Schizogenesis [chapter 32]

Minton finished relieving himself on the side of the café then heard an approaching car. Now past midnight, no other cars had gone by in the last ten minutes. He’d parked his rental van twenty yards from a Jeep, the only other vehicle parked there. He hurried to the front of his van and crouched.

A large automobile slowed and turned in near the Jeep. Minton crept to that side of the van’s grill for a better view.

The car’s interior remained dark for several seconds, then the light popped on as all four doors swung open and people got out. Minton was surprised to see so many together. He recognized Ed Haswell, but the three females and an older man were all unfamiliar to him. He assumed the white woman was Haswell’s girlfriend.

“Thanks, Dora,” Minton heard the Asian woman answer. He figured this was the lab assistant, and the girl was probably her daughter.

The older man walked toward the Jeep, followed by both Asians.

“You be careful, Ming. You know that Blender guy is out there somewhere looking for us, especially you.”

“Ed,” the one she’d called Ming said to Haswell. “Don’t you go walking through any more walls or anything. The effects could start to wear off anytime, just like with the lab animals.”