Gathering herself, she looked back up at Neal and said, “Tell us, Neal. What are we facing?” She was desolate. She had risked her life, and done so willingly, but to find out it had been for nothing was … demoralizing.

“Listen,” Neal spoke in placating tones, “it is not that bad, for the most part. In Northern and Western Africa the spread is strong in urban areas, but in Sahara and the central plains it has been slow, most likely because of the limited travel and communication in those regions. It is worst in the sparsely populated regions of the Middle East, as it seems to be more pronounced there, despite the much larger populations involved. I think that the same causes are true there as in Northern Africa but I suspect they are being compounded by the ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Kashmir. I suspect that the limits these are placing on the natural movements of the local peoples are further limiting our antigen’s spread.”

“How much longer do we need?” said Ayala, “How much longer till we have some effective level of coverage?”

Neal shrugged, “It’s difficult to say accurately, but I fear that in Kashmir, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran, the spread is disturbingly slow. It will take several months, maybe more, before the majority of people in that region are reached by the antigen.”

He met Ayala’s gaze frankly, not sugarcoating his news, but she knew that it was not just a matter of patience.

“So we can just wait?” said Jack, shrugging, but Neal shook his head slowly and Ayala lowered hers, disappointment mixing with frustration.

“Unfortunately, no.” said Neal, slowly, “The cases of recovery from serious infections are increasing, and as John’s last letter pointed out, the satellites are taking notice. Shahim and John may have been able to avert the AI’s attention for now, but it is only a question of time before the entire process becomes too widespread to ignore. Within the next few weeks new incidences of the flu and common cold will pretty much stop in Europe and North America … completely. Every hepatitis, tuberculosis, measles, and mumps patient will see a complete and total end to their symptoms.

“In places like Kenya, South Africa, Malaysia, all across the tropics, malaria and HIV will simply cease to be. Current estimates have HIV rates as high as 33% in some African nations. Millions of people will be better over night, their white blood cell counts returning to normal, which with the antigen backing them up will make their immune system better than it was even before they contracted the virus in the first place. With events that unprecedented, the world is going to notice, and so are the satellites. It is only a question of time before they go looking for the source of the change.