Minutes to Burn

Chapter 73

Fourteen of the water samples were clean. Only the three that had been taken from directly over the deep-sea core holes remained. They'd saved them for last, since they were the most likely to show traces of the virus. Polaroids of the DNA bands in the agar lay on the counter-top, including a control shot from the wild type sample that they knew to be normal.

"All right," Diego said. "We'll each check one result."

Ramoncito looked first, comparing the sample Polaroid to that of the control and checking for differences. There were none. "Clean," he said. Diego glanced over his shoulder, double-checking that the banding pat-terns of the sample and the control matched.

Steeling himself, Rex took the control Polaroid from Ramoncito and raised the second sample photograph up beside it. He exhaled deeply. "Clean," he said.

The final Polaroid sat in the middle of the counter, holding the key to Sangre de Dios's fate. Diego gazed longingly at the joint, snubbed out in a beaker. He picked up the photo and held it before his face, his eyes closed. He opened his eyes. Looked from one photo to the other. Slowly, he set them down, his cheeks trembling.

"What?" Rex asked, trying to contain his panic.

"Clean," Diego whispered. "Clean, clean, clean."

He lowered his head to the countertop and they all stayed quiet for a few moments. "Well," Rex said. "That's step one. We still need to check in with Everett to see if the squad has taken care of the accountable virus reservoir."

He pulled the transmitter from his pocket and placed it on his open palm, leaning toward it as he asked to be put through to Slammer Two at Detrick.

Samantha's voice came through clearly. "Yes?"

"It's clean," Rex said. "The water system is clean. Every last sample."

There was a silence.

"That's good news," Samantha said slowly. "But we've been unable to contact Cameron. Either her transmitter is down or she's… " She declined to finish the sentence.

Rex noticed that she'd only mentioned Cameron. He closed his eyes, pushing away his concern, fighting to stay focused.

"What does that mean?" Diego asked. "About the bombing?"

"Without confirmation that the virus reservoir is exterminated, there's not much we can do," Samantha said. "Unfortunately. They're going to send a medevac at 2200 to look for survivors."

"And the B1 departure is 2300?" Rex asked.

"Yes."

"You keep trying to contact them via transmitter," Rex said, "and we'll haul our asses to the airport for when the medic unit returns. With the soldiers, let's hope."

By the time Rex had shoved the transmitter into his pocket, Diego was already out the door. Rex and Ramoncito ran after him through the Darwin Station and down the winding dirt road that led to Avenida Charles Darwin, having a difficult time keeping up. Rex was surprised to realize that it was already nightfall.

When they reached the street, Diego was sitting in the driver's seat of a huge blue truck that was parked near the path to Hotel Galapagos, his hands working beneath the steering column. A pair of handcuffs dan-gled over the rearview mirror.

"You run fast for a stoner," Rex said, panting.

Diego jerked his head toward the passenger door. "Shut up and jump in," he said. He twisted two wires and the engine roared to life.