Page 61 of Wild Fever
I exchanged a look with Kara, sadness pulling her face.
I moved to the hatch and climbed down the companionway. “There has got to be something you can do.”
“You shouldn’t be here, and we shouldn’t be talking about this.”
“Well, we’re here, and we are.”
Dr. Malcolm stared at me with a tense face. It was easy to see he was tormented by the fact that his creation had come back to haunt him.
“Would you just take a look at the data? This variant could be a modification of your original design.”
He looked horrified at the thought.
I pulled up the chemical analysis on my phone and handed it to him.
Kara had followed us below deck.
Malcolm studied the data, and his eyes filled with concern. Somewhat perplexed, he looked at me, then at Kara. “This chemical was isolated in your blood?”
She nodded.
“When do you think the toxin was administered?”
Kara shrugged. “Two days ago, maybe. I’m not sure.”
He looked over the data again. “This has been modified. But I’m not sure to what purpose. These changes wouldn’t necessarily enhance the effect.” He thought about it for a moment, putting the puzzle pieces together. “I need to run more tests.”
“By all means, please do,” Kara said, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
"You have to understand, I created this as a force for good.”
I gave him an incredulous look.
"Velotraxin was originally designed to inhibit strokes and break up blood clots quickly without harming surrounding endothelial tissue. Needless to say, it was a miserable failure. It was something I was working on while under contract at DRI.” A frustrated look tensed his face. "Of course, my work got co-optedfor a military application. I never intended to create a tool for death and destruction.”
"I don't really care what your intentions were," Kara said. "I just want to live past tomorrow.”
Dr. Malcolm hesitated for a long moment, then relented. "I’ll need to do another blood draw and run more tests. From what I know, a generation two drug has not been developed. At least, not with my knowledge.”
"Are you still working with the CIA?”
Vernon shifted uncomfortably. "I prefer not to answer that."
"I'll take that as a yes.”
"It's not that simple.”
"It never is.”
Dr. Malcolm paused. "This chemical structure has some bond deviations. Possibly a missing isomer.”
"Speak in English," I said.
"It looks like this variant was synthesized with nonstandard chemicals. I need to do a full isotope analysis, look at the trace compounds, see what stabilizers were used, and evaluate the delivery mechanism."
"And that could lead to an antidote?" Kara asked.
"If I can determine exactly how the structure deviates, perhaps there might be a way to halt the mechanism of action." A grim frown tugged his face. "I don’t want to get your hopes up. It's a long shot.”
