Page 101 of The Team

“Retired quietly,” Yunho said.

So basically a commendation. Motherfuckers.

“And all of Frankston’s files? The pathogen data and his manifesto on how to be a traitor and a giant piece of shit?”

Yunho chuckled. “We have it all.”

“Dead piece of shit now,” Rhett said, walking over.

“And Yin’s magic blood?” Jay asked. He looked up at Yin. “How many vials did they take? Leave you any?”

Jay understood they’d need his blood for tests, and that was fine. He just didn’t want the guy to become a lab rat.

“None,” Yin answered.

“None?”

Yunho sighed and closed his laptop. “The Chinese had been working on synthesising a cure, based on their test results from the explosion and what they took from him during his recovery.”

“I just assumed those blood tests were procedure,” Yin said with a shrug.

“It wasn’t in any of his medical records,” Jun-mei offered.

“No, it wasn’t,” Yunho agreed. “Not in his military records, anyway. I did find something in their hidden records though. The tests they’d run, the cure they’d found. Have you heard of the Warberg effect?”

Jay and Rhett both shook their heads.

“The long version involves cellular aerobic glycolysis in fighting cancers and mycotoxins.”

“What the scientists in Tehran were working on,” Jay said. “Doctor Azad Heydari.”

“Yes,” Yunho replied with a nod. “The shorter version of a long medical analogy is that Yin’s blood has anomalies with the BCL-2 protein, more specifically the BH3-only protein, and how it fights infection.”

What the hell?

Rhett side-eyed Yin. “Are you like superhuman or something?”

Everyone chuckled, but it was Yunho who answered. “No. It’s not medicallyuncommon, but those without this anomaly are likely to succumb to the pathogen. Like I said, the Chinese synthesised a cure based on Yin’s bloodwork.” Then Yunho smiled and shrugged. “And I shared that data with our own medical team. And with every government affiliated with the Milvus Division. If everybody has the cure, the pathogen has no monetary value, at least.”

Jay grinned at him. Sneaky bastard.

“And Myles?” Rhett asked. “We saw him in London, in the special care ward. He was doing better. Talking, at least.”

“Much better,” Yunho said. “He’ll never be back to what he was, and his Milvus days are over.”

Jay wasn’t surprised. He sighed. “And Yixing is back in London, back at work. HQ is working on extra security and more transparency. Which is a good thing, I guess.”

“I’ll keep an eye on them, darling,” Yunho said with a smile.

“And so will I,” Lucas declared, gesturing to his one good eye.

It made Jay chuckle. “So,” he hedged, looking around. “I was hoping Harry and Asher would be here. Where is my favourite cranky tank?”

Yunho’s eyes twinkled. “They’re in Sydney, paying someone a visit.”

That sounded fun . . . and somewhat sinister.

“Really?” Rhett asked, eyebrow raised. “And who might that be?”

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