people has been arrested.’

‘Shit!’

‘How?’

‘He went to a military base near Bern. He was a doctor or something.’

‘One of the escapees?’

‘Can’t be sure. But that’s what we’re working on.’

‘The location of the base?’

‘Yup. Three kilometres south of Bern.’

‘Any chance of getting in there?’

‘We’re trying right now.’

‘Let me know.’

*****

The President made a call from the Oval Office. To the Kremlin.

‘You’ve heard about this facility near Geneva then?’

‘Yes, just two days ago. Did you know anything about it before this?’

‘No. And you?’

‘Nothing at all.’

‘If we let the Swiss and French go marching in there, it’s going to look very bad for us.’

‘Yes, I agree. London have the same concern.’

‘The difficulty is that we have all been funding this thing. Goes way back and deep.’

‘Yes. We came to the same conclusion. We’ve all probably got some deep operatives working on this thing.’

‘The nasty part of the problem is that this facility has been feeding its research to medical researchers and drug companies for nearly sixty years.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes, we verified it this morning.’

‘So, we can’t just close it down?’

‘No. Drug and medical research investment would collapse, and then flow directly to the stock markets.’

‘So, we’re talking billions here.’

‘Or more.’

‘So, the problem really is, where and how do we relocate this thing?’

‘And keep it all quiet.’

‘Yes, I see. I think we should include London on this.’

‘Yes, me too.’

Chapter 19 - Money And Drugs

‘What do you mean? You can’t be serious?’

Rudiger Staheli was facing a revolt. His federal councillors were furious. ‘I’m very serious. We’re going to wait.’

‘But this hellhole is on Swiss soil. No one can tell us not to enter!’ Marc Guyer said angrily.

‘I’ve discussed the matter with the US and French presidents, and they are both concerned at the economic and political fallout.’

‘So we just leave these human guinea pigs to suffer and rot in hell?’

‘No, certainly not. It’s just a matter of waiting for a proposal.’

‘To close it?’

‘Yes. That’s what I’ve asked for.’

‘And the people down there?’ the transport councillor, Karl Schellenberg asked.

‘The US, UK and Russia will take responsibility for them.’

‘Move them?’

‘Yes.’

‘Where?’

‘I don’t know as yet.’

‘This sounds to me as if they want to relocate their illegal program,’ Antoinette Haller added.

Rudiger Staheli didn’t answer.

‘Oh no, you can’t be considering supporting the continuation of this thing. It’s not only illegal, it’s inhuman.’

‘There’s more to the decision than that. This research has seemingly been responsible for the huge improvement in medical techniques and drug efficiency. That’s why there’s been such rapid progress since the fifties.’

‘Are any Swiss pharmaceutical companies involved?’

‘I don’t have documented evidence.’

‘But you think they are?’

‘There’s a possibility.’

‘In other words, yes?’

‘As I said, I have seen no documented proof.’

‘Do you have any idea of the broad aspects of their proposal to close the facility?’ Françoise Klausner asked.

‘They would remove all elements of the activity from Swiss soil.’

‘Secretly?’

‘Yes.’

‘So in fact, it would never have existed,’ Françoise Klausner said.

‘That’s correct.’

‘And what about the two people we have? Oh and plus the doctor we arrested.’

‘They would be returned to the care of the three countries.’

‘I can’t agree to any of this. It’s insanity. Illegal, contrary to all human rights legislation and even worse it’s totally immoral,’ Marc Guyer said, very firmly.

‘Yes. I have to agree,’ Karl Schellenberg said, and received agreement from all other members apart from Françoise Klausner.

‘And you Françoise?’ Staheli asked.

‘I’d prefer to wait and see what they propose. I believe that making this information public would be detrimental. But I want to see what they propose for the people subject to the program. If it is closed secretly, but these people are properly cared for, I would consider it carefully.’

Rudiger Staheli could feel the animosity from his colleagues, but had no choice other than to find an agreement, with the US in particular.

‘Can we agree to wait until a proposal is received for our consideration?’

‘Do you intend to continue with the interrogation of the doctor?’ Marc Guyer asked.

‘No.’

‘But he’ll remain in custody?’

‘Yes.’

‘And medical treatment for the other two?’

‘Yes, and they will continue to be held under full security.’

‘And when do you expect details from the US?’

‘A few weeks.’

‘I’m sorry. I can’t agree to a wait of that length of time. These people down there are being subjected to untold horrors. I can’t sit here for weeks and let this continue,’ Guyer said, and looked around to find nodding heads agreeing with him. ‘You realise that with the agreement of the defence and home affairs councillors, we three have the authority to go in there?’

‘Yes, I understand that. But we need cool heads here.’

‘One week only. I’m sorry Rudiger,’ Guyer said.

‘Very well. I understand,’ Rudiger Staheli said, accepting the consensus of the federal council.

*****

A telephone rang in London.

‘Stop the evacuations.’

‘Why?’

‘The White House and Kremlin are moving on it.’

‘Number ten?’

‘I presume so.’

*****

Dr. Sylvie Rousseau arrived in Bellinzona, to assist with the evaluation of Milo and Mary. After two days she briefed Luc Fleury and Marie.

‘So there’s no chance then?’

‘No, the other personalities are only there as memories. Like old friends.’

‘But they were so dominant when we first met them,’ Marie said.

‘I can’t explain it. I wish I could, but I can only presume that it was drug induced.’

‘Well, they were on so much when I first treated them, it’s hardly surprising,’ Luc added.

‘You said you used a special drug at first. Do you know what it was?’ Sylvie asked Luc.

‘I was never allowed to analyse it. We received just enough to reduce their dependency.’

‘Do you have any idea what it was?’

‘No, not really. But I can only presume it was some kind of mind bender. Cold war stuff.’

‘So you administered a highly illegal substance?’

‘Yes. Guilty. But I believed it saved their lives.’

‘Well, and all I can presume, Luc, is that the second personalities were tied to it.’

‘Yes, so do I, Sylvie.’

‘What about Milo and Mary?’ Marie asked, more concerned with them now.