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〃Because stable home…lovers aren't any fun。〃
〃Whoever said women are nest…oriented？〃 He sighed。
Pitt pulled away and stepped into his office； which looked like a trailer park after a tornado。 Books； papers； nautical charts； and photographs littered every square inch of space； including the carpet。 He had decorated his workplace in antiques he'd bought at auction from the American President Lines elegant passenger ship President Cleveland。 He settled behind his desk； picked up the receiver； and dialed Helm's number。
A voice answered with a terse 〃Yes？〃
〃Mr。 Helm； Dirk Pitt returning your call。〃
〃Mr。 Pitt； thank you。 I just thought you'd like to know that the Bureau has identified the body you shipped from the Antarctic and also the woman you apprehended last night。〃
〃That was fast work。〃
〃Thanks to our new puterized photo ID department；〃 explained Helm。 〃They've scanned every newspaper； magazine； TV broadcast； state motor vehicle driver's license record； pany security face shot； passport photo； and police record to build the world's largest photo identification network。 It consists of hundreds of millions of enhanced facial close…ups。 bined with our fingerprint and DNA files； we can now cover a vast spectrum for identifying bodies and fugitives。 We had a make on both women within twenty minutes。〃
〃What did you discover？〃
〃The name of the deceased from the submarine was Heidi Wolf。 The woman you apprehended last night is Elsie Wolf。〃
〃Then they are twin sisters。〃
〃No； actually； they're cousins。 And what is really off the wall is that they both e from a very wealthy family and are high…level executives of the same vast business conglomerate。〃
Pitt stared in contemplation out the window of his office； without seeing the Potomac River outside and the Capitol in the background。 〃Would they happen to be related to Karl Wolf； the CEO of Destiny Enterprises out of Argentina？〃
Helm paused； then said； 〃It seems you're two steps ahead of me； Mr。 Pitt。〃
〃Dirk。〃
〃All right； Dirk； you're on the mark。 Heidi was Karl's sister。 Elsie is his cousin。 And； yes； Destiny Enterprises is a privately owned business empire based in Buenos Aires。 Forbes has estimated the bined family resources at two hundred and ten billion dollars。〃
〃Not exactly living on the streets； are they？〃
〃And I had to marry a girl whose father was a bricklayer。〃
Pitt said； 〃I don't understand why a woman of such affluence would stoop to mitting petty burglary。〃
〃When you get the answers； I hope you'll pass them on to me。〃
〃Where is Elsie now？〃 asked Pitt。
〃Under guard at a private clinic run by the Bureau on W Street； across from Mount Vernon College。〃
〃Can I talk to her？〃
〃I see no problem from the Bureau's end； but you'll have to go through the doctor in charge of her case。 His name is Aaron Bell。 I'll call and clear your visit。〃
〃Is she lucid？〃
〃She's conscious。 You gave her a pretty hard rap on the head。 Her concussion was just short of a skull fracture。〃
〃I didn't hit her。 It was her motorcycle。〃
〃Whatever；〃 said Helm； the humor obvious in his tone。 〃You won't get much out of her。 One of our best interrogators tried。 She's one tough lady。 She makes a clam look talkative。〃
〃Does she know her cousin is dead？〃
〃She knows。 She also knows that Heidi's remains are lying in the clinic's morgue。〃
〃That should prove interesting；〃 Pitt said slowly。
〃What will prove interesting？〃 Helm inquired。
〃The look on Elsie's face when I tell her I'm the one who recovered Heidi's body from Antarctic waters and air…shipped it to Washington。〃
Almost immediately after hanging up the phone； Pitt left the NUMA building and drove over to the unmarked clinic used exclusively by the FBI and other national security agencies。 He parked the '36 Ford cabriolet in an empty stall next to the building and walked through the main entrance。 He was asked for his identification； and phone calls were made before he was allowed admittance。 An administrator directed him to the office of Dr。 Bell。
Pitt had actually met the doctor several times； not for care or treatment but during social functions to raise money for a cancer foundation that his father； Senator George Pitt； and Bell served on as directors。 Aaron Bell was in his middle sixties； a hyper character； red…faced； badly overweight； and working under a blanket of stress。 He smoked two packs of cigarettes a day and drank twenty cups of coffee。 His outlook on life； as he often expressed it； was 〃Go like hell and go to the grave satisfied。〃
He emerged from behind his desk like a bear walking on its hind legs。 〃Dirk！〃 he boomed。 〃Good to see you。 How's the senator？〃
〃Planning on running for another term。〃
〃He'll never quit； and neither will I。 Sit down。 You're here about the woman who was brought in last night。〃
〃Ken Helm called？〃
〃You wouldn't have crossed the threshold if he hadn't。〃
〃The clinic doesn't look highly guarded。〃
〃Stare cross…eyed at a surveillance camera and see what happens。〃
〃Did she suffer any permanent brain damage？〃
Bell shook his head vigorously。 〃One hundred percent after a few weeks。 Incredible constitution。 She's not built like most women who e through these doors。〃
〃She it very attractive；〃 said Pitt。
〃No； no； I'm not talking about looks。 This woman is a remarkable physical specimen； as is； or should I say was； the body of her cousin you shipped from the Antarctic。〃
〃According to the FBI； they're cousins。〃
〃Nonetheless； a perfect genetic match；〃 said Bell seriously。 〃Too perfect。〃
〃How so？〃
〃I attended the postmortem examination； then took the findings and pared the physical characteristics with the lady lying in a bed down the hall。 There's more going on here than mere family similarities。〃
〃Helm told me Heidi's body is here at the clinic。〃
〃Yes； on a table in the basement morgue。〃
〃Can't family members with the same genes； especially cousins； have a mirror image？〃 asked Pitt。
〃Not impossible； but extremely rare；〃 replied Bell。
〃It's said that we all have an identical look…alike wandering somewhere in the world。〃
Bell smiled。 〃God help the guy who looks like me。〃
Pitt asked； 〃So where is this leading？〃
〃I can't prove it without months of examination and tests； and I'm going out on a limb with an opinion； but I'm willing to stake my reputation on the possibility that those two young ladies； one living； one dead； were developed and manufactured。〃
Pitt looked at him。 〃You can't be suggesting androids。〃
〃No； no。〃 Bell waved his hands。 〃Nothing so ridiculous。〃
〃Cloning？〃
〃Not at all。〃
〃Then what？〃
〃I believe they were genetically engineered。〃
〃Is that possible？〃 asked Pitt； unbelieving。 〃Does the science and technology exist for such an achievement？〃
〃There are labs full of scientists working on perfecting the human body through genetics； but to my knowledge they're still in the mice…test