“That’s good, I’m going to need them, thank you. Mr. Winston here will talk to you about procedure a bit later, but here’s a thumbnail: no one is to go into the level-three lab until it’s cleared. The Rothman lab itself will be off-limits until further notice. I’ve already put in a call to the CDC to get their help on the epidemiology side so we can find out how this contamination occurred. Right now, everyone needs to follow me to the Infectious Disease Clinic, where you’ll be screened for typhoid fever. Everyone will also need to take a prophylactic course of antibiotics. This is very important. For the next week you’ll have to monitor your own temperature twice a day. Anything unusual, come in right away. A degree either side of normal, I want to see you. Any questions?”

“Who raised the alarm?” Singh asked.

“There’s a panic button in the biosafety lab,” Springer said. “One of the doctors must have hit it. We’ll check the tape.”

“Does everyone need to come to the clinic?” Pia asked. “Even people who haven’t been in the biosafety unit today?”

“Absolutely. And Mr. Winston will also be gathering names of everyone who’s been here delivering supplies or takeout or whatever. We want to see everyone who has set foot inside this lab. That’s it. Thank you for your cooperation.”

The din of conversation erupted again.

“Oh my God!” Lesley said. “Did you see how they looked? It must have come on fast.”

“Dr. Yamamoto told me he didn’t feel so hot this morning,” Will said. “But yeah, I saw how they looked. I guess we better go do what the man said.”

Pia looked around. The maintenance man was hanging back, and though Pia didn’t want to talk to him, she knew he needed to follow the protocol.

“There’s a medical issue,” she said to the man. His temporary name tag read “O’Meary.” “You have to come to the clinic with everyone else.”

O’Meary looked nervous and didn’t say anything. Winston called out to Pia.

“Time to go,” he said. “We’re locking down.” There was clearly no room for argument. Pia waited for O’Meary to leave and exited in front of Winston. As the last person out, Winston pulled the door shut and talked to two figures in full hazmat suits standing outside.

“No one gets in,” Winston said. “Put up the caution tape.” The men in the hazmat suits nodded and set to work.