Martian Settlement: The Fight For Mars

Chapter 8: Prey

"Seriously inadequate," commented Charlene as she exited the chemical shower chamber. "Most BSL4 labs today have special sensors able to detect viral particles on hazmat suits in the chemical shower. That chamber didn't have any."

Dr. Kapoor was already collecting samples from the containment refrigerator. He let out a gasp.

"What is it?" asked Charlene.

"They don't just have modified Zaire Ebolavirus. They've got viruses attuned to kill certain food crops and livestock too!"

"We can't collect all the samples," said Charlene. "Our special bio-containment briefcase only allows three test tubes."

Engineers at the Settlement had managed to design a hazmat box disguised as a briefcase within the short time frame they were given before the mission was due to start. The "briefcase" could only be opened via a biometric fingerprint sensor and had a button to incinerate its internal contents in the form of an emergency.

Charlene selected the modified Zaire Ebolavirus, a highly-virulent iteration of Agropyron Mosaic virus attuned to kill wheat and a vaccine resistant variant of Marek's Disease Virus that could annihilate an entire poultry farm's livestock.

She didn't want to think who they had sold these menaces to.

She and Dr. Kapoor carefully placed the test tubes into the briefcase and headed into the chemical shower.

"We have a problem," came the voice of Roger over the comm.

"What?" asked Dr. Kapoor.

"I see a quartet of security guards heading towards the bio-lab. Take cover fast."

***

"Nearly done ... come on!" whispered Lucy.

The transfer progress was stuck at 93%. Lucy was huddled behind a server transferring Igneon's files onto her SlatePC. Gray stood watch near the entrance to the room. She didn't know why Igneon would need so many servers. Maybe to calculate models about mining near geologically active or dangerous sites.

"Amelia's gone too long," mumbled Gray. "She should be back by now."

"Maybe she has constipation," suggested Lucy, laughing nervously.

"If that is so she wouldn't promise to be back in five minutes," commented Gray. "I think she knows who we are. I've met her eight years ago during a meeting between the Settlement and Igneon about permitted mining sites on Mars."

"Take cover now!" came Roger's frantic voice over the comm.

Footsteps pounded towards the database centre.

The glass doors swung open and in came Amelia flanked by four security guards.

"You think they're in here?" asked a male voice.

"I think so," replied Amelia.

Lucy crouched behind a server. She carefully edged her way to the last server and crawled behind it. The space between the server and the wall was only fifteen centimetres, but she was thinner than most, and she fit in snugly. She had shed her backpack before hiding behind the server to be able to fit. Please don't see my backpack.

She could hear Gray being escorted out of the database.

"Where is your partner?" shouted a gruff voice.

"In ... In the bathroom," he answered.

"Fine. But if she isn't in there we will kill her when we find her and probably you too."