“You’re probably right. There was an additional finding that would support that theory. Our bomb analysts determined that the explosives were packed in a cardboard container. Unlike a pipe bomb, where the shrapnel from the pipe is intended to maim or kill, our bomber used a relatively benign approach. It does appear as if the explosion wasn’t meant to kill, or certainly kill in numbers.”

“A saving grace,” Pitt replied, “but I take it your work is just beginning.”

“Yes, the test results will blow the investigation wide open. We will be talking to everyone in the building. That will be our next hope, that someone saw something or somebody out of place that will give us our next lead.” Martin knew that random explosions were one of the worst crimes to investigate and often the most difficult to solve.

“Thanks for the update, Dan, and good luck. If anything comes to me, I’ll let you know.”

Pitt hung up and walked down the hall to a briefing on NUMA’s hurricane-warning buoys in the Gulf of Mexico. He then cleared his afternoon calendar and made his way out of the headquarters building. The explosion at the GWU lab gnawed at his consciousness, and, try as he might, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there were serious consequences at play.

He drove to the Georgetown University Hospital, hoping that Lisa had not yet been released. She was still in her room on the second floor, along with a squat man in a three-piece suit. The man rose from a corner chair and glared at Pitt as he entered.

“It’s all right, Agent Bishop,” Lisa said from her bed. “This is Dirk Pitt, a friend of mine.”

The FBI agent nodded without emotion, then left the room to stand in the hallway.

“Do you believe that?” Lisa said, greeting Pitt. “The FBI has been questioning me all day, and now they won’t leave me alone.”

“They must have a soft spot for pretty research biochemists,” Pitt replied with a warm grin. He was secretly thankful for the guard, knowing that Martin was taking the matter seriously.

Lane blushed at the comment. “Loren phoned a short time ago but didn’t mention that you would be coming by.”

“I became a little concerned after hearing of the FBI’s investigation,” he said.

He noted that Lisa looked vastly improved since his last visit.Her color had returned, her eyes were clear, and her voice was strong. But a leg cast and a shoulder sling indicated that she was still far removed from participating in a game of Twister.

“What’s going on? They haven’t told me anything,” she said, giving him a pleading look.

“They think it may have been a planted bomb that blew up.”

“I figured that’s what they were driving at,” she said in a whisper. “I just can’t believe that would be true.”