Page 85 of Dash

“It’s okay, Mina,” I said. “Whatever it is, I can take it.”

“All righty then.” She plucked a gummy bear from a bag on the desk and popped it into her mouth. “Power pill,” she explained. “Better than Adderall or a six-pack of Red Bull, and a lot fewer calories. I recommend the red ones. Want one?”

I caught the bag she tossed me and dropped a red gummy bear in my mouth. “I’m ready.”

She squared her shoulders. “Working around the clock, the lab found traces of the rodenticide that made you ill.”

I held my breath.

“Out with it.” Dash shimmered with impatience. “Where did they find it?”

Mina’s gaze settled on me. “They found the delivery method in your purse.”

I gawked. “In my purse?”

“Yes, and more specifically, in your lipstick.”

“What?” I made an effort to close my mouth.

“Unlikely.” Dash held himself very still. “Dr. Jacob said that the mode of delivery was oral ingestion and that the poison had been designed to activate only when it came into contact with gastric juices. Thena applies her lipstick. She doesn’t munch on it.”

“True.” Mina motioned for me to eat another gummy bear, which I did in an effort to calm a spell of nausea. “But this is where it gets interesting. The lab found that the rodenticide had been introduced into specially designed chemical nanoparticles that carried the poison and prevented it from releasing before they got to the stomach.”

Dash’s forehead furrowed. “If that’s the case, how did these nanoparticles get from her lips to her stomach?”

“These highly concentrated ‘boutique’ nanoparticles were designed with viral spikes,” Mina explained. “This feature gave them the capacity to gain momentum and tumble, allowing them to move quickly through the system. Every time Thena ate or drank something, she was propelling the particles into her stomach.”

Chilled to the bone, I struggled to wrap my head around this one. “Are you saying that somebody went through the trouble of creating a biological weapon to kill me?”

“I’m saying that somebody managed to obtain, or perhaps purchase, a rare biological weapon and deploy it on you.”

“So, there’s a record of similar attacks.” Dash’s flat voice failed to conceal the fury burning in his eyes. “Who’s behind them?”

“The Russians have used this MO before to get rid of dissidents in Europe,” Mina informed us. “The Chinese, Iranians, and North Koreans have also been accused of killing political opponents in this manner.”

“I don’t understand.” I rubbed my forehead, fighting off an impending headache. “Why would any of those governments want to kill me?”

“I know, right?” Mina threw her hands in the air. “It doesn’t make sense.”

Dash rumbled. “Surely the lab has a theory?”

“You’re right on point, boss. You should play the lottotoday. The lab’s working theory is that one of these countries, or perhaps even a rogue agent with access to the bioweapon, sold the substance to whoever attacked you, most likely for profit.”

“Fuck.” Dash scrubbed his face. “This only confirms that our enemy has access to vast resources, complex networks, and a wide range of weapons.”

“Sorry, Thena,” Mina said. “I wish I had better news. I know this is scary, as in worse than Alfred Hitchcock and Nosferatu, but it is what it is.”

“Don’t be sorry.” I popped another gummy into my mouth and slid the bag across the desk. “This is good work and more information than we had before. I’m not scared. I’m pissed.”

“Believe me, I get you.” Mina gave me a solidary nod. “I’m not you and I’m pissed, too.” She reached over and fished out another red gummy bear, ate it, and returned her gaze to Dash. “Please, boss, dial down the rage. I think I see smoke coming out of your ears. Should I call the fire department to put out the fire roaring inside you?”

“I’ll deal with it,” Dash snapped, then reined back the fury that had him talking between his clenched teeth. “What I wanna know is how the bioweapon got into Thena’s lipstick.”

“A most excellent question.” Mina steepled her hands together. “The lab believes it was injected into the lipstick in a self-coagulating gel form. With every application, additional poison was introduced into Thena’s system, layer upon layer of corrosion eating at her stomach lining.”

“Invisible, cumulative, and lethal.” Dash sighed, looking as tired as he was furious. “Who put the poison in the lipstick?” He turned to me. “Who had access to your purse?”

“Lots of people.” I lifted my hands in the air and let them fall on my lap. “I left my purse in my drawer every morning at the office. Anyone who entered my office had access. I also tookit wherever I went. Sometimes, I handed it over to my staff. Anybody who got a hold of my purse while I was traveling had access.”

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