Jamie Todd, a blonde with striking green eyes, sat shivering in a chilly cellar at CI5 headquarters. She shook, not with cold, but with pure terror. The man who brought her in had told her nothing about why she was being arrested. The female officer who came in had also refused to answer any questions, merely ordering her to strip, then searching her with a thoroughness that brought tears of humiliation to her eyes. After her clothing and belongings had been searched as well, she had been allowed to dress, then left alone. There were two chairs, but she huddled on the floor against the wall, her face buried in her hands. When the door finally opened, she was afraid to look up to see who had come in.
It was the dark-haired man who had arrested her, and she scrambled to her feet. "Can I call a lawyer now?" He just stood there, looking at her with a bleak expression, and she whispered, "Don't I have the right to a lawyer?"
"After you tell me what you did with the Queller."
Jamie gasped. "How do you know about the Queller?"
"Did you think you could take it and no one would notice?" He seemed to exude menace like a dark cloud.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" she cried. "Please, I swear, I would never…" He started towards her and she screamed, "Someone help me! Help!"
He was almost upon her when a curly-haired man rushed through the door and grabbed him. "Bodie, are you out of your mind?"
"Get off, Ray!" Bodie twisted out of Doyle's grasp. "That bitch is holding the lives of millions of people hostage!"
There was a short, brutal fight, then Doyle shoved Bodie out the door and locked it. As his partner raged outside, he grabbed Jamie Todd's arm and propelled her to another exit. They hurried up a flight of stairs to the street outside, then over to Doyle's car, getting in and driving away at breakneck speed.
"I'm sorry about that," gasped Doyle, wiping blood from a cut lip. "We're all under a great deal of strain. The Queller…"
Jamie Todd had been sobbing hysterically, but this second mention of the dread bacteria brought her to her senses. "You know about the Queller too? How?"
Doyle gave her a piercing look. "It's been stolen."
"No." Jamie shook her head. "That's not possible. You can't imagine the security on the lab."
"I don't have to imagine," said Doyle. "I've seen it. Someone got in, and now the Queller is gone."
The girl's face turned white. "Why would anyone take it? What could they want with it?"
"You tell me." Doyle watched Jamie out of the corner of his eye. "There was a break-in and research animals were released, no doubt as a cover for the theft. You're the animal activist. Was anyone else involved?" The girl was silent and he said impatiently, "Come, now, Miss Todd, you must see that you're the only plausible suspect. If you didn't take the Queller, whoever helped you with the break-in must have done."
Jamie's face closed. "I was alone. I know it was wrong, but I didn't release any animals that carried diseases, only the new ones that just came in." She wrung her hands. "I just couldn't stand to see them suffer anymore! I already submitted my resignation, I just wanted to…well, make a gesture before I left."
"Yeah." Doyle nodded, apparently accepting her story. "Well, I strongly recommend you find somewhere to stay for a while until this gets sorted. My partner's off his rocker over this and he'll go after you again. Do you have anyone you can stay with?'
"Yes." Jamie put a hand on Doyle's arm. "Can you take me home and wait while I pack?"