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"When was this taken?" Guilder asked

"Seventeen o These are Richards’s files"

God daht It was just like Lear had said

"If he’s got the virus," Nelson said, "the question is why it’s acting differently in his body It could be a variant we haven’t seen, one that activates the thyoes dor else, particular to hiood as mine Some sort of natural immunity seems the likely culprit, but there’s no way of really knowing It ens he was taking All the sweeps were taking pretty big doses Depo-Provera, spironolactone, prednisone"

"You think the steroids did this?"

Nelson shrugged halfheartedly "It could be a factor We know the virus interacts with the endocrine systeens" He closed the file and turned in his chair "But here’s so on the wo I printed it up for you"

Nelson presented hie

"She’s an MD?"

"Orthopedic surgeon Keep going"

Guilder read Lila Beatrice Kyle, born September 29, 1974, Boston, Massachusetts Parents both acadelish professor at BU, the mother a historian at Simmons Andover then Wellesley, followed by four years at Dartree Residency and then a fellowship in orthopedics at Denver General All i Guilder turned to the next page What was he looking at? The first page of an IRS foro

Lila Kyle wasrins "I told you that you were going to like it The Agent Wolgast They had one child, a daughter, deceased Soenital heart defect Divorced three years later She got reo to a doctor orks at the saes on hi"

"Okay, so she’s an MD Is there any record of her at the Chalet? Was it possible she was on the staff?"

Nelson shook his head "Nothing And I seriously doubt Richards would have missed this As far as I can see, there’s no reason not to think Grey found her just like he said"

"She could have been in the truck in that first aerial we got We wouldn’t have seen her"

"True But I don’t think Grey’s lying about where he met her The story’s just too weird to make up And I checked: her Denver address puts her within just a couple of miles of a Hoht through there You’ve talked to her She seems to think Grey is some kind of handy on The wonosis?"

Nelson shrugged "There’s no history of psychiatric illness in the paperwork, but consider her situation She’s pregnant, hiding, on the run People are getting ripped to shreds Soets left behind Hoould you feel? The brain’s a pretty ni reality for her, and doing a hell of a good job Based on Grey’s file, I’d say she’s got plenty in coht a moment and returned the file to the desk "Well, I’ it What are the chances that these tould si a coincidence"

"Maybe," Nelson said "Either way, it doesn’t tell us ht be infected, but we’re just not seeing it Maybe her pregnancyis she?"

"I’m no expert, but from fetal size, I’d say about thirty weeks You can check with Suresh"

Suresh was the MD Guilder had brought in from USAMRIID An infectious diseases doc, he’d been tasked to Special Weapons only six o Guilder had told him little, only that Grey and the woet a decent culture fro we can isolate the virus at all, soht and seventy-two hours If you’re really asking my opinion, the wisest course would be to pack him off to Atlanta They’re the ones who are best equipped to handle so like this And if Grey’s iones be bygones Not with so much at stake"

Guilder shook his head "Let’s wait until we have so Not with the way things are going"

"We won’t But you heard the guy He thinks he’s been sleeping in ato take us seriously if that’s all we’ve got They’ll lock us both up and throay the key if we’re lucky"

Nelson frowned, touching his beard with a thoughtful gesture "I see your point"

"I’ on’t tell them," Guilder offered "But let’s move cautiously Seventy-two hours, then I’ll ht?"

A frozen ht it? Then the " Guilder clapped a hand on Nelson’s shoulder "And tell Suresh to keep the two of the If either of them flips, I don’t want to take any chances"

"You think those straps will hold?"