Biowar

51

“I thought we were looking for pigs,” Karr told the Art Room. “I have plenty of pigs.”

“We have new information,” said Chafetz. “Apparently, Dr. Kegan was investigating texts that concern ancient folk cures for rat-bite fever. The cures mention a particular type of fungus that grows on strangler figs.”

“Figs, not pigs?”

“It’s a type of tree. It grows around other trees. The fungus grows in the crack. But not every crack. I’m downloading information for your computer.”

Karr sighed and sat down in front of building one. Two of the men inside had been dead, hit by shrapnel or bullets as the assault started. The other three were sleeping, their hands and legs tightly bound, a few yards away. All were Burmese; there was no sign Kegan had ever been here.

“This still sounds suspiciously like a wild-goose chase,” he told Sandy. “More and more.”

“Can you look for those trees?”

“If I have to.”

“We have some experts who are going to come on the line and help,” she told him.

Karr unfolded himself from the spot and checked his watch. It was now getting close to 4:00 A.M. He had two hours, maybe a little more, before he’d have to leave for the rendezvous.

“Talking to yourself again?” asked Foster.

“Somebody’s got to. Do me a favor: go through building two again and see if you see any plant stuff.”

“Like marijuana?”

“No, more like a fungus kind of thing.”

“Mushrooms?” asked the Marine.

“Yeah. Here, hold on a second.” Karr took the computer and clicked into the pictures that were being downloaded. The fungus looked like crumbly brown rocks with white diamonds shot through, the top arching like a sawed-off mushroom. “Something like this. But hell, if you see anything close, let me know.”

Karr worked his way slowly through building one, listening as a pair of scientists began explaining what they were looking for and why.

“You can give me the abbreviated version,” he told them as they segued into cell skin barriers.

“Basically, we’re looking for something that is a natural penicillin,” said one of the scientists. “Penicillin interferes with the bacterial wall, and that causes all sorts of problems for them. This fungus is probably almost the same thing.”

“Well, different, but the same,” said the other expert.

“Oh sure, now I understand,” said Karr.

There were training manuals, rocket-propelled grenades, and enough ammunition to keep a regiment supplied in a weeklong firefight, but no fungus, no bark, and no plants that Karr could see. He went outside and hiked over to the pen where the animals had been kept.

“It all begins and ends at the cell wall,” said the scientist in a flourish. “Imagine if your house had no walls or roof. Water would rush in — swoosh, you’d be wiped out.”

“Actually, we’re guessing that it’s attacking the cell wall. It may be protein synthesis,” said another scientist.

“Give me the bottom line, guys,” said Karr.

“You need to find the fungus. It’s probably a cure for the disease. See, it’s very similar to penicillin, except that the bacteria is resistant to penicillin. Penicillin, remember, is also a fungus:’

Ordinarily that would have provoked some sort of joke from Karr, but he felt too tired and drained to even respond. He finished his search of the area without finding anything that looked remotely like a mushroom. He met Foster back at the hut, also empty-handed.

“Lot of old weapons,” said the Marine. “No trees, though. No plants. Hey, look who finally got here.”

He gestured toward Gidrey, who was walking into the camp with the Thai squad he’d been working with.

“Stinking jungle’s thicker than a whore’s bush,” said Gidrey.

“You’d know,” said Foster.

“You see any fig trees?” Karr asked.

“Figs?”

“Twisted ones,” the NSA op told him, explaining.

“Jeez, I don’t know.”

“All right,” said Karr. “Come on with me and let’s have a look. We got some time before we have to leave for the helicopter.”