Page 28 of Perfection
“A virus?” A-Isaac questioned in disbelief. “How can that be?”
“I don’t know.”
“Approximate something. It’s what we pay you for.”
York moved alongside her. With the sunlight coming in behind them, his huge frame cast a shadow that reached A-Isaac. “When the world finds out about this, all hell will break loose.”
Kindra hadn’t ventured to think on such a grand scale, focusing her concerns instead on the one little girl and the children linked to her. But York was right. And A-Isaac would be most worried about word getting out. It would reflect badly on Seville. The Committee would be up in arms, and people would panic.
Children would die.
York looked at A-Isaac. “Could it have been planted? Basic genetic knowledge is like yesterday’s Web computational technology. It would merely take the right person with the right motivation. If they hacked into the code, they could figure out how to royally screw things up.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, frustrated by the way ideas were moving beyond her realm of understanding.
York’s penetrating gaze stayed on Kindra. “Someone could have happened upon it or, worse, intentionally created this monster. You never saw anything like this coming?” He shook his head. “We need to go back to square one, to B-Gastion’s home, and find a connection.”
Kindra winced at his commanding tone. At the same time, she was impressed by his analytical skills. Did a law officer’s mind always work the negative, worst-case scenario? Did he really think another human being capable of such a villainous act? These were children.Children, for God’s sake. Wasn’t society beyond such hostile intentions? Sadly, she knew it wasn’t. Crime happened every day, and the media seemed to enjoy capturing it. Just like they would tell the world about Isabelle’s death.
“No.” A-Isaac placed his hands on his hips. “We should wait. The girl may be the victim of a freak accident. There is no sense of creating a panic.”
“And allow another child to be infected?” York’s voice rose. He scrubbed a palm over his face. “We’re missing something here.” He drew out his flex computer and flipped through notes, paused. “The health app on Isabelle’s robotic nanny had not been activated. GEI feel there isn’t a need for that. We should let people know that if they have the health app, they should activate it. Wouldn’t the app give early information if their child is ill?”
“Yes. Yes it would.” She couldn’t believe she’d overlooked that point.
A-Isaac shook his head. “We will say nothing about that yet.”
York fisted his hands.
She studied his grim expression. Dread constricted her chest. She thrust her palms out as if bracing against the air, fingers stretching. “Wait a minute. There’s no evidence this was deliberate. I don’t even know the origin of the virus yet. I need to do further studies. Then I’ll be able to prepare and develop a cure if warranted.”
“Fine,” A-Isaac said. “You have seventy-two hours before you need to present your findings to the Committee.”
Kindra nodded as she glanced sideways and found York’s dark brown eyes. Something about the way A-Isaac responded to the potentially catastrophic news made her think he expected her to fail. Which was absurd, really. Her work record was near impeccable. Still, his doubt hurt. It didn’t matter—not A-Isaac, not Seville, not the Committee. She had a far more powerful reason to succeed: Her daughter and D Generation needed her.
