Chapter 20
Mae said, "Bacterial colonies. We've got some contamination of the coli stock. I had to take one tank offline. We're trying to figure out what's wrong."
"Probably phage, don't you think?" Julia said. "Isn't that what it usually is with bacterial stocks-a virus?" She sighed. "Everything about molecular manufacturing is so delicate. Things go wrong so easily, and so often. You have to keep alert for trouble." She glanced at me, and at Mae. "But surely this isn't what you've been looking at all this time ..."
"Actually, it is," I said.
"What? Pictures of mold?"
"Bacteria."
"Yes, bacteria. You've been looking at this the whole time, Mae?"
She shrugged, nodded. "Yes, Julia. It's my job."
"And I don't question your dedication for a moment," Julia said. "But do you mind?" Her hand darted forward and hit the back key in the corner of the keyboard. The previous screen showed more pictures of bacterial growth.
The next screen showed a virus electron micrograph.
And then a table of growth data over the last twelve hours.
Julia continued to hit the back key half a dozen times more, but all she saw were images of bacteria and viruses, graphs, and data tables. She took her hand away from the keyboard. "You seem to be devoting a lot of time to this. Is it really so important?"
"Well, it's a contaminant," Mae said. "If we don't control it, we'll have to shut down the entire system."
"Then by all means keep at it." She turned to me. "Want to have breakfast? I'd imagine you must be starving."
"Sounds great," I said.
"Come with me," Julia said. "We'll make it together."
"Okay," I said. I glanced at Mae. "I'll see you later. Let me know if I can do anything to help."
I left with Julia. We started down the corridor to the residences.
"I don't know why," Julia said, "but that woman bothers me."
"I don't know why either. She's very good. Very thoughtful, very conscientious."
"And very pretty."
"Julia ..."
"Is that why you won't kiss me? Because you're involved with her?"
"Julia, for Christ's sake."
She stared at me, waiting.
"Look," I said. "It's been a rough couple of weeks for everybody. Frankly, you've been difficult to live with."
"I'm sure I have."
"And frankly, I've been pretty angry with you."
"With good reason, I know. I'm sorry for what I put you through." She leaned over, kissed me on the cheek. "But it feels so distant now. I don't like the tension between us. What do you say we kiss and make up?"
"Maybe later," I said. "We have a lot to do now."
She got playful, puckering her lips, kissing air. "Oooh, come on, sweetie, just a little smooch ... come on, it won't kill you ..."
"Later," I said.
She sighed, and gave up. We continued down the corridor in silence for a while. Then she said, in a serious voice, "You're avoiding me, Jack. And I want to know why." I didn't answer her, I just gave a long-suffering sigh and kept walking, acting like what she'd said was beneath response. In fact, I was badly worried.
I couldn't keep refusing to kiss her forever; sooner or later she'd figure out what I knew. Maybe she already had. Because even when Julia was acting girlish, she seemed sharper, more alert than she'd ever been before. I had the feeling she didn't miss anything. And I had the same feeling about Ricky. It was as if they were tuned up, ultra-aware. And I was worried about what I'd seen on Mae's monitor. The black cloud that seemed to come from Julia's mouth. Had it really been there, on the video? Because as far as I knew, swarms killed their prey on contact. They were merciless. Now Julia seemed to be harboring a swarm. How could that be? Did she have some sort of immunity? Or was the swarm tolerating her, not killing her for some reason? And what about Ricky and Vince? Did they have immunity, too?
One thing was clear: Julia and Ricky did not want us to call anybody. They had deliberately isolated us in the desert, knowing that they would have only a few hours until the helicopter arrived. So apparently, that's all the time they needed. To do what? Kill us? Or just infect us? What?
Walking down the corridor next to my wife, I felt as if I was walking with a stranger. With somebody I didn't know anymore. Somebody who was immensely dangerous. I glanced at my watch. The helicopter would be here in less than two hours, now.
Julia smiled. "Got an appointment?"
"No. Just thinking it's time for breakfast."
"Jack," she said. "Why won't you be honest with me?"
"I'm being honest ..."
"No. You were wondering how long until the helicopter comes."
I shrugged.
"Two hours," she said. And she added, "I'll bet you'll be glad to get out of here, won't you?"
"Yes," I said. "But I'm not leaving until everything is done."
"Why? What's left to be done?"
By now we had reached the residential unit. I could smell bacon and eggs cooking. Ricky came around the corner. He smiled heartily when he saw me. "Hey, Jack. How'd you sleep?"
"I slept okay."
"Really? 'Cause you look a little tired."
"I had bad dreams," I said.
"Oh yes? Bad dreams? Bummer."
"It happens sometimes," I said.
We all went into the kitchen. Bobby was making breakfast. "Scrambled eggs with chives and cream cheese," he said cheerfully. "What kind of toast do you guys want?" Julia wanted wheat toast. Ricky wanted English muffin. I said I didn't want anything. I was looking at Ricky, noticing again how strong he appeared. Beneath his T-shirt, the muscles were well defined, cut. He caught me staring at him. "Something wrong?"