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Director Swenson walked the full length of the conference table to sit at the head Alpha ned to say "This is e here"--I was sort of surprised he didn’t lift his leg and piss on soht? It would explain how they kept everything so daood little peons, finally sitting down next to each other on the left-hand side of the table Becks took the seat closer to the director Sure, I was technically in charge of our little fact-finding expedition, but of the two of us, I was the one more likely to launch myself for his throat, and anted to avoid that if at all possible Attacking high-ranking CDC officials isn’t really the best way to get what you want

"Now, then," said the director, gracing us with a fatherly smile as warm as it was artificial "What can I do for the two of you? I’ll admit, I was a bit surprised that you didn’t phone ahead That’s standard for most representatives of the media"

"Yeah, we’re really sorry about that," I said, not bothering to inject the slightest note of apology into ed to leave ain, Becks?"

"In your office," said Becks pro together, she’d better

"Right, in my office" I bared my teeth at Director Swenson in an approximation of his smile The corners of hisin his eyes That was good I wanted him off balance "That’s sort of the probleuess--in Oakland, basically right at the center of the zone that got firebo when the quarantine came down, but not all my people made it out"

"I see" Director Swenson leaned back in his chair, expression s into careful neutrality The confusion in his eyes faded, replaced by wariness "You’re very fortunate That outbreak was particularly bad"

"Yeah, how did that happen as fast as it did? Isn’t the CDC supposed to prevent things like that?" asked Becks I shot her a sharp look She ignored me, attention focused on Director Swenson like a sniper focuses on a target

She had friends inside the blast zone, said George Not just Dave Civilian friends

It was all I could do not to wince I’d been withdrawn since George died, which hbors in our bucolic little part of Oakland Becks was a hell of a lot arious She probably knew everyone on our block, not just in our building, and could recite the na the Wall And noe knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the CDC was involv in soether, and I’d basically pri stuck in the blast radius was going to be a good thing or a bad thing

"It appears that so Ahts," said Director Swenson, smoothly as you please "Fros became infected and attacked the others The pack attacked their handler when he cas were able to escape, and those large enough to amplify went on to infect individuals all around the area It becae to contain shortly after"

It was a textbook example of a no-win infection scenario That was the problem Textbook examples al her mouth, probably to say just that I cla hard The pressure was enough to cut her off She shother, and cleared my throat

"Would’ve still been nice if you’d sent, I don’t know, a rescue helicopter or so for folks inside the blast radius, but that’s beside the point," I said sh "Anyway, I’ lost your number in the explosion and all"

The explosion didn’t wipe the CDC’s phone number off the Internet, but that didn’t really h that Director Swenson couldn’t get aith callingHis nostrils flared slightly fro his expression neutral I smiled

"Yes, absolutely," said Director Swenson "Now, to what do e the honor of this visit?"

"To get a little background, , you reia Carolyn Mason?" Becks winced at the sound of George’s na of e cae snorted with brief aoing to let me be the one to send out the invitations

Director Swenson nodded "I’ve seen her file Her death was--any death is tragic, but what she accomplished, even after the point of initial a You must be very proud"

"She died in the field," I said, as flatly as I could "Just the way she would have wanted to go"

"I’reat comfort to you" He sounded like he h It took every inch of self-control I had to peel h the way I was squeezing must have hurt