The Persona Protocol - By Andy McDermott Page 0,30

divorce, for God’s sake. I need the money, and if I gave up this opportunity, then what? Go back into academia for peanuts? Become a dancing monkey for big pharma, doing work-for-hire to develop new kinds of impotence treatments?’ His evident disgust at the prospect passed, his eyes becoming beseeching. ‘Bianca, I’m too old to do what you did and risk joining a start-up. I needed this. I’m sixty-two – if I can keep this job going for another couple of years, I can retire without having to worry about clipping coupons just to afford to eat.’

‘Everything’s about money with you, isn’t it, Roger?’

‘Yes – but at least I’m shameless and consistent about it.’ The joke thawed her, a little. ‘You’ve known exactly what I’m like ever since we met. After all, the reason I was teaching in England in the first place was a nice fat research grant. Oh, I miss those days.’

‘Teaching in England?’

‘No, when pharma companies threw money around without demanding specific results to a timetable. Damn bankers crashing the economy, they ruined everything! But,’ he added, ‘I’ll admit I miss working in England too. Country pubs, I liked them. And big fries with vinegar splashed all over them.’

‘They’re called chips,’ Bianca corrected in a teasing tone.

‘Whatever. But I met some good people there, too. Good friends. Like you.’

She knew him well enough to spot the approaching hard sell. ‘So what is it you want from this particular good friend?’

‘Oh! I’m cut to the quick!’ he said, in mock offence. ‘How could you possibly think, yadda yadda. No, you’re quite right – I want you to help me keep this job.’

‘The job that got you shot.’

‘I’ll admit, as perks go that’s not quite up there with free dental. But . . . there’s something else.’ A cloud crossed his face. ‘I’m sixty-two – and my mother’s eighty-five.’

‘Rosemary?’ She had only met Albion’s mother once, but it had been enough to see where he had got his vitality and gift of the gab. ‘How is she?’

‘Not good. She’s going to have to go into a care home, which she’ll detest – but the early symptoms have started to manifest.’

She didn’t need to ask to know that the symptoms were those of dementia. ‘Oh God. Roger, I’m sorry.’

‘Yeah.’ He sighed. ‘I can’t help wondering if the human brain just wasn’t meant to last. If you think about it, we’ve added twenty or thirty years to the average life span over the past couple of centuries …’ Another rueful breath. ‘But yes, she’s going to need care. And since this is America and not some communist utopia like Britain,’ a faint smile, ‘that care does not come cheap.’

‘You’re doing this for her?’

‘I’m not the dashing mercenary rogue I like to portray myself as, Bianca,’ he said. ‘Well, not entirely. But yes, I might not have found a cure for Alzheimer’s – I’ll have to leave that to you – but I can at least make sure that my mother is treated with the respect and dignity she deserves. And I’d like you to help me.’

‘So what do you want me to do?’

‘To stand in for me until I’m back on my feet.’

A long silence. ‘In the job that, to reiterate, got you shot.’

‘Hopefully they’ve learned a lesson in workplace safety from that! But think of it as an opportunity. I understand things are looking very good at Jimmy’s company right now—’

She made an exasperated sound. ‘Does everybody know about that?’

‘The term “intelligence community” isn’t entirely ironic. But I know how these things work – the live tests have to be approved and set up, due diligence, legal and patent paperwork, et cetera, et cetera. You won’t be doing any lab work of actual importance for a couple of months. They can spare you – especially if the US government says how grateful it would be for your services, and maybe offers compensation in return for your temporary loan. No drug company is going to turn down a quid pro quo from Uncle Sam. It’s good business sense.’

‘And what would this job actually entail?’

‘Just what I said before. You assess the subject, calculate the drug dose, then administer it.’ He lowered his voice again. ‘And make it look beyond the ken of mere mortals, obviously. Bamboozle everyone with medibabble. It’s what I do.’

‘Did.’

‘And will do again, I hope. But it’s straightforward enough – I’ll teach you. And you get to travel; I visited some very interesting places, and got shot in