"Let me know when she does."
"Yes, sir."
Gabriel escorted Haynes down the corridor. Like the rest of the cells, room four was divided into three areas — bedroom, living room and bathroom. There was no need for a kitchen, as meals were provided. Every room was monitored twenty-four hours a day.
Haynes dropped down onto a well-padded armchair and regarded Gabriel somewhat stonily. "Now that we're here, you going to tell me the truth?"
Gabriel swung a chair around and sat down, resting his arms on the back. "I told you. We believe your life is in danger."
"And like I said, you could have told me that at home. You bought me here for a reason, Assistant Director."
He raised an eyebrow. "Are you aware that the army put a tracking and listening device in your side while you did service at Hopeworth?"
Haynes snorted. "Yeah, it was policy. But that was twenty five years ago. They removed it when I retired."
"We have reason to believe they didn't."
Haynes stared at him for several minutes, brown eyes sharp. "Are you saying the military are trying to kill me?"
"No, I'm not. But I have reason to believe they'd do what it takes to prevent you from helping me."
Haynes crossed his arms, a hint of confusion in his expression. "I don't know what you mean."
"Does the name Emma Pierce mean anything to you?"
"Emma Pierce." Haynes frowned. "She... worked with us in Hopeworth."
"She was one of your test subjects," Gabriel corrected. "On something called Generation 18."
"How did you know that? No one's supposed to know about those projects."
Those projects? There'd obviously been more than just a couple of attempts to manipulate life. He wondered how many of them had been successful — and what exactly they'd created. A kite monster, perhaps?
"I've been talking to Mark Allars."
"Allars?" Again the frown flicked across Haynes thin features. "The name seems familiar."
"Should be. He worked with you on something called Penumbra."
"Damn fool." Haynes shook his head. "The military will kill him for speaking, you know. As they'll kill me if I say anything."
So the military were willing to murder to protect their secrets. Interesting. "This room is fully shielded. They won't know."
"It won't matter."
"Why not?"
"The mere fact you've bought me here will be enough."
"Better here than out there. As I said before, Lyle, White and Benson have recently been murdered — and by a creature I doubt is nature-made." He watched the realization dawn in the older man's eyes. "If that's true, the military might well be after you already."
"That makes no sense. I mean, the projects were shut down years ago."
"But Hopeworth staff are still experimenting, aren't they?"
"Probably."
"Then they might simply fear any word about their projects getting out into the general population."