Page 91 (1/2)

“That was a close thing,” Cooper admitted “We had no idea Kyle Hanley’s father had the resources to hire a rescue tea hi in Rome, so you could be in position, and then later called in with the name of the hotel and number of the room so you could snatch him back We weren’t sure how much the boy knehat he told his father”

“By the way, how are you co on that front?” Thom Severance asked

Kovac dropped his eyes As bad as it was to admit his failure to Severance, he couldn’t speak of it in front of the great Dr Lydell Cooper, the ave purpose to his life

“Zelimir?”

“He escaped, Mr Severance I don’t kno, but he got out of his cell and made his way to the surface He killed one mechanic and injured two others”

“Is he still on the island?”

“He stole an ATV last night The storm was severe, and visibility was only a couple of meters He must not have seen the cliff A search party found the n of the body”

“No one is dead until you see their remains,” Lydell Cooper intoned

“Sir, you have reatest respect and admiration,” Kovac said, “but it’sa storm He was in very poor condition when he escaped, and I seriously doubt that he could have survived a night out in the elements”

He said nothing about the bioelectric implant he’d found and the implications behind it, because he didn’t want to sow seeds of doubt The search teaean island, and if they found the fugitive they knew to report it directly to hiet the infore could be done to his reputation He did add, “Of course, ill keep up the search”

“Of course,” Cooper said

Kovac turned his full attention to Cooper “Sir, e it has been to work for you for the past few years? Your teachings have fundaed reatest honor if I could shake your hand”

“Thank you, Zelimir, but, alas, I cannot Despite hty-three years old When I was still doing genetic research, I developed an antirejection drug tailor-made to s, kidneys, and eyes fro younger than I should I have artificial hips, knees, and discs in my back I eat a balanced diet, drink only occasionally, and have never sorous life well past one hundred and twenty years old” He held up his gloved hands The fingers were bent and twisted like the limbs of an ancient tree “However, arthritis runs ineffects Nothing would give nition of your kind words and excellent service, but I am simply unable”

“I understand” Kovac saw no irony in aa s his own life span

“And, don’t worry,” Cooper added, “there isn’this brief stay on Greece And even if his father gets that information to the proper authorities, there isn’t ti the father is just aof a loose thread, as it were Don’t trouble yourself about it”