Chapter-24 Pointe Noire, 4° 46′ 43″ S, 11° 51′ 49″ E Exotic Animal Black Market

That morning Cathy gave the news that Doctor Adli Aslan received an alert from an unknown person. The message said to keep his team safe. There were hitmen hired to kill them.

With everything that had been going on, Cecilia and Akiko were convinced. Cecilia was very grateful that Andalas was with them. Although Andalas acted the same way as the people who hunted them down, at least he killed to protect them.

More information came from Cathy. She managed to track down Hantaa 05's location. The whaling ship was crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Its destination was unknown and very vulnerable. The Mediterranean Sea was a busy shipping lane, and there was a possibility they would stop at one of many ports there.

Cathy tagged Hantaa 05 on her satellite surveillance program. She would always know Hantaa 05's latest position, including its journey history. Professor Sato equipped Pandora's data analysis room with some additional equipment to support the operation of the MB-AB-30.

Akiko asked if the code was still relevant given that she knew for sure that the bacteria from the Congo Basin was Bacillus anthracis. Shouldn't the code be MB-BA-30?

Cathy also explained that the team of scientists at Pandora managed to enlarge Mollivirus sibericum to enable them to formulate an anti-virus to treat and prevent it from infecting a human body. But something strange happened once the virus was enlarged. The genome was completely unreadable even with the most modern genome sequencer. Professor Sato suspected that the ancient bacteria had been modified and infiltrated by some kind of foreign protein that was not yet on the existing protein map.

The research team tried various methods and methodologies. None was able to read the genome of Mollivirus sibericum. It was as if someone deliberately made the virus very adaptive to all forms of its host.

Cecilia was busy thinking. If that was true, there would be no people like Fabumi in the case of the ice virus.

This meant that the chip was a hope of getting information about the foreign elements that made Mollivirus sibericum a hundred times more dangerous than the original.

Cecilia decided they would go to the United States after she found the trail of the leopard cub caught by the poachers. She was picturing the face of that clumsy nerd in her mind.

The three of them were standing in a courtyard in the middle of a shantytown. A circular 5-storey flat that surrounded a former outdoor basketball and a futsal court that had been transformed into a noisy little market with poorly-tented stalls.

The courtyard only had one entrance which also served as an exit. Guarded by spooky looking men. No one was holding any kinds of weapon, but Andalas suspected that there were a lot of firearms in the disorganized little post. This Malay man felt his waist to make sure the gun was still there.

The stalls did not sell much of anything but small items such as cigarettes, liquor, snacks, and daily necessities. So why it was packed. Cecilia and her companions had a hard time moving around. They needed to find a stall manned by a person named Abebe. He was someone who could provide all kinds of African exotic animals. Of course the animals were kept in a secret place. The market was actually just a disguise for hundreds of thousands of dollar transactions that occurred every day.

"Abebe?" Cecilia asked a young man who was sitting on a pile of rice sacks, smoking a cigarette. She was informed of Abebe's characteristics by her source.

The young man was indifferent and didn't want to respond to Cecilia at all. His eyes were closed enjoying each time he inhaled his cigarette. Akiko stepped forward. Bowed down and spoke in Japanese.

Abebe looked up at Akiko's beautiful face.

"What did she just say?" The young man now asked Cecilia, apparently was curious with the Japanese tourist's intentions.

"She's a rich girl who intentionally came from Japan looking for her favorite pet." Cecilia saw that they were already surrounded by several men who were also interested. It was rare for Japanese tourists to come to this slum. Andalas was prepared to anticipate anything. All his muscles were tensed.

"Tell her it's expensive! And ask what her favorite animal is?" This time Abebe was serious, anticipating to score big money for the day.

Akiko mentioned a term in Japanese which meant you were stupid and then looked at Cecilia as if asking for a translation.

Cecilia grinned. She was amused that Akiko could make fun out of such situation.

"Baby leopard! She can afford anything she wants."

Abebe was hooked.

"I have a cute one for you, it's 100 thousand dollars!"

Cecilia turned to look at Akiko and said the guy was stupid in Japanese. Akiko replied very stupid but these idiots around them were dangerous.

Cecilia nodded. Then looked at Abebe with a very serious face. Her voice was lowered to sound like a whisper and secret.

"She agrees with your price and will add ten grand with one condition," Cecilia paused to provoke Abebe's curiosity. Sure enough. The young man moved closer.

"What are the conditions?"

"The baby leopard must be from the Cuvette Centrale habitat. Those leopards are unique and can live longer."

The young man paused for a moment. He knew which Leopard she was referring to. But it had been sold. But 10 thousand dollars was a lot of money!

"Yea, I had one exactly like what you said, it was bought by some rich Italian. But the leopard is still here. If I take you to the guy for you to negotiate, do I still get my ten grand?"

Cecilia firmly raised her hand asking for time. Cecilia turned to Akiko, and said that she could not believe how naïve the guy was. Akiko smiled trying to hold a laugh.

"Tell you what. My friend here doesn't have much time. Just bring the baby leopard here. She'll pay you one twenty five grand in cash. The money is in the car. Our driver can arrange it now if you agree."

Abebe hesitated. The Italian who bought the baby leopard earlier seemed like a very dangerous person. But 125 thousand dollars? It's amazing!

The young man started talking to several people who joined and observed the whole conversation. He turned to Cecilia and said,

"Okay. The baby leopard will be brought here. But I need to see the money first."

Cecilia and Akiko discussed their plan on how to get that amount of money quickly. Going to the bank would take time and jeopardize the deal.

"I'll have the luggage ready in the car, Madame. Just tell them there's money in there. One more thing, he's really stupid…." Andalas spoke in Japanese as he bowed. Then turned his body towards the parking lot.

Cecilia and Akiko gasped in surprise. The bodyguard provided by Doctor Aslan was full of surprises.