Milwaukee Deep
Chapter 15

Anthony Perks rushed through the foyer of Four Seasons Hotel and headed for the elevator.

“Afternoon, Sir,” said Agent Burns as he passed Perks entering the lift.

Perks put his hand out stopping the lift door from shutting.

“Burns?! What the hell are you doing here?!”

“I was here on security detail once the call came in and the ambulance arrived.”

Perks eyes widened.

“Ambulance? What ambulance?”

“Sir, haven’t you heard? The Secretary of Defence had a heart attack – he’s been rushed to Memorial Hospital.”

“Heart attack! When?”

“Not more than an hour ago.”

“Listen to me, did you see Robert with them – did you see him at all when the ambulance came?”

“Robert? No, Sir, I didn’t see him, but then again, everything happened pretty fast, I might have missed him.”

“Come with me,” Perks grabbed Burns by the arm and pulled him into the elevator. He pushed the button to the fourteenth floor and waited for the doors to close.

The elevator rose all the way without stopping. As the doors opened Perks rushed out and headed for Willow’s room.

Agent Burns followed.

Perks stood outside the door and checked his surroundings. With a step back, he raised his foot and with all of his might kicked in the hotel room door.

“Damn it, there’s no one here!” he yelled as he scanned the room.

Burns stood silent as Perks walked over to the liquor cabinet in the far end of the room and opened the small cupboard door.

“At least they didn’t take this,” he said as he pulled out his weapon from the cabinet – he remembered Willow storing it there as soon as Harding and his boys showed up.

“Are you okay, Sir?” Burns asked.

Perks ignored the question. He walked over to the table where Myles had been sitting.

“Sir, can I help you with whatever you’re looking for?”

Perks searched the area - there was a tiny stain on the carpet, not far from the leg of the chair.

“Didn’t you guys scan the room after Willow left?”

“Scan the room?”

Perks took a second look at the stain – it was definitely blood.

“Burns, listen to me. I want an A.P.B out on Willow do you understand? I want that son of a bitch found immediately.”

“Sir?”

“Don’t just stand there, Tim, get out there – put the order out!”

Burns turned and headed for the broken door.

“Burns, wait!” Perks called out, “Cancel that. An A.P.B will alert them well before I can get to him. They don’t know I’m out.”

“Out? Sir, what’s going on?”

“I’ll explain it all on the way. Call Rodriguez, Wattley and Santo and tell them to meet us downstairs in the lobby in fifteen minutes.”

“On the way? Sir, where are we going?”

Perks released the magazine on his weapon and checked it. He slammed it back into place.

“Memorial Hospital.”

Locked away in what appeared to be an ordinary industrial warehouse in the heart of New Jersey, a team of four highly trained surgeons and one virologist worked frantically to evaluate the threat posed to the nation by one solitary corpse. Standing in a room twelve yards away from where the body lay motionless, the clean up crew, via a remote controlled robotic arm, slowly dismembered their subject, pulling apart piece by piece the mystery surrounding David Rees Ganton.

Harding paced the hallway outside the examination room. The clean up crew was only minutes away from completing its evaluation and Harding was desperate to replace out if the virus was contained.

“Sir,” Agent Sarah Coyle approached Harding.

“What is it, Sarah?”

“Sir, you’re wanted in the conference room. Crane wants a word with you.”

“Crane? He knows I’m here?”

“Yes, Sir, he’s in Washington with the President.”

“Fuck, this is all I need,” Harding took a deep breath, “Okay, I’m on my way, but do me a favour, interrupt me when they finish with those results, do you understand? I don’t care if it’s Crane or not, I want to know the results when they’re done.”

“Certainly, Sir.”

Harding walked away from Agent Coyle and headed towards the conference room. He was dreading this conversation. He knew exactly what this was about and he knew it was coming, perhaps not as soon as now, but he was expecting it. After reading that letter, he knew the powers that be would not stand idle.

Harding walked into the conference room. A small phone sat in the centre of the large oval table. It was already on.

“Harding, good of you to join us”

“Sir.”

“Take a seat,” said Crane.

Harding turned and saw the two cameras on either side of the entrance.

“That’s right Harding, President Stokes and I can see you on closed circuit. We’re here in the oval office and we’ve read the letter.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Has any one else read this?”

“Not that I’m aware of, Sir. I read it and then contacted the President’s aide, Harry Bell. I asked him to pick up it from New York and hand-deliver it to you. You’d have to ask Mr Bell if anyone else’s eyes landed on it after I handed it to him.”

“So prior to handing it to Harry, no one other than you had read it?”

“That’s correct, Sir.”

“Good,” said Crane.

There was a brief pause before Crane continued.

“Harding, you do understand the gravity of the situation we’re faced with, don’t you?”

Harding knew where this was leading.

“Yes, Sir, I do.”

“We cannot afford for this to get out, nor can we let something like this go unpunished. Ganton should never have been there. Willow put him there for his own reasons – and quite unexpected reasons, wouldn’t you say?”

Harding took a moment to answer.

“Yes, Sir, I would.”

“We’ve had a plan since the beginning. No unauthorised personnel on the vessel. No one other than who we stipulate can be sent there. They’re fucking lab rats for God’s sake, not soldiers.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Crane continued.

“He should have killed him, that fucking idiot - not send him to Milwaukee Deep!”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Now he has escaped – military personnel are trained to deal with the most difficult circumstances, Harding. They have the nous, the skill to get out. Damn it, that’s why we only send criminals from our civilian prisons!”

“I get your point, Sir,” Harding replied.

“Good.”

There was a further pause.

“That’s why you’re going to take out Willow immediately. Do you understand?”

Harding lowered his head.

“Did you hear me, Harding?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“This kind of information can never get out and unfortunately for Willow, he’s lost my trust.”

“I understand, Sir,” said Harding.

“Now Willow’s gone and done us a favour, Harding. He’s played the heart attack card to get away from the media and prying eyes. The press has already got wind of this so now is the time to strike.”

“Do we know where he is right now?”

“He’s holding up at Memorial Hospital. He needs to sit and wait there for a few hours – given what’s happened to his daughter I gather he would want to be there for a while yet until everything else settles.”

Harding checked his watch.

“Leave now, Harding. Willow’s fake heart attack got him out of a messy situation, it’s only fitting it works for us.”

“Yes, Sir, I’ll leave immediately.”

“Good,” replied Crane, “And, Tom.”

“Yes, Sir?”

“You’re in charge of this entire operation now - make sure there’s no fuck up.”