The God Virus

"What do you think?"

Duffy looked up shaking her head, "I'm thinking it's an ugly way to die."

"You found her body?" he asked Randall.

"Yes. Lieutenant Webb and I did during a search when she didn't turn up for dinner and wouldn't answer pages over the intercom system."

Adam nodded, "What became of the body?"

"We stowed it in cold storage. Given the security issues involved there is going to be a delay before we can contact her next of kin."

"I think it would be in our best interest to examine it and have a postmortem done to rule out any possibility that Dr. Hooks was impaired in some way."

"If you're insinuating that Janet had been drinking or doing drugs I can assure you she wasn't the type," said Randall with a hint of anger creeping into his tone.

"I appreciate your opinion of Dr. Hooks character, Captain Randall, but I think we need to cover all our bases here regardless. Agent Duffy has the requisite skill to perform the check."

Randall nodded unhappily as Duffy rejoined them at the top of the steps.

"Maybe I should eat first," suggested Duffy.

Captain Randall led them back to the cafeteria area where a number of off-duty staff were gathered for an evening meal. Adam and Harriet secured themselves some trays and picked up food before joining a table with several white-coated individuals.

"Good Evening. Dr. Julian Carter," said one of the scientist his British accent giving him an aristocratic flair, "You must be the F.B.I. agents we heard were coming. Poor, Janet, an unfortunate accident."

"If it was an accident..." mumbled a second scientist a mousy looking blond with dark streaks in her hair, and a nervous manner as she picked at her food.

"Please ignore Dr. Chambers. She is always a bit melancholy," said Dr. Carter.

"You don't think Dr. Hooks death was an accident?" said Agent Duffy around bites of her chicken salad.

"Janet and I went to graduate school together, and she was a dancer as well as into Yoga. She had the balance of a gymnast, so the idea that she could trip and fall to her death seems nuts to me," answered Dr. Chambers.

"You're not alone in that opinion," offered Duffy.

"You mean Captain Randall," whispered Chambers.

Adam stepped into the conversation, "Captain Randall offered a similar opinion. He seemed very fond of Ms. Hooks."

He looked at Dr. Chambers face to see if the implication that Randall's interest was more than professional brought a reaction, but he was disappointed when she returned to poking at her food.

"We were all fond of Janet," she said in her emotionless voice.

"Janet was a kind soul. I for one will miss her wit around the lab," said Dr. Carter.

"What do you do around here Dr. Carter?"

"Oh, a bit of this and bit of that. I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to say with all the security nonsense that we're subject to here. I'm a chemist by trade if that isn't giving too much away."

"Lieutenant Webb would probably have you clamped in irons for saying that much," said Chambers.

"Yes, Webb, a disagreeable fellow to be sure."

"That seems to be the consensus from folks we've talked too."

"I don't like to speak ill of a colleague, but I for one tend to give Lt. Webb a wide berth. I'm not surprised others would do the same."

The dinner conversation flagged quickly after that and Adam finished his food deciding they would be better off for the moment continuing their tour of the facility. He and Harriet left the cafeteria retracing their steps to the research wing where they expected to meet up with Dr. Henderson again.

"You think Randall had something to do with this? I mean assuming it wasn't an accident."

Adam looked sideways at his partner, "It seems unlikely. I mean...Why call for an investigation if you're the one that killed her?"

"Perhaps it was someone who got wind of their relationship and was jealous like that Dr. Chambers maybe?"

"She seemed small to have taken on Janet Hooks if that woman was half as badass as everyone is making out," said Adam.

"Don't underestimate the mousy ones. They can surprise you," said Harriet.

"You mean like the midget wrestler we arrested in New Mexico during that drug sting. The one that nearly kicked your ass," said Adam with a laugh.

"Hey! You promised never to bring that up!" said Harriet in a voice filled with indignation.

Arriving back at the entrance to the research wing they found Dr. Henderson waiting for them.

"Captain Randall said you were taking a break to get some dinner. Are you ready to see the rest of our facility?"

Agent Chase nodded, and Dr. Henderson used a key card to open the double doors leading to the research wing. A long flight of steps brought them down to a second security door that opened with a hiss of escaping air.

