“Not yet, sir. We’ve identified the function of most of the changed genes and are finally in the process of doing a gene knockout assay. Hopefully in the next couple months we’ll have narrowed down the changes to the key genetic fragments we need.”

Winslow leaned forward and stared directly at Juan as he drummed his fingers on his desk. “And how would you propose using that knowledge to treat a human patient?”

A tingle raced up Juan’s neck and his pulse quickened. It was the first time anyone in his management chain had even talked about a next step involving a human patient.

“Sir, we’ve already been using viral agents to treat the specimens. Lately we’ve been successfully inducing sporulation so that the viruses are able to be ingested, the spores burst in the animal’s gut, and only then do they distribute the genetic material.”

To Juan’s surprise, Winslow gave him a warm smile. “Young man, if this all works out, you’re going to revolutionize gene therapy and oncology.”

Juan’s face flushed.

“Yes,” Winslow continued, “I like where you’re going with all of this, and frankly, the results you’ve gotten are miraculous. To you, it must seem like we’ve been real hardasses on you. And I suppose we have. But for a reason. I knew that if by some miracle you could make something of this, we’d have a lot of people in the FDA and other government agencies to convince before we could move forward.”

He jabbed a finger at Juan. “Now it is up to you to take it home. Finish the knockout assay. And when you think you’re at a stage where you’ve isolated the genetic updates to their key constituent parts, then I’ll help you walk it through the ECRB for phase zero human trials.”

Juan’s mind raced as he considered what he had to do next. “Thank you, sir. I’ll do my best.”

Winslow walked around his desk and wrapped an arm around Juan’s shoulders. “Of that, I have no doubt.”

###

A dense crowd of travelers raced past Juan on their way to their gates. Reagan National Airport was busier than normal—but Juan was in no rush. His flight home to Rochester had been delayed two hours. He’d taken up residence in an airport lounge, where he’d been nursing a single beer the entire time.

Still, he could hardly suppress a smile as he indulged in the realization that he was almost there. He might actually be taking what had been a crazy long-shot idea and turning it into something that would save millions of lives. He took a sip of his beer and said to nobody in particular, “Maybe in just a couple months, I’ll be treating my first human patient.”