The Midnight Watch: A Sigma Force Short Story Read Online Free PDF Page A

gleaned that much from her staff file. “What sort of work are you doing for them?”
    She gave a confused shake of her head. “The goal of our program is to study genetic variability and changes over time in various species. To help achieve that, my colleagues and I extract and analyze DNA from ancient sources.”
    “Ancient sources?”
    “From mineralized bones, archaeological artifacts, or in the case tonight . . .” She retrieved her leather satchel from the foot well and placed it protectively in her lap. “From museum specimens.”
    Kowalski grimaced at the bag. “What sort of specimens ?”
    “Each of us is assigned a different taxonomic family of species. In my case, I work with all Hominidae. That covers all the great apes. Orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos.”
    “But also one other,” Jason added. “Hominidae also includes the genus Homo, which includes us humans.”
    She nodded, glancing more intently at him for knowing this. “That’s right. I’ve collected and documented genomic samples from most known hominin species, from the most ancient to modern man.” She ticked them off. “ Homo erectus, Homo habilis, Homo neanderthalensis, and several other obscure ancestors of ours. It’s why I was at the museum tonight. To collect DNA samples from a newly acquired set of fossils.”
    “And you’ve been storing these results on your lab computer?”
    “That’s right.”
    Jason leaned back, struggling to understand what the Chinese might want with such esoteric scientific data. It made no sense. But for the moment that could wait. He remembered the mission assigned to him: secure not only Dr. Gutierrez but also her computer. Beyond safeguarding the files that had not been stolen in the initial cyber attack, he was still hoping there might be some digital evidence left on her computer that might point to the perpetrator.
    “Sara, I need to access your computer . . . tonight . . . before anyone corrupts what’s there. After we drop you off somewhere safe—”
    She swung toward him. “I’ll need to go with you.”
    “Why?”
    “My computer is doubly secured, both with an alphanumeric password and an EyeLock myris system.”
    “What’s that?” Kowalski asked.
    Jason groaned, knowing the answer. It was a commercially available iris scanner used for identity authentication. “Looks like we’re all sticking together a while longer.”
    F IFTEEN MINUTES LATER, Kowalski drove the Jeep down a small, winding road through Rock Creek Park. The darkly forested route led toward the rear of the National Zoo property, where a private gate offered easy access to the campus of the Rock Creek Research Labs.
    “The gate should be around the next bend,” Sara said as she shivered against the gale of cold wind sweeping across the open-air vehicle.
    Kowalski had cranked the heater up as high as it would go, but it was like holding your hands around a candle in a blizzard. He found his own teeth beginning to chatter.
    “My office is only a short distance past the fence,” she promised them.
    Jason leaned closer to Kowalski. “The director has the campus locked down by the Zoological Park Police. They should be waiting for us at the gate.”
    Sara lifted a white staff card. “If not, I have my pass.”
    As the Jeep rounded the bend, the perimeter fence appeared. A small service gate stood open, lit by a single lamppost. Kowalski spotted no guards or the promised police escort.
    He shared a worried look with Jason.
    “Maybe the staff left it open for us,” the kid offered. “Or maybe they’re waiting for us at Sara’s office.”
    And maybe pigs fly out my ass .
    As he approached the gate, Kowalski goosed the Jeep faster, just in case anyone tried to ambush them at the fencerow. None of his passengers asked him to slow down.
    He sped through the gate and onto the zoo grounds. A cluster of office buildings hugged both sides of the road ahead, looking like any business complex. Beyond them,