The Genesis Code 1: Lambda by Robert E. Parkin

that he thinks she is in danger.”
    Karen looked to Richard, a little unsettled by his cryptic words. “What are you getting at?”
    Richard’s tone became grave. “It’s Zack. Our kids are with Lambda.”
    Karen’s expression didn’t falter. “I’m aware of their involvement. It doesn’t change our objective.”
    Richard felt a sharp sting from Karen’s words. “ You have nothing to say to the fact that the object we seek and Stigma are now involved with our own children ?”
    Karen’s gaze hardened. “Irrelevant. If anything, this has made the objective of the foreign party clear. If Stigma is after Lambda, they will surely use Cecilia to get Zack to hand Lambda over to them.”
    Richard bit his lip as he tried to keep his composure. “Indeed. What makes me worry more is why Zack is still with Lambda.”
    Karen seemed uninterested. “He never was good at avoiding trouble, specifically in the form of AI units. They seem to be his thing,” she replied ambiguously.
    Richard held back his anger. “Making light of his experience three years ago is in terrible taste, especially coming from the one that brought him into this world.”
    Karen shrugged. “That changes little now. As Stigma wishes to use Zack to get Lambda, we can do the same.”
    “But what about the Void Moderators?” Richard inquired, trying to bring light to what he was sure to be doom if not properly addressed.
    His wife looked to be losing her patience. “I’m telling you, I would have been told-”
    A screen burst to life above her. The stern face of the Director barreled down upon them.
    “Richard is correct. Given the situation, I was left with no other choice but to enlist aid from Babel. They have given me authority over the Void Reapers to ensure Lambda’s capture.”
    Karen now looked enraged. “Why wasn’t I told of this?!” she barked.
    Charles peered down with intensity. “Informing you had no meaning. Your job was to monitor the Lambda unit until I gave you further instructions.”
    Karen grit her teeth, unable to say a word.
    Richard moved to speak. “Director, our . . . kids are with Lambda. You can’t possibly think that-”
    “The well-being of your children ranks second to Lambda’s retrieval. I will say it is quite unfortunate that they are involved on such a level,” Charles replied coldly.
    Richard now felt something snap in him. “You think the assassins of the Cyber Network are going to care about anything so long as they bring down the Lambda unit?! They’d soon use my son as a meat shield before they did anything to protect something!”
    Charles noted Richard’s concern, but there was little he could do. “Their orders were to cause as little collateral damage as possible in bringing in Lambda. They will have to come to me-”
    “Those are High King bloodhounds! They don’t answer to you, Charles! If you think they are under your control, you are sadly mistaken!” Richard bellowed.
    Charles’ eyes darkened. “That’s enough!” he roared. “I will hear no more of this! You are to monitor Lambda’s movements and track it, should it make any rash moves. Until the Void Moderators detain Lambda, you will remain on standby. Do I make myself clear?”
    The entire lab was silent. The tension was enough to shatter bone.
    “Should problems arise, Richard, I will do my best to ensure your children aren’t harmed. That I can promise you,” Charles said, with as much concern as he could muster.
    Richard let his head fall. “I fear for their safety, just like any father would.”
    Karen broke in with dark words. “Fear is pain arising from the anticipation of evil.”
    Charles stared intently, unsure what Karen meant. Richard, however, knew of the quote Karen used. She had a certain fancy way of flaunting her intellectual superiority in quoting famous words of some of history’s greatest thinkers and writers. This time, she went with Aristotle.
    Before either of the two men could get a word in, Karen