Transition

Chapter 15 -Poetic Justice

Hunter was getting frustrated, a call and a subsequent visit to Dr. Frost's office and then his residence set off alarm bells. The damaged door lock and what looked like a hasty exit sent him scrambling to reach Diane. His calls to her were not answered and he began to fear the worst.

He made a quick trip to Diane's lab finding it locked tight and no answer. Vatten came to mind but he hesitated calling there with the sudden thought of Arlen Downs. This was Horace Torrance making a play for control of Diane's discovery. He climbed back into his cab and headed for Vatten Industries.

The solar street lights had come on and Hunter found it difficult to approach the entry unnoticed. He noted the camera surveillance locations and the fact that the guard was a droid meant sneaking by was out of the question so he brazened it out and walked right up to the gate.

'Identification please.'

"I'm here to see Mr. Torrance."

'Identification please.'

"He's expecting me."

'Identification please.'

Hunter took out his weapon and set it on low then quickly pushed it against the droid's chest. There was a moment of jumbled words then the droid froze in position. He ran rapidly across to the entrance and slipped inside, standing perfectly still listening.

A double chime sounded and the entrance doors locked with red laser beams crisscrossing the lobby. He was not going any further. Three droid guards crossed the lobby, their deflector shields allowing them to bypass the beams. As soon as they had secured him and removed his weapon the lasers turned off and Hunter was quick marched to the elevators.

Dr. Frost and Diane were seated in the clear cubicle at the side of the laboratory floor and they both reacted when Hunter was brought in.

"Are you both okay?" He asked as soon as he was inside.

"How truly gallant Mr. Hunter." Horace indicated an empty chair. "Your friends are fine and will remain that way if they co-operate."

Diane gave him an assuring nod but Frost looked haggard. His uniform top was undone and there was a bruise on one cheek.

"You're just in time for our demonstration."

"He's going to transition a sample from Galapagos!" Diane pointed to the container of samples. "He won't listen."

Frost lifted a hand and mumbled that it was no use arguing. If I don't operate the machine," his eyes fell on the box by his feet, "he's threatened to put Diane in the Promessor."

Hunter gaped at Horace. "Are you nuts? Those samples you brought back were the source of the slime that wiped out those scientists. You bring that back and we're all dead, forget using your machine then."

"We're not fools, Mr. Hunter. We've calculated the safest amount and the method to contain whatever is achieved."

"You are fools! I saw what it did to the station and the people in it."

"But you survived, as did the good Doctor." He signalled a guard and Diane was removed to the laboratory floor. "When the demonstration begins, Winston, you had better have your machine operable." He stood and left the cubicle leaving two droids to watch.

Hunter looked at Frost who was staring vacantly at the floor.

"There's nothing we can do. If I turn Alice on she'll block the transition on her own and if I don't Horace will- will kill Diane. Either way she's doomed."

"There must be something! You were going to see if you could do something to gain control . . ."

"The only thing I can do is disrupt her core coding."