“Problems.” The first man laughed. “You don’t know shit about problems. I killed the project with the Germans and now I’ve got a buttload of people carrying a deadly virus that your people assured me wouldn’t get out of hand. But now, look at what I’m faced with.”

“I understand, Mr. President.”

Juan’s eyes widened. That’s why the voice was familiar.

“We’ll have them all in secure facilities,” the second man continued. “Nobody’s going to know.”

“Are you retarded? We’ve got families in those quarantine centers, right? Kids. Women. Men. What if one of them wants to get frisky? You going to assure me that we’ll be able to control these loose ends forever?

“Try separating a family. Try stopping some horndog from getting busy with one of the hotties. And if one of them gets pregnant, you think you’ll be able to force an abortion? Shit, who even knows if we can abort these monstrosities. Might need to just off her right there, and then what? And you’re telling me you’re going to be able to keep this quiet?”

Juan’s stomach gurgled and he broke out in a cold sweat.

The second man sighed. “I suppose you’re right.”

“Of course I am, asshole.”

“So what do you suggest, sir?”

“Do I really have to spell things out for you?” The president made a spitting sound. “When you finally get everyone in a secure facility, we need an accident to occur. A big, fiery one. You get my drift, soldier?”

Juan bent over and hurled up his dinner.

“Yes, Mr. President. Is that an order?”

“An accident. That means no traceability. And yes, that’s an order.”

Hutchison stopped the playback. “Now you know what’s at stake.”

“But, I—”

“This isn’t about you, Dr. Gutierrez.”

Juan’s hands were shaking as he wiped his face. “What do you want me to do?”

Hutchison’s ice-blue eyes were cold; he seemed unfazed by what they’d just heard. “I want you to realize that this isn’t about curiosity, and it’s not about your research. This is about stopping that virus. Lives are at stake. I’d estimate it’ll take no more than ten days before all of those people can be gathered in one spot. And when that happens, the big fiery accident occurs and the world forgets those people ever existed.”

Hutchison’s words echoed in Juan’s mind. He’d been working practically around the clock—and it still wasn’t fast enough. He needed to reverse the effects of this virus, and he had to do it now. Or all of those people were going to die.