She stared into his eyes again, and this time he thought she found what it was she needed.
“Prove it,” she said.
Holding her tightly, and sliding her into a tight embrace, he did.
IN THE BACK OF THE FREEZER, tucked behind a bag of frozen broccoli and a steak, a thin metal tube rested. It was about the size of a lipstick container, and frosted with the cold. Brin had placed it there just before Alex arrived home. She knew she should have told him the truth, but she would allow herself this one lie. The nanoagents weren’t sus-ceptible to extreme cold, just heat. She didn’t know exactly what she’d do with it—where she could go to work on it—but she knew it might be a cure.
Someday.
If it was in her power, she would make her husband—and her world—right again. She had hope and that, at least, was a small start. Her memory was excellent. The loss of the data wasn’t that big a deal, so long as she had the nanoagents, the possibility of reconstructing the work for good purposes was there.
If only she could win the race with the clock.
If only she could do it before they were out of time.
DENNY TALBOT NODDED to himself. He’d just received his orders from Kate Cochran. He’d know it would come down to this but he always regretted losing a good agent. The accident would be tragic and the child would be orphaned but Kate’s directive had been clear.
“They know too much, she has the nanoagents, they can’t be trusted,” Kate had sated before issuing the order.
Denny called the agent he’d put on standby notice.
“The termination order is in effect. Do what you have to do.”
