He pulled the flatbed to a stop and watched in his side mirror as the mercenary slid the massive door closed. He and Isabel jumped down from the truck and greeted their guests.

Loria and Yoshida stood to one side of the garage. A small balcony surrounded the entire outer ring of the building, and mercenaries with assault rifles stood watch over the proceedings. Kruger and the blonde woman stood beside a nondescript white panel van parked on the right of the garage. The back doors of the van were open, and Burke could see what was likely the miracle battery still resting in the back of the van. Apparently, they had arrived soon after Kruger and his companion.

Yoshida shook his head and stepped forward. “Dr. Burke. I have to say that I couldn’t have been more surprised if the gate guards had called in that Wayne Newton had just pulled up. What’s with the truck?”

“I stole it,” Burke said. “That’s how I roll.”

Yoshida laughed, but the others just eyed him warily. “Do any of your friends know that you’re here?”

“No. My companion, Isabel, kidnapped me and made me bring her here.”

He looked over at Isabel. She stared at Kruger as if she was one step from running at him and biting out his jugular.

“You see, Constable Price lost a son in your little experiment at the squatter camp,” Burke explained.

Yoshida’s face fell. “You’re much more clever than you look.”

“I like to think so.”

“The deaths of those people were a tragedy. I was only tangentially connected, but their deaths still haunt me. So, Constable Price, have you merely come here to kill us all?”

Isabel didn’t take her eyes off Kruger. “Pretty much,” she said.

Yoshida laughed. “And how exactly did you intend to accomplish that feat? As you can see, we’re well-protected.”

Isabel didn’t speak, but Burke said, “May I explain?”

Kruger stepped forward and said, “This is a waste of time. Kill them both and be done with it. If they know we’re here, the police won’t be far behind.”

“Don’t worry. The police won’t be coming here without a warrant or probable cause,” Yoshida replied. “And to be honest, I’m fascinated by what he has to say before he dies. Not to mention that it’s bad karma to rob the condemned of their final words.”

Still standing in front of the truck and surrounded by a group of men ready to strike at the slightest provocation, Burke smiled.

“Thank you, Mr. Yoshida,” he said, as if Yoshida had just introduced him as the next speaker at a conference. “I’m going to tell you all a story.”

Loria twitched, blinked, and said, “Just kill them and be done with it.”

“I think you especially will want to hear this story, Mr. Loria,” Burke said.

Loria’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t object further.

“This all started when Mr. Kruger and Dr. Raskin were tasked with conducting an experiment at a South African squatter camp,” Burke said. “My guess is that they were only planning to harm a few of the residents, but something went wrong. This created a massive breach that threatened to expose the biological weapons research being conducted there, which was overseen by you, Mr. Yoshida, and funded by you, Mr. Loria.”