“That would be my authority, colonel.”
I wheeled. In the doorway, stood General Malcolm Henry flanked by an armed escort and a beautiful red haired officer.
I assumed the woman was a scientist like Watson, but when I saw the blue shield with the gold sword and lightning bolts, I knew better. The insignia matched my own. The woman was Special Forces. The Green Beret on her head didn’t surprise me as much as the twin gold bars on her shoulder, though.
I’ve seen young men wear major bars before, hell, I got mine in my mid-twenties. However, a rank that high while so young usually meant battlefield promotion. This woman appeared no older than twenty-five, and unless I missed a war somewhere along the line, I don’t remember seeing any women on the front lines.
Of course, General Henry wore the Special Forces patch too, but unlike a majority of the soldiers stationed at Fort Knox, the only combat Henry ever saw was from a distance, through binoculars.
I saluted the fraud anyway.
“At ease, Jack,” Henry stepped into the lab and stood before the observation window. His eyes didn’t appear scared, or surprised.
The bastard looked pleased.
“What’s going on, Malcolm?” I used his given name; if anyone has the right, I reckon I do. After all, those stars on his shoulders, General Henry owes to me.
Henry ignored me. His attention fixed on Smoltz’s corpse as it thrashed against the restraints holding it to the examination table.
When the strap around Smoltz’s right arm snapped, I wondered how strong the two-way mirror was.
“Isn’t it obvious? The dead are coming back to life.”
The sly smile across Henry’s mouth sickened me.
“I can see that, Malcolm, but why? And don’t give me that meteor shower crap, I wasn’t born yesterday.”
“Doctor Watson, at what stage is this unit in?” Henry pointed toward Smoltz trying to wrench his other arm free.
I felt the blood strumming through my head. I hoped my anger would remain in check, but Henry’s arrogance pushed my tolerance point to the borderline.
“Stage three, general.” Watson spoke without looking up from his clipboard. His excitement, as is the way with most obsessed men, showed through his single mindedness as he watched and noted the corpse’s every movement.
“This should be interesting. We haven’t had one go this far before,” General Henry nodded at me with a wink and his car salesman grin.
I sighed. Apparently, Henry wasn’t going to answer my question. I turned my attention back to the corpse just in time to see it free its left arm.
“Watson, can that thing get through the glass?” He didn’t need to answer me; I could see the concern on his brow.
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