Rebirth: Chapter 72: Doctor Forrest

Friday 22 June 2007

Chapter 72: Doctor Forrest

Doctor Owen’s mobile phone rang and he looked at the screen before answering.

‘Oh my God,’ he exclaimed, ‘it’s Doctor Forrest.’

Agent Simpson’s eyes widened and she had an expression on her face that was familiar to me. It was the look of someone who has just been informed that a missing loved one has been found. As a detective, it was very rare to recover a missing person, especially in this city, but the loved ones of a missing person always have the same expression of surprise and happiness that is unforgettable.

We stood in anxious silence as the doctors exchanged words.

‘Hello?’ said Doctor Owen, ‘Yes, it’s good to hear from you. How are you? Good. Where are you? Why not? I’ve got another subject here. He’s responding well to the secondary treatment. Yes, you’re absolutely right. I’ll inform The Brotherhood, then we’ll recover the items and come and find you. What? Why? I don’t understand. Well, if you say so but it’s going to be very difficult. Okay, keep in touch. Bye.’

He had barely hung up when Agent Simpson spoke up. ‘What did he say?’

Doctor Owen looked very confused. ‘He said he’s safe and well but he wouldn’t say where he was. He suspected someone might have been listening and he doesn’t want to be found.

‘He said we have to recover our notes and samples from the labs around the city, all the stuff that wasn’t destroyed in the attack on Mantek. He has a plan for distribution. He didn’t say what it was but there’s something I don’t understand. He wants us to recover everything without the help of The Brotherhood. We can’t let them know he has contacted us.’

‘That’s very strange,’ said Agent Simpson, ‘he’s been a member of The Brotherhood all of his life. So have you, Doctor.’

‘Yes, he said he didn’t trust them any more. He said the plan is simple and we can achieve everything without their help if we can get out of here.’

I was caught in the middle of a situation I was struggling to understand but I felt I had to say something. ‘Well Doc, wherever you go, I go. How the hell are we going to get out of here?’

My question was met with blank looks.

‘Do you think we can trust the doctor?’ Agent Simpson asked. ‘What reason do we have to betray The Brotherhood?’

Looks like we’re going to be here for a while, I thought.