recently."
Gordon frowned. "If it was the other way around, and the mice were the source—if they were getting some kind of disease or chemical agent from the creek," he said slowly, "then you would think they would be dying all up and down the creek. But they aren't, are they?"
" Nope," said Cecily, shaking her head. "You're right. They're not. The source of the trouble seems to be one economically distressed section of Medburg—which just happens to have a significant homeless population."
" Okay." Gordon's voice firmed up as he thought over the problem. "Maybe the homeless people caught the agent from the creek, and the mice caught it from the people, as you say. Or maybe the victims and the mice caught it from the creek."
" But only the mice that lived near the victims are dying."
" Okay, so maybe the people got infected first. Let's say this thing, the virus or whatever it is, replicated in the infected people, and the mice were contaminated with human urine, spit, or perhaps the bodies as well, if they were lying around for a while. Then they spread it around to other mice by close contact or something. I can see why you're interested in Vision Cell. Something may have gotten into the creek one day and then floated down to Medburg."
" We know nothing for sure. Nothing's definite. What I need to do is sit down and talk it over with my partner. He's ten times smarter than I am, so what he says carries more weight."
Gordon doubted that, but he let it pass. "If the humans were the first to be infected...."
Cecily finished his thought. "Then we may be in a lot of trouble, if the mice spread it around and the disease gets transmitted back to humans. Both man and mouse are obviously hosts. And probably other mammals, especially rats, squirrels, and other rodents. But we haven't seen any problem in pets such as cats and dogs."
" Domesticated animals often have a funny sort of genetics. I've been told that not very many diseases get transmitted between people and their pets."
" Right. So let's not panic. We've only got two bodies so far. Human ones, that is."
" All I can tell you is that our technicians are carefully trained to follow all standard laboratory procedures. And they're well paid, we don't skimp on salaries. All the techs in this company are good, careful, well-trained people. They kill all the cells in any culture before dumping them down the drain—we've got tons of chlorine, like all biological labs, and our autoclave machines are always inspected and in good working order."
Cecily rose. "You don't mind if I look around, talk to people, gather samples?"
" Do anything you want. I'll show you around the labs, then you can have the run of the place."
Gordon first took her to his own lab, then the others. He introduced her to the rest of the researchers —except Jennifer, who was still at home.
Wrestling with his conscience, Gordon kept glancing at Cecily as he ushered her through the Vision Cell Bioceuticals building. Should he say anything about the gnawing suspicion that had been haunting his thoughts?
In the end, Gordon saw in his mind's eye images of Burnett, Pradeep, Jennifer, and the rest of the scientists who had devoted so much time and energy into the company. He didn't relay any of his fears to the Micro investigator, convincing himself, somehow, that those fears were all unfounded anyway.
Jenkintown, Pennsylvania / 4:05 p.m.
Cecily hung her black sweater across the chair and closed the hotel room's drapes. The sun had broken through the clouds and southeastern Pennsylvania was getting some rare April sunshine.
Someone knocked. She opened the door quickly and saw a short, dark-haired man standing outside.
"The team's all here, Rocko?" she asked.
Rocko nodded.
"Great," said Cecily. "Let's call it a night, then." She started to close the door.
" Ma'am?"
Cecily paused. "Rocko, what did I tell you about that?"
" About what?"
" About calling me ma'am."
Rocko thought it over.
Gordon frowned. "If it was the other way around, and the mice were the source—if they were getting some kind of disease or chemical agent from the creek," he said slowly, "then you would think they would be dying all up and down the creek. But they aren't, are they?"
" Nope," said Cecily, shaking her head. "You're right. They're not. The source of the trouble seems to be one economically distressed section of Medburg—which just happens to have a significant homeless population."
" Okay." Gordon's voice firmed up as he thought over the problem. "Maybe the homeless people caught the agent from the creek, and the mice caught it from the people, as you say. Or maybe the victims and the mice caught it from the creek."
" But only the mice that lived near the victims are dying."
" Okay, so maybe the people got infected first. Let's say this thing, the virus or whatever it is, replicated in the infected people, and the mice were contaminated with human urine, spit, or perhaps the bodies as well, if they were lying around for a while. Then they spread it around to other mice by close contact or something. I can see why you're interested in Vision Cell. Something may have gotten into the creek one day and then floated down to Medburg."
" We know nothing for sure. Nothing's definite. What I need to do is sit down and talk it over with my partner. He's ten times smarter than I am, so what he says carries more weight."
Gordon doubted that, but he let it pass. "If the humans were the first to be infected...."
Cecily finished his thought. "Then we may be in a lot of trouble, if the mice spread it around and the disease gets transmitted back to humans. Both man and mouse are obviously hosts. And probably other mammals, especially rats, squirrels, and other rodents. But we haven't seen any problem in pets such as cats and dogs."
" Domesticated animals often have a funny sort of genetics. I've been told that not very many diseases get transmitted between people and their pets."
" Right. So let's not panic. We've only got two bodies so far. Human ones, that is."
" All I can tell you is that our technicians are carefully trained to follow all standard laboratory procedures. And they're well paid, we don't skimp on salaries. All the techs in this company are good, careful, well-trained people. They kill all the cells in any culture before dumping them down the drain—we've got tons of chlorine, like all biological labs, and our autoclave machines are always inspected and in good working order."
Cecily rose. "You don't mind if I look around, talk to people, gather samples?"
" Do anything you want. I'll show you around the labs, then you can have the run of the place."
Gordon first took her to his own lab, then the others. He introduced her to the rest of the researchers —except Jennifer, who was still at home.
Wrestling with his conscience, Gordon kept glancing at Cecily as he ushered her through the Vision Cell Bioceuticals building. Should he say anything about the gnawing suspicion that had been haunting his thoughts?
In the end, Gordon saw in his mind's eye images of Burnett, Pradeep, Jennifer, and the rest of the scientists who had devoted so much time and energy into the company. He didn't relay any of his fears to the Micro investigator, convincing himself, somehow, that those fears were all unfounded anyway.
Jenkintown, Pennsylvania / 4:05 p.m.
Cecily hung her black sweater across the chair and closed the hotel room's drapes. The sun had broken through the clouds and southeastern Pennsylvania was getting some rare April sunshine.
Someone knocked. She opened the door quickly and saw a short, dark-haired man standing outside.
"The team's all here, Rocko?" she asked.
Rocko nodded.
"Great," said Cecily. "Let's call it a night, then." She started to close the door.
" Ma'am?"
Cecily paused. "Rocko, what did I tell you about that?"
" About what?"
" About calling me ma'am."
Rocko thought it over.
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