What was it that wiped out the Aztecs? asked Mary.
Smallpox, mostly, said Reuben.
But smallpox said Louise. If he had that, shouldnt he have lesions on his face?
Those come two days after the onset of fever, said Reuben.
But, anyway, said Louise, smallpox has been eradicated.
In this universe, yes, said Mary. And so we dont vaccinate for it anymore. But its possible
Louise nodded, getting it. Its possible it hasnt been wiped out in his universe.
Exactly, said Reuben. And, even if it has been, there could be countless pathogens that have evolved in his world to which we have no immunity.
Louise took a deep breath, presumably trying to stay calm. But I feel fine, she said.
So do I, said Reuben. Mary?
Fine, yes.
Reuben shook his head. We cant take any chances, though. Theyve got samples of Ponters blood over at St. Josephs; the woman Im dealing with at the LCDC says shell speak to their head of pathology and run smears for everything they can think of.
Do we have enough food? asked Louise.
No, said Reuben. But theyll bring us more, and
Ding-dong!
Oh, Kee-ryst! said Reuben.
Theres somebody at the door! declared Louise, looking out the front window.
A reporter, said Mary, seeing the man.
Reuben ran upstairs. For half a second, Mary thought he was going to get a shotgun, but then she heard him shouting, presumably through a window hed opened up there. Go away! This house is quarantined!
Mary saw the reporter step back a few paces and tip his head up, looking at Reuben. Id like to ask you a few questions, Dr. Montego, he called.
Go away! Reuben shouted back. The Neanderthal is sick, and this place has been quarantined by the order of Health Canada. Mary became aware of more vehicles arriving on the country road, and red-and-yellow lights starting to sweep across the scene.
Come on, Doctor, the reporter replied. Just a few questions.
Im serious, Reuben called. We are containing an infectious disease here.
I understand Professor Vaughan is in there, as well, shouted the reporter. Can she comment on the Neanderthals DNA?
Go away! For Gods sake, man, go away!
Professor Vaughan, are you in there? Stan Tinbergen, Sudbury Star. Id like
Mon dieu! exclaimed Louise, pointing out toward the street. That man has a rifle!
Mary looked where Louise was pointing. There was indeed someone there, aiming a long gun right at the house from maybe thirty meters away. A second later, a man standing next to him raised a megaphone to his mouth. This is the RCMP, said the mans amplified, reverberating voice. Move away from the house.
Tinbergen turned around. This is private property, he shouted back. No one has committed a crime, and
Move away, bellowed the Mountie, who was clad in plain clothes, although Mary saw that his white car was indeed marked with the letters RCMP and the French equivalent, GRC.
If Dr. Montego or Professor Vaughan will just answer a few questions, said Tinbergen, Ill
Last warning! said the Mountie through the bullhorn. My partner will try only to wound you, but
Tinbergen obviously wanted his story. Ive got a right to ask questions!
Five seconds, thundered the RCMP officers voice.
Tinbergen stood his ground.
Four!
The public has a right to know! the reporter shouted.
Three!
Tinbergen turned around again, apparently determined to get in at least one question. Dr. Montego, he shouted, looking up, does this disease pose any risk to the public?
Two!
Ill answer all your questions, Reuben shouted back. But not like this. Move away!
ONE!
Tinbergen swiveled around, holding his hands up at midchest height. All right already! He began walking slowly away from the house.
No sooner had the reporter reached the far end of the driveway than the telephone rang inside Reubens house. Mary moved across the living room and picked up the teal one-piece, but Reuben must have already answered on an extension upstairs. Dr. Montego, she heard a mans voice say, this is Inspector Matthews, RCMP.
Normally, Mary would have put down the phone, but she was dying of curiosity.
Hello, Inspector, said Reubens voice.
Doctor, weve been asked by Health Canada to render any assistance you might require. The mans voice sounded thin; Mary presumed he was calling from a cellular phone. She craned her neck to see out the front window; the man whod been using the bullhorn earlier was indeed now standing next to his white car and talking into a cell phone. How many people are inside your house?
Four, said Reuben. Myself, the Neanderthal, and two women: Professor Mary Vaughan from York University, and Louise Benoit, a physics postdoctoral student associated with the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory.
I understand one of them is sick, said Matthews.
Yes, the Neanderthal. Hes running a high fever.
Let me give you my cell-phone number, said the Mountie. He read off a string of digits.
Got it, said Reuben.
Im going to be out here until my relief arrives at 2300, said Matthews. The relief will be on the same phone; call if you need anything.
I need antibiotics for Ponter. Penicillin, erythromycina slew of others.
Do you have e-mail access in there? asked Matthews.
Yes.
Do up the list. Send it to Robert Matthewstwo Tsat rcmp-grc.gc.carobert_matthews@grc.gc.ca. Got that?
Yes, said Reuben. Ill need those as soon as humanly possible.
Well get them here tonight, if they are things a regular pharmacy or St. Josephs will have on hand.
Were going to need more food, too, said Reuben.
Well get you whatever you want. E-mail me a list of food, toiletries, clothes, whatever you need.
Great, said Reuben. And I should collect blood samples from all of us, and have you get them over to St. Josephs and other labs.
Fine, said Matthews.
They agreed to call each other immediately if there were any changes in circumstances, and Reuben clicked off. Mary heard him coming down the stairs.
Well? said Louisegiving away that Mary had been listening, Mary thought, by looking in equal turns at her and at Reuben.
Reuben summarized the call, then: Im sorry about this; I really am.
What about the others? said Mary. The other people who were exposed to Ponter?
Reuben nodded. Ill get Inspector Matthews to have the RCMP round them up; theyll probably quarantine them at St. Josephs rather than here. He went into the kitchen and returned with a pad and a stubby pencil that looked like they were normally used for recording shopping lists. All right, who else was exposed to Ponter?
A grad student who was working with me, said Louise. Paul Kiriyama.
Dr. Mah, of course, said Mary, andmy Godshes already on her way back to Ottawa. We better stop her from meeting with the Prime Minister tonight!
There were also a bunch of people from St. Josephs, said Reuben. Ambulance attendants, Dr. Singh, a radiologist, nurses
They continued to draw up the list.
Ponter was still lying on Reubens champagne-colored carpet through all this. He seemed to be unconscious now; Mary could see his massive chest rising and falling. His sloped brow was still slick with sweat, and his eyes were moving beneath their lids, subterranean animals at the bottoms of burrows.
All right, said Reuben. I think thats everyone. He looked at Mary, then at Louise, then at the ailing Ponter. Ive got to write up a list of drugs I need to treat Ponter. If were lucky