Operation Read Free

while.”
    “And what do I do until we find them?”
    “Until we get something for you to specifically look at, I want you to do so some research for me.”
    “Research? On what?”
    “I want you to see if you can come up with something that could neutralize the elixir that was used in the collars.”
    “What?” Barkley asked. “We used that to control them and now you want to find a way to neutralize it?”
    Reese explained, “If they escaped, the collars would have to be removed in order for them to survive, right?”
    “Yeah, sure.”
    “If whoever took them wants them alive, they’d have to get the collars off. If the perpetrators at the compound knew as much as they did about the facility, they had to know that the collars would be activated as soon as it was realized they had escaped. I’ve reviewed the time log; the collars were activated in less than fifteen minutes. There is no way they could have gotten them out of the range of the transmitters that quickly. This means that the girls are dead, or someone had to come up with an antidote or some way to block the reaction of the elixir. Do you see what I mean?”
    “Got it now,” Barkley agreed. “It’s an interesting idea.”
    “That’s what I want you to look into,” Reese continued. “When we were involved with the Team of Darkness op, we never really cared about it as long as it worked. I think maybe someone did look into that aspect and found a way to neutralize the elixir and prevent it from killing the girls.”
    “I don’t know if I’m smart enough to do this John. I’m just a general MD; what you need is a full time chemist.”
    “Then find one. There are several major military hospitals in the area; Portsmouth Naval Hospital is probably the closest. I want you to examine the civilian sector as well or maybe we can have our good friend Mr. Smith perform that aspect. It’s a long shot, but maybe someone might remember being brought the elixir to have analyzed.”
    “Someone like that won’t be willing to part with the information,” Barkley stated firmly.“If money convinced them the first time, it’ll probably work just as well the second time,” replied Reese.
    “I see what you mean,” agreed Barkley. “Okay, I’ll work that angle. So what’s the plan if they’re alive? Capture or kill?”
    “Whichever ensures the best chance of success,” said Reese.
    Reese watched as Barkley became quiet. He appeared to be thinking about something. “What’s bothering you?” asked Reese.
    “Too many unanswered questions. Who did it? There’s a possible antidote for the elixir? How did they know the compound so well? How did anyone ever learn they were here in the first place?”
    “I know,” Reese agreed. “The ramifications of this run deep.
    “Christ John, it almost sounds like it was one of us. We knew all these things. You don’t think that they believe we had something to do with this, do you?”
    Reese thought carefully before he spoke. “Look, this goes beyond the military sphere we understand. Back then, we knew the rules but now we don’t. And I tell you, General Morris is scared as well. The man has bodyguards. Can you imagine that?”
    “It’s rather ironic,” Barkley said and snickered. “The man has all the spec-ops in the world at his disposal and yet he feels the need for personal protection.”
    “Yeah, ironic,” agreed Reese. “There seems to be a lot of that around these days. This agency involvement is, I don’t know, strange in some way and I think it runs a lot deeper than it appears on the surface. The bottom line is we need to try and resolve this so that we don’t become a permanent fixture in this organization. One way or another, the only way it will end will be with either the return of the girls or evidence of their deaths.”
    “That’s the only way we can truly clear ourselves, isn’t it?” asked Barkley.
    “No one knew as much about the op as I did,” Reese began. “Do I think