The lights came up. Luc Martineau was the first to clap, but others around the table joined in until a chorus of applause had erupted. Harvey Abram smiled at her from the far end of the long table, but Horton read only conditional approval in his expression, as if his smile said: “Sure it looks impressive, Ellen, but you haven’t accomplished anything yet.”

A woman near the end of the table, two seats away from the CEO, spoke up. “Dr. Horton, first, congratulations on the brilliant discovery. Well done! But can you tell us about the medication’s side effects?” she asked in a polite but insistent tone.

“Of course.” Horton locked eyes briefly with the attractive middle-aged woman who had posed the question. “In our volunteers, we have noticed a predictable incidence of gastrointestinal side effects, including nausea and diarrhea, which is standard for all antibiotics. The other side effects are rare and comparable with the placebo groups.”

Her answer led to another round of applause from the directors.

“But you’ve seen no worrisome or unexpected complications?” the same woman demanded, as she ran a hand through her short gray hair.

Horton glanced over to Luc Martineau. His blue eyes widened almost imperceptibly. She understood. Don’t mention the chimps!

Horton looked down and focused on the conference table in front of her. “No person in any phase of the testing has demonstrated a major adverse outcome,” she said quietly.

The comment was met by more applause, but Horton was immune to its effect.

She looked up. Abram was no longer smiling.

Horton inhaled and then exhaled a slow deep breath, but it didn’t relieve the sudden heaviness in her chest. She felt her throat tightening as if it might close up at any moment.

There’s no turning back now, Horton thought as she forced the saliva down the parched pinhole that was once her throat.

4 - Seattle, Washington

4

Seattle, Washington

Dr. Catalina Lopez sat at the table on the podium, struggling to keep the boredom off her face as she listened to the man at the microphone’s rambling question about West Nile Virus. She had already decided she would allow her partner on the panel, Dr. David Warmack from the state Department of Health, field the convoluted question.