Page 52 of Perfection

Chapter Eleven

York stood by the window with Cal while a forensic team of robots and men and women worked behind them. He crossed his arms, holding in the pain of Vi’s death. He missed her already. No one else would understand his love of antiques, or let him raid their refrig for pizza. “How long will you be in town?”

Cal shrugged but didn’t look at him. “As long as you need me on the Gastion case.”

“Make sure you stop by and see Mom while you’re here.”

When Cal turned his head, his eyes were stark, his swallow audible. “Of course. I see she’s become even more devoted to the cause since… Danny.”

York exhaled sharply. “Yes. I try to keep her out of the news.”

Cal nodded. “I’d like to help find who did this,” he said softly.

“It’s not your jurisdiction.”

“True. But it sounds like you have bigger problems.”

“Unfortunately, I do.” He wondered what Cal thought of the genetics case, but was damned if he’d ask. “Nothing has been proven yet.”

Cal blew out a shuttering breath. “Christ. Tight-lipped as always.”

York stared at his brother. He was here to consult on the case, after all, so why not make use of him. He filled Cal in on what he knew.

“Yeah, got it. Avery brought me up to speed. Do you think Vi’s murder is related to the Gastion case?”

“I don’t know. Could be someone is trying to distract us. Could be Vi stumbled onto something she didn’t have a chance to tell us. I’ll go over her notes.”

He looked down at the park, noting how everything came together to give the impression of a blob of green instead of individual trees. Somehow, the case operated the same way. He just needed to get close enough—or far enough—for the perspective to change.

“Well, I’m sticking around to make sure you figure it out,” Cal said, his voice thick with controlled emotion.

York gave him a shaky smile. “Why am I not surprised?”

“Because you know me so well.”

True. They were more alike than he usually wanted to admit. York allowed old anger and hurt to surface and cover the pain he was feeling. “Yeah, right. And you don’t know me at all if you think for a second that I’ll tolerate you butting in.”

Cal crossed his arms. “Don’t be stubborn. According to your captain, with the scope of the virus problem, you need help.”

York suppressed a groan. It was time to put away their feud to find his best friend’s killer, as well as solve the virus case. “God, it sucks when you’re right.” He glanced over his shoulder. The forensic team was closing the body bag. It was like a giant Ziploc. He shivered. Vi deserved better. His voice heavy, he said, “I’m on my way to Foster Cryo. Want to join me?”

“Lead the way.”

* * *

The cryo center was located at the site of the old hospital where Dr. Foster made the crucial discovery regarding the ties between cryogenics, genetics, and cloning. Cryo was primarily used by people who were ill, which meant mostly by Coders. People were put on ice while a medical problem was solved, usually through cloning. Time was required to grow the appropriate body part, and the patients often didn’t have that time. Cryo gave that to them.

In this case, the D Generation kids would take a nap until Kindra found a cure. The procedure sounded deceptively easy. And, for the most part, it was. But there were risks.

He parked in the employee area to avoid reporters. It seemed the media problem grew by the minute, with news clips streaming over the Flex.

York and Cal hurried inside to the office of Jeffery Stowe, the head of Foster Cryogenics.

“We’re here to help,” York explained. “Dr. B-Zaika is handling the virus identification process at Seville, and the police will clear a path through the reporters. Cal and I can aid in setting up and dealing with the families on this side.”

Stowe gathered a stack of spot computers, dividing them between the men. “Okay. Match a computer with each cryo unit. The system has a master mainframe, but these correspond with the specific pods and the clients’ relatives may sign them out to monitor their loved ones.”

Jeff led them to an industrial loft with a cement floor and metal-beamed ceiling. It housed rows and rows of cryo-pods. York estimated there were fifteen rows with twenty units per row, so the facility would hold close to three hundred children—less when adjusting for units that were already in use. York prayed they wouldn’t need that many.