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"So how did it end up in Galveston?" Greer asked

"It shouldn’t have It should have sunk, just like the captain said"

"Yet it didn’t"

Michael frowned "It’s possible the currents could have pushed it here I don’t really knowit means There’s no barrier and never was"

Lucius looked at the newspaper again He pointedan avian source--"

"Birds"

"I’m familiar with the word, Michael Does it mean the virus could still be out there?"

"If they’re carriers, it ured it out, though"

" ‘In rare instances,’ " Greer read aloud, " ‘victims of the illness have exhibited the transfor a ressiveness, but whether any of these individuals have survived past the thirty-six-hour threshold is not known’ "

"That gotabout virals?"

"If so, they’re a different strain"

"Meaning they could still be alive Killing the Twelve wouldn’t have affected the

"Good God"

"You want to knohat’s funny?" Michael said "Maybe funny’s not the right word The world quarantined us and left us to die In the end, it’s the only reason we’re still here"

Greer rose from the table and fetched a whiskey bottle frolasses, handed one to Michael, and sipped Michael did the same

"Think about it, Lucius That ship traveled halfway around the world, never bu in a stores to ht under our noses What are the odds?"