Chapter 229: Dimitri Passed The Interview

He gave her nothing.

"Your publications," Elizabeth said, tapping something off-screen. "Particularly the series on viral mutation in immunocompromised populations. That was interesting work."

"Thank you. That research took three years. The implications were significant, we discovered accelerated adaptation markers that hadn’t been documented before."

"And the ethics committee shut it down?"

"The ethics committee was afraid," Dimitri said simply. "They didn’t understand the potential. They saw risk instead of opportunity."

Elizabeth leaned forward slightly. "What would you do if you had access to a research environment with no restrictions? No committees. No external oversight."

This was the test. The real test.

Dimitri took a breath. Let a moment of silence stretch between them....not too long, not awkward, just enough to show that he was considering the weight of the question.

"I would accomplish things that are currently impossible," he said finally. "I would develop vaccines. I would understand viral behavior at a molecular level that no one has achieved before. I would contribute to the advancement of human knowledge in ways that will be studied for generations."

"Even if some people died during that research?" Elizabeth asked.

The casual way she asked it....like it was a minor administrative detail....told Dimitri everything he needed to know about her.

"Even then," he said. "Progress requires sacrifice."

Elizabeth’s smile widened.

"Dr. Volkov, I’m going to be direct with you," she said. "We have a project. A significant project. The kind of work that cannot happen in legitimate institutions because those institutions are constrained by regulations and public opinion. We’ve been searching for someone with your background and your... philosophical alignment."

"I’m listening," Dimitri said.

"Our facility is located in New Jersey. It’s a secure research environment. We work on viral adaptation and transmission in ways that are not permitted elsewhere. The work is challenging. It’s sometimes uncomfortable. And it’s absolutely necessary."

"For what purpose?" Dimitri asked, keeping his tone curious rather than challenging.

"For understanding the future," Elizabeth said. "For having knowledge that others don’t possess. For being positioned at the cutting edge of what humanity can become."

It was the language of power. The seduction of being special. The promise that participating in this research made you part of something greater than yourself.

Dimitri understood it perfectly because he’d used the same language to recruit people into his own organization.

"When would I begin?" he asked.

"If you’re interested, we’d want you to arrive Sunday afternoon. We have preliminary tests, orientation, security protocols. You’d be integrated into the research team within 24 hours."

Sunday. Less than 48 hours away.

"I’m very interested," Dimitri said.

"Excellent." Elizabeth tapped something. "I’m sending you a digital packet now. Location, arrival time, security protocols, and your cover story. You’ll be traveling as a private consultant hired by the facility to assess our research methodology. You have a letter of reference from the facility’s director in your packet."

Dimitri watched as the email notification appeared. The packet was 47 megabytes....detailed, thorough, professionally assembled.

"I understand," he said. "I’ll review everything and arrive Sunday as scheduled."

"One more thing, Dr. Volkov," Elizabeth said, and her expression became even colder, if that was possible. "Once you enter our facility, you don’t leave until your contract is complete. No phone calls out. No contact with the outside world. Complete isolation. This is for security purposes. Are you comfortable with that?"

This was the confirmation. Once he entered, he was inside. No communication with Marco. No emergency extraction until the operation was complete.

Which meant he had one chance to plant everything, to wire everything, and to detonate it all from inside.

"I’m comfortable with it," Dimitri said.

"Good. We’ll see you Sunday, Dr. Volkov." Elizabeth reached toward her camera, and the screen went dark.

Dimitri sat in the silence of his study, his hands finally trembling slightly.

He’d done it. He’d passed.

The door was open.

He closed the laptop and immediately moved to the secure phone, one that couldn’t be traced, one that existed only for this operation.

Marco answered on the first ring. "Status?"

"I’m in," Dimitri said quietly. "Sunday, 2 PM. Primary facility, New Jersey."

"Understood Boss. I’m mobilizing the team. We move forward with the full plan."

"Confirm bomb placements are ready?"

"All prepared and waiting for your signal. Small enough to conceal. Powerful enough to destroy everything."

"Good," Dimitri said. "When I’m inside, I begin placement immediately. Every secure location. Every lab. Every storage facility containing samples."

"And extraction?"

"No extraction," Dimitri said. "I activate from inside. Once the bombs detonate, the facility will be destroyed. Everyone inside will believe it was a catastrophic equipment failure or an accident."

"Understood. You have 72 hours maximum inside before the isolation period ends. After that, security increases."

"I’ll work faster," Dimitri said.

He ended the call and sat in the darkness of his study.

Sunday was coming.

And when it arrived, he would walk into The Covenant facility with one purpose:

To burn it to the ground and scatter the ashes so completely that nothing could ever grow back.

***

The packet arrived at 6:17 AM.

Dimitri was already awake, had been awake since 4 AM, lying in bed with Eve’s sleeping form curled against his chest, her hand over his heart like she was trying to hold him there, trying to keep him from leaving.

He carefully extracted himself without waking her, pressing a kiss to her forehead in the darkness of the penthouse bedroom.

The sun was just beginning to rise over the city when he opened the encrypted file on the secure laptop in his study.

COVENANT FACILITY - PRIMARY LOCATIONNEW JERSEY (COORDINATES REDACTED)

Dimitri read through slowly. Every detail mattered.

The facility was built in 2015, disguised as a pharmaceutical research center. 40,000 square feet across three levels. Ground level: administrative offices, security checkpoint, medical wing. Second level: primary research laboratories, viral containment, sample storage. Third level: secure research labs, Dr. Elizabeth’s private office, sensitive data storage.