Page 97 of The Presidents Shadow

WE HAVE MADE it back to New York. Maddy, Margo, Belinda, and I, along with our other team members, have arrived at the family mansion.

Grandma Jessica weeps with joy, but before we even greet and embrace one another, Margo does a patch test on all of us to see if we are carrying the Newbola virus.

News organizations around the world are reporting different ideas about how the virus is spread, so we must be extra cautious.

Every one of us tests negative—even Margo.

“Clearly, Dr. DaSilva’s vaccine worked,” Margo says. “We should let her know so that it can go into mass manufacturing immediately.”

“Hold on a second,” I say. “You weren’t vaccinated, remember? And neither were Maddy and Belinda. We can’t know that it was the vaccine that kept the rest of us safe, since those who weren’t vaccinated also tested negative.”

“True, Lamont,” Margo concedes. “But we’ve traveled across the world and were shoulder to shoulder with a large population in Dubai. If the virus isn’t only spreading through injection, transfusion or sexual contact anymore, the possibility of contagion was overwhelming.”

“Yes, but is that convincing enough for you to advise that the entire human race should be injected with this otherwise untried vaccine?”

“No,” she agrees. “Maybe our bad luck is actually changing. Why don’t we just accept it and enjoy these good results?”

Even if I’m not convinced the vaccine is what kept us safe in Dubai, I decide to get in touch with Dr. Anna DaSilva and let her know that it may have been effective for my team…

Dr. DaSilva begins the conversation.

“I prayed for your safety,” she says.

“The prayers worked,” I say.

“You know the old saying,” says Anna. “The prayers of great sinners can work miracles.”

Clever banter. Witty dialogue. Neither one of us is good at it. But more than that, I need an update on the status of Newbola. Has the vaccine she tried on us been tested more widely? Has good progress been made? Could our optimistic test results be incorrect?

“I have some important questions for you, Doctor,” I say.

“I’m sure you do,” she says. Her voice is calm, pleasant, confident. “Ask away. I’m sure I’ll have some helpful answers. Dealing with—and destroying—Newbola is now the most important thing in my life.”

“Me, too, Doctor,” I say, and then I begin.

“I need to let you know something. Margo administered the vaccine—”

It is at this precise moment that Margo madly waves her arms at me and then makes the football referee signal calling for a time out.

“Hold on a minute, Doctor,” I say to Anna DaSilva.

“President Townsend is calling,” says Margo. “I think you should talk to him.”

I begin my angry response. “Why would you say that, after everything that has—”

Margo interrupts loudly. “He said it was urgent.”

It’s then that I deliver to Dr. Anna DaSilva one of the most annoying phrases in the English language.

“I’ve got to take this call,” I say.

I click off Dr. DaSilva. I click on President Townsend.