HELIX (a technothriller)

6 - Guatemala

TODAY

Tecun Uman, Guatemala

'Relax,' White said. 'The knife's only to cut your restraints. They get a little excited with high profile resistance members.'

'Resistance?' Damien surveyed the three border control officers. 'I'm not with any resistance.'

The other two officers, Price and Gray, exchanged glances.

'No?' White arched an eyebrow. 'No plans to overthrow your government?'

Damien swallowed. 'I'm here for the coffee.'

White folded his arms. 'I prefer Starbucks.'

'And I preferred that bus,' Damien said. 'The one you're supposed to put me on.'

'We're not putting anyone on that bus.' He approached Damien and leaned in to whisper. 'We're changing things. You should be honored, the change starts with you.'

'So I'm a terrorist now?' Damien asked.

'No,' White said. 'You're worse.'

Standing off to the side, Price sliced his own forearm. Damien watched blood well across the laceration on his arm.

'Let me guess,' Damien said, 'I attacked you with a knife.'

'And we responded appropriately.' White removed the radio from his belt, ready to make the call.

Price took a knee beside Damien and tugged on a cable tie around Damien's duct-taped wrist. Gray stood nearby but she didn't assist, her hand resting on her belt. Damien gripped both plastic armrests and tried to pull free, but it was no use.

'Is this what you call responding appropriately?' Damien asked.

Price and Gray ignored him. White stepped back and placed his radio on the table. Price slipped the knife blade under Damien's cable tie. Under Damien's fingertips, the plastic armrests felt soft and hot.

White smiled. 'Tell me, what would you call responding appropriately?'

His gaze shifted to the wisps of smoke coming from Damien's hands. Damien's wrists were still fastened to the armrests, but Price dropped his knife and cursed.

'This,' Damien said.

He pried the gooey armrests from the chair. White went for his pistol. Molten plastic splattered his face and he screamed.

Above White's head, a globule of liquefied plastic hit the sprinkler, melting the glass bulb underneath. The sprinkler blasted water into everyone's faces. Damien flicked his armrest, hoping to spray molten plastic in Price's face. Both armrests fused rapidly, becoming jagged batons in his seared hands.

Well, that didn't work.

Price and Gray spat water and reached for their projectile stun guns. The guns were black and shaped like spiked cow bells.

Damien slapped a jagged armrest down on Price's arms. The gun dropped to the wet linoleum floor. Damien bent his other elbow and knocked Gray's aim off. She fired her gun. Two electrode darts missed Damien's nose by an inch and struck Price.

Damien stood between them. Through the downpour, White drew his Heckler & Koch pistol. But Gray's arms were in the way, still sending an electric current through to her partner. By the time Gray had realized what she'd done, it was too late. Damien whipped the armrest over her arms and sliced across her neck. Simultaneously, he rammed the other armrest into the back of her leg. Gray shrieked until her voice cracked.