\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sophie said it before anyone else spoke.<\/p>\n
Bell looked at her.<\/p>\n
Claire squeezed her hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo trade.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel leaned closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cSophie\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
She shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not letting him do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nobody misunderstood.<\/p>\n
Adrian wanted Sophie\u2019s medicine in exchange for another child\u2019s location.<\/p>\n
If they accepted his terms, one child might receive the rescue vector while the other could be left without it.<\/p>\n
Sophie stared at the vial on the tray.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe wants us to pick.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bell nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe doesn\u2019t get to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Claire felt fiercely proud and terrified at the same time.<\/p>\n
\u201cSophie, this medicine was prepared for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou need it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo does the other kid.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t know that yet,\u201d Dr. Shah said.<\/p>\n
Sophie looked at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut probably.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Shah did not answer.<\/p>\n
That was answer enough.<\/p>\n
Daniel crouched beside the bed.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don't have to solve this.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe made it my problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. He tried to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sophie stared at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s the difference?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel had no quick response.<\/p>\n
Eric stepped forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe difference is he wants you to believe you\u2019re responsible for what happens next.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sophie looked toward him.<\/p>\n
Eric continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re not.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has the kid.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe wants my medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd if I use it, the other kid might die.\u201d<\/p>\n
Eric\u2019s voice broke slightly.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf that happens, it is because of Adrian. Not because you chose to live.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sophie looked unconvinced.<\/p>\n
Claire understood.<\/p>\n
Adults could separate moral responsibility in theory.<\/p>\n
Children often felt it more directly.<\/p>\n
There was one dose.<\/p>\n
Two sick children.<\/p>\n
Everything else sounded like language.<\/p>\n
Bell said federal agents were surrounding the NorthStar research campus.<\/p>\n
Adrian\u2019s communication originated there.<\/p>\n
If the missing child was also on site, they might recover both without bargaining.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow long?\u201d Claire asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Shah glanced toward Sophie's monitor.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe cannot delay much longer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bell left to coordinate the operation.<\/p>\n
Claire looked at Dr. Shah.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow much time does Sophie have?\u201d<\/p>\n
The oncologist hated the question.<\/p>\n
\u201cHours before the risk rises substantially.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not minutes.<\/p>\n
Not days.<\/p>\n
Hours.<\/p>\n
Daniel paced once across the room.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat about making another dose?\u201d<\/p>\n
Morris had said the formulation could be reproduced.<\/p>\n
But production required specialized viral-vector equipment and quality controls.<\/p>\n
Days under ideal circumstances.<\/p>\n
Possibly weeks.<\/p>\n
They did not have either.<\/p>\n
Then Eric said, \u201cSamuel.\u201d<\/p>\n
Everyone looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe made this dose.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Shah nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen ask him if another exists.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bell called from the hallway and arranged immediate contact.<\/p>\n
Samuel appeared on a secure screen from federal detention.<\/p>\n
He looked irritated rather than frightened.<\/p>\n
Claire wanted to reach through the monitor.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs there another rescue dose?\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel studied the room.<\/p>\n
Then Sophie.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe activation accelerated.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel\u2019s face changed.<\/p>\n
Not much.<\/p>\n
Enough.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe chemotherapy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI warned you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Claire snapped.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou warned us after spending ten years hiding what you did.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel ignored her.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow advanced?\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Shah gave him laboratory values.<\/p>\n
He listened intently.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen administer the rescue vector now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s another child.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel went still.<\/p>\n
Eric leaned toward the screen.<\/p>\n
\u201cSubject 07.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel\u2019s expression became unreadable.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAdrian has them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel swore quietly.<\/p>\n
Claire stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho is Subject 07?\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel looked away.<\/p>\n
\u201cSamuel.\u201d<\/p>\n
He did not answer.<\/p>\n
Sophie spoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrandpa.\u201d<\/p>\n
His eyes returned to the screen.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho is the kid?\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel seemed to age in seconds.<\/p>\n
\u201cA boy named Lucas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow old?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTwelve.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you experiment on him?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sophie closed her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course you did.\u201d<\/p>\n
Claire asked whether another rescue dose existed.<\/p>\n
Samuel said no.<\/p>\n
Daniel stepped forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cCan you make one?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot in your hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel remained silent.<\/p>\n
Eric understood first.<\/p>\n
\u201cFacility 17.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel looked at him.<\/p>\n
The abandoned pharmaceutical warehouse.<\/p>\n
The site where investigators found stored samples and research records.<\/p>\n
Bell had described it as partially active despite its appearance.<\/p>\n
Claire leaned toward the screen.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs there manufacturing equipment there?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Shah asked what kind.<\/p>\n
Samuel listed systems for cell culture, vector purification, sequencing, and sterile preparation.<\/p>\n
She stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not a warehouse.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was once.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCan it produce another dose?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the right personnel.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow long?\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel paused.<\/p>\n
\u201cSix to eight hours.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Shah shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat's impossible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. Difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou cannot manufacture a human-use viral vector in six hours.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI can.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Shah stared at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot safely.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel\u2019s expression hardened.<\/p>\n
