Page 64 of After the Fall

Sweat began to pool on his forehead. “Yes, that’s right. You have an excellent memory.”

“We keep tabs on all our employees’ families.” If she meant her words to be comforting, it didn’t work. Warning bells were already going off in Joe’s mind. “Before you leave, Maximus would like a word. We’ll get you home on time for Harper’s birthday dinner.”

Joe swallowed hard. He didn’t like the way she’d said Harper’s name. Something about it felt wrong, coming from her mouth. Nonetheless, one didn’t say no to the Carders. He shut his briefcase and hung his lab coat on the hook by the door, trying to convince himself that there was no way the Carders knew about his research or the hard drive.

Genocorp was a separate building from the Carder headquarters in downtown Seattle. It had been built deep underground, for reasons he hadn’t understood at the time. Though he was beginning to. Maximus was the kind of man whohad secrets to hide, and as Joe entered his office, he found the décor fitting – dark and sinister, with the walls painted black.

The head of the Carder Corporation sat behind a giant metal desk, his bony hands folded on top. His scowl only further accented his pockmarks, reflecting off the shiny chrome surface of the desk. Joe should have trembled at the sight of him, but the only thoughts running through his mind were how Maximus looked like a floating head, and that this must be how Dorothy felt, facing the Wizard of Oz. A second thought came to mind – how difficult it must be to keep his desk shiny, clear of all fingerprints.

“Michelle, you may take leave.” His voice boomed, and Joe remembered the hard drive, hidden in his briefcase. For the first time since arriving, he tasted fear, metallic on his tongue.

Michelle Carder opened her mouth to speak, but then changed her mind, clamping her lips shut. The heavy metal door banged shut behind her.

“Joe. Have a seat.” He tapped his fingers impatiently. His fingernails, which Joe thought were too long for a man, made a tinging sound against the chrome.

Joe could feel his heart rate increasing, and willed it to calm down. He took a seat in the black leather chair across from his boss.

The clicking of Maximus’ fingernails continued as the two men sat, facing off, in silence. After a minute, Maximus stood, revealing his five-foot-three stature. He walked to his wall of trophies, pulling down a wooden plaque. “From Harvard,” he explained. “I received the science award two years in a row,” he boasted.

“That’s wonderful, Sir.”

Maximus pulled at his moustache. “Yes, it would have been. But I was kicked out of Harvard.”

Joe had heard the rumors. So had Hope, and it was one of the reasons she hadn’t wanted him to work for the Carders. If only he’d listened. “I didn’t know that, Sir.”

“You’re a scientist. You’ll understand my disappointment at being expelled all because one of my little experiments went awry. Tell me, Joe. Do you think I’m to blame if a boy who knowingly signed up for my little tests, and was aware of the risks involved, died?”

There was only one right answer. “No, of course not.” The metallic taste in his mouth was growing with Maximus’ trip down memory lane.

Maximus replaced the plaques and reached for the second shelf, pulling down a shiny medal. The letters DARPA were visible on the disc. “This one is from my time in the Marine Corps.”

“I didn’t know you served, Sir.”

Maximus boomed a deep, throaty laugh. Unlike his physique, he had a menacing voice. “Oh, no. My father would never let a son of his face actual danger. I worked as a scientist with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency – DARPA, as they’re known in military circles. I was based in Iraq for several years, but in 2005, I was dishonorably discharged.”

Joe’s mouth went dry. His clammy hands gripped the armrest.

“Would you like to know why?” Before Joe could answer, Maximus continued. “You see, botany in the Middle East is quite unique, and I discovered some very special plants. But I needed human subjects to test them on and I got caught experimenting on some locals, which I guess the military doesn’t look too kindly on. But what’s a few deaths, in the name of research?” He stared at Joe, who was trying his best to maintain an emotionless expression. “Don’t worry, Joe, their families were well compensated, and they knew the risks going in.” He set themedal back down on the shelf. The thud of heavy metal bounced off the wood.

“W-why are you sharing all of this with me, Mr. Carder?”

Maximus leaned against the desk, inches from Joe. “Because I thought you could use the reminder, Joe, that sometimes there must be human casualties for the sake of our research. Like your family.”

Joe’s eyes widened. He mustn’t have heard his boss correctly. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

Maximus tsk’ed. “Did you really think you could keep the cryptothelys from me? There’s a reason I poached you from that foolish government facility years ago, Joe. I suspected more than you did, even back then. And I was right.”

Joe crossed his arms. Maximus was full of empty threats. He couldn’t have one of his scientists disappear. “My research is gone, Maximus.” He was done using the term ‘sir’ for someone as undeserving as his boss. “I wiped it from the databases about twenty minutes ago. It’s unrecoverable,” he smirked.

Maximus sighed and returned to sit behind his desk. He leaned back in his chair, tenting his hands behind his ears. “Joe, Joe, Joe. I thought you’d understood my little show and tell just now. I thought I made it clear that I will dowhateveris required for the sake of research. We Carders always get what we want. Was a part of that not clear to you? And yes, to answer your question, I did say ‘your family’ earlier. So this might be the perfect time to wrap up our little conversation. You will want to hurry home for Harper’s birthday. I hear your wife, Hope, hasn’t been feeling so well. And… from what I’ve been told, there is no cure.”

Joe paled, springing out of his seat. “Leave my fucking family out of this, Maximus.”

“No. I don’t think I will. Even families are fair game, in the name of research. You know, Joe, the world thinks myfather died of a stress-related heart attack. Only Michelle and I know the truth. A little cyanide in his tea, and we now control the entire Carder empire. Just like I now control you and the cryptothelys. Don’t you forget that.” He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. “Better hurry, clock is ticking.”

Joe raced through the hallways of Genocorp like a gladiator fighting for survival. In the car, he put the pedal to the metal and prayed there were no cops on the roads. As he sped along the highway, he had never felt so alone. The Carder Corporation kept some of Seattle’s biggest VIPs on its payroll, including some corrupt police officers. No one would believe the conversation he’d just had, or Maximus’ threats. He needed to get home to his family and make sure they were safe. Perhaps Maximus had been bluffing.

But when he pulled into the driveway, Harper’s anguished cries told him everything he needed to know.

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