Driving Force Part 25

'Fortransportingavirus,asIsaid.'

'Butwhatvirus?'MymindthoughtirrationallyofMichelangelo,whichwasnonsense.Michelangeloneededadifferentsortoftube.

'Anyvirus,'Lizziesaid.'Virusesarehighlymysteriousandbarelyvisibleevenunderanelectronmicroscope.Oneca.n.u.suallyonlyseetheirresults.Youca.n.a.lsodetecttheantibodiestheinvadedorganismdevelopstodefenditself.'

'But...'Ipausedtoorganiseafewscatteringthoughts,'wasthereanyvirusinthetubes?'

'It'simpossibletosay.Itlookslikely,consideringthatthetubeswerecarefullysealedandwerebeingcarriedinthedarkinavacuumflask-andincidentally,thevacuumflaskwouldhavebeennecessarytomaintainthetubesinachilledenvironment,say4C,notahotone-butyou'vehadthosetubesfordays,haven'tyou?'

'Theywerebeingcarriedinoneofmyhorseboxesaweekagotoday.'

'That'swhat.i.thought.Well,viruseswillonlysurviveoutsidealivingorganismforaveryshorttime.Viraltransportmediumisusedfortakingvirallyinfectedmatterfromasufferertoalaboratoryfortesting,andforinfectinganotherorganismforresearchpurposes,butvirusesdon'tlivelonginthemediumoroncultureplates.'

'Howlong?'

Itwoulddepend.Theconflictingviewshereintheuniversitysayoraslittleasfivehoursorforasmanyasforty-eight.Afterthat,anyviruswouldbeinactive.'

'ButLizzie...'

'Yes,what?'

'Imean...Idon'treallyunderstand.'

You'rehardlyalone,'shesaid.'Thereareaboutsixhundredknownviruses,probablythereareatleastdoublethatnumber,andtheyareallunidentifiablebysight.They'reparticlesofDNAorRNAsurroundedbyacoatingofprotein.Theyarecylindricalorpolyhedralinshape,butyoucan'ttellwhattheydobylookingatthem.They'renotlikebacteria,wheretheorganismsarerecognisableindividuallybytheirappearance.Mostviruseslookthesame.Theylivebyinvadinglivingtissueandreproducinginanimalcells-foranimal,readalsohuman.Flu,colds,polio,smallpox,measles,rabies,AIDS,dozensofthings.Everyoneknowstheireffects.Nooneknowshowtheyevolved.Some,likeflu,areconstantlychanging.'

InsilenceIthoughtaboutwhatshe'dtoldmeuntilintheendshesaid,'Freddie?Areyoustillthere?'

'Yes,'Isaid.'Doyoumean,'Iaskedslowly,'thatyoucouldtakesomefluvirusfromsomeoneandtransport.i.tformilesandinfectsomeoneelse,withoutthepeopleevenmeeting?'

'Sure,youcould.Butwhywouldyou?'

'Malice?'Isuggested.

'Freddie!'

'Youcould,couldn'tyou?'

'AsfarasIgather,you'dhavetohavealargeinoculuminasmallamountofmedium,thepathogenicityoftheviruswouldhavetobehighandthereceptorwouldhavetobehighlysusceptible.'

'IsthatstraightProfessorQuipp?'

Shesaidtartly,'Sinceyouask,yes.'

'Lizzie,'Isaidapologetically,'it'sjustthatIneeditinplainEnglish.'

'Oh.Well,inthatcase,what.i.tmeansisthatyou'dhavetohaveaveryactivevirusandasmuchofitaspossibleinrelationtotheamountofmedium,andthepersonreceivingitwouldhavetobelikelytocatchtheinfection.Itwouldn'tbeanygoodtryingtoinfectsomeonewiththepresentstrainoffluifthey'dbeeninoculatedagainst.i.t.Youcouldn'tgivepoliotoanyonewho'dtakentheSalkvaccine,orgivesmallpoxormeaslestoprotectedpeople.There'snoprovenvaccineyetagainstAIDS,andAIDSisterrifyingbecauseitmaybethat.i.tchanges,likeflu,thoughthat'snotestablishedsofar.'

'Ifitwasfluvirusinthetubes,'Iasked,thinking,'wouldyouinject.i.t?'

'No,youwouldn't.Fluisspreadthroughrespiratorydropletsorsaliva.You'dhavetosquirtthemediumupsomeone'snose.Thatmightdoit.'

'Orsprinkleitontheircornflakes?'

