Natural Causes

5,665,297; RDV332, 210 (1984).

Adenovirus spliced with thrombin- thromboplastin producing genes; potential application: rapid wound healing, hemostasis. No further information available.

Rosa turned to Sarah. The epidemiologist's expression was, at once, triumphant and grim.

"Thrombin," she said. "Unless I am mistaken, it is also factor two in the biological cascade of blood clotting."

"And thromboplastin is a clotting factor, too," Sarah said excitedly. "Rosa, this is it. I just know it is."

Rosa was already dialing the BIO-Vir number.

"Well, that was easy enough," she said, after a brief conversation. "I have an appointment tomorrow morning at ten with Dr. Dimitri Athanoulos, president of the BIO-Vir Corporation."

"I wish I could go with you," Sarah said. "But I have a case, and I'm on call."

"Fortunately, I have no such obligations," Mulholland said. "My wife and kids could use a little vacation from me. And I wouldn't miss this for the world. Does that landlady of yours have any spare rooms?"

"If she doesn't," Rosa said with a wink, "I have a double bed."