Gabriel glanced at the man's nametag. "What the hell happened here, Rogers?"
"Near as we can figure, chemical spill in lab one resulted in an explosion. You're lucky to be alive, sir."
Wasn't that the truth. Though he had to wonder, if this was a trap, what had the military hoped to achieve? "Many casualties?"
Rogers nodded, his face bleak. "The security officer who escorted you both down here, and the five scientists working in lab one. If you don't mind, I'll have one of my men escort you down to the medical center, just to make sure you're both okay."
Gabriel nodded. "We'll need to talk to the director again."
"Once the doc's given a clearance."
"Let's get it over with, then."
Rogers motioned to one of his men and then moved away.
Gabriel glanced at Illie, noting his frown. "What's wrong?"
"This is what they got us down here for," he muttered. "So they can do tests—on you and your partner."
Undoubtedly meaning his former partner, not his current one. "Who are you getting this from?"
"Small gent at the back. He was surprised when he first came in, then excited." Illie met Gabriel's gaze. "What's so special about your former partner that this mob is willing to kill five people just to run some tests?"
"We don't know." And that was becoming more and more of a problem.
Rogers's assistant approached. "If you'd like to follow me, gentlemen, we'll get this over with as quickly as possible."
No doubt they would. Without Sam, though, it was pretty much a pointless exercise—thankfully.
"They still want to test you, you know." Illie muttered.
"Something you did during the firestorm has excited that scientist."
Gabriel frowned. "You sure you're reading him right?"
"Yeah. Positive."
They approached a set of doors marked with a red cross.
Their escort swiped a card and the doors slid open. How many med-centers needed a security clearance to get into it? Why bother, unless the med-center did more than simply patch accident victims?
Whatever the military was up to, he'd just have to let it play out—for now. But the Pegasus Foundation and its director certainly needed closer scrutiny.
Their escort motioned them toward two well padded chairs.
Gabriel sat down and watched the man disappear through a second set of doors. "When we get back to HQ, I want you to do a complete background check on Kathryn Douglas."
Illie nodded. "Including home security tapes?"
"If you can get them." It'd keep Illie off his back for a while, at least. In the meantime, he'd do a check of his own— on one General Frank Lloyd. There had to be information about the man somewhere.
His first priority, though, was Sam. Illie was right. If the military, via the Pegasus Fountain, was willing to kill five men just to get the chance to examine her, it could only mean they had a fair idea just who and what she might be.
And that, in turn, made her current assignment even more dangerous.
If Hopeworth was behind this bombing attempt, they wouldn't leave it at that. There would be more.
But he couldn't watch Sam's back twenty-four hours a day. Not without help. Gabriel frowned and dug out his viaphone.