Chromosome 6. Chapter 15
CHAPTER 15
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MARCH 6, 1997
7:30 P.M.
COGO, EQUATORIAL GUINEA
‘AT what time did you expect your guests?’ Esmeralda asked Kevin. Her
body and head were wrapped in a handsome bright orange-and-green fabric.
‘Seven o’clock,’ Kevin said, happy for the distraction. He’d been
sitting at his desk, trying to fool himself into believing he was
reading one of his molecular biology journals. In reality, he was
tortured by repeatedly running through the harrowing events of that
afternoon.
He could still see the soldiers in their red berets and jungle
camouflage fatigues seemingly coming out of nowhere. He could hear their
boots pounding against the moist earth and the jangle of their equipment
as they ran. Worse yet, he could feel the same sickening terror that
he’d felt when he’d turned to flee, expecting at any instant to hear the
sound of machine-gun fire.
The dash across the clearing to the car and the wild ride had been
somehow anticlimactic to that initial fright. The windows being shot out
had an almost surreal quality that somehow couldn’t compare to his first
glimpse of those soldiers.
Melanie had once again responded to the event completely differently
than Kevin. It made Kevin wonder if growing up in Manhattan had somehow
toughened her for such experiences. Rather than expressing fear, Melanie
was more angry than afraid. She was furious at the soldiers’ wanton
destruction of what she considered her property, even though the car
technically belonged to GenSys.
‘The dinner is prepared,’ Esmeralda said. ‘I shall keep it warm.’
Kevin thanked his attentive housekeeper, and she disappeared back into
the kitchen. Tossing aside his journal, Kevin got up from his desk and
walked out onto the veranda. Night had fallen, and he was beginning to
worry about where Melanie and Candace could be.
Kevin’s house fronted a small grassy square illuminated by old-fashioned
street lamps. Directly across the square was Siegfried Spallek’s house.
It was similar to Kevin’s with an arcaded first floor, a veranda around
the second, and dormers in its steeply pitched roof. At present, there
were lights only in the kitchen end of the house. Apparently, the
manager had not yet come home.
Heading laughter to his left, Kevin turned in the direction of the
waterfront. There had been a tropical downpour for an hour that had just
ended fifteen minutes previously. The cobblestones were steaming since
they’d still been hot from the sun. Into this lighted mist walked the
two women, arm in arm, laughing merrily.
‘Hey, Kevin!’ Melanie shouted, spying Kevin on his balcony. ‘How come
you didn’t send a carriage?’
The women walked to a point directly beneath Kevin who was embarrassed
by their revelry.
‘What are you talking about?’ Kevin asked.
‘Well, you didn’t expect us to get soaked, did you?’ Melanie joked.
Candace giggled.
‘Come on up,’ Kevin encouraged. His eyes roamed around the small square,
hoping that his neighbors weren’t being disturbed.
The women came up the stairs with great commotion. Kevin met them in the
hall. Melanie insisted on giving Kevin a kiss on both cheeks. Candace
did likewise.
‘Sorry we’re late,’ Melanie said. ‘But the rain forced us to take
shelter at the Chickee Bar.’
‘And a friendly group of men from the motor pool insisted on buying us
pina coladas,’ Candace said gaily.
‘It’s okay,’ Kevin said. ‘But dinner is ready.’
‘Fantastic,’ Candace said. ‘I’m famished.’
‘Me too,’ Melanie said. She reached down and slipped off her shoes. ‘I
hope you don’t mind my going barefoot. My shoes got a little wet on the
way up here.’
‘Me too,’ Candace said as she followed suit.
Kevin motioned toward the dining room and trailed the women in.
Esmeralda had laid the table at one end since it was large enough for
twelve. There was a small tablecloth just covering the area under the
dishes. There were also candles burning in glass holders.
‘How romantic,’ Candace commented.
‘I hope we’re having wine,’ Melanie said as she took the seat closest to
her.
Candace went around and sat opposite Melanie, leaving the head of the
table for Kevin.
‘White or red?’ Kevin asked.
‘Any color,’ Melanie said. Then she laughed.