Invasive Procedures Read Online Free PDF Page A

you got this . . . uh . . . thing sealed tight down in Level 4, Frank?”
    “Safely contained, sir,” Frank said.
    “And this countervirus, you’ve developed,” said Riggs, “how is it that it’s able to stop the virus?”
    “It’s an antiviral compound that includes a benign strain of the virus, allowing it to function as both a vaccine and a treatment.”
    “Impressive,” Riggs said, nodding.
    “Theoretically,” Frank said quickly. “Again, this hasn’t been tested on human subjects.”
    “Still,” Riggs said, examining the file again. “This is quite a feat in a relatively brief amount of time.”
    “I’m telling you, boys,” Temin said, laughing and slapping the table. “A virus killer. You couldn’t have picked a better man.”
    “Indeed,” said Riggs, smiling along with him.
    “Where did you find it?” Frank asked suddenly.
    The broad smile across Riggs’s face slowly waned.
    “It was engineered, obviously,” said Frank. “A retroviral vector doesn’t simply spring from the jungles of Africa. Someone made it. Who?”
    Agents Carter and Riggs exchanged glances during the silence that followed.
    Frank pressed on. “With all due respect, gentlemen, you’ve been jerking me around ever since you politely dropped off the sample. You give me very little preliminary data. You don’t tell how the sample came into your possession, nothing that could have directed my research. Then you ignore my repeated requests for additional intelligence. This seems counterproductive to me. The more I know about the virus, the better able I am to combat it.”
    There was a moment’s silence, then Riggs shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
    “Is it a weapon?” Frank said.
    Temin’s brow wrinkled, and he looked scowlingly at the agents. “Weapon?”
    “Retroviral vectors have two purposes, General,” said Frank. “They’re either medicinal or a very cruel biological weapon.”
    “What the hell is he talking about?” Temin said to the agents. He pointed an accusatory index finger. “Have you boys been harboring a bioweapon in this facility here without my knowledge? Because if so, so help me—”
    “It’s not a weapon, sir,” Riggs said.
    “No?” Temin said, his index finger frozen in air, his expression both deflated and confused.
    “Our purpose here today, sir,” said Riggs, “is not to give an intelligence briefing. Much of what we know about the virus is still highly classified.”
    “Classified?” Temin said, throwing a hand up. “Hell, I got more clearance than most of Congress.”
    “I’m sure you do, sir,” said Riggs. “But our visit today concerns Dr. Hartman and his future role in our fight against VI6.”
    “V16?” said Frank.
    “The name we’ve given the virus,” said Riggs.
    “You say my
future
role,” Frank said. “You sound as if it’s larger than perhaps I am aware.”
    Agent Riggs looked knowingly at General Temin, who grunted and folded his arms in an obvious show of disagreement.
    Frank caught Temin’s eye, but the general quickly looked away.
    Agent Riggs leaned forward in his chair and pressed his hands together as if in prayer. “Dr. Hartman, you have my apologies if our secrecy on this matter has in any way hindered your research. The fact remains, however, that, despite our concealment, you’ve discovered how to treat VI6. That makes you a very important person to us.” He looked down at the folder a moment and cleared his throat. “As I’m sure you’re aware, Dr. Hartman, this facility is a critical component of the US Biological Defense Program. General Temin here works closely with the Defense Department’s interagency counterterrorism effort, of which our agency, the BHA, is also engaged. When the need arises, and with the approval of the Defense Department, we can recruit from this facility.”
    Frank glanced at General Temin, who seemed to be expecting this, then turned back to the agents. “Are you implying, Agent Riggs, that you’re here