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Chapter Seventeen

Joseph was glad his body was feeling better and he no longer needed the ibuprofen. He still had a few aches and pains but nothing like he used to feel. It was more sore than painful and it happened when he pushed himself. Even his doctor was delighted and cleared his return to work. George was glad over that one having his best detective back to handle the cases that had been piling up.

Dr. Ami and himself stood outside his apartment building dressed like they worked for the gas company. They had arrived 20 minutes late to appear as if they had actually worked for the company but the escort was even later than they were. They had been here for 20 more minutes and talked to each other and wondered if the guy was going to show up at all or had he left. Finally a large pick up truck parked nearby with the back loaded with tools and a very thin guy got out wearing a hard hat.

He was the same size as Dr. Ami but he was definitely thinner than Joseph. He wore glasses that looked oblong in shape going horizontally with the black frames. He put on an orange safety vest over a dirty grey sweatshirt. Joseph figured he must be used to this type of work. His face was as shaved clean as theirs was.

"Hiya boys, hope I wasn't keepin' ya waitin' long." he said smiling.

"Naw just got here ourselves. Was afraid we mighta miss you." Joseph replied. The guy pulled some barriers out of his truck and Joseph and Dr. Ami helped set them up.

"Name's Bill by the way." he said and shook their hands.

"I'm Joe," Joseph replied as he shook Bill's hand.

"I am Rick," Dr. Ami said when it was his turn to shake hands.

"So ya think the main is busted, huh?" he asked and they nodded. Joseph had convinced Dr. Ami to let him do most of the talking so they don't reveal too much.

"Works out becuz I'm training a new guy anyway," Joseph replied.

"Don't believe dat, I'm trainin' 'im." Dr. Ami replied and he laughed encouraging the guy to join in. Joseph tried to hide his annoyance by feigning a smile.

"Alright then lead the way." Bill said after he opened the manhole cover. Joseph took out his Vic's Vapor Rub and all three smeared generous amounts on their upper lips.

Joseph held a flashlight lighting the way down so the rungs of the ladder could be seen. The sewers were completely dark so they turned on the head lamps on their safety hats to help them see. They also had powerful flashlights that hung on their sides by a strap placed across their chests. The escort was the last to climb down but as Joseph waited for him to descend Dr. Ami was busy using his lights to try and find the parasites.

"What's his name? Rick was it? Hey Rick! You scared of rats or somethin?! " Bill asked but Dr. Ami turned around after he picked something up. He had a smile across his face but it was hard to see with the limited light.

"Or somethin," He said as both Bill and Joseph used their flashlights to light up what he was holding. It looked like a white snake or a giant worm with the both being shriveled and what remained hung loosely in his hands. The parasite had no visible head but to Joseph it was a worm about the size of a small snake.

"Oh my god, what is that!!!" Bill said as he was trying to figure out what it was. and Joseph tried to calm the man down but even he had to admit how disturbing it was. He could not believe something like that could live inside a person and feel off of it.

"A dead parasite. There are numerous examples all around us," Dr. Ami said as he used a free hand to shine his light around after it released the parasite. The place almost seemed covered with them as they looked around and he began to use his flashlights to examine the interior of the sewers.

"Looks like a snake but you're sure it's dead,right?" Bill asked and Joseph.

"Don't look at me I have no idea." Joseph replied as Dr. Ami threw the parasite corpse aside and began digging around trying to find a live sample.

"They all seem to be... but if we are lucky then maybe I can still find a live one. I guess they can't live very long without a host." Dr. Ami replied but he seemed to be talking to himself rather than anyone in particular. Panic was spreading on Bill's face as he looked around and found the numbers of them.

"It's not my job ta deal with those.... Things. We betta get outta here, like now." Bill said and he cautiously made his way back to the opening. Joseph tried to reassure him but he also had to keep an eye on Dr. Ami as he was venturing off to find a live specimen on his own. Finally Joseph let Bill go and he chased after the doctor.

"Fascinating," Dr. Ami said as he put on a pair of glasses and began to examine the parasite he was holding. He continued to walk not really paying attention and Joseph had to grab him at one point to prevent him from falling into a river of sewage. "This parasite has both sexual organs." Dr. Ami said and he went over to another dead sample and examined it.

"Careful, you're gonna fall into the sewage if you're not careful." Joseph cautioned but he was ignored as Dr. Ami compared the two samples.

"How many did you see leave the body when they popped out, so to speak." Dr. Ami finally turned and looked at him.

"I don't remember maybe 3 or 4, why?"

"The parasites are hermaphrodites, having both sexual organs, so I think when they mate both partners impregnate each other. I am only guessing at this point but if I can get a live sample then I can study them better." Dr. Ami pulled out a small tape recorder and began to record his findings. He used a lot of scientific jargon so Joseph had only a little comprehension on what he was saying.

