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project.’
    He didn’t need to be more explicit: CIA, NSA, and other less
official
agencies had all had their hand in the revival research at Baseline. Indeed, the work that had led to Michael Andreas’s death had originated in secret military research, attempting to exploit revivers as a kind of infallible lie detector. Jonah’s greatest fear in the past seventeen months had been that those agencies would come knocking, eager to learn just what Andreas had been up to. He didn’t imagine they’d be fobbed off as easily as the police had been.
    Pain sparked in Jonah’s chest at the thought; it had been an employee of one of those agencies who had put the bullet there.
    â€˜Stephanie was right, of course,’ said Sam. ‘My decisions had undermined what Baseline stood for. I refused to talk to her for years, because I refused to accept I’d been wrong.’ He shook his head. ‘But that’s old news. The point is, two weeks ago Stephanie got in touch and told me something as a professional courtesy.’
    â€˜She told you what?’ said Jonah.
    Sam lowered his voice. ‘This goes no further, OK?’
    Jonah and Never both nodded, wide-eyed.
    â€˜The Government is reopening Baseline,’ said Sam. ‘In part, it’s a way to mollify the Afterlifers, because they’ve been harping on about how little we really understand revival. They’ve been blaming the absence of research over the eight years since Baseline finally shut down, but really it was a cheap hook to hang their argumentsfrom – they thought the money wasn’t there, and they didn’t expect their bluff to be called. But it has been. That’s why the legislation will be good, because it’ll be ongoing and evidence-led.’
    Jonah shook his head, thinking about how all the previous research had hit dead-ends. ‘They really think it’ll get anywhere?’ he said.
    â€˜Stephanie does,’ said Sam. ‘She told me the funding is considerable, and the technology needed to study revival has developed well beyond the level it was at before. She’s been making progress herself ever since she left the original Baseline. That’s why they brought her in. Nobody else in the world knows more about where the most promising areas of research are.’
    Jonah had been treated by Stephanie not long before the Andreas situation came up. He remembered her bemoaning how little money and equipment she had, yet still managing to get serious research done. ‘And you think this bursts the Afterlifer bubble?’
    â€˜Absolutely. It takes away all their momentum. And there’s something else, Jonah. They’ll want all the best revivers in the world to take part in the new research.’
    For a moment, Jonah was stunned. It wasn’t something that had occurred to him, but maybe this was it. Maybe this was what he needed. Then he remembered: ‘Except that I’m now officially disgraced.’
    Sam shrugged. ‘Don’t worry. They might not come to you directly, but if you want to take part, I hear they’ll move mountains to get the best people.’
    Going back to Baseline
, he thought, and the feeling that hit him was so unfamiliar it took him a second to place it.
    Optimism.
    *
    Jonah and Never only stayed on for a few more after Sam left. Jonah had another three beers, knowing he’d regret it, whileNever downed four and a chaser, clearly determined that at least one of them would end up insensible. They took a taxi back to Jonah’s.
    â€˜Can I crash at your place?’ slurred Never as the cab pulled up.
    â€˜Of course. As long as you promise not to let me drink anything else.’
    â€˜Deal,’ said Never, grinning. The grin fell away, his eyes looking past Jonah. ‘Ah,’ he said. ‘Actually, best if I just take the cab on home.’
    Jonah turned his head. There, by the entrance to his apartment block, was