code of a new ACE strain and found the greatest number of genetic upgrades ever discovered in a single organism.”
Hallie sat forward. “I remember that. But ACE only endangers people with compromised immune systems—HIV sufferers, the elderly, burn victims, chemotherapy patients.”
“
And
people with severe tissue trauma.” Lathrop sounded angry.
She understood. “Like wounded soldiers.”
“Correct.”
“Okay. But after ACE outbreaks in New York hospitals killed some older people in 2002, they dusted off a 1950s antibiotic called colistin. It worked. On some of the people some of the time, anyway.”
“All true, Hallie.” Barnard frowned, rubbed the pipe bowl with his thumb as if trying to remove something foul.
“So what happened over there? They didn’t have any colistin?”
“They got some. It just slowed ACE down. And colistin is in very short supply. Nobody has produced it in any quantity for at least forty years.”
“But surely ACE didn’t cause what we saw on that video?”
“It did. We have conclusive test results.”
“How?”
“It is a new ACE.” Lew Casey spoke for the first time, sitting forward in the chair, elbows on knees, looking up at them from beneath wiry red brows.
That stopped her. “So this is biowar, finally?”
“Possible, but the intelligence people don’t think so. More likely, antigenic shift.”
“How did it do that to him?”
“This new ACE apparently grows in the bloodstream, then attacks organs and skin from inside out.”
“Bacteria usually burrow deeper, where it’s easier to propagate.”
“This ACE does just the opposite. It wants
out
. And it gets out fast.”
“Like being skinned alive, slowly.” Hallie tried to imagine what it would be like, but then gave up. “No drug on earth could blunt that agony.”
“No.” Barnard looked grim. “None.”
“It’s
horrible
,” she said. “But at least it’s contained.”
Barnard coughed, looked at the others.
“There are more cases?”
“His squadmate, a kid from Kansas, was the first—the zero man. Since then, two nurses and another patient in the medical unit.”
“Who’s in charge at that place?”
Barnard took a deep breath, let it out, rearranged his bulk in the chair. “An Army doctor. National Guard, actually. It’s a field hospital with Level II trauma capability and that little morgue you saw, but they stabilize serious cases for transport to CENMEDFAC, in Kabul.”
“He’s still in there?”
“She. By herself, unfortunately. The Taliban launched a region-wide offensive. May or may not be a correlation. But there have been heavy casualties, so Terok’s other two doctors were called to other COPs.”
“She’s dealing with wounded
and
ACE. Tough assignment.”
“Yes.”
“Well, at least that COP is quarantined. Terok, was it?”
Again Barnard hesitated, stared down at his pipe’s empty bowl.
“My God, Don. People got out?
How many?
”
“Two went back to a forward operating base called Salerno, fifty miles east. But the big worry is CENMEDFAC.”
“The mother of all Army hospitals over there.”
“Right. Four patients were transferred there. All had contact with the cases at Terok.”
“CENMEDFAC sends the worst cases stateside.”
“Right.”
“So it could be coming here.”
“It
is
here, Dr. Leland.” Lathrop, sitting forward. “Some of them arrived two days ago.”
For a moment, nobody spoke. Hallie was stunned, the ramifications spinning out in her mind. As they sat in silence, Barnard’s secretary, Carol, came in. It was well after working hours, but shewould never leave until he did. She was a trim widow with a rust-red beehive hairdo and a different-colored polyester pant suit for every day of the month.
“Here you are. I thought you people might want a snack.” She placed a tray with roast beef and turkey sandwiches and a big pot of coffee on the table.
“
Thank
you,” Hallie said. “I needed this. Nothing since
Hallie sat forward. “I remember that. But ACE only endangers people with compromised immune systems—HIV sufferers, the elderly, burn victims, chemotherapy patients.”
“
And
people with severe tissue trauma.” Lathrop sounded angry.
She understood. “Like wounded soldiers.”
“Correct.”
“Okay. But after ACE outbreaks in New York hospitals killed some older people in 2002, they dusted off a 1950s antibiotic called colistin. It worked. On some of the people some of the time, anyway.”
“All true, Hallie.” Barnard frowned, rubbed the pipe bowl with his thumb as if trying to remove something foul.
“So what happened over there? They didn’t have any colistin?”
“They got some. It just slowed ACE down. And colistin is in very short supply. Nobody has produced it in any quantity for at least forty years.”
“But surely ACE didn’t cause what we saw on that video?”
“It did. We have conclusive test results.”
“How?”
“It is a new ACE.” Lew Casey spoke for the first time, sitting forward in the chair, elbows on knees, looking up at them from beneath wiry red brows.
That stopped her. “So this is biowar, finally?”
“Possible, but the intelligence people don’t think so. More likely, antigenic shift.”
“How did it do that to him?”
“This new ACE apparently grows in the bloodstream, then attacks organs and skin from inside out.”
“Bacteria usually burrow deeper, where it’s easier to propagate.”
“This ACE does just the opposite. It wants
out
. And it gets out fast.”
“Like being skinned alive, slowly.” Hallie tried to imagine what it would be like, but then gave up. “No drug on earth could blunt that agony.”
“No.” Barnard looked grim. “None.”
“It’s
horrible
,” she said. “But at least it’s contained.”
Barnard coughed, looked at the others.
“There are more cases?”
“His squadmate, a kid from Kansas, was the first—the zero man. Since then, two nurses and another patient in the medical unit.”
“Who’s in charge at that place?”
Barnard took a deep breath, let it out, rearranged his bulk in the chair. “An Army doctor. National Guard, actually. It’s a field hospital with Level II trauma capability and that little morgue you saw, but they stabilize serious cases for transport to CENMEDFAC, in Kabul.”
“He’s still in there?”
“She. By herself, unfortunately. The Taliban launched a region-wide offensive. May or may not be a correlation. But there have been heavy casualties, so Terok’s other two doctors were called to other COPs.”
“She’s dealing with wounded
and
ACE. Tough assignment.”
“Yes.”
“Well, at least that COP is quarantined. Terok, was it?”
Again Barnard hesitated, stared down at his pipe’s empty bowl.
“My God, Don. People got out?
How many?
”
“Two went back to a forward operating base called Salerno, fifty miles east. But the big worry is CENMEDFAC.”
“The mother of all Army hospitals over there.”
“Right. Four patients were transferred there. All had contact with the cases at Terok.”
“CENMEDFAC sends the worst cases stateside.”
“Right.”
“So it could be coming here.”
“It
is
here, Dr. Leland.” Lathrop, sitting forward. “Some of them arrived two days ago.”
For a moment, nobody spoke. Hallie was stunned, the ramifications spinning out in her mind. As they sat in silence, Barnard’s secretary, Carol, came in. It was well after working hours, but shewould never leave until he did. She was a trim widow with a rust-red beehive hairdo and a different-colored polyester pant suit for every day of the month.
“Here you are. I thought you people might want a snack.” She placed a tray with roast beef and turkey sandwiches and a big pot of coffee on the table.
“
Thank
you,” Hallie said. “I needed this. Nothing since
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