“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.

“We have to face the fact that at some point in the next few weeks this whole situation is going to go critical. The remaining Agents are going to find out what we are doing and … well … we have to assume that they are going to launch their virus … at the very least. They may not be able to kill us all, but once they know that we are becoming immune, we have to assume that the AIs will react by either attacking immediately, hoping the immunity is not too widespread, or attempting to circumvent our antigen and build a new virus. John has said that if they get hold of a sample of the antigen they could, hypothetically, develop a pathogen that can withstand the antigen’s defenses. And if we delay our attack on the satellites long enough for that to happen … we will be done. End of game.”

They sat silent. Ayala and Jack Toranssen instinctively looked at the colonel, but he was as stunned as they were.

After a moment it was Martin, somewhat hesitantly, who offered up a thought, “So what you are saying is: we have up until the moment that the AIs figure out what is happening. Once that happens we have to launch our attack, whether the antigen is fully dispersed or not, we have to launch. If they can potentially counter the antigen we cannot give them the opportunity to do so. We will have to save whoever is already immunized.”

At Neal’s nod, Martin then asked, “I am assuming we cannot further speed the spread of the cure?”