The Boss Assignment (Rogue Protectors Book 3) by Victoria Paige (summer beach reads .TXT) 📕

which we called the Z-92. The third one is an image that is stored in your database from suspected falsified data entries, we’ll call it X-Ebola1, and the last image is the strain found in different cells in Pierre we’ll call—X-Ebola2. The tissue samples from Sousa and his two associates have no evidence of the virus. Doesn’t mean it’s not in their bodies. They might have been killed before it was able to replicate. From what I can tell, the Z-92 and X-Ebola1 look fairly similar, but the X-Ebola1 image you have consists of clean protein structures.”

“So, what are you saying?” Antonio asked. “It’s possible this was a falsified entry in our database?”

“Yes. It seems … suspiciously staged,” Charly said. “It’s hard to explain. I can only compare it to a picture being overly photoshopped. It could easily come from any virus simulator software like what I have. And Nico, you said the data is thin.”

“It does have sparse supporting test results for something of this magnitude,” Nico said. “And they cannot fool the system because each use of the biological cabinets would immediately trigger an entry in the logs.”

“Could it have been erased to cover tracks?” Charly asked.

“There’s a failsafe audit trail,” Antonio said.

“But why plant fake evidence?” Nico asked. “Wouldn’t it be more condemning if it were real. The people who created the Z-9 obviously have the supporting information.”

“Because they don’t want us to know how they made it,” Antonio said. “So they frame us with something that may pass a less critical eye than Dr. Bennett’s. They don’t want us to find a cure and simply render their bioweapon meaningless.”

“We can assume Pierre was the one who planted the evidence of the virus,” Nico said.

“But how did he manage to get himself killed and Sousa not know that Pierre was in organ failure?”

Something occurred to Charly. It was wild but it was possible. “Antonio, what exactly do the XZite pills do?”

The people around the room arrived to the same shocking conclusion at the same time she did.

“You don’t think …” Martinez started.

“Fuck,” Antonio cursed. “It gives the person a feeling of well-being and exhilaration especially if they are on the move.”

A chill slithered up Charly’s spine. “I wonder if our Doctor Z figured out a way to mask Ebola symptoms for the infected with XZite.”

No one in the room liked her theory.

11

“What’s the meaning of this, Antonio?” Renata fired at him at the sight of Martinez. She waylaid them right in front of the elevator. Where the hell was Luis? “You have the old man keep me up here while you’re discussing something behind my back?”

“We didn’t want your drama, that’s all,” Martinez fired back.

Antonio sighed. “Renata, it’s been a long day. We just thought you wouldn’t want to know about the autopsy on Pierre.”

“Why the hell not?” Her eyes narrowed at Dr. Bennett.

Instinctively, Antonio put himself between the two women. The doctor had worked diligently getting them information up to this point. There was more to do and he didn’t need Renata stressing her out.

“What’s in his autopsy?”

“We thought he had Ebola, but it’s inconclusive,” she said. Antonio mentally applauded her for lying baldly to someone like Renata who could be a bitch when she wanted to. But as he was learning, his doctor had a lot of spunk, and Antonio knew she could hold her own. Hell, Dr. Bennett could hold her own against him. Admittedly, he did let her get away with a lot of things he wouldn’t have tolerated from anyone else.

He glanced at the doctor in question and she returned his look with cool, bland regard. Perfectly played, Doc.

“Why would he have Ebola?” Renata screeched. She glared at Nico. “How could you put this on Pierre? He was your friend too!”

“Renata,” Antonio warned. “Enough. You’re too close to this investigation.”

“What investigation?” she demanded.

Martinez stepped up to Renata. “Actually, I do have a few questions for you.” He glanced over at Antonio and winked. “Maybe you should come down to the station.”

“What?”

“I need to ask you a few questions about Pierre.”

The look on Renata’s face grew vicious. “Why? Is this investigation an excuse to butt into my love life?”

This time it was the BOPE captain who looked surprised. “This has nothing—”

“No? How’s your cozy life with your sweet, little housewife, huh? No children yet?”

Antonio could see this conversation deteriorating into an ugly confrontation as Martinez’s face mottled red in fury.

“Leave Lena out of this!” Martinez thundered.

Renata sneered. “I should count my lucky stars that you left me.”

“You pushed me away,” Martinez gritted.

“Pierre, bless his soul, was a terrific lover,” Renata continued. “So, no, if you’ve ended up with a puritanical wife who doesn’t know how to satisfy her husband, you’ve made your bed.” She laughed mockingly. “Pardon the pun.”

Martinez seemed to reel in his anger, angles of frustration and a sliver of sympathy etched his face.

Antonio stilled. Merda, not pity, Martinez.

“I am plenty happy with Lena,” the BOPE captain said quietly. “And I’m not about to brag about my sex life to hurt you—”

Renata’s face paled. “You ceased to have the ability to hurt me when you left me!” And she proceeded to curse Martinez, and then Antonio, in a litany of their past failures.

“My interest in Pierre has everything to do with the XZite found in Sousa’s apartment,” Martinez spoke over her tirade and then looked imploringly at Antonio to intervene. “You can come down to the station with me and I can have someone else interview you.”

“I prefer if she has my attorneys present.” Antonio turned to Renata. “Do you want me to call Simone?”

“I’ll call her myself,” Renata fumed. “And I’m not going anywhere with you. Send someone else to pick me up tomorrow. I’m tired and hungry.”

She glared at Martinez and then at Antonio, before she pivoted on her spindly heel and strutted away.

There was a long stretch of silence as everyone tried to absorb what just had happened.

“Well that didn’t go over well,” Dr. Bennett