Contagious Read Free

that resulted in casualties, what might very well be alien machines . . . and no one knew. The media didn’t even have an inkling. John now understood why his predecessor raved about Murray Longworth.

“We still don’t really know what we’re up against,” Murray said. “We haven’t been able to capture one of those hatchlings alive. The ones we kill disintegrate very quickly, within a few hours. Even the gate material breaks down almost immediately, so that hasn’t given us any information.”

“How do we know that these things are truly hostile?” Donald said. Vanessa and Tom “They attacked our troops, I understand, but could that be a defensive action, to protect this construct long enough for them to . . . I can’t believe I’m even saying this out loud . . . long enough for them to make contact?”

“A race that technologically advanced could initiate at least a rudimentary communication,” Murray said. “The only logical reason they haven’t is that they don’t want to. They build only in remote areas. Why not build whatever it is out in the open? Because if they did that, our military could surround them and prepare for whatever came through. That’s not a problem unless you’re bringing in your own military units. This seclusion indicates they want to insert assets, assets that could be vulnerable during the insertion process.”

“A beachhead,” Donald said. “They want to control a landing zone.”

Murray nodded. “That’s our assessment, Mister Secretary. And finally, look at the behavior of the infected victims. These parasites represent a level of bioengineering we can’t even fathom. Could something capable of utilizing a human host like that accidentally create behavior that makes the host avoid contact with health-care professionals? Or kill people very close to them, people who might see the welts and call for help?”

Murray stopped talking. He stood motionless, his hands by his sides. Donald, Vanessa and Tom all turned to look at John. He took a long sip of water. What the fuck was he going to do with Hutchins’s little going-away present?

He set the water down.

“Donald,” John said. “In your position as secretary of defense, do you think these things are hostile?”

Donald nodded. “Based on what we’ve been told, yes.”

He looked at Vanessa. “And you?”

She looked as if it pained her to say the words. “I also would agree, but based on what we’ve been told, Mister President, we have to go public with this.”

“Are you fucking nuts ?” Murray said. He looked at everyone in the room, then stood a little straighter. “My apologies for my outburst, but this is a bad time to go public. Doctor Montoya is developing a test that will detect the disease. We have Phillips’s team in place, and we’re actively seeking additional hosts.”

“Trust the people,” Vanessa said. “We need to tackle this as a nation.”

John leaned back in his chair. Nothing like a major, possibly historical decision to kick off his presidency in style.

“Murray,” John said. “How long until the test is ready?”

“We can’t say for sure,” Murray said. “At least a week, but we won’t know if it works until we find more hosts.”

Opening up this can of worms to the public . . . now might not be the time. Murray Longworth had kept things secret for five administrations; John imagined he could do the same for a sixth.

“Two weeks,” John said. “I want two weeks to evaluate the situation. Let’s get that test working and move from there. And, Murray, keep this thing quiet.”

Murray nodded. He looked pleased, as if somehow he’d known all along that this was how the meeting would turn out. John couldn’t miss his small smile.

John could also see that Vanessa didn’t miss it, either.

 
     
     
     
    TAD TAKES A LEAP

They were going to get him.

Tad wasn’t going to let that happen, even if he had to kill himself.

The window slid open.

Curtains blew back, thrown by the same nighttime wind that splashed cold