"But can you cure them?! We are trying to save lives, not make more of them." Joseph snapped but Dr. Ami seemed unperturbed by the remark.

"I cannot begin to think of a cure until I get a better understanding of them. I do thank you for your trust but even my experience has its limits. I may have to contact some biology experts to help me solve the matter." Dr. Ami began to ramble to himself again.

"But doctor people's lives are at stake."

"I have friends in the medical department of the univercity, I bet I can get a human brain from a cadaver that we can use as bait to attract a live parasite before it dies. I'll notify my assistant to get some samples and make up traps. I'll drop your name so that either you or I could collect them and set them up." Dr. Ami said then he pulled out a cell phone and began to place calls while Joseph stood by watching and waiting. Joseph looked around and found a couple of half eaten rats and one had it's head removed and a dead parasite was sticking out of it. The sight was appalling to look at.

"I think I have enough evidence to present to the city council that bovine spongiform encephalopathy is not the cause of the trouble but these new parasites are. I'm willing to believe I can even get a grant to do further research on them and ways to cure them, if possible." Dr. Ami said and he gave one of the dead parasites to Joseph then stuffed the second into his pocket.

"Are we done here?"

"Yes... oh and I'll send you a copy of all my research so far in case you need to be the one to present the evidence to the city council." Dr. Ami began to text on his phone as Joseph tried to steer him back to the entrance. "If I send it to your email will that be fine?"

"That's fine, now just watch your step doctor." Joseph said and led him to the opening then climbed up to hold the flighlight so Dr. Ami could ascend without any trouble.

"I can not wait to get start..." Dr. Ami was saying as he climbed out of the manhole when he suddenly fell over and Joseph rushed towards him and saw blood dripping from a bullet hole in his forehead. The backside of his skull was ruptured and blood was flowing everywhere. Joseph ran to take cover from what he assumed was a sniper.

Joseph frantically looked around as he removed his cell phone to call for backup. He removed his own pistol from his holster and kept it in his right hand as he dialed with his free hand.

"This is dispatch, how may I help you?" the officer asked and he immediately recognized her voice.

"Detective Joseph Namer my badge number is..."

"Hello?" Joseph asked as he answered his phone. He had finally returned home and the weariness he felt added to his bad mood. After he called dispatch and explained the situation involving Dr. Ami's death, SWAT was called in to try and capture the supposed sniper and Homeland Security was notified of the situation.

An ambulance arrived on the scene to collect the body and transport it to the morgue. It was obvious that nothing could be done at the moment for Dr. Ami because a clean head shot was achieved by the sniper. It was after SWAT arrived that he was able to examine the body. He retrieved the tape recorder and his personal cell phone before they took the body away.

Although it was not really his place he wanted to know who he should contact to let them know the the murder. He had dialed several different numbers trying to see if any of the numbers listed were family or coworkers. A couple had not answered so he left a brief message and his phone number in case they wish to contact him. There was not much he could say other than he was involved in a police matter and a sniper had killed him for some unknown reason.

The only thing he really knew was that the sniper had targeted Dr. Ami because before then he had every opportunity to kill him but it was not until the doctor climbed out that the sniper took the shot. This puzzled Joseph because logically he would have been a more reasonable target than Dr. Ami was. So why was the doctor killed and not him? Was it to stop the investigation? Was there a deep dark secret about him that the sniper wanted him dead or was contracted to silence him?

As his adrenalin levels were returning to normal he was now faced with the truth that the investigation into the parasites was halted. He would need to find another expert so he could share all the notes Dr. Ami had collected. Until one could be found the investigation could not progress. The only good thing was that the CDC had rounded up all the known infected and slowed the spread of the parasites. They could not say it was completely stopped because the number of infected that had not reported being bitten was still a problem. With the current ones separated from the general public this would help slow things down.

"I'm looking to speak to a detective. I received a call that my mentor Dr. Rick Ami was killed." A female voice responded. Her voice seemed angry as if he had disturbed her over a trivial matter and as tired as he was, he did not want to deal with someone else's bad mood.

"Yes, I'm Detective Joseph Namer, I've been conducting an investigation with your... mentor, when he was murdered today. I'm trying to call anyone that can get word to his friends and family." Joseph said as calmly as he could.

"Oh my gawd," She said with her voice not displaying a hint of remorse. "Dr. Ami and I were partnering on a joint investigation on parasitic infestations in the Congo. I'm actually writing a thesis on: Proliferation-resistant and the immune response to habitual parasitic infestations in African topography." She said and Joseph heard the jargon she said, but understood none of it. She might as well be saying that "Tomatoes eat gummy bears." for all the good he could understand in his tired state.

"I'm very sorry," Joseph said meekly, not sure of how to respond in this situation. "Do you have any way of passing this on to his loved ones?"

"Yes I do," she said somberly. "I've worked closely with him for decades now so I don't know why the police department would ask for his help. However I have some knowledge in the areas of biology that may be of help."