'Notreallyreliable.Arespiratoryviruswouldhavetogointotherespiratorytract,notthestomach.Fromthenoseorlungsitcouldinvadethewholesystem,but.i.tmightnothaveanyeffectifyouinjecteditintoamuscleorstraightintothebloodstream.'Shepaused.'Youdohavegruesomethoughts.'

'It'sbeenagruesomeweek.'

Sheagreedwiththea.s.sessment.'IsmydearlittlehelicopterstillexactlywhereIleft.i.t?'

'Yes.Whatdoyouwantmetodowithit?'

'Mypartnerssuggestputtingitonalow-loaderandbringingithome.'

'Doyouthinkitcanbesalvaged?'Iprobablysoundedsurprised,b.u.t.therewerebitsofit,shesaid,thatlookedunharmed.Thetailrotor,forexample,andthemainrotor'slinkage,themostexpensivepartoftheworks.Ahelicoptercouldberebuilt.Itwouldhavetostayasitwas,though,shesaid,untilaftertheaircraftcras.h.i.+nspectorhadbeentoseeitandmadeareport.Evengroundaccidents,itseemed,hadtogothroughthemill.

'Talkingofviruses,'Isaid,'we'vehadadoozyinthecomputer.'

'Awhat?'

Akiller.Novaccinegivenintime,alas.'

'Whatexactlyareyoutalkingabout?'

Itoldher.

'Inconvenient,'shesaid.'Letmeknowifyouneedanythingelse.'

'Iwill.Incidentally,Azizsaidyouwereanicelady.'

'SoIshouldhope.'

IlaughedwithaffectionanddisconnectedandfrommybedroomwindowwatchedazippysmallcardriveontomytarmacandstopwithashockedjoltwithinfirstsightoftheJaguar-Robinsonembrace.

Myvisitor,asIwasdelightedtoseea.s.shestoodupintheopenairtostareatthewreckage,wasMaudieWatermead;blonde,slight,foreverlegsinbluedenim.

Iopenedmywindowandyelleddowntoher.

'Hi,'sheshoutedback.'CanIcomein?'

I'llbestraightdown.'

Ileaptdownthestairsandopenedthedoorforher.

Isaid,kissinghercheek,'Idon'tsupposeyou'vecometohopintobed?'

'Notachance.'

'Comeinforadrink,then.'

Shetookthelessdramaticinvitationforgrantedandfollowedmeintothehouse.Thestateofthesitting-roomopenedhermouth.

'Wow,'shesaidbreathlessly.'AllofPixhill'sheardaboutthis,butInever...Imean...'

'Thethoroughness,'Isaiddryly,'isimpressive.'

'Oh,Freddie!'Shesoundedtrulysympatheticandgavemeahug.Toochaste,however.'Andyoursupercar...'Shebentdownandpickeduponeofthechoppedphotographs,sharppiecesofgla.s.sfallinginacascadefromanoldsoaringflightoverTheChairfenceintheGrandNational.'Howcanyoubearit?'

'Withouttears,'Isaid.

Shegavemeaswiftsidewaysglance.'You'reastoughasever.'

Whatwastough,Iwondered.Unfeeling?YetIfelt.

'Iwastalkingtothecomputerboy,'Maudiesaid.'Hedescribedallthis.Hesaidifanyonehaddonethistohim,he'dhavetakenanaxetohimhimself.'

'Mm.Butyouhavetoaxetherightpersonandhedidn'tsignhisname.'Somethingflickereddeepinmybrain.Somethingaboutsigningnames.Flickeredandvanished.'Whatw.i.l.l.youdrink?'Iasked.'There'schampagneinthefridge.'

'Ifyoureallyfeellikeit,'shesaiddoubtfully.

'Whynot?'

Sowewentintothekitchenandsatatthetablethereanddrankfrommybestgla.s.ses,allunshatteredinsideakitchencupboard.

'Michaelwasfuriousaboutourcomputer.Thatyounggeniuswho'sfixeditforustolduswehadn'thadtheviruslurkinginsidethereformorethanamonth.Betsystartedusingnewfloppydisksasback-updisksamonthago.Theviruswasonthose,but.i.twasn'tontheback-updisksshe'dusedearlier.Sothewizardsayswedidn'thavethevirusthen.'

Ithoughtabout.i.t.'SoBetsyhasn'tusedtheoldback-updisksrecently?'

'No.Noneed.Imean,youonlyuseback-upsifthecomputeritselfgoeshaywire,don'tyou?'