"I know you can't speak specifically about what work is going on here, but it might help with our investigation if we knew more about Dr. Hooks daily routine. Who did she come in contact with most often? Was she particularly close to anyone?" asked Chase.

"Janet was close to everyone. She was just a very outgoing and friendly person. I worked with her a bit, and she spent a lot of time with the volunteers."

"We heard that designation before for some of your people," commented Duffy.

"Yes, we do have some test subjects involved in the project. They are men from the military who volunteered to help us."

As the group walked Dr. Henderson identified in general the various rooms they passed which were mostly labs and storage areas.

"The information we got on Dr. Hooks said that she was a clinical psychologist?"

"Yes, that's correct."

The group stopped in front of a large room with a long bank of windows across the front. Inside, they could see a man in an environmental suit moving around with oxygen hoses attached to his back. There were two other men in the room with him. They were dressed in army fatigues and seated at a table with some cards laying face down in front of them each of the men had electrodes attached to their foreheads that ran to a set of monitors near the table.

"That's Dr. Razinski in the environmental suit."

"The other two men?"

"Two of our volunteers. The large blond-haired fellow on the left is Corporal Charles Slattery, and the shorter brunette with the mustache is Private Wendell Willis."

"What are they doing in there, playing cards?" asked Duffy.

"No," laughed Dr. Henderson, "it's a simple test of cognitive function. They're playing an elaborate memory game where they have to memorize the positions of matching cards in front of them."

"Why the environmental suit?"

"I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to comment on that part."

"Did Dr. Hooks spend any time around these two men?"

"Quite a bit actually as well as with the other volunteers Private Donovan and Private Maxwell."

"I realize given the security needs here it may be difficult, but at some point, we might need to speak with all of those men," said Chase.

Henderson looked away for a moment, "I'll have to talk with Dr. Razinski and Captain Randall about that perhaps something can be arranged."

They moved on to see the remaining areas in the research wing.

"Focus gentlemen. See how many matches you can make in the next two minutes," said Dr. Razinski while making notations on a clipboard in front of him.

"Can you believe we get paid for this shit," said Private Slattery.

"Race ya Slattery...First one to twenty matches gets a date with Dr. Prince," joked Private Willis.

The two men shared a laugh while Dr. Razinski frowned in disapproval.

"The cards please, gentlemen," he repeated.

As the two soldiers began their work, the doctor noted their brain wave activity on the monitors in front of him.

The men completed their task rapidly with no hesitation and finished well within the time limit with Slattery completing his test just ahead of Willis.

"You should have picked a different guy to challenge, Willis, I never lose when cards are involved," joked Slattery.

The monitors showing the two soldiers brain waves revealed a sharp spike on the side where Willis was plugged in.

"I say best two out of three. I can take you any day of the week," said Willis with a hint of menace in his voice.

"That will be all for today gentlemen. You can return to your quarters," cut in Dr. Razinski.

Willis shot an angry look at the Doctor, but his face slowly broke into a smile, "Sure, Doc, I'm ready for a nap. Right, Charles?"

They both rose together laughing as Dr. Razinski came around to unhook them from their monitors. He watched them exit the testing lab through a single door on the far side of the room. After they had gone, he looked down at his notes smiling quietly to himself. Private Willis ironic joke was all to on the nose though both men would only sleep when he was ready for them too. Still, the results were excellent especially for two men who hadn't been to bed in five days.

"Man, I'm starting to go stir crazy in this place."

Wendell Willis had thrown himself onto a long couch in one corner of the isolation area where he and his fellow volunteers had been living out their lives for the past ten months since joining the project.

"I hear ya. You do what you gotta do though, right? I mean we did sign up for this shit," replied Private Slattery.

"Wendell has a point. It's one thing to have it explained to you what will happen and quite another to live it," said Private Karl Maxwell another volunteer who had been sitting on the opposite end of the couch leafing through a magazine when his two companions came in from the testing room.

Private David Donovan, a tall country boy from Oklahoma, broke into a grin from where he sat at a round dining table playing solitaire, "I think ya'll are making a lot of noise over nothing we got out of doing crap duty for twelve months and all we have to do is sit here a play card games with the Doc. Hell! It beats the shit out of being deployed."

