Z. Apocalypse Read Online Free Page B

Ornithocheirus , a pterosaur from the Cretaceousperiod, say, 110 million years ago. Although the tail would appear to owe more to Rhamphorhynchus from the Jurassic—’
    Mr Adlar threwhis arms up in the air. ‘What does it matter what the thing is called?’
    ‘Well,’ said Marrs calmly, ‘it matters if you consider Geneflow have previously only succeeded in developing DNA taken from reptiles like the T. rex or Velociraptor , who lived around forty million years later . . .’
    Adam didn’t get it, but Mr Adlar’s mood seemed to darken with the realization. ‘They’re getting results fromolder DNA. Their techniques are growing more advanced.’
    ‘And more diverse,’ Marrs agreed. ‘Still, it’s good news that we’ve captured a living specimen. The other Z. beasts involved in the attack got clean away . . .’ The lift slowed to a stop at the top floor, the doors chimed open, and Marrs stepped out briskly into a dark, concrete stairwell that stretched up into shadow.
    ‘Why are we goingup to the roof?’ asked Adam.
    Marrs simply pushed open the door to reveal a helicopter parked incongruously on the wide, flat asphalt. Adam felt a tingle of excitement despite himself.
    ‘See? Official transport.’ Marrs’ face lit up with a boyish smile. ‘Shall we?’
    Adam and his dad followed him over to the ’copter. ‘Where did they take this Orni . . . Ornitho  . . .’ Adam scowled. ‘The Z. pterosaur,where is it now? It seemed like it was really hurt . . .’
    ‘It won’t be feeling a thing for the time being.’ Marrs opened the door for them. ‘The creature is caged and heavily sedated at a government-owned biological research centre – the Patuxent Research Refuge, near Fort Meade.’
    ‘The army base where we met Colonel Oldman?’ Adam queried, scrambling inside.
    ‘Yes. He’s a good chap, Oldman.’Marrs encouraged Mr Adlar inside, then bundled in beside him and closed the door.
    Mr Adlar looked balefully at Marrs. ‘You’re not taking us to any hotel, are you?’
    ‘You were supposed to meet with members of the National Security Council this evening. After tonight, a good number of military top brass want to sit in on that discussion too.’ The rotor blades hummed and whined as they began scythingthe air, and Marrs had to raise his voice to be heard. ‘We’re going to the Pentagon.’
    The way Adam’s stomach lurched wasn’t entirely down to the way the helicopter swept away from the rooftop. The Pentagon was, like, one of the most important buildings in the world – the headquarters of the United States Department ofDefense. To be going there now, in the wake of all that had happened . . .
    As if things aren’t crazy enough already .
    Adam stared down at the city. The street gridwork was lit by headlights, brake lights and streetlights; an orderly swarm of fireflies. The Washington Monument, pointed like a concrete sword, thrust up at them, and the Potomac River beside it was an artery of black. As they swept over the water Adam recognized the vast concrete huddle of the Pentagon, asight familiar to him from a thousand news reports. But only now did he realize that it was actually five pentagonal buildings built one inside the other, all interconnected.
    Although it was close to eleven o’clock, the Pentagon’s massive car parks north and south were choked with traffic, and lights were on at almost every window. Adam felt both sick and thrilled as the helicopter descendedtowards the white slab of the helipad right outside.
    ‘It doesn’t make sense,’ mused Dr Marrs. ‘The Pentagon workspace covers almost thirty acres. Around twenty-four thousand military and civilian employees work here. It’s a far greater tactical target than the White House.’
    ‘I don’t think this was about tactics.’ Mr Adlar looked tired and drawn in the ghostly blue light of the ’copter’s interior.‘It was about making a point.The President – the most powerful figure in the