Pearson was unfazed by Lopez’s sarcasm. “Wow. That’s more than I can say for my kids at college,” he said to more laughter. “Docs, I’m hearing rumors from my sources at The Unit in Harborcenter of dramatic improvements with some new wonder drug. Care to elaborate?”

Lopez glanced at Warmack who nodded once. She leaned closer to the mike. “It is way too early to classify Oraloxin as a wonder drug. Patients only began treatment less than thirty-six hours ago. The best we can say is that early results look promising.”

“Why has it taken you so long to try it?” Pearson asked with an edge.

Warmack looked at Lopez warily, but she maintained her cool. “Oraloxin is still a research drug intended for a very specific use,” she said. “It’s not even yet approved by the FDA. One of the clinicians at a trial center was astute enough to try this drug when all others failed.”

“Who?” Pearson demanded.

Lopez opted to protect Kilburn from the wolves. “A Canadian infectious-diseases specialist,” she said vaguely.

Warmack swung his finger to another woman in the aisle. “You, ma’am. Last question.”

“Can you tell us any more about the origins of this bug?” she asked in a voice barely audible over the room’s other noises.

Warmack shook his head. “I think we covered that at the last press conference.”

“Why are you so sure this is a naturally-occurring bug?” the woman persisted. “How do you know it isn’t being spread like the anthrax letters were.”

Lopez reached for the mike, tempted to expand upon the theory. Warmack viewed her, his eyes clouded with warning. She flashed him a smile and tapped the back of his hand once. “The CDC is working under the hypothesis that MRGAS is a spontaneously occurring superbug like all the ones before it” she said. “However, until we’ve definitively established its origins, we will not discount any possibility during our investigation. Thank you very much.”

More questions rained down on them, but they stood up and walked briskly for the door. Remembering Warmack’s advice, Lopez sprinted for the safety of the stairwell, beating Warmack.

Joining her on the fourth-floor landing, Warmack smiled and shook a finger at her. “No yelling. No biting. And no tattling,” he said. “Thank you, Cat. You behaved well in there.”

She shook her head. “I lied to them.”

“You didn’t lie,” he said. “You shared as much as was safe to share. And that’s our job to do.” He paused. “Let’s say you’re right about this Tyler/Forbes guy—”

“We are right, David.”

“Okay, supposing you announced it to the world? What do you think would happen to him?”

Of course! Lopez thought. She viewed her older colleague with renewed respect. “He doesn’t need to spread this further. It’s self-propagating now. He could just disappear.”