The crackling sound of an intercom being activated drew the attention of all four men who turned to another observation window that ran along the far side of their living area.

"You men know to come to attention in the presence of a superior officer," said Lt. Webb his voice sounding hollow through the speakers.

"Might be an officer I don't know about the superior part," grumbled Willis under his breath. The other men laughed, and Private Kowalski, who stood behind Webb, snorted trying to fight down a laugh.

"Your ass is going to meet that bayonet yet, Kowalski! You want to go for getting on report twice in the same day!" snapped Webb.

"No, Sir!" replied Kowalski smartly.

"As for rest of you lazy fuckers just because you're involved in this experiment doesn't mean you get to toss away military decorum. You also need to keep this area policed up you're living like a bunch of slobs in there. I'll be back before lights out, and I expect you to have this place stowed away by then, clear?"

"Yes, Lieutenant," echoed the volunteers with a decided lack of enthusiasm.

Webb gritted his teeth, but shut off the intercom without further comment wheeling away and marching off down the corridor with Kowalski in tow.

"What an asshole," mumbled Slattery.

Dr. Razinski sat at his desk with a face that betrayed the swirling anguish he felt inside. The e-mail that hung on the computer screen in front of him was from his daughter's physician, and the news was not good. In spite of the chemotherapy, the cancer was spreading further into her brain.

"Hang on just a little longer, Elise. Daddy's coming I promise..." he whispered.

At the knock on his door, he cleared the screen.

"Come in."

Razinski's face changed to an expression of faint disgust as Lt. Webb stepped into his office leaving one of his soldiers standing outside.

"Doctor, I just came from checking on my men. I have expressed to you before that just because they are volunteers under your supervision doesn't absolve them of maintaining military discipline. I expect them to comport themselves as soldiers, and that includes maintaining a proper barracks."

"Lieutenant Webb, I shouldn't have to remind you that General Rafferty gave me complete authority over this operation. You and your men, as well as all the others in this facility, are here to meet my needs, not the other way around. I have little interest in what your soldiers do outside of my work," said Razinski in a voice tight with tension.

"See here, Doctor I..."

"No! You listen to me Lieutenant!" stormed Dr. Razinski slamming one hand down on his desk, "I saw how you were addressing your men on the security monitor, and this is not the first time I have observed your attitude when dealing with your subordinates. You are an arrogant little man who delights in lauding his authority over others. If it were in my power, I would have you removed from this facility, but at the very least don't think I won't bring up the subject with Captain Randall. I would advise you to adopt a more civil attitude in the future."

Webb swallowed hard barely containing his anger.

"Enjoy your moment, Doctor. The wheel is always turning."

"You're dismissed, Lieutenant. I think that is the proper military way to say it is it not?"

Webb turned and left slamming the door behind him.

Dr. Razinski turned back to his reflection on the computer screen. Time was running out, and he had none of it to spare for men like Webb.

The brief tour came to an end, and Agents Chase and Duffy returned to the central part of the base. Dr. Henderson escorted them to the residential wing where each was given a room for the duration of their stay. Adam looked around the small living area taking in his surroundings. It was pretty simple with a bed, and dresser along with a table and two chairs. The far wall across from the bed had a T.V. monitor that was currently dark. A door next to it led to a small bathroom with built-in shower and toilet. There was an end table next to the bed with a couple of drawers, but apparently, the Gideon's didn't have security clearance since it contained no Bible when he opened the top drawer. A knock at the door tore him away from his inspection.

"Pretty Spartan digs," commented Duffy looking past Adam when he answered the door.

"Are yours any better? Maybe we should switch I am the senior agent after all."

"Mine are shit too, so don't get jealous."

Adam glanced at his watch, "It's getting late, and Janet Hooks isn't going anywhere. Why don't you plan on hitting that examination first thing in the morning, and try to get some sleep for now."

"Sounds like a plan to me. Goodnight, Adam."

Duffy left, and Adam stripped off his jacket removing his holster and gun placing them on the small table in the corner of the room. A shower seemed in order, and he quickly entered the bathroom to enjoy a hot scrub down before bed. Afterward, he lay on the sheets with his arms behind his head staring at the ceiling and running over the days events in his head. It was a sad bit of business, and so far he had no real reason to suspect foul play yet something about this whole thing seemed off to him though he couldn't put his finger on exactly what was bothering him about it. His thoughts were interrupted by another knock at his door.

