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“What do you uarded tone

“I want enough e for six monthsNo, es around this one”

“Done,” Huang said

“I have established a network of midwives, but they need a trained professional to oversee them I want a family-practice physician flown in here this week to take over my practice”

“Done,” Huang repeated

Lee chided herself for not de more

“How soon do you need me?” she asked

“Now,” Huang said “The helicopter is waiting for you I would like you to speak at a sy”

She did a quick s could fit into a se elders and bid her aged parents and her patients a quick good-bye Standing, she extended her hand to seal the bargain

“Done,” she said

THREE DAYS LATER, Dr Lee stood on a podiu, steeling herself to address more than two hundred experts from around the world The woman on the podium bore no reselets by candlelight She wore a pin-striped business suit over a blouse of Chinese-flag red, a rose silk scarf encircling her neck A touch of htened the amber corateful that no one could see her callous palms

Soon after she had arrived in Beijing, Lee had gone on a shopping spree, courtesy of the People’s Republic of China At the first shop, she tossed her cotton jacket and slacks in the trash With each subsequent purchase, in so’s most fashionable boutiques, she redeemed a bit of her lost self-respect

Song Lee was in her er She was slender, with sure was adequate but unremarkable, it was her face that inevitably turned heads for a second look Long dark lashes shaded alert, questing eyes, and full lips alternated between a friendly sht,in the country, she had tied her long jet-black hair in a loose ponytail and tucked it under a cap thatMarch But noas styled and cut short

Since arriving in Beijing, Lee had attended a dizzying schedule of briefings and had been impressed at the swift reaction to the latest outbreak In contrast to the slow response several years before, hundreds of investigators and support staff had been mobilized around the world

China was taking the leading role in the fight against the outbreak and had invited experts to Beijing to demonstrate its robust reaction The speedy response had revealed a silver lining to a serious situation: everyone she talked to seemed confident that basic health practices could contain the SARS outbreak while researchers continued to look for the source and develop a diagnostic test and an appropriate vaccine