Page 74 of Smoky Lake

Ani remembered it now, the irritation of cleaning up the water spill combined with the knowledge that it was just water, and not that important compared to helping a patient.

“You gave me immunity to the virus by spraying something on me?”

“Yes, isn’t it remarkable? Lots of fungi are used medicinally. Cyclosporine suppresses immunity during organ transplants. Statins that lower cholesterol are derived from a fungus. The fungus I discovered—I call it the Milagrosporos, for miracle. My theory is that it works with your immune system to instantly stimulate antibody production to whatever virus you expose it to. Essentially it mimics the virus in question. That means that even if someone did turn the omegavirus into a bioweapon, it wouldn’t matter. Total protection. No more risk from any viruses ever again. Omegavirus, poxvirus, herpesvirus, coronavirus…all neutralized. Boom. Handled.”

He raised both arms in the air in a victory gesture.

Ani put a hand to her forehead. That did sound miraculous, but also impossible. And the thought of being sprayed with a fungal solution without her knowledge made her nauseous. “You’re not a virologist. How can you possibly know all that?”

“I’ve been working on it for weeks. I’ve seen it. It’s truly an incredible breakthrough, and I have all the raw materials back in Smoky Lake. And now I have you, my test subject.”

“I’m your test subject?”

“No no, not like that…I was worried I might have infected you with the virus at the airport. I had the solution with me, so I just…gave you a little.”

They reached the end of the dusty road, which led to a low green metal-roofed hangar. Several single-prop planes perched near it, and a runway stretched parallel to the road.

“You shouldn’t have done that. It’s completely unethical.”

“But it worked. I’m trying to save the world here. Why do you think they’re going all out to stop me?”

As Gil brought the truck to a stop, Victor gripped both their shoulders. “Don’t tell anyone about this. Promise me. The more people know, the more dangerous it is. Don’t trust anyone. I barely trust you two, but you brought me my notes and that means something.”

With a jerk, Gil brought the Ford to a stop next to the hangar. The door was propped slightly open, so someone must be inside.

“Do you think it’s safe to get out of the truck?” Victor’s eyes darted nervously around the airstrip.

Ani did her own scan and didn’t see anyone on the tarmac or in the parked planes. At this point, she didn’t know how much of Victor’s paranoia was justified and how much was him being dramatic.

“I’ll go check it out,” Gil said as he opened the driver’s side door.

“No!” Ani grabbed his arm. She didn’t see why he should be the one to put himself on the line when he had just been sick for several days. “Victor, this is your mess. You go check for yourself.”

Gil’s lips quirked in a smile. “It sure is something having your own personal physician. I’ll be fine, Ani. I have backup.” He lifted his pants leg and showed her the knife he kept strapped there, except when he was sick, when it had sat on the nightstand, making her question the life choices that had gotten her into this mess.

And now—a knife fight on a tarmac in the foothills of Denali? She prayed it didn’t come to that.

She turned to Victor, whose gaze was fixed anxiously on Gil’s back as he strode toward the hangar. “Why do you want to go back to Smoky Lake?” she asked him. “What’s there?”

“I told you. My research.”

“I hope it wasn’t at the Institute, because?—”

“No no, I knew better than that. I hid it all somewhere else when people started nosing around.”

He broke off as Gil and a tall woman in a bomber jacket came jogging across the tarmac toward them. At Gil’s gesture, Ani rolled down the window.

“We have a problem,” he said in a tense voice. “Flights into Firelight Ridge are being restricted.”

Victor rolled down his window too and leaned out. “Hi Lanie. What’s this all about?”

“They’re asking people to stay away unless it’s absolutely necessary,” Laney explained. “Rumor has it there’s some kind of outbreak. The CDC showed up, and some folks out of Fort Wainwright. That’s all I know.”

Ani sucked in a breath. Had the omegavirus surfaced in Firelight Ridge?

Gil swung a fierce glare toward Victor, who shrank back from the crew cab window. “Nice going, motherfucker. My brother’s in there. And a bunch of other people who don’t deserve your damn virus.”

“It’s not my fault!” cried Victor. “I’m trying to do something to help. I didn’t do this.”

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