There were four of them present.
With the base manager, the head of security, and the chief of the
Moroccan guards in the building, the soldiers were a good deal more
attentive than usual. All four were standing in their interpretation of
attention, with their assault rifles over their shoulders. When Kevin
and the women appeared, their expressions suggested they were confused.
Melanie gave them the finger as Kevin herded her and Candace out the
door into the parking lot.
‘Please, Melanie,’ Kevin begged. ‘Don’t provoke them!’
Whether the soldiers did not understand the meaning of Melanie’s gesture
or were bewildered by the anomalous circumstances, Kevin didn’t know.
One way or the other, they didn’t come flying out after them as Kevin
feared they might.
They got to the car. Kevin opened the passenger-side door. Candace
climbed in eagerly. But not Melanie. She turned to Kevin with her eyes
blazing in the dim light.
‘Give me the keys,’ she demanded.
‘What?’ Kevin asked, even though he’d heard her.
‘I said give me the keys,’ Melanie repeated.
Confused by this unexpected request but not wishing to incite her more
than she already was, Kevin handed her the car keys. Melanie immediately
went around to the other side of the car and got in behind the wheel.
Kevin climbed into the passenger seat. He didn’t care who drove as long
as they got themselves out of there.
Melanie started the car, spun the tires, and drove out of the parking
lot.
‘Jeez, Melanie,’ Kevin said. ‘Slow down!’
‘I’m pissed,’ Melanie said.
‘As if I couldn’t tell,’ Kevin said.
‘I’m not going home just yet,’ Melanie said. ‘But I’d be happy to take
you guys home if you want.’
‘Where do you want to go?’ Kevin asked. ‘It’s almost midnight.’
‘I’m going out to the animal center,’ Melanie said. ‘I’m not going to
tolerate being treated like this without finding out what the hell is
going on.’
‘What’s at the animal center?’ Kevin asked.
‘The keys to that goddamned bridge,’ Melanie said. ‘I want one, because
for me this affair has gone beyond curiosity.’
‘Maybe we should stop and talk about this,’ Kevin suggested.
Melanie jammed on the brakes, bringing them to a lurching stop. Both
Kevin and Candace had to push themselves back into their respective
seats.
‘I’m going to the animal center,’ Melanie repeated. ‘You guys can either
come along or I’ll drop you off. It’s your call.’
‘Why tonight?’ Kevin asked.
‘One, because I’m really ticked off right now,’ Melanie said. ‘And two,
because they wouldn’t suspect it. Obviously, they intend for us to go
home and quake in our beds. That’s why we were so mistreated. But you
know something, that’s not my style.’
‘That’s my style,’ Kevin said.
‘I think Melanie is right,’ Candace said from the backseat. ‘They were
deliberately trying to scare us.’
‘And I think they did a damn good job,’ Kevin said. ‘Or am I the only
sane one in the group?’
‘Let’s do it,’ Candace said.
‘Oh, no!’ Kevin groaned. ‘I’m outnumbered.’
‘We’ll take you home,’ Melanie said. ‘No problem.’ She started to put
the car in reverse.
Kevin reached out and stayed her hand. ‘How do you propose to get the
keys? You don’t even know where they’d be.’
‘I think it’s pretty clear they’d be in Bertram’s office,’ Melanie said.
‘He’s the one in charge of logistics for the bonobo program. Hell,
you’re the one who suggested he had them.’
‘Okay, they’re in Bertram’s office,’ Kevin said. ‘But what about
security? Offices are locked.’
Melanie reached into the breast pocket of her animal-center coveralls
and pulled out a magnetic card. ‘You’re forgetting that I’m part of the
animal-center hierarchy. This is a master card, and not the kind that
competes with VISA. This thing gets me in every door of the animal
center twenty-four hours a day. Remember, my work with the bonobo
project is only a part of the fertility work I do.’
Kevin looked over the back of his seat at Candace. Her blond hair was
luminous in the half light of the car interior. ‘If you’re game,
Candace, I guess I’m game,’ he said.
‘Let’s go!’ Candace said.
Melanie accelerated and turned north beyond the motor pool. The motor