My jaw tightens. So they don’t know about Rice. How did he get the scar on the back of his neck? How has he kept a secret? I don’t dare say this to Ken. Instead I ask, “And how did Dr. Reynolds regain contact with Fort Black?”
“He never lost it. Like I said, after the infection, there was absolute chaos, but Reynolds already had the Warden on the payroll. Hutsen-Prime was doing some testing on the prisoners here before the outbreak. The Warden was more than accommodating. He just saw dollar signs. When we lost all our test subjects, that’s when Reynolds decided to use Fort Black as his ready-made petri dish.”
“And now? There’s no money anymore. But the Warden’s still allowing all the people of Fort Black to be experimented on without their knowledge. What does he get now?”
“Food, gasoline, power. He lets us conduct our research, and we help him remain king of his crumbling castle.”
It makes sense. It makes it hard for me to breathe, but it makes sense. Ken may be Kay’s brother, but the offhand way he delivers this awful information makes me want to . . . I don’t want to think about what it makes me want to do to him. I know that they’re trying to save the human race, but can’t they see that they’ve lost their humanity in the process?
I breathe and try to focus. “I understand that your research is important,” I say, “but they’re hurting Baby . . . Hannah. Your vaccines aren’t working. You have to try something else.”
“The replication isn’t working because the bacteria has mutated from its original strain.”
“My mother told me that. She said it went airborne, then changed again.”
“To a pathogenic bacterium . . . which can only be spread with an exchange of bodily fluids, such as saliva or blood.”
“Right, so if the bacteria itself has changed, what good is Hannah? You have the original vaccine; you can modify it without her.”
“Hannah is a medical miracle, one that researchers are trying to duplicate. We’ve given the vaccine to test subjects, but they still aren’t immune. They change when we introduce the bacterium, just like everyone else. There is an answer, though, and it’s somewhere in Hannah’s blood. If we can figure this out, no one else will change. I can assure you that Hannah is well cared for. She’s very valuable.”
I swallow. How many people have they changed trying to test a useless vaccine? “Kay thinks she’s in danger.”
“Kay doesn’t have all the information. She doesn’t have the clearance.”
“Kay knows more than you think.” But I don’t tell him how I know this. I can’t put Rice in danger. I change tactics. “Maybe you could request that Baby be sent here. Then you can have full access to her. It will only benefit your research.”
“I have her blood. That’s all I need.”
“Kay said you’d want her for yourself.”
“How many times do I have to tell you?” he asks, his voice getting louder with frustration. “Kay knows only a fraction of what she thinks she knows. I have Hannah’s blood. I don’t physically need her here with me.”
Despite myself, my eyes well with tears.
“But . . . you have to help me.” My heart has dropped into my stomach. He’s been no use at all, after trying so hard to find him. I wanted so badly for Kay to be right, for Ken to be the answer. He was my only option. And now I have nothing. All this wasted time and energy for a dead end.
“Look, I know you care about Hannah deeply, but she’s just one child. What is one child for the future of humanity?”
“I’m not willing to sacrifice Baby for the good of humanity. I don’t care how selfish that is. She doesn’t deserve to be tortured so others can live.” I look at him, into his eyes. “What if it were Kay?”
He stares back at me for a moment, then looks down with a sigh. “I’ll try to find out more for you, but that’s all I can promise.”
“Thank you.” I can’t help it. Despite the fact that I’d just been fantasizing about breaking him in two, I step forward to hug him. He tenses, so instead I hold out my hand for him to shake. Kay isn’t comfortable with hugs either.
Ken picks up his earpiece off the dresser, turns it back on, and places it in his ear. He pauses, staring at the notebook resting next to the picture of him and his sister. Without looking at me, he puts one finger on the notebook and pushes it toward me, giving it one last tap. I nod my thanks and grab the notebook, quickly shoving it into the pocket of my sweatpants. But I wonder why Ken wants me to have it.
He opens the door and walks me down the corridor, talking now for his earpiece’s benefit. “. . . so you see, Amy, I have absolutely no information to give you. I’m sorry. You’ll have to leave now.” He opens the door that leads back into the prison, mouthing, Be careful.