Blood Prize by Ken Grace Page B

priest’s worry-worn face. He appeared to be half again as heavy as the person in the picture and the greying around his ears and below his bottom lip, only accentuated the difference.
    “Why have you come here, young man? My involvement with your father ended many years ago.”
    “I need information about what happened to my parents and about something called the Prize.”
    “Tell me what you already know, but keep your voice down.”
    Tom rushed through a well-rehearsed story. Noah had tutored him on what to say and what to omit.
    “This is no place for a thorough discussion. You may have been followed.”
    “Please … I have to know.”
    The priest looked around, adjusted his collar and continued.
    “You can ask a few questions, but the rest will have to wait until I can arrange a safer meeting.”
    “Who killed my parents?”
    “A very dangerous organisation known as the Assembly of the True Faith. If you value your skin, don’t have anything to do with them.”
    “And the Prize, what is it exactly?”
    “It’s a form of technology. An alien substance that will allow its owner to play God and … pretty much control humanity indefinitely.”
    “Shit …”
    “Exactly.”
    “But, why are they after me? I didn’t know my father, or his work.”
    “They’re after you because he discovered the Prize. He kept it from the Assembly and wouldn’t give it up, so they eliminated him.”
    The priest tilted his head and stared at Tom through bushy eyebrows.
    “He could’ve destroyed them, as you could now.”
    “I keep hearing this rubbish. How?”
    “The Assembly tore the planet apart looking for your father’s research, but then they realised their mistake. They held the key, all along. They controlled you.”
    “Look, this is starting to piss me off.”
    “Let me explain, Tom. The Assembly knew your brilliant father wouldn’t destroy something so scientifically important. So they went after his partner, Professor Kite. They tortured him and before he died, they got what they wanted. Your father left a trail to the Prize, a trail for you, Tom. That’s why they’re after you.”
    “Bullshit. I’d have to know something about it.”
    “You asked me and you got your answer. Believe what you want.”
    “Alright. Alright. So how do I find this trail?”
    The priest scribbled a name and address on a small piece of paper, and handed it to Tom.
    “It’s your father’s old laboratory. Isobel Kite, the daughter of his murdered partner, owns it now.”
    “You think this … Isobel knows something?”
    “She might. Her father knew a lot about this business. It’s a start.”

Chapter Fifteen
    T he G11 team placed themselves out of sight around the warehouse, creating several defensive positions and three backup escape routes, well in advance of the time schedule. Petra remained one street to the north-west, occupying an overlooking third story rooftop terrace with a view of all access to and from the target area. The position also acted as an emergency point of communication.
    “Our enemies can’t know about the girl, Tom. No matter how distasteful, we have to break in and confront her.”
    “Won’t she reject us?”
    “We’ll have to be convincing.”
    Noah knew that initial failure meant an end to most operational missions. Not many received a second chance in the field.
    Nobody liked working on Sundays, particularly in the city and not because of any pious observance of the religious holiday. Visibility mattered. On Sunday mornings, the CBD quietened; no business people, which added an extra, unwanted dimension to their work. People became more obvious if they couldn’t blend into a crowd.
    “Let’s go, Tom. The girl’s left the rear door ajar. We’ll go in through the back.”
    “Doesn’t that seem strange to you?”
    “Yes, but it’ll help when we confront her. At least we can claim that we didn’t break in.”
    Tom and Noah entered the yard at the rear of the laboratory at exactly