Page 52 of Smoky Lake

“Not really. The last time I saw him, he told me he had the omegavirus. He felt like shit and he didn’t want to take a chance on infecting me. So he took off. That’s all I know.”

“Did he say if someone was after him? When I talked to him, he sounded worried about that.”

“Who would be after him?”

Nyx’s innocent expression didn’t convince Gil. He knew more than he was saying. Maybe a lot more. But the stubborn look on his face told Gil that was all they’d get from him.

Gil thought about Sergeant Thomson and that syringe, and tried one more question. “As far as you know, does anyone else have access to this virus?”

“You mean like the CDC?”

“Yes, them, but anyone else?”

He shrugged. “How would I know? It’s a big world out there.”

“Do you know where the mining group was from? Another country, maybe? Do you know anything about them?”

Nyx shook his head. “Just a random group of Westerners to me.”

Once again, Gil knew he wasn’t getting the whole truth from Nyx. “Okay. I think we’re good here. If you think of anything that could help us find Victor…”

“I’ll take your number in case I do.” Nyx addressed that to Ani, then reached for her phone. “I’ll punch it in?—”

She snatched her hand away. “No contact, it might not be safe.”

He snorted. “I’m not worried about the omegavirus. I’m Ahtna, remember?”

“You really want to take that chance—” She stopped abruptly. “Wait. You said Victor told you he had the omegavirus. Did he get tested?”

“Yes. We have an electron microscope in the lab. He showed me how to identify it.”

“How long does it take?” Gil asked.

“I mean…all I have to do is prick a finger and look under the microscope. So…a few minutes?”

That damn Dr. Christianson. She had been slow-rolling them. Making them cool their heels in a hotel room while she dragged out the testing process.

“Can you test us?” Ani asked. “We’ve both potentially been exposed.”

“Sure, but you don’t look sick. You both look good. Especially you,” he told Ani. “Do you ever date younger sexually fluid NDN men?”

“Um…” She looked flustered.

“Oh jeez, are you two together? Like, monogamy-style?”

Ani kept stammering uncomfortably until Gil came to her rescue.

“Let’s stay focused here. Would you mind testing us just to set our minds at ease?”

“Sure. Index fingers out, please.”

Gil got the sense that Nyx pricked his finger extra hard, but he didn’t complain.

Nyx smeared the samples onto two glass screens and disappeared into the lab. When he got back, he gave them the news. “Neither of you has the virus. It’s safe to have sex again. Or for the first time.” He waved his hand between the two of them. “I feel all that sexual tension, but I can’t tell if you’ve gone there yet.”

“I’m sure you’ll be the first to know if we do,” Gil said dryly.

“One more thing,” said Nyx as they rose to their feet. “Ani, it looks like you were exposed. Even though you have no sign of the virus, you do have the antibodies.”

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