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Elise Markis’ visit had been restorative for herself, and a vacation for the kids, but after long consultations with Shawna it was clear that Elise had lost control of her biological research program. Edens had a lot less to fear, but nuclear fire was still one hell of a threat. People have been avoiding progress, and I’ve been subconsciously avoiding that truth. Now that I’m back at the lab, that will have to change.
“All right,” she said to her picked team. “This underground lab is the newest and best we have assembled in some time. I’ve hand-selected each of you, and you’ve all agreed to be sequestered. We’re staying here until we make the Plague airborne, so if you ever want to see the surface again, you’d better get it in gear and find a way to make it happen.”
Her pleasant face was as grim and earnest as she could make it; the speech was a bit of showmanship but she was serious anyway. “That includes me. I won’t see my husband or children until we’re done or we all agree it’s impossible, and I don’t believe in impossible. So dammit, let’s get to work.”
Two days later the Markis samples from Geneva arrived and her team’s priorities abruptly changed. She put out the call for anyone with expertise in nanotechnology. The first response was something of a surprise.
“Larry? You want in on this?”
The big engineer nodded across the video link. “I’m just up the road, and I can be useful. I’ve done more nano stuff than you might think, on the exotic materials and nanochip side.”
“You’ll have to come join us in the Roach Motel. Scientists go in, they don’t come out. Security. Think you can handle it?”
Larry glanced sideways. “Yes, Shawna’s already approved...grudgingly. But she knows what’s at stake. If the UG creates some anti-Eden nanoplague, it could kill half the people on Earth. We’re damn lucky it didn’t work on DJ; I want to find out why. Did they have an old version of the Plague? Did they test it on a weak carrier?”
“Okay, I’ll be glad to have you. If you have any others you can convince to join us, bring them along – same conditions, though. Nobody comes out for the foreseeable future.”
“All right. I’ll be there soon.” Larry signed off.
