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The San Francisco branch of USAMRIID--the United States of America Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases--was constructed in what used to be the Treasure Island es in personnel and deployinal purpose to become outmoded It sat empty for several years, before the property was repurposed to allow theCalifornia biotech and medical research fields

I knew the history of the facility because I lived with my father and Joyce, both of ere more than happy to talk about where they worked, if not what they did every day I knew the word "outmoded" because of Sherman, who had chosen it as our word of the day over a year before

My cautiously opti holloithout even the co sound of drums to buoy me up No matter e did, no matter what I learned or what I was able to share withto be dead He was never going to teach me another vocabulary word, or threaten to seduce one

In that enesis, andit possible for the rest of it to happen in the first place I hated the so many of the people I cared about They were the ones who opened the broken doors, not us But ere the ones ere paying for their actions

My father pulled up at the gate, where sturdy-looking guard stations looreen was seated in the driver’s side booth, a clipboard in his hands My father rolled down hisThe young man rose, and saluted

"Colonel Mitchell," he said

"At ease, soldier" My father indicated hter, Sally Mitchell She’s on the approved visitor’s list I need a pass for her"

"Yes, sir" The young uard booth Therolled down as she approached my door I hate it when drivers do that It just reminds me of how little control I have

"Ma’am," she said

"Hello," I said

"Please look at the blue dot" The woman indicated a blue dot at the center of a suard station wall I looked at it, be on a keyboard "Her pass will be waiting when you get inside"

"Thank you," said my father, and drove onward to the barrier, which rose as we approached it

I sat back in"What just happened?"