Genesis - Keith R. A. DeCandido [21]
"It's a T-virus, and you're right, it's not at all natural. Believe it or not, it came about from a study into something that would retard the aging process—an ointment that would keep the skin cells from aging."
"A glorified wrinkle cream, you mean?"
Alice raised an eyebrow. "A bit more than that, but yes. However, the virus does more—a lot more. Inhaling it is fatal. It has a one hundred percent kill rate—"
Again, Lisa shivered.
"—and it keeps the body animated after death."
"What?" Lisa asked incredulously. They had just veered into bad science fiction territory. Or maybe back to those godawful monster comics of Matt's.
But the creature with no eyes on Alice's computer screen wasn't the flight of fancy of a 1950s-era comicbook artist. That was real.
"The body still generates electrical impulses for some time after it dies," Alice said. "The T-virus works by stimulating cells."
"So they've created a killer that turns you into a zombie?"
Alice nodded. "It could be a brutal biological weapon," she said, understating the case somewhat, "and there are certain people in the U.S. government—and other governments—who'd pay top dollar for it. Developing it is in violation of half a dozen domestic laws and half a dozen more international ones."
"Why—why are you telling me this?" Lisa swallowed. "Are you just telling me because you're going to kill me?"
The weird smile came back. "I may look like a Bond girl, Lisa, but I'm not a Bond villain. I didn't bring you here to kill you. I brought you here to talk to you."
"About what?"
"I thought that was obvious. After all, Mahmoud 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."
"I can help you get the virus. I have access to security plans, surveillance codes, the works."
Alice hesitated.
"But—?" Lisa prompted.
"But 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.
"What 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.
"You'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?"
"I'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 it out 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