Page 159 of Stars

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50

Beijing, China

“Today we are repatriatingthe American astronaut, Commander Mark Keating, and his wife to the United States,” President Wu said. “One month ago, we engaged in a humanitarian rescue mission, saving the lives of Commander Keating and a Russian astronaut serving at NASA from where they were marooned in orbit. Our brightest medical and scientific minds were able to successfully treat the sickness that plagued the astronauts on the International Space Station.”

After weeks of the United States clamoring for information on its astronauts and repeated demands for the return of its citizens, President Wu had called a press conference at Zhongnanhai. He invited the world’s media and the American embassy in Beijing.

The Americans waited on one side of the room as President Wu gave his speech.

“Commander Keating and his wife have been honored guests of the People’s Republic. We are pleased to have hosted them both, and we welcome Commander Keating and his wife back at any time. They return to the United States with our blessings for long, healthy, and prosperous lives.”

President Wu nodded and stepped away from the podium. He refused to take any questions.

At the far end of the hall, double doors opened, revealing Mark and Lindsey. They both wore suits gifted them by Colonel Song and waved to the media as they strode to the American delegation.

Halfway across the room, Mark turned to the Chinese president. He bowed, whispering, “Thank you, Mr. President.”

President Wu smiled and held out his hand. “It was our pleasure.” He took a thick envelope from Colonel Song, standing on his left, and passed it to Mark. “Please give this to your president.”

“What is it?”

“Copies of your medical record, our scientific analysis of the virus—including its genetic code—and our medical record for Kilaqqi. We have also included samples of Kilaqqi’s antibodies.”

Mark swallowed. “What are your plans for the virus, now that you have it?”

President Wu smiled. “We have the virus, and the United States has the blueprint for immunity. The world is balanced again.”

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51

The Midlands

England

“Jack,I wondered if I would hear from you.” Dr. Mendoza’s voice was warm but gently chiding. “You disappeared after you sent those bones to me and my people.”

“Penelope, I have to thank you,” Jack said. He stood in his new office in a sprawling estate Welby had purchased in the Midlands of England while he and Ethan were guests at the Chinese biological research compound. He’d instructed Welby to sell the DC house and office and relocate everyone to England as soon as possible.

Ethan’s only request had beennot London.

“Why are you thanking me?”

“How much news have you seen in the past two months? Do you know about the space station?”

“It was lost,” she said. She sounded far away, more than just a continent separating them. Static floated over the line, twirling with wind from the Sakha Republic. “There was an accident, we heard.”

“It was no accident. The ISS was destroyed after a biological weapon got loose on board and killed nearly all of the crew. There were only two survivors.”

“We heard nothing of that. But what does that have to do with me?”

“Because the weapon was the same as the one your people found in Sakha.” He told her about Lazarus, about his original mission to destroy the Soviet biological weapons program from within and how his hatred and madness had consumed him. About the virus he made and how it ended up in orbit, dormant in the body of Kilaqqi’s twin brother. And how it came back to life when a Russian dissident kick-started the same Soviet satellite, activating a weapons platform that would guarantee a response and bring the virus back down to Earth.

“We figured out what was happening thanks to you,” he said. “Because you had us looking for a biological weapon, we found General Sevastyanov, who led us to Lazarus. We were able to stop the virus before it came down to Earth and treat the two survivors when we rescued them.”

“What happened to this Lazarus?”