“Morgan’s going to the White House on Monday morning,” I say, putting the necessary awe into my voice. “Big meeting. Think we’ll ever see the inside of that place?” Then I add, “Patrick will be there.”

Understanding lights up Lorenzo’s face, but he says nothing.

I’ll tell him the rest once we get inside the biochem lab.

Or not.

He slides his key card into the slot, and this time, instead of the light turning green, instead of the soft ping and click of electronics and mechanics, there’s a sharp buzz and a flashing red light. I try mine, with the same result.

We’re locked out.

Chapter Sixty

SIXTY

I’m on the intercom to Morgan before Lorenzo can stop me.

“We need access to the biochem lab,” I say. Then, hearing the fury in my own voice: “There must be a mistake, Morgan. Can you—”

He cuts me off. “No, you don’t. And no, I can’t.”

“What?” The word comes out as if I’ve just spit, which is exactly what I’d like to do, right in Morgan’s ratlike face.

“Jean, Jean, Jean,” he says, and I prepare myself for his impatient-kindergarten-teacher lecture. “If the Ray woman’s trial is successful, you’re done here. You and Lorenzo have nothing more to work on.”

Oh yes, we do, I think.

“And Lin,” I say, fishing. “Or is Lin not on the team anymore?”

“Of course. I meant you and Lorenzo and Lin. The whole team.”

Lorenzo, who’s been listening in, his head so close to mine I can feel the bristle of unshaved cheek, interrupts. “Morgan, we need the lab for propagation. We’ve got a limited quantity of serum. You know that.”

Silence, then: “That’s being dealt with. By another team. The propagation, I mean.”

Right. And the reverse engineering. The Gold team must be as busy as a hive today.

I nod to Lorenzo and point toward the storage refrigerator behind him, then wedge the intercom’s handset between my ear and shoulder, leaving my hands free. I hold up six fingers, then only one.

“Nice,” Lorenzo says after opening the refrigerator and counting the vials. He mouths, “Morgan?”

I shrug, as if to say, Who else?

“Jean? Did you hear me? I said Mrs. Ray is here. We’re bringing her down in a few minutes.”

“Yeah, Morgan. I heard you.” And I hang up.

Last night, or this morning, I asked Patrick about the viability of reversing the serum, turning our cure into a weapon using only the product.