The Cure, стр. 31
‘Mr Mendez Sir, we are here to help you, we’re looking for a man, a professor,’ said Tallulah.
‘Ah Princess, do we look like we need help? We know exactly who you are here for.’ He motioned to one of the men nearest the door. ‘Trae al professor.’ Mendez looked back to the screen pointing at The President. ‘A very clever man but surrounded with fools I’m afraid. Which are you Logan?’
Logan waited to see if he was expected to reply but just as he started to speak a man walked into the room, hands voluntarily behind his back. The man was looking down at the ground and talking to himself ‘ah, Isaac, what have we here? Usurpers perhaps? Or are they assassins? Yes, assassins I believe. We have been expecting you. Please, please tell me why you are here, if not to do away with me?’
Tallulah stepped forward again ‘Professor, you may not remember me.’ The Professor looked up at her. ‘Tallulah. It cannot be. Look at you, a woman no less. Do my eyes deceive me? But you have come here to kill me?’
‘No Professor, we are here to help you. You are in danger.’
‘I very much doubt that Princess,’ Mendez spoke up. ‘On the contrary, we are very much safe.’
‘The President, my father, and the rest of the surviving government have made a plan to release a toxin into the water supply, which will kill over half of the remaining population. They will be completely oblivious that it has even happened until people start dying.’
‘To what end? What purpose does this serve them?’ said the Professor.
‘The rate of the diminishing supplies against the remaining population means that humanity will be non-existent in months. They think by culling half of everyone left living that they stand a chance of rolling out sustainable living for the half of the population who live.’
‘Ridiculous,’ said the Professor ‘On what grounds do they possibly think this will work?’
‘No disrespect Sir, but this is based on years of research from people who know what they are talking about. Not some criminal who runs with Mexican Death squads,’ Zack interjected, whilst the rest of them stared at him critically.
‘Death Squads?’ Mendez laughed ‘What is a Death Squad?’
The other men in the room looked at each other bemused then one man said to another ‘el escuadrón de la muerte,’ and they started laughing again.
Zack pulled a face ‘Your Death squads who go out at night taking people off the streets,’ he shrugged ‘Cannibalism.’ The men knew this word and laughed again.
‘Why are you here Tallulah? Seriously. If not to kill me, what is it you seek?’ said the Professor.
‘Whether or not their plan works, they are going to use the toxin in the water supply. We need an antidote. You are the only person I know cleverer than my father who could do such a thing. We took a massive chance coming here not knowing whether you were even alive. We need your help.’
‘What makes you think I am capable of such a thing? I have been in this place for years now, with no laboratories, nothing. What makes you think I want to help?’
‘I still know the man you were. I remember when I was a little girl, you said to me ‘if we are just a mistake and passing through this worlds life cycle then why make us individuals. The answer is simple, because as individuals we have the choice to make that life cycle better or worse. I will always choose better.’
‘Ah, choice. You are asking me to choose now of course.’ the Professor mused. ‘You of course have a sample of the toxin?’
‘Yes,’ Logan said.
‘Are you really entertaining this Mr. Brittle?’ said Mendez.
‘So many questions today Isaac. It’s about time we started to give some answers. Logan, Tallulah, please come with me, I have something to show you. Isaac, please can you make our other guests feel at home in the canteen.’
Mendez nodded and the other men lowered their guns and waved the group out of the room and down a grey hallway.
‘Death Squads?’ the Professor said to Mendez as he joined Logan and Tallulah.
‘Hey, you see. They still have eyes on us. But sometimes the eyes lie. No?’
The Professor led the pair down a metal staircase and up to a large double door, a huge lock across the riveted four-inch-thick steel. As he opened the doors bright sunshine blinded them momentarily until their eyes adjusted to the light, revealing a farm before them. In the prison courtyard men were digging at the ground whilst another chased a chicken around, swearing in Spanish.
‘Surprised?’ Mendez said.
Logan looked at him ‘How?’
The Professor smiled.
‘You have to remember Mr. Mathers; we were not always criminals. Yes, we have done bad things in the past. I am very aware of the things I have done and when I make peace with my maker, I will accept his decision. I deserve to be locked up forever, but this man did not,’ he held out his hand to the Professor.
‘Thank you, Isaac, but others would disagree with you I am afraid. None more so than this man’s father I am sure,’ said the Professor.
‘What do you mean? Why are you here? What did you do?’ said Logan.
‘More to the point, what didn’t I do. But we shall get to that. Let us show you around,’ said the Professor. ‘We have corn, fresh tomatoes, potatoes, cabbages, carrots over there.’
‘Don’t forget chilies,’ said Mendez.
‘Of course, Isaac. Our Mexican compadres make up eighty percent of the casa de la nueva vida and they love their chilies.’
‘House of New Life?’ Logan translated.
‘Yes Mr. Mathers. Every one of the