'Yeah.'

'Thewizardsaystherearehundredsofthesewretchedvirusesabout.Michael'sonthepointofreturningtoparchmentandquillpens.'

'Can'tblamehim.'

'BetsysaysyourIsobel'stoldhertheydidn'tmakeback-ups,even,inyouroffice.'

'Onelivesandlearns.'

'Butwhatw.i.l.l.youdo?

'Oh,'Isaid,'startontheparchmentandquills,Isuppose.Imean,alltherecordsandfiguresinthecomputerarestillaroundonpaper.Rosekeptpapercopiesofthebillsshesentout.We'vealltheinvoicesforsuppliescomingin.Thedrivers'logbooksstillexist.'

'Yes,butwhatamammothtask.'

Infuriating,'Iagreed.

'Whyaren'tyousnarlingandgnas.h.i.+ngyourteeth?'

'Doesn'tdoanygood.'

Shesighed.'You'reamazing,Freddie,youreallyare.'

'ButIdon'tgetwhatIwant.'

SheknewwhatImeant.Shealmostblushed,thensaid,'No,youdon't,'muchtoofirmly,anddrankherchampagne.'IcametoseeifIcouldhelpyouinanyway,'shewenton,andbeforeIcouldsayanythingaddedquickly,'andnotinthatway,don'tbeafool.'

'Pity.'

'MichaelsaidtoaskyoutolunchonSunday.'

'TellMichaelyes,thankyou.'

TellMichael,Sandyhadsaid,thathisdaughter,Tessa,hadcriminalpotential.IlookedatMaudie's.h.i.+ghcheekbones,atherfaireyebrows,herdeliciousmouth;lookedathergoodsenseandgenerousspirit.Howcouldonewarnsuchamotherorsuchafathertolookoutfortroubleintheirdaughter?Maybeacriticalauntcouldhavemanagedit,butIcertainlycouldnot.

Ihadnorighttodoitandnoinclination,andmoreoverIwouldn'tbebelievedandwouldloseawelcomefriends.h.i.+p.ImightprivatelysuspectthatSandywasontarget,b.u.t.thatwaswhatthethoughtwouldremain;private.Icould,ontheotherhand,alertMaudietolessnebulousdangers.

Isaidtentatively,'HaveyoucomeacrossoneofmydriverscalledNigel?'

Thefaireyebrowsrose.'WenearlyalwayshaveLewis.'

'Yes.But...um...Nigel'sas.e.xyhunk,mysecretariessay,and...um...'

'Getonwithit,'Maudieurged.

'Ijustthought...youmightnotwanthimseeingtoomuchofTessa.'

'Tessa!OhG.o.d.Ithought.i.twasLewisshewaskeenon.She'salwayswhisperingwithLewis.'

'ThepublandlordmentionedtomethatNigelwasbuyingc.o.kesthereforTessaandEdoneevening.I'msurethere'sabsolutelynothingtoworryabout,butperhapsyoushouldknow.'

'Stupidkids!'Sheseemedbasicallyunworried.'Coca-Colainapub!'Shelaughed.'Inmyyoungdaysitwas'myneedleoryours'thathadparentshopping.'

Irefilledhergla.s.s.Shefrowned,notatthechampagne,butatasuddenmemory,andthoughtfullysaid,'YousentthatNigeltouslastweektotakeJerichoRich'sd.a.m.nedhorsesofftoNewmarket,didn'tyou?'

'Yes.Friday.ButIwon'tallocatehimtoyourworkanymore.'

'Betsytoldme...Hecametooearly,orsomething,andTessaclimbedintohiscabandsaidshewantedtogowithhim,butMichaelsawherandsaidshewasn'ttogo.'

ThatversionofwhathadhappenedsoundedmuchmorelikelythantheoneI'dheardfromIsobel,thatNigelhadvirtuouslysaidhewouldn'ttakeherbecauseofmybanonhitchhikers.

Maudiesaid,'Michaeltoldmehecouldn'timaginewhyshewantedtogowithJericho'shorseswhenshesaidshedetestedtheman,butifitwasNigelshewantedtogowith,itmakesmoresense.Doyoureallythinkwemighthaveaproblemthere?'

'He'sunmarriedandhaspowerfulpheromones,I'mtold.'

'Whatawayofputtingit.'Shewasamused.'I'llkeepaneyeonthings.Andthanks.'

'Idon'tliketotelltales.'