Paul McKellips - Jericho 3

Reuven covered his clenched fist with the relaxed fingers on his left hand.

“If, within 24 hours… Thierry Gaudin announces on television that LyonBio is stopping all… ALL… animal testing… and if we see the GEFCO trucks pull into LyonBio and load all remaining 172 monkeys, then we will not ask little brother Philippe to join his big brother Bernard in the first round of shock testing. If within the first 48 hours, we verify that LyonBio has turned from its evil ways and animal testing has ended at LyonBio, then we will make sure Bernard finds his way back to the café so he can finish his cappuccino. If not, we plan to release our research data in the form of more videos within two days.”

The camera zoomed in for a close-up of the spokesman.

“TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK.”

The picture went dark.

Sainte-Consorce Suburb

Lyon, France

When Lieutenant Colonel Raines, US Navy Captain “Camp” Campbell and retired FBI agent Billy Finn arrived at the Gaudin’s house, Marie and Philippe were already in bed and the dining room chairs were filled with Interpol, Europol and Lyon police department officials. Raines had called General Ferguson quickly before she was led out of LyonBio. Ferguson called the SECDEF’s office who quickly informed CIA and State. Europol and Interpol were briefed on the international security ramifications of the project, but no specific details were mentioned.

Thierry Gaudin knew what he was manufacturing, but he had no idea who the beneficiary of the vaccines would ultimately be.

Rochelle Gaudin’s face was red, and her eyes were swollen. Bernard had only been missing for nine hours, but his mother had endured a lifetime of agony already.

When the Lyon police officers ushered Raines, Camp and Finn into the Gaudin home, Rochelle had no idea who they were, and Thierry only slightly recognized his new client. It was, in fact, “her” project that caused the rhesus monkey deaths. All the money in the world that he might generate for this project was not worth the life of his oldest son Bernard.

“It is finished, Leslie. Done. I want no more part of this project,” Thierry said surrendering with his hands and dismissing her arrival. “I know this is a classified project that the Americans want completed, but no more… not with LyonBio, Leslie. Done.”

Camp and Finn stood in the back of the dining room as Leslie moved in and sat next to Rochelle.

“Parlez-vous anglais?” Raines asked.

“Yes, I studied two years at Boston College, nice Jesuit school,” Rochelle said.

“I’m so sorry about your son. I can only imagine the fear you must be going through.”

“What’s your name?”

“Leslie… Leslie Raines.”

“My name is Rochelle. Do you have children, Leslie?”

Raines paused.

“No… no I don’t.”

“Then I assure you… you cannot imagine my fear.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Thierry said this is your project… these were monkeys for your experiments… perhaps you can imagine how I must feel about you right now.”

The Interpol, Europol and Lyon police officers stared at Raines, Camp and Finn with no attempt to hide their disgust.

“Americans!” one of the officers uttered under his breath as the others affirmed the same contempt.

Camp stepped up and over toward Thierry.

“Mr. Gaudin, would it be possible to have a private conversation with you and your wife?”

“I don’t even know who you are,” Thierry said with a face full of anguish.

“My name is Camp… I’m a trauma physician… my friend here is Bill, he’s an investigator. These police agencies of yours are the best in the business. They have an international reputation, and I’m sure they are working diligently this very minute trying to find your son. Please, sir, may we have five minutes alone with you and Mrs. Gaudin?”

Thierry looked at Rochelle who nodded, so he asked the French officers to step out for a few seconds. They all reached for their cigarette packs and begrudgingly complied.

“I’m going to tell you something that I shouldn’t, but I don’t think we have any other options at this point,” Camp started.

Raines and Finn shot a concerned look over at Camp as Finn started to pace behind the dining room chairs.

“We believe a group wants to launch a biological weapons attack on an entire country. The lives of more than seven million grandparents, children and parents are at stake. Your company was selected to manufacture this vaccine out of thousands of potential companies around the world. You give seven million people their best chance of surviving the unthinkable.”

“You want me to trade my son for seven million people?” Rochelle asked as tears welled up in her eyes.

“No, I want you to give us 24 hours to find your son and seven weeks to manufacture this vaccine.”

“No. Absolutely not. This program is over,” Thierry demanded.

“Then your company is over, Thierry, as well as the future of biomedical research and the hopes of improving human health. It doesn’t matter if you use monkeys, beagles, rats, worms or fruit flies, the animal rights extremists will always paint a target on your back. We have to fight extremism wherever it exists. We can fight this, and we can get your son back unharmed. We have a plan.”

Thierry was indignant. He didn’t want to hear anything Camp had to say.

“How?” Rochelle asked.

Billy Finn stepped in.

“Announce tomorrow morning that you are stopping all research using non-human primates. We have arranged for two GEFCO trucks to return to the loading docks tomorrow morning. The local TV news and newspapers will carry the story immediately.”

“I thought you wanted us to continue,” Thierry said now thoroughly confused.

“Thierry, I want you to gather up all of the workers who have access to the pilot plant and hold a private meeting with them. Tell them that you must conduct one more test with four more monkeys.”

“Four more dead monkeys mean I have a dead son, Mr. Finn,” Thierry said as his anger began to boil.

“Leslie will change the test chemical to an anesthesia. The monkeys will fall asleep for a few hours. They won’t be dead.”

“What’s the point?” Rochelle asked.

“You have employees who have, perhaps unknowingly, caused this to happen.”

“That’s impossible,” Thierry said.

“Thierry… think about it. Someone took video inside the pilot plant on a cell phone camera. No one other than your employees has authorized access. If they took unauthorized video once, then this man or woman will want to take it again, especially if they think you lied on TV.”

“So they give the video to these terrorists, and then they kill our son?” Rochelle asked.

“No. We will be monitoring the pilot house to see who your video artist is. They may not know it, but they will lead us to your son,” Camp said adding the final components.

“How do you know this will work?” Thierry said as he softened a bit.

“Have they offered you a better plan, Mr. Gaudin?” Finn said pointing to the gaggle of Interpol, Europol and Lyon police officers smoking outside on their porch.

“You can do this alone?” Rochelle asked.

“No. I have a friend who runs security for a life sciences company in Switzerland. He’s a former MI6 officer with British intelligence. He has more experience with animal rights extremists than anyone else on this planet. This is his plan. If you give us the go ahead, he can be here by sunrise,” Finn said.

“What about them?” Thierry asked referring to the conclave of investigators in front of his house.

“Let them continue on a parallel path. One of us will find your son,” Camp said.