按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
'I haven't had a progress report from you；' there was a hint of reprimand in Haynes's words。
'No；' Newman replied。 'For two reasons。 First； I've been working day and night。 Second； there's nothing to report。 Only failure。'
'Failure！'
'Distinguishing between bacterial and viral meningitis is impossible in the early stages of incubation。'
'Difficult； but not impossible。 In similar experiments bats have proved to be more useful than rats。 They assisted in the perfection of the latest measles vaccine。 There's no reason why this experiment should not succeed。'
'Well； it hasn't； and furthermore it won't；' Professor Newman snapped。
'I'd like a second opinion。 You should have consulted Professor Rickers instead of locking yourself away in your lab for days on end with that girl。'
Brian Newman's fists clenched； and he had to hold himself in check with a conscious effort。 The implication was not lost on him。
'Miss Wylie has been my assistant for two years now。 She is perfectly capable of assisting in any experiment which I undertake。 I don't want Rickers； and I don't need him。'
'Well； I want him to have a look at those bats you've injected。 I'll ask him to call in tomorrow afternoon。 He's got a couple of American students working with him； and I want them to see as much of everything as possible during their stay here。'
'I won't have students messing about in my lab；' Newman spoke softly； scarcely louder than a whisper； but his anger was only too evident。
'Now look here； Brian；' Haynes adjusted his spectacles in the way he always did when he wished to enforce his authority。 'I'm running this Centre； and although I give you a pretty free hand most of the time； I'm not going to issue negative reports without second opinions。 Professor Rickers will check on the bats tomorrow； and it's no good； you getting all steamed up about it。1
Brian Newman turned abruptly； and without another word pushed his way through the glass swing doors and out into the early evening sunlight。 Anger at Haynes seethed inside him； but more than that he experienced a sensation of fear。 Death in its most terrible form was contained in a single glass cage in his laboratory。 Disease； a type of plague； perhaps； was trapped in there。 Rickers would insist on opening it up whilst some of the infected creatures were still alive； and there was no way that could be allowed to happen； for the sake of life upon Earth。
The Shoal Hill Tavern was crowded。 Brian Newman worked his way from the bar； slopping beer and whisky as he negotiated the human obstacle course； his eyes fixed on the petite； dark…haired girl who was seated at the table in the corner； patiently awaiting his return。 Fiona Bradbury glanced up and smiled； tiny slim ringers reaching out for the glass which he pushed across the Formica surface towards her。
'Perhaps we should have gone somewhere else tonight。' she said。 'I've never known it this crowded on a Thursday before。'
'Maybe we'll go somewhere else later；' Newman replied； and took a long drink from his glass。
'What's the matter； Brian？' she asked a few minutes later。 'There's something on your mind。 Is it that girl you're shacked up with？'
'No；'…his answer was unconvincing； even to himself。 'Not really。 No problems there。 Just one or two things in the lab which I've got to get sorted out。 I can't talk about them； so please don't ask me。'
'All right；' she relaxed a little。 'But it's that girl I'm worried about。 Damn it all； you're not even married to her！ No divorce problems。 You can kick her out tomorrow。'
'So that you can move in？'
'If you want me to。 I don't see any reason why not。 Anyway； we can't go on sneaking off like this as though we've got to hide from the world。 We're both free； so let's cut out the cloak and dagger stuff。'
Newman nodded。 Hell； why did women always get so possessive？ Why couldn't they be satisfied with a good time every now and then in return for a screw on the back seat of some guy's car？ It didn't cost them anything。
He tried to weigh Susan and Fiona against each other in his own mind。 There wasn't much to choose between them。 They were both sexy； both attractive。 It didn't really matter which he picked either way； except that Susan understood him。 She knew how things were in the laboratory； the measure of success or failure； the satisfactions； the disappointments。 That was something Fiona would never prehend。 One thing was certain； though。 He couldn't run the two of them much longer； it had to be one or the other。 Right now the choice was his； but shortly it might be made for him if Susan found out。
'Let's take a ride；' he finished his beer and looked at her。
'If you say so； but all this back…seat stuff is getting a bit boring； Brian。 Christ； when there's a fortable bed back at your place； why the hell do we have to play at contortionists in the car on a chilly night？'
'You know damned well why。'
'Yes； I guess I do；' she stood up and adjusted her dress。 'But not for much longer。 You either want me or you don't。'
He followed her out of the lounge bar； again making parisons； remembering Susan's wiggle as she had walked from the laboratory a few hours earlier。 Physically there was little to choose between them。 It would be a hard decision when he finally had to make it。
The car…park was full as they walked along an avenue of badly positioned vehicles。 Cars had never interested Brian Newman。 They were simply a mechanical means of getting from one place to another in the shortest possible time。 Yet tonight； for some inexplicable reason； he found himself pelled to run his eye over them。 Every third one seemed to be a Mini。 It was the red ones which claimed his attention。 He found himself glancing at their registration numbers； his mouth dry even after three pints of beer； tension building up inside him。 Suddenly he stiffened； his stomach muscles contracting。 He felt sick。 The letters and numbers on the front plate of the red Mini two rows away seemed to leap at him like sensational headlines in a newspaper。 He read them； knew them by heart； and they hammered inside his brain in the manner of an electronic warning system。
He saw； too； the long flowing hair of the girl who sat behind the wheel of the stationary car。 Her face was in shadow； but he knew the expression on it without seeing it； a mixture of hurt and hate； a woman scorned。 'e on；' Fiona tugged impatiently at his sleeve。 He shrugged her off abruptly； and snapped in a voice which he hardly recognised as his own。 'I'll take you home。 I guess I don't feel too good tonight； after all。'
Probably the decision which Professor Brian Newman had been dreading had even now been made for him； and he had already lost the backing of Susan Wylie in the traumatic day which faced him on the morrow。
Chapter Two
It was just after eleven o'clock when Newman returned to the Biological Research Centre。 The night…porter glanced up as the tall p