CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
July 6 2001
Getting hold of the DNA tests required careful planning and someone who had a decided lack of affection either,r for their own or the opposite sex. That left Jarod, Miss Parker, Broots, Sydney, and even Cox out. Jarod thought of calling Rachel to ask if she knew anyone with an analytical mind, and regarded human beings as just an object —then again would she let a psychopath loose?
"I hope you know all of the staff, Miss Parker," said Jarod.
"The Centre has a nurse which might fit the bill. I believe she had a father who was incontinent and suffered from dementia." She adjusted her girdle and walked over to Raines' office. She hated wearing those things, but if she did not want the Living Dead to know she was pregnant.
"Hello Angel," said Mr. Raines, "did you enjoy the opera?"
"Fine Raines, "she said, almost gagging at this monster using the same pet name Daddy did. "Oh where's Miss Batlowsky?"
"She's down the hall," he said.
"Thank you and it's also inconsiderate of you to ask me if the medication to treat my ulcer worked." She knew
Miss Batlowsky was thumbing through several medical magazines when she saw Jarod and Miss Parker approach. "You want me to do something for you Miss Parker, da?"
"Yes. Can you identify these?" They thrust the videos and the still photographs towards her.
The nurse looked through the photos, and put the video in the machine. "I no go by guesswork." She took out her pen. "Number X4D, CFAG, X4D2, MUEFA—Good success rate.X4D parents of X4D2 or twin."
"I don't see the numbers,' said Jarod.
"In Russia, they have steam rooms. Like movie with famous actor who play policeman who come to big city, Chicago. Good movie. Da." She moved off her chair. "I go see Security and Records, he might be on video. Very angry boy soon be very angry man. Bad men like children do terrible things, like see what on this. My English no good. I switch to Russian." She did so.
"Sick," said Miss Parker after listening, "and you–"
The nurse replied in her native language to which Miss Parker translated for the rest. "When I was sixteen my mother suffered a breakdown. I had to bathe and clean her. It wasn't very pleasant. When I graduated from nursing school in Moscow, I went to work in the prison infirmary. I dated a young man, but I couldn't let me touch him, not even a cuddle and then I heard my father got sick. I felt I had to take care of him although he abandoned me and my mother. An excuse for a farm twenty hectares out of the city. When he died, the Soviet Union was no more so I emigrated here and your father offered me this job. Miss Parker, I am devoid of any affection towards mine or the opposite sex."
"So you have no idea who these are?"
"No Miss Parker, but there are tissue samples, hair from various parts of the body. We do keep records of them. All I need to do is to get Security and Records to match them."
"Wouldn't they destroy the evidence?" asked Jarod.
"No. Each separate hair or tissue was sealed and labeled, just in case something came up," said Miss Parker translating for Batlowsky.
Security and Records was down the hall, close to the part of the Centre where Raines had ruled supreme. Gino's son had worked there for so long since a child that he was known as Security and Records. Jarod could see the resemblance and something else in the young man's eyes. It was like looking in a mirror, only Security and Records was a bit smaller than he was at that age and his face a little more Southern Italian and he did not have a mole below his eye. He tied his long hair back with a string and his eyes had a sense of the predator.
Jarod remembered seeing a young girl's face, framed by wavy dark brown hair, and the eyes that only a Sicilian girl would have. She was smaller than he and devoid of emotion. Security and Records had those same eyes. He did not understand Miss Parker's reaction.
"You're just a kid!" she said, "and Lyle gave me the impression—" She took one look at the boy who wore a shirt and a pair of slacks. At least they were not grey, and at least, he could pass in company with his hair back. He acted older than his age which was understandable but to the Centre, he was just a commodity.
"I never met your brother, or your father, All I know was that someone slipped a note under the door of the Inner Sanctum when I was small. One of the guards made me to take a shower, put on something, he called clothes, and take over Security and Records. We just communicated by intercom."
"I want records of subjects," said Batlowsky, listing the numbers.
Security and Records snapped, "Did Mr. Lyle authorize this? You know I have to answer to him."
"I did," said Miss Parker, "and Jarod here.'
"I'll look them up."
It took over an hour for Security and Records to find the sealed envelopes. He waited while the nurse removed each envelope. "You to put these in computer." She pulled one of her hairs. "Need from you Miss Parker, Jarod. You too, young man. Need samples from Cox, from Raines, from Lyle. From all staff, all work here, all kept here, all relatives. Find out if one have fortune, no want to share like Gregor who say son crazy, put him in hospital. Son no crazy."
"Destroy the tapes," snapped Security and Records.
"You no scare me, boy," said the nurse, "You friend with Dr. Cox. No like Cox."
He whispered to Miss Parker, "Jealous. She wanted to be a doctor, but she wasn't good enough." He spoke aloud. "I hope he didn't make copies."
"Copies?" asked Miss Parker, "copies of that filth on the tape?" She whispered back to Giuseppe. "You mean her English wasn't good enough."
The young man nodded, got up, and took her to a door with a keypad. "I'll have to open this. You don't have the combination."
After getting the envelopes, Jarod tracked those men and women who had someone watching them too closely or punished severely for minor infractions.
"Not all of them are there," he told Security and Records when he returned. It had been a revealing hour, comparing his DNA with that of Gino and that of that girl so many years ago. Yes, Gino was the product and that meant that Security and Records was his grandson. He had missed so much.
"The name's Giuseppe."
"So Giuseppe," said Miss Parker, "where are they?"
"Not dead. They might be working out or overseas."
"I guess I better call your Miss Burke," said Miss Parker, "she might help." She suddenly sat down.
"I call doctor," said the nurse.
"No, call Dr. Cox."
Cox would see them right away. "And bring Giuseppe over as well," he said, "I need him to fix my computer."