The Tide: Breakwater (Tide Series Book 2) by Anthony J Melchiorri Read Free Book Online Page B

sounds like you don’t have scientific advisers on your staff,” Meredith said. “There’s a critical problem to your plan.”
    “Enlighten me.”
    “You can destroy all the hosts of the Oni Agent, but that will never destroy the bioweapon itself. We eliminated the laboratory where we think it was being produced.” Meredith shook her head. “But there may be a lab somewhere else producing or storing the Oni Agent. I have reason to believe members of the CIA were responsible for protecting the facility we found, but I have no idea who they were working with. It could be another country, a terrorist group, or an international company for that matter.”
    “I understand your concern,” Kinsey said, only the slightest hint of defeat in his voice. “The idea that there might be a second deployment of the Oni Agent has crossed my mind—which is why we need to secure our cities and borders as soon as we can.”
    “Right,” Meredith said. “But this is why we need more research to combat the Agent on a biological level.”
    “Your Dr. Lauren Winters has come up with a way to eliminate the nanobacteria. So it sounds to me like we can already treat people if there is another outbreak.”
    “True, but the nanobacteria are only a vehicle, a vector, for the prions,” Meredith said. “And if the technology to produce the Agent still exists, whoever created it could find a new way to infect people. Maybe a different bacteria, a virus, or something completely manmade.”
    “Then we’re back to square one,” Dom said, “forced to kill more of our citizens when a new outbreak from a new biological weapon based on these prions tears through whoever is left after your military operation.”
    “And according to your assessment of our dwindling resources, we can’t handle another outbreak,” Commander Shepherd said. “Sir, I understand your need to withdraw forces and concentrate what firepower we have left. But at least grant us enough protection to do our due diligence at Detrick. Let us do what we do best. Let us do the research that will complement your military action and ensure the threat of the Oni Agent is wiped from the face of the earth.”
    ***
    L auren looked up from her computer when she heard the sound of approaching footsteps.
    “How’s the research going?” Glenn Walsh asked. Her heart skipped a beat at the sound of his deep voice, and she felt like a lovesick teenager as she admired the muscles rippling along his arms. His large frame took up most of the doorway to the lab. Thomas Hampton, the Huntress’s second-in-command, sidled up beside Glenn. Lauren forced herself to remember her and Glenn’s commitment to prevent their once-passionate relationship from interfering with their duties aboard the Huntress .
    “The research? It’s going...somewhere.” She stepped away from the computer monitor. “But I think we’re going to need more help than even Detrick can provide.”
    Glenn folded his arms across his considerable chest. “You mean help from other labs? Like universities and hospitals?”
    Lauren nodded. “If any still exist.”
    “I’d lead a rescue party if we find anyone who can lend a hand,” Glenn said.
    “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Thomas said. “I appreciate the enthusiasm, but we’ll have to clear any missions like that with Dom.”
    Lauren gestured to the rest of her medical team. Divya, Sean, and Peter were working beyond the acrylic partition that marked the BSL4 area of the lab. “I take it you two didn’t come to enlist as lab assistants.”
    “I’m afraid this old dog can’t learn many more tricks,” Thomas said with a smile. The expression quickly vanished. “We just received word from Dom and Meredith that General Kinsey wants to withdraw all forces from Detrick.”
    “What?” Lauren backed away from the computer terminal. “And does he have some other bioweapons defense group somewhere I don’t know about working against the Oni