In moments, Nate and Juan were once more on their way toward the camp itself. And Nate couldn't help but notice the doctor seemed especially nervous as they approached the looming barbed-wire fence surrounding the quarantined camp. “Your goal is to try and winnow out the false positives, right?”

“It is.”

“Then just focus on that,” Nate advised. “We’ll be in and out. Don’t forget that these patients don’t really know why they’re quarantined, and it’s best it stays that way. The Air Force guys have been told to segregate the population into male and female sections, but that’s all they know. The patients here aren’t allowed to bunk together, if you know what I mean. Even married couples.”

Nate added with as pleasant a tone as he could muster, “Remember, by your being involved, you’re saving lives. Besides, these folks aren’t going anywhere. Regardless of how difficult it might be, you’ll probably come up with some cure given enough time.”

Nate felt the doctor’s gaze turn to him as he pulled the large SUV to the entrance of the quarantine camp.

The heavy metal gate swung open as one of the airmen waved them in.

Skirting past a large unmarked bus, Nate drove toward another gated entrance which had also opened. Two fatigue-wearing airmen waved them toward a building that had a large red cross painted on it.

Another soldier was waiting for them there.

“Agent Carrington, Dr. Gutierrez. If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you the clinic facilities where your testing will take place.”

Juan pointed at the back of the SUV. “Hold on a second. I’ve got some equipment I need to bring in.” He turned, peered at Nate through the still-open passenger door and asked, “You coming?”

Nate switched off the ignition, pocketed the keys, and hopped out of the vehicle. “Sure. Let me help you with that box.”

###

Nate sat on a hard-backed folding chair in a windowless cinderblock room with harsh fluorescent lighting. It reminded him of an interrogation room and it smelled strongly of cleaning products. The only furniture was a single table and a few chairs.

The doctor had set up his equipment on the table and was testing its many connections. The device was roughly the size of a desktop computer. It consisted primarily of a box with various knobs, an LED readout, and a long flexible tube with a pipette on the end. Nate sensed that whatever had been bothering Juan earlier had at least been put into the back of his mind.

“Mind if I try this out on you?” Juan asked. “Just to make sure things are working?”

Moving his chair closer to the table, Nate shrugged. “Sure. What do I need to do?”

Wearing white latex gloves, Juan picked up the long tube and offered the end with the pipette to him. “Just hold that for a second.”