Doom 3™: Worlds on Fire

23

“WHERE IS HE?” SWANN SAID TO HAYDEN.

“Keep your pants on, counselor. Dr. Betruger has been sent for; he knows you’re coming, and you can just be patient.”

Swann noticed how different Hayden’s tone was without Kelliher at the meeting. Hayden made no secret of hiding his disgust.

But then Campbell—sitting in a chair, looking at a table screen now synced to his PDA—spoke up. “You sure you understand the seriousness of this, General? Do you understand what’s at stake?”

“I sure the hell do. I don’t need any reminders from you two.”

“There are,” Swann said, “liabilities. Things that could hurt the UAC. And we must make sure Betruger understands.”

That prompted a small laugh from Hayden, who walked over to Swann. “You think…do youreally think that after letting Dr. Betruger have control, complete control, that now you can—what—pull the reins in?”

“That’s what we’re here for. Especially if the new tests fail.”

Hayden looked from Swann to Campbell. “Well, good goddamned luck.”

Dr. Jonathan Ishii opened the file only two people in all of Mars City were permitted to see. He looked around to be sure that nobody stood around his workstation.

One file was filled with all that imagery that had started pouring from Site 3. From the start, Betruger wanted to control who had access to it. In fact, for the time being he wanted only two people seeing it, he said. Two people analyzing it.

So while the field team out at the site thought that a matching team was analyzing the information back in Delta, the truth was far from that.

Ishii licked his lips. Always so damn dry. Why was that? No sleep, dry lips, and Ishii knew that something was wrong with his heart rate. He could almost feel it, now fast, now slowing, as if someone was controlling it.

And though Ishii was the lead data analyst, there were many other people who could help analyze all this stuff, compare it to any known symbols, to identifiable runes—put everything found through so many filters and data systems. Wasn’t that the way things were supposed to be done?

There…just now!His heart sped up. Because he was thinking about his plans. Because he had thoughts that he wasn’t telling anyone else. Or maybe…maybe because he thought someone could read those thoughts. See them.

Did Betruger know what Ishii was planning?

His hand passed over the screen. And there—in such clear three-dimensional images that he could almost touch them—the sections of the wall, the curling lines, the odd shapes found at Site 3. All meaningless when you were working to expose them, following that trail of bread crumbs. But not meaningless to Ishii or Betruger.

The symbols soon resolved themselves into an icon-based system. And though Ishii had only scratched the surface of the meaning of most of the symbols, he now knew a few things. Things he told Betruger and no one else.

In fact, Betruger had ordered Ishii to tell no one. Betruger, leaning over him, that massive head, thin lips, his eyes boring into him,Tell no one, Ishii, No…one.

Symbols that spoke of a civilization. Those who made the symbols also made this tunnel. Long gone, all vanished. Leaving no fossil record. And the first symbols about an adversary. Yes, something indicating anenemy . As data searches scoured every symbol-based language from cultures dating from tens of thousand of years ago, the image, the idea…of “an enemy.”

He couldn’t be sure—not at first. But there seemed to have been…a conflict…a battle…a war. So many of the symbols still to be deciphered.

Then something else that, at first, meant nothing. U1. The artifact. No ID tags from any of the databases popped up pointing to a likely interpretation.

Ishii twisted the image in every direction, turning it, looking at it. The artifact occupied an important place in the iconography of the walls. Twisting the image, turning it, until Ishii could feel that, yes, he was playing with it. Fascinated with it. This…device…or sculpture….

Discovered at the entrance to the interior tunnel. So important. Everything else seemingly flowing around it, and its image and shape also found on the walls.

Ishii turned away, the strange image frozen at an odd angle. He looked away. Still no one watched him.

These scientists working here, doing the experiments, unaware of what he and Dr. Betruger were seeing, learning. He looked back, half expecting that the still image might move, might leap right off the screen, might grow and fill this room. Ishii kept looking at it. His heart raced even faster, a tear gathered in one eye. Fear, confusion? He didn’t know.

He thought of his plan. Tomorrow. There would be a chance tomorrow. When everyone was busy with the experiment. When everyone, even Betruger, would be occupied. That’s when it would happen. Ishii quickly shut his screen off. Betruger had stood outside the door to the conference room. He couldn’t hear anything being said within. No matter—he could easily guess what they were talking about, what they were arguing about.

