he director of LIRI was angry. And more than a little scared.

Dr. Marcus Karsten sat in his office, absently stroking the chimp skull he used as a paperweight. He’d acquired the artifact years earlier while researching Ebola in the jungles of Zaire. Its solid presence reminded him of past successes. Gave him confidence during times of turmoil.

Like now.

Karsten lifted the cranium and gazed into the empty orbits. My life has revolved around killer viruses, he mused. What’s one more in the collection?

He stroked the polished bone, trying to calm his jangled nerves. Without success.

No way to sugarcoat things. The interviews had been a disaster. The kids had been prepared. He’d learned nothing.

Karsten returned the skull to his desk, still agitated. He, the adult and intellectual superior, had lost his cool. Worse, he’d failed to trip up the little delinquents. Their stories matched, down to minutiae.

A blasted dog festival? No way. They were lying.

And they’d uttered the name Katherine Heaton.

A chill traveled Karsten’s spine. What had these bubblegummers learned about Heaton?

Karsten’s fingers drummed the desktop. In the large bay window at his back, afternoon sunlight faded to evening.

Their audacity astounded him. Did they request authorization to dig? Not a chance. They’d just gone ahead with their plan. On his island!

They knew I’d say no, so they simply ignored me. Impertinent punks.

But why dig there? That spot and no other? Someone directed them. Who? I must find out, before they cause more trouble. Real trouble.

Tory Brennan.

Karsten’s fingers started drumming adagio. He returned them to the soothing cool of the skull.

The Brennan girl was the key. Insolent. Know-it-all. And, yes, brilliant. He had to admit. Her intellect was astounding for one so young.

And she is tough. The cheeky brat taunted me.

The memory enraged him. He pressed trembling palms to the chimp’s parietals.

I lost control back there, tried to intimidate a teenage girl. Foolish. And sending Carl from the room? Lunacy. Attempting to bully Brennan had been a colossal mistake.

Dr. Howard can make waves. From now on, I must be more careful.

The University will ask questions, learn of the hidden lab. Inevitable. I can’t keep Carl quiet forever.

I have to proceed with caution. Keep away prying eyes.

And I must find that cursed dog.

Karsten watched a tangerine sun slip below the top of a green-black forest. Breathtaking. But he couldn’t shake the anxiety, the feeling of impending doom.

He kept remembering the Brennan girl’s eyes after his outburst. Something lurked there. Not fear. Not confusion. Not panic.

Something more dangerous. And very familiar.

Rage. Brennan had been furious.

What could trigger such anger in a teenage girl?

Fear for something she loves.

Karsten’s palms squeezed the skull.!!!The dog.

Brennan knew the whereabouts of Subject A. She’d practically admitted it.

Karsten had no choice. He needed that animal back as quickly as possible. His benefactor was neither forgiving, nor afraid to use force.

In the game Karsten played, there were no second chances.