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Walt said； 〃My men can sign secrecy oaths。〃
〃We'd have to background…check everyone in your department； not just deputies but file clerks。 It'd take weeks； months。〃
Looking across the kitchen at the open door to the dining room； Walt noticed Cliff Soames and another NSA agent talking with two deputies in the next room。 〃You started taking over the minute you got here； didn't you？ Before you even talked to me about it？〃
〃Yeah。 We're making sure your people understand that they must not talk of anything they've seen here tonight； not even to their own wives。 We're citing the appropriate federal laws to every man； 'cause we want to be sure they understand the fines and prison terms。〃
〃Threatening me with jail again？〃 Walt asked； but there was no humor in his voice； as there had been when they'd spoken days ago in the garage of St。 Joseph's Hospital after seeing Tracy Keeshan。
Lem was depressed not only by the deputy's death but by the wedge that this case was driving between him and Walt。 〃I don't want anyone in jail。 That's why I want to be sure they grasp the consequences…〃
Scowling； Walt said； 〃e with me。〃
Lem followed him outside； to a patrol car in front of the house。
They sat in the front seat； Walt behind the steering wheel； with the doors closed。 〃Roll up the windows； so we'll have total privacy。〃
Lem protested that they'd suffocate in this heat without ventilation。 But even in the dim light； he saw the purity and volatility of Walt's anger； and he realized his position was that of a man standing in gasoline while holding a burning candle。 He rolled up his window。
〃Okay；〃 Walt said。 〃We're alone。 Not NSA District Director and Sheriff。 Just old friends。 Buddies。 So tell me all about it。〃
〃Walt； damn it； I can't。〃
〃Tell me now； and I'll stay off the case。 I won't interfere。〃
〃You'll stay off the case anyway。 You have to。〃
〃Damned if I do；〃 Walt said angrily。 〃I can walk right down the road to those jackals。〃 The car faced out of Bordeaux Ridge； toward the sawhorses where reporters waited； and Walt pointed at them through the dusty windshield。 〃I can tell them that Banodyne Laboratories was working on some defense project that got out of hand； tell them that someone or something strange escaped from those labs in spite of the security； and now it's loose； killing people。〃
〃You do that；〃 Lem said； 〃you wouldn't just wind up in jail。 You'd lose your job； ruin your whole career。〃
〃I don't think so。 In court I'd claim I had to choose between breaching the national security and betraying the trust of the people who elected me to office in this county。 I'd claim that； in a time of crisis like this； I had to put local public safety above the concerns of the Defense bureaucrats in Washington。 I'm confident just about any jury would vindicate me。 I'd stay out of jail； and in the next election I'd win by even more votes than I got the last time。〃
〃Shit；〃 Lem said because he knew Walt was correct。
〃If you tell me about it now； if you convince me that your people are better
able to handle the situation than mine； then I'll step out of your way。 But if you won't tell me； I'll blow it wide open。〃
〃I'd be breaking my oath。 I'd be putting my neck in the noose。〃
〃No one'll ever know you told me。〃
〃Yeah？ Well then； Walt； for Christ's sake； why put me in such an awkward position just to satisfy your curiosity？〃
Walt looked stung。 〃It's not as petty as that； damn you。 It's not just curiosity。〃
〃Then what is it？〃
〃One of my men is dead！〃
Leaning his head back against the seat； Lem closed his eyes and sighed。 Walt had to know why he was required to forswear vengeance for the killing of one of his own men。 His sense of duty and honor would not allow him to back off without at least that much。 His was not exactly an unreasonable position。
〃Do I go down there； talk to the reporters？〃 Walt asked quietly。 Lem opened his eyes； wiped a hand across his damp face。 The interior of the car was unfortably warm； muggy。 He wanted to roll down his window。 But now and then men walked past on their way in or out of the house； and he really could not risk anyone overhearing what he was going to tell Walt。 〃You were right to focus on Banodyne。 For a few years they've been doing defense…related research。〃
〃Biological warfare？〃 Walt asked。 〃Using rebinant DNA to make nasty new viruses？〃
〃Maybe that； too；〃 Lem said。 〃But germ warfare doesn't have anything to do with this case； and I'm only going to tell you about the research that's related to our problems here。〃
The windows were fogging。 Walt started the car。 There was no air conditioning； and the fog on the windows continued to spread； but even the vague； moist； warm breeze from the vents was wele。
Lem said； 〃They were working on several research programs under the heading of the Francis Project。 Named for Saint Francis of Assisi。〃
Blinking in surprise； Walt said； 〃They'd name a warfare…related project after a saint？'
〃It's apt；〃 Lem assured him。 〃Saint Francis could talk to birds and animals。 And at Banodyne； Dr。 Davis Weatherby was in charge of a project aimed at making human…animal munication possible。〃
〃Learning the language of porpoises…that sort of thing？〃
〃No。 The idea was to apply the very latest knowledge in genetic engineering to the creation of animals with a much higher order of intelligence； animals capable of nearly human…level thought； animals with whom we might be able to municate。〃
Walt stared at him in openmouthed disbelief。
Lem said； 〃There've been several scientific teams working on very different experiments under the umbrella label of the Francis Project； all of which have
been funded for at least five years。 For one thing； there were Davis Weatherby's dogs 。 。
Dr。 Weatherby had been working with the sperm and ova of golden retrievers； which he had chosen because the dogs had been bred with ever greater refinement for more than a hundred years。 For one thing； this refinement meant that； in the purest of the breed； all diseases and afflictions of an inheritable nature had been pretty much excised from the animal's genetic code； which insured Weatherby of healthy and bright subjects for his experiments。 Then； if the experimental pups were born with abnormalities of any kind； Weatherby could more easily distinguish those mutations of a natural type from those that were an unintended side effect of his own sly tampering with the animal's genetic heritage； and he would be able to learn from his own mistakes。
Over the years； seeking solely to increase the intelligence of the breed without causing a change in its physical appearance； Davis Weatherby had fertilized hundreds of genetically altered retriever ova in vitro； then had transferred the fertile eggs to the wombs of bitches who served as surrogate mothers。 The bitches carried the test…tube pups to full term； and Weatherby studied these young dogs for indications of increased intelligence。
〃There were a hell of a lot of failures；〃 Lem said。 〃Grotesque physical mutations that had to be destroyed。 Stillborn pups。 Pups that looked normal but were less intelligent than usual。 Weatherby was doing cross…species engineering； after all