Penthesilea's Wish [Vol.2]

Chapter Forty-one

The red-headed agent behind the desk took out another graphic document and handed it to the professor. "This is a listing of the toxins found inside the victims and their traceable sources as used by the assailants."

"They're all from snakes," the Asian agent clarified.

"But carefully chosen snakes," supplied the other. "It's one of the most phenomenal clues we've found so far."

The professor reached over and took the document. It was a profile sheet of four specific snakes-their photos, their origin and location of natural habitat. It also detailed information about the biochemical composition of their venom and its effects upon its prey.

"You see Dr. Simons, the snake venom used in the tip of those arrows was chosen very intelligently. Either to kill, or to specifically cause injury and suffering to certain men. In either of these cases, it was as a result of the man's prior assault upon a female or females."

"Yes," interjected the other, "These crossbow attacks we've been plotting internationally are carried out as obvious vendettas to match the death or suffering of females. In every case there is evidence of that."

The Asian-American agent spoke up quickly, leaning over the snake profiles as the professor perused them. "A most remarkable thing came up about this toxicological research through our plotting of autopsies and medical reports on the male victims."

"What was that," the professor asked, still mystified by what he was being shown. He looked briefly into the eyes of the agent next to him.

"It's that these four snakes you see here . . . while some of the most poisonous known to science . . . they all come from extremely distant origins of the world. Their venom could only have been collected, stored, and transported thousand of miles as the chosen toxin to be used for its desired result. Either suffering or death."

"That's right," added the blond agent, "and we've determined through our work with the State Department that these vendettas correspond in kind to the man's relative brutality or act of murder he himself committed upon a woman or women victims. This has been consistent in all these cases recorded internationally. Injury and suffering . . . for injury and suffering. Murder . . . for murder."

A disturbing photo of a nude male victim was suddenly handed to the professor by the CIA officer. It was immediately difficult for the professor look upon.

"This guy in Afghanistan is a prime example," stated the red-faced man. "Seems he had cut off his wife's hand with a meat cleaver after beating and blindfolding her. He apparently did this for her refusal to stop taking classes at a local school."

"My God."

"Four days later," the blond agent added, "he was shot in the stomach with one of our familiar little shafts there." He pointed to the arrow the professor was still holding.

"It injected the venom of snake number four you see on the toxin profile. It's numbered accordingly on this map you see."

"It corresponds to one of those little blue dots in Afghanistan," said the other.

"I see. Yes." The professor handed back the photo. The man's swollen wound and discolored area of his body was enough evidence for him.

"Now . . . that venom number four comes from the Diamondback Rattlesnake of the Southwestern United States."

"That's a long way to travel for a snake," joked the older, red-headed agent."

The two other men chuckled, irreverently but cautiously..