Pandemic

"Duncan's right." Haldane nodded. "If this drug reduces viral-related mortality tenfold but causes a small percentage of serious complications, then it's still a huge overall win for the average patient."

"But the FDA wouldn't see it that way." Gwen held up her palms. "And neither does the President Apparently, he remembers Gerald Ford's Swine Flu vaccine catastrophe of 1976. He has asked us not to proceed with production of the drug until we establish the scale of the hepatitis problem."

"That's crap!" McLeod snorted. "That could take months. And we might not have months."

Haldane stared at her for a long time. "Gwen, wouldn't you take your chances with this pill if you had the Gansu Flu?"

"In a heartbeat," McLeod answered for her.

Gwen considered the question for several moments and then nodded slowly. "I will talk to the President again."

CHAPTER 39

GLEN ECHO HEIGHTS, BETHESDA, MARYLAND

Haldane stopped packing his suitcase to watch his daughter play on the floor at the foot of the bed. Three days after Christmas, Chloe was still too distracted by the sheer volume of her toys to play with any single one of them.

Though it had been a tense apprehensive Christmas for her parents, Chloe was joyfully oblivious to the personal and global drama unfolding around her. Her parents worked hard to ensure that Chloe stayed unaware. They never discussed their impending separation in front of her. And they never watched the TV's twenty-four-hour coverage of the crisis while Chloe was around. Haldane hardly ever watched the news, because he had an inside track. He knew that no sign of the virus or terrorists had emerged in the two plus weeks since Operation Antiseptic.

Chloe jumped from toy to toy and changed her costume every few minutes. Finally, when the toys covered half of the floor in the bedroom, she abandoned them altogether and hopped onto the queen-size bed beside Noah's suitcase.

"Daddy, you just went away," Chloe said, bouncing on the bed. "Why do you have to go again?"

"This is a different trip, Chlo." Haldane smiled. "It's way better. You're going to get to see me all the time."

"How can I?" she asked.

"Because I'm only going a few blocks away," Haldane said. "You're going to come over lots. Some nights you'll have sleepovers with me. And other nights you'll stay here with Mommy."

She stopped bouncing. "Why don't you stay here, Daddy? Then I can spend every night with both of you."

Haldane felt his heart squeeze. He reached for his daughter and wrapped her in a big hug. "Ah, Chlo, it's a bit more complicated than that. But it will be okay. You'll see."

* * *

In what would have constituted a miracle three weeks earlier, Noah found a parking spot right in front of the trendy downtown Italian restaurant. Like many in the area, it had reopened its doors after Christmas for the first time in almost two weeks, indicating to Noah that people were starting to venture out again. While a small degree of normalcy was returning to life in Washington, the popular Washington nightspot was still no more than a third full.

Haldane was the first to arrive. He chose a table in the corner by the window. As soon as he reached his seat, he ordered a Heineken to help quell the butterflies that sprang to life in his stomach. His drink arrived at the same time Gwen did. Haldane flagged her over with a wave, but she had already spotted him.

She wore a silky white blouse with a dipping neckline, and black pants with a high waist that hugged her hips and accentuated her long, slim legs. She had let her unpinned blond hair fall down to her shoulders. While Noah had grown accustomed to seeing her dressed in business suits for the TV cameras she faced on a daily basis, he had never seen her in chic evening wear. He admired her feminine grace as she strode across the floor, but he suddenly felt awkward too, as if he had forgotten a step in the middle of a dance.

He rose to greet her with a kiss on the cheek, stealing a moment to inhale her fragrance.

After the waiter had brought her wine, Haldane shook his head and exhaled. "You look… wow… lovely." He smiled. "Too bad Duncan couldn't see you like this. He's an admirer, too."

"Thanks… I think," she said. "Why couldn't Duncan join us tonight?"

"Primarily because he wasn't invited."

"I wasn't entirely sure why I was invited, either," she said with a playful smile. "Didn't you call it a working dinner?"

Haldane felt the butterflies flutter faster. "Oh, I just thought you might like to have dinner… you know… just the two of us," he faltered.

She reached over and rested a hand on his. "I didn't know if this was business or…" She let the sentence hang unfinished.

Haldane enjoyed the warmth of her hand's caress. "It's mainly the 'or' part, but since you mentioned it, any news this afternoon?"

She let go of his hand, and Noah kicked himself for asking. "Hmmm," she said. "More problems in Atlanta with Isaac's drug."