He arose to open it wondering if Duffy had hit on some clue that he hadn't thought of and was eager to share her insight, but it wasn't Duffy at the door.

"Hey. I was hoping you would be awake," said Karen Prince.

She didn't bother to ask but moved past Adam who took a half-step back to let her into the room. She was still wearing her lab coat from the afternoon, but Adam noted that her legs were bare sticking out the bottom where before she had definitely been wearing slacks.

"Aren't you worried about the security camera's picking you up coming here?" asked Adam casually as he shut the door.

"The camera's on this corridor go off and on all the time. There due for maintenance this week."

"Lucky me..." said Adam.

"Lucky you indeed," said Karen smiling.

She dropped the lab coat to the ground and conveniently she was wearing nothing underneath. Adam took a deep breath admiring her tight, petite body. Her flawless pale skin looked ethereal in the light coming from the bathroom. He had always admired her perky breasts, and though they weren't large, they were perfectly round with nice, wide, brick red areolas and thick nips. Karen smiled wickedly at him while his eyes moved down across her figure to the lightly trimmed bush of red hair that covered her Venus mound.

"I've missed you," she whispered.

"Oh...Karen," gasped Adam.

He quickly pulled the small woman into his arms finding her soft, pink lips with his covering them in a warm kiss. Karen's arms looped around his neck and she pivoted her head to one side opening her mouth to accept Adam's tongue. They fell into a hot, wet French kiss their tongues swirling together. The soft sounds of pleasurable moans began to come from within both of them while Adam's hands slipped down to squeeze Karen's tight ass. She gave a louder groan at the feel of his strong hands gripping her ass cheeks and lifting her into the air pulling her to his chest. He carried her naked body to the bed their kisses growing more frantic with need.

Karen's back hit the crisp sheets, and she rose onto her elbows watching as Adam divested himself of his t-shirt and underwear. His thick, hard cock swung out into the air the purple head swollen and ready. She licked her lips in anticipation and moved quickly forward to seize his swelling penis in her smooth palm tugging at the stiffening flesh. A grunt of excitement escaped from Adam's throat as Karen leaned up and ran her tongue around the head of his cock before slowly sliding it into her mouth. He looked down in growing lust while she sucked his love pole with enthusiasm making it shine in the faint light.

"Damn...Baby! I forgot how good you are at this...Uh...Shit!"

"Um...I forgot how good your dick tastes...You like the way I suck you, Adam?"

"God Yes! Oh...More...Karen...Don't...UH! Stop!" begged Adam.

Karen's head began to bob again her hot mouth sliding up and down Adam's prick faster while her fingers spread her wet saliva all over making it slip free and easy in her grip. He gasped louder grabbing at the back of her head. The cum in his balls boiled and he felt his scrotum tighten with the need to release. In desperation, he broke free pushing Karen back onto the bed and moving her legs apart. She let out a grunt of her own when Adam's tongue slid up her wet slit pushing her pussy lips apart and tasting her tart juice.

"Yes! Adam! Oh, fuck! Baby! I missed this so much..." she moaned.

He wanted to take his time but the months apart had eroded his ability to hold back his desire for Karen. The clitoris beneath his tongue was rock hard signaling her readiness and Adam swiftly moved back up her body stopping only briefly to maul her sweet tits sucking one thick nipple into his mouth. His teeth caught the firm flesh biting roughly on it. Karen's back arched off the bed.

"Fuck! Ah!... Adam, you know how sensitive I am there! AH! Shit! Makes me want to fuck when you suck my tits like that!"

Adam smiled still squeezing her soft breasts in his hands. He covered them in kisses pausing to run his tongue around her dark red areolas before returning to the sharp bites of pleasure that drove her so crazy. Karen gasped and writhed beneath him her thighs rubbing on the underside of his stiff cock sending tingles through his swollen sack. She spread her legs open pulling at his shoulder and silently begging him to enter. The joining when it came was abrupt, and both of them cried out in unison as Adam's cock plunged into Karen's trembling cunt pushing the tight pink flesh aside.