\u201cSafety is relative when a child is dying.\u201d<\/p>\n
Claire hated him for saying something that sounded painfully relevant.<\/p>\n
Daniel asked whether the second dose would be identical to Sophie's.<\/p>\n
Samuel said yes, assuming the necessary precursor stocks remained intact.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho has access?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAdrian.\u201d<\/p>\n
That complicated everything.<\/p>\n
Bell returned.<\/p>\n
Agents had entered the NorthStar campus.<\/p>\n
No child.<\/p>\n
No Adrian.<\/p>\n
The building was largely empty.<\/p>\n
But they found evidence someone had been there recently.<\/p>\n
Fresh medical supplies.<\/p>\n
Food.<\/p>\n
A bed.<\/p>\n
And pediatric monitoring equipment.<\/p>\n
Lucas had probably been held there.<\/p>\n
Moved before agents arrived.<\/p>\n
Sophie looked at the vial.<\/p>\n
\u201cUse this one on me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Claire searched her face.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat changed?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf Grandpa can make another one, make it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel interrupted.<\/p>\n
\u201cFacility 17 may already be compromised.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sophie looked at the screen.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen help them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel blinked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy should I trust federal agents with technology they barely understand?\u201d<\/p>\n
Sophie stared at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause you\u2019re in jail.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel covered his mouth.<\/p>\n
Even Dr. Shah looked away.<\/p>\n
Samuel\u2019s face tightened.<\/p>\n
Sophie continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd because Lucas is sick because of you too.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the first time Samuel did not have a response.<\/p>\n
Claire said, \u201cGive them everything they need.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel remained silent.<\/p>\n
Sophie whispered, \u201cPlease.\u201d<\/p>\n
That broke him.<\/p>\n
Not completely.<\/p>\n
But enough.<\/p>\n
Samuel provided access codes.<\/p>\n
Storage locations.<\/p>\n
Equipment instructions.<\/p>\n
Names of former technicians who might assist.<\/p>\n
Bell dispatched teams immediately.<\/p>\n
One former NorthStar virologist lived twenty miles away and agreed to cooperate under federal protection.<\/p>\n
Another was already in custody.<\/p>\n
The plan was reckless.<\/p>\n
Improvised.<\/p>\n
Potentially dangerous.<\/p>\n
It was also the only plan that offered both children a chance.<\/p>\n
At 5:02 a.m., Sophie's rescue infusion began.<\/p>\n
The clear liquid entered the IV line slowly.<\/p>\n
Claire watched every drop.<\/p>\n
Sophie held Daniel's hand.<\/p>\n
Maya sat on the other side of the bed.<\/p>\n
Eric stood farther away.<\/p>\n
Samuel remained on the secure screen until Dr. Shah ordered the connection terminated.<\/p>\n
For twenty minutes nothing happened.<\/p>\n
Then Sophie shivered.<\/p>\n
A minute later her temperature rose.<\/p>\n
Nurses moved.<\/p>\n
Medications were prepared.<\/p>\n
Dr. Shah expected an immune reaction, but expected did not make it less frightening.<\/p>\n
Sophie\u2019s blood pressure dipped.<\/p>\n
Oxygen saturation followed.<\/p>\n
Claire held her hand until staff needed access and gently moved her away.<\/p>\n
Daniel stood beside her.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome on, Bug.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sophie\u2019s eyes opened briefly.<\/p>\n
\u201cPotato.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel laughed and cried at the same time.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n
The fever climbed.<\/p>\n
Dr. Shah ordered immune-modulating medication.<\/p>\n
Maya watched the monitor.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis happened to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Claire looked at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow bad?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWorse.\u201d<\/p>\n
That was not comforting.<\/p>\n
But Maya leaned toward Sophie.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sophie\u2019s eyes opened again.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels awful, but it can stop.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sophie swallowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou sure?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sophie groaned.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was a bad pep talk.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maya smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m out of practice.\u201d<\/p>\n
At Facility 17, teams began preparing another rescue dose.<\/p>\n
Samuel supervised by secure video under armed guard.<\/p>\n
Dr. Morris joined remotely.<\/p>\n
For the first time, everyone responsible for fragments of the experiment was forced into the same effort.<\/p>\n
Not for research.<\/p>\n
Not for patents.<\/p>\n
For Lucas.<\/p>\n
At 7:30 a.m., Sophie's inflammatory markers peaked.<\/p>\n
Then stabilized.<\/p>\n
An hour later they began falling.<\/p>\n
Dr. Shah checked twice.<\/p>\n
Then a third time.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe activation is decreasing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Claire stared at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s working?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo far.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel bent over the bed.<\/p>\n
Sophie was asleep.<\/p>\n
He kissed her forehead.<\/p>\n
Maya looked toward the window and quietly wiped her eyes.<\/p>\n
The relief lasted twelve minutes.<\/p>\n
Bell\u2019s phone rang.<\/p>\n
He answered.<\/p>\n
His expression changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
Claire stood.<\/p>\n
Agents at Facility 17 had found the precursor material necessary to manufacture Lucas's dose.<\/p>\n
But one critical component was missing.<\/p>\n
A plasmid template containing the corrected off-switch sequence.<\/p>\n
Without it they could not complete the rescue vector.<\/p>\n
Samuel insisted the template had been stored in a secured freezer.<\/p>\n
The freezer was empty.<\/p>\n
Bell looked toward Eric.<\/p>\n
\u201cAdrian took it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sophie stirred.<\/p>\n
Claire felt hope slipping again.<\/p>\n
Then Maya stood.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe not.\u201d<\/p>\n
Everyone turned.<\/p>\n
Maya looked terrified.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy dad never trusted freezers.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d Bell asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe kept master sequences somewhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
Maya hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Shah stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou mean biological storage?\u201d<\/p>\n
Maya nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad said data could be stolen. Living cells were harder.\u201d<\/p>\n
Claire felt another terrible answer coming.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhose cells?\u201d<\/p>\n
Maya looked toward Sophie.<\/p>\n
\u201cMine.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d Sophie said it before anyone else spoke. Bell looked at her. Claire squeezed her hand. \u201cNo what?\u201d \u201cNo trade.\u201d Daniel leaned closer. \u201cSophie\u2014\u201d She shook her head. \u201cI\u2019m not … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30881,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30906","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insightdrama"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30906","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=30906"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30906\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31001,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30906\/revisions\/31001"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/30881"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=30906"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=30906"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=30906"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}