"Thank you for the offer. I'll see if his research assistant can send you any information he collected about the parasites."

"Parasites? He was researching parasites with your police department?" She asked incredulously.

"Yes he was, why would you think otherwise?" Joseph was confused by her response because why else would his department call in an expert on parasites if not to investigate parasites?

"Forgive me but I keep hearing about Mad Cow Disease, so I thought he was called in because the city council thinks a credible source might make people think they are right about it... which they're not by the way." She said indictantly responding with a person ire directed at Joseph. She must think he was calling her stupid by the way she responded when he simply wanted to clarify her position.

"So you don't think it's Mad Cow Disease?"

"Judging from the notes Dr. Ami left, I'd say no but then I have no idea what it is." she said.

"A secret so dangerous that someone was willing to kill for it. I can't ask you to assist me because your life may be in danger." Joseph replied.

"Then Dr. Ami died in vain! Congratulations the bad guys won." Lee Ann said and Joseph sighed deeply. He knew she was right because like the saying goes: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." by Edmund Burke. He always loved that quote and it helped inspire him to join the police force. The trouble was how could he fight enemies that he could not see?

"I don't want to involve you but if I show you what notes I recovered from Dr. Ami just before he died, can you help me put together a presentation to present to the city council to convince them that this is not Mad Cow Disease but parasites?" Joseph asked hoping the desperation could not be heard in his voice.

He had been dealt a crushing blow by the death of Dr. Ami and he feared asking Lee Ann to fill in the void that was left may lead the assassins to target her next. Unfortunately he could not just walk into a city council meeting and say that parasites are the cause of the attacks but I can not provide evidence.

He lived his life as a skeptic, it was part of his job of sorts, so before he could convince others he needed to be able to convince himself as if he were hearing the arguments for the first time. Talk alone would not be enough if someone wanted to convince him of something, he needed some kind of proof to back up the claims.

"I'm not just some toy you can use and cast aside when you're done. If you want my help it's all or nothing. No games, no you trying to be a male chauvinist pig, and no treating me like I'm just a child you need to protect. Deal?" she emphatically replied.

"If you can present the idea of the parasites in the same manner as this then I... agree to your terms." Joseph responded.

"Deal. Where can we meet to go over what you have collected?" she asked. He gave her the directions to a small cafe near the police station. They agreed to meet in an hour and Joseph prepared himself to go back out. He brought the items he collected from Dr. Ami's body and he felt a pang of guilt as he looked at them before stuffing them in his pocket. He realized it was ultimately his fault the doctor had been murdered and he worried the same might happen to Lee Ann.

The cafe was a small little place that had only enough room inside for roughly three tables to eat at. The outside, which was not open yet, could seat double that amount and the tables had extensions where large umbrellas could be set up to protect the patrons from the sun. There was only one waitress, who wore a traditional blue outfit with a white apron on the lap area. The cook, who was also the manager, had a dirty white t-shirt and blue jeans and Joseph could swear he was dressing up to look like a character from a television show.

Joseph was eating a sandwich and he had a coffee as he sat outside at one of the tables. A young girl, tht looked like she was in college, walked up to him and asked if he was Detective Namer. Her hair was a dark purple color and her clothes had holes in them. The colors were all black making her look like a goth chick and this surprised him. It was a look he had not seen anyone wear in years and the last time he remembered it was when he was in high school himself.

"Lee Ann?!" he asked and she smiled and stuck out her hand for him to shake.

"Cute place you brought me to. Not the kind of place I'd normally go but this will do." She replied and looked around in disgust.

"Are you sure you can convince the city council dressed like....that?"

"Like what? Oh this little old thing... I just thought I'd be casual because this isn't really a thing. I'll be dressed respendantly when I address the city council, you can be sure of that. Joseph smiled and passed along what he brought to her.

She acted very much like Dr. Ami as she listened to the recording and started making her own notes. Joseph found he still had the dead sample in his pocket kof the parasite Dr. Ami gave and he passed it along to her. She studied everything carefully and looked as if she were going to fill up her notebook with notes from both Dr. Ami and what she gleaned from the parasite. A couple of times she asked herself questions then answered them and gave herself a little giggle.

Joseph spent the time texting to George and trying to arrange a time to meet with the city council. George had to do some fanagalling but he managed to arrange a time to meet. The problem that Joseph pondered was the way Lee Ann was dressed. He felt they only had one chance at this and to look at her removed any confidence he felt from when they spoke on the phone.

Lee Ann then began to educe how she might build a trap to capture any live specimens in the sewers. The parasites were too small to use a pressure plate as a means to spring the trap closed. They just have to hope they could get close and close the door of the trap once one wondered inside. It was risky but she could think of no other way to capture one.

When the day finally arrived Joseph hoped that everything would go well...