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Back The Last Christian
Chapters (58)
  1. Cover
  2. Other Books by This Author
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. Prologue
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. 47
  55. 48
  56. 49
  57. 50
  58. Author’s Note

Kate breathed a sigh of relief. She had only known Abby for four days, and already she felt attached to her. “Thanks, Yopi. I’d like you to do one more thing for me. I’d like you to overnight the samples to Port Moresby. I just want the results confirmed.”

“I’ll send them right away.”

The supervisor’s image disappeared. Kate leaned back in her chair. Abby still wasn’t carrying anything in her blood. That was the good news. The mystery was that no one else from her village was carrying anything, either. So what killed them?

A puzzled expression crossed Abby’s face as she paced the hospital room. “They didn’t find anything?”

Kate sat in a chair by the wall. “No. All the samples tested negative. We have no idea what killed them. Whatever it was doesn’t appear in their blood, as far as we can tell.”

“How can that be?”

“Abby, I have no idea. It doesn’t make sense.”

“And my test results?” She stopped pacing, lifting her eyes from the tiles to meet Kate’s. She didn’t seem afraid, Kate noted, just wanting answers.

“Still negative as well.”

“So now what?”

“Now I have to schedule an autopsy on the chief.”

Abby’s brows rose. “Today?”

Kate shook her head. “Unfortunately, no. Several days at least. The morgue in Port Moresby is understaffed and backed up, as always.”

“Do I need to stay here until then?” She gestured at the white walls as if pushing them away from her.

Kate smiled at her. “No, hardly. I’m releasing you.”

Abby broke into the first real smile Kate had seen on her. “Releasing me?”

“Yes. Your injuries are healing, there’s nothing in your blood, and you have no symptoms of the village illness.”

“So where…” Abby fell silent and looked out the window.

Kate stood and took a step toward her. “Where do you go now?”

Abby nodded.

“The government has agreed to fly you back to the Inisi at any time. Same stipulations as before—you can’t go in and out. But if you want to remain in Lae a few days—”

“Dr. Sampson,” Abby exhaled, “I don’t have anyplace to stay.”

“You have a friend you could stay with.”

“Who?”

Kate smiled. “Me.”

6

I had barely opened my eyes before Alistair’s voice penetrated the silence of my bedroom. “Creighton, you may wish to access the Grid immediately this morning.”

“A disaster?”

“No. A scientific breakthrough.”

I swung my feet to the floor. “Very well.” I yawned. “Access it here.”

“Full recording or summary?”

“Full.”

I watched Bryson Nichols deliver a speech to his nonprofit foundation and then remove the top part of his skull. I sat speechless.