He knew that Kelliher was growing more concerned. Concerned enough to maybe even shut the experiments down. Betruger imagined that there might be something planned. Not that he would ever allow it to happen. Not now that he knew what wasreally going on here. No, closing Delta down was simply unthinkable. But for now, he would humor them.

He opened the door.

Swann stopped in mid-sentence.

“Dr. Betruger—”

“Mr. Swann, Mr. Campbell…” Then Swann saw how Betruger barely hid his disgust. “General.”

“Good to see you, Doctor,” Campbell said.

Betruger nodded. “So to what do I owe the pleasure? And the interruption, I must say.”

Campbell and Hayden looked in Swann’s direction.Great, Swann thought,let the bastard get mad at me. “There have been new concerns raised, Dr. Betruger.” Nothing from Betruger, so Swann continued. “Serious concerns about the results of the experiments. Security has become an issue. How long can we keep a lid on what’s happening here? And are there any signs of progress? Mr. Kelliher has been considering—”

Now Betruger put up a hand. And Swann noticed that, for a scientist, Betruger was sturdily built. His hands were massive.

“You can hold it right there, Mr. Swann.” He turned to the others. “No one will be closing this project. Has Kelliher forgotten what I have already created for him? And that’s nothing—absolutely nothing—compared to what will come.”

By now Betruger had both of his massive hands in front of him as if twisting and ripping something apart.Like my neck, Swann thought.

Campbell shook his head. He knew that the security head thought that all of Delta should have been shuttered months ago. “Dr. Betruger, I didn’t say we were closing the lab. But we have to look at whether a hiatus might not—”

Betruger let his hands fall to his sides, suddenly pulling back from his midair mayhem. “Oh. Ahiatus . A pause?” That idea wasn’t sitting too well either. “Gentlemen, I know you serve at Mr. Kelliher’s pleasure—” Didn’t sound like he put himself in that same category. “—and I understand Ian’s concerns. I would have the same concerns. So I therefore have a proposal for you to relay directly to Mr. Kelliher.”

Something about this worried Swann. All of sudden Betruger was acting compliant, almost reasonable. It didn’t make any sense.

“There is a new experiment scheduled for tomorrow…”

Swann cleared his throat. “With a volunteer?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t think we can. More animal tests, yes, but—”

Betruger smiled. “I am suggesting—offering—that you all come to Delta to witness the experiment. I am sure that what you will see will reassure you completely. I’ve scheduled it for noon.”

“But it’s the human volunteer aspect that has Mr. Kelliher so—”

“I know, I know—worried about the human subjects. What’s happened so far, yes. As if they have any value compared to the prize.”

“It could never happen on Earth, Doctor. And the UAC is moving to a ‘one world’ policy—”

“Earth, hm? Policies? Weare on Mars, Swann. In case you haven’t noticed. But still, if you come to the lab tomorrow, as my special guests, you will see that all of your fears—all of Mr. Kelliher’s fears—are totally misplaced.” He paused. “Do we have a deal?”

Something about the way he saiddeal …

“I will have to check with Mr. Kelliher.”

“And with your support, he will agree. And then you, all of us, will see that we have absolutely nothing to be concerned about. Nothing at all.”

For a moment nobody said anything. Swann knew that Kelliher would, based on Betruger’s word, permit one more human experiment. After all, the secret teams in Palo Alto were trying to find out exactly what was going wrong with the Martian transporters. He’d want all the information he could get.

“I’ll contact Mr. Kelliher now.”

“Very good.”

Smiles all around.

“And I will see you gentlemen tomorrow. You will be amazingly surprised, I do believe.”

With that Betruger moved to the door, almost rushing, impatient as it slid open. Then he was gone.

Campbell stood up. “How do you spellbonkers?” Nobody laughed. Then he added, “I’m going to check that they got the weapon crates in place…and also check on my baby.”

Then Campbell sailed out.

Hayden looked up at Swann. “Baby? What the hell is Campbell talking about?”

“Security stuff, General. Wish I could tell you…but I can’t.”

Then Swann walked out, the air having grown too cold, too dry in the bright conference room.