The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh, Volume One by Greg Cox Read Free Book Online Page B

large, maybe seven feet tall, a yard across the shoulders, and a good deal more intimidating. Just like that robot Bigfoot up north, she thought, only a lot less shaggy. Indeed, the second man was a walking endorsement for Darwin’s theory of evolution, complete with sloping brow and a noticeably prognathous jawline. Tinted sunglasses concealed the giant’s eyes while the bottom half of his broad, square face maintained a stony expression. A black silk suit was draped over his imposing frame and a marine-style crew cut bristled atop his oh-so-simian skull. And they say the Neanderthals have all died out. ...
    Roberta could readily believe that the first man was another visiting scientist, in town for the conference; there was something mildly nerdish about his appearance and body language. The big gorilla, on the other hand, looked more like an enforcer than a geneticist. Talk about your Odd Couples, she thought. These two make Felix and Oscar look like identical clones.
    Turning away from the reflective glass, she let them tail her for a few more blocks, until curiosity, not to mention an empty stomach, prompted her to see what would happen if she presented a stationary target for a while. Just how long would they be willing to hang out, she wondered, waiting for her to start moving again?
    Lunch was a slice of pizza, a can of Fresca, and, for dessert, a small helping of fresh gelato. Roberta sat on the Spanish Steps overlooking [38] the city, enjoying the warm spring weather as she gazed out at the rose-colored rooftops spread out before her, nestled snugly between Rome’s famed seven hills. Throngs of tourists flowed up and down the steps, posing for photographs and admiring the view, while portrait artists, flower vendors, and portable snack carts competed for their attention. Roberta politely declined several roses, plus the opportunity to be immortalized in colored chalk or watercolors, and resisted the temptation to look back over her shoulder to see what her mismatched pursuers were up to. The pizza crust was thin and crispy, just the way she liked it. Your move, guys, she thought.
    “Excuse me, miss,” a friendly voice greeted her within minutes. Roberta looked up, but the glare from the midday sun whited out the face of the speaker. Squinting into the blinding sunshine, all she could make out was a single male figure standing on the step just above hers.
    “Hang on,” Roberta urged through a mouthful of pizza. She scrambled to her feet, nearly knocking over her soda in the process. “Just give me a second here.” Is this it? she wondered, her heart speeding faster in anticipation. Surely I can’t have hit pay dirt so soon!
    Raising her hand to shield her eyes, she saw that the speaker was the Asian guy, minus his hefty partner. “I’m sorry to bother you,” he said with a smile and a slight Japanese accent, “but I wanted to let you know that I was impressed by your remarks at the presentation this morning.”
    Bingo! Roberta felt a surge of triumph, then struggled to hold on to a more cautious attitude. Let’s not jump to conclusions, she warned herself. It’s just possible that he might only be trying to pick me up.
    “Thank you,” Roberta answered in English. The more she thought about it, the more she thought she recognized this guy from the talk on gene therapy. “I thought it was a fascinating topic.” She started to offer to shake, then realized that her hands were full of pizza and gelato. Oops! She hastily placed the half-eaten gelato between her feet, switched the pizza slice to her left hand, wiped off the right on her skirt, then stretched out her open and not-too-greasy palm. “Veronica Neary, but you can call me Ronnie.”
    [39] If the cheesy residue on her hand bothered the young man, he gave no sign of it. “Dr. Walter Takagi,” he introduced himself, giving her hand a firm shake. “Pleased to meet you.”
    “Ditto.” Roberta shifted right to put the sun fully behind her,