Part 38 (1/2)

Olin scrunched his face, then nodded with understanding.”Da. Here it is. A data file:”

Kelly and Manny hurried over. Kelly now remembered her mother had mentioned sending something just before the system crashed.

Olin brought up the file.

Kelly leaned closer. On the screen appeared a 3-D model of a molecule spinning above pages of data.

Intrigued, she settled nearer. Her eyes scanned through the report. ”My mother's work,” she mumbled, glad to occupy her mind on something other than her own worries. But the topic was troublesome nonetheless. ”What is it?” Nate asked.

”A possible lead on the cause of the disease,” Kelly added.

Manny answered, peering over her shoulder. ”A prion:”

”A what?”

Manny quickly explained to Nate, but Kelly's attention remained focused on the report. ”Interesting,”

Kelly mumbled.

”What?” Manny asked.

”It says here that this prion seems to cause genetic damage:” She quickly read the next report.

Manny read over her shoulder. He whistled appreciatively.

”What?” Nate asked.

Kelly spoke excitedly. ”This could be the answer! Here's a paper from researchers at the University of Chicago, published inNature back in Sep-tember of 2000. They hypothesized through the study of yeast that prions may hold the key to genetic mutations, even play a role in evolution:”

”Really? How?”

”One of the major mysteries of evolution has been how survival skills that require multiple genetic changes could happen so spontaneously. Such changes are termedmacroevolution, like the adaptation of certain algae to toxic environments or the rapid development of antibiotic resis-tance in bacteria. But how such a series of simultaneous mutations could be generated was not understood. But this article offers a possible answer.Prions:” Kelly pointed to the computer screen. ”Here the researchers at the University of Chicago have shown that a yeast's prions can flip a.n.a.ll-or-nothing switch in the genetic code, causing ma.s.sive mutations to develop in unison, to spark an evolutionary jump start, so to speak.

Do you know what this suggests?”

Kellysaw realization dawn in Manny's eyes.

”The piranha creatures, the locusts . . :” the biologist mumbled.

”Mutations all of them. Maybe even Gerald Clark's arm!” Kelly said. ”A mutation triggered by prions:”

”But what does this have to do with the disease?” Nate asked.

Kelly frowned. ”I don't know. This discovery is a good start, but we're a long way from a complete answer.”

Manny pointed to the screen. ”But what about here in the article where it hypothesizes. . :”

Kelly nodded. The two began to discuss the article, speaking rapidly, sharing ideas.

Beside them, Nate had stopped listening. He had scrolled back to the spinning model of the prionprotein.

After a time, he interrupted. ”Does anyone else see the similarity?”

”What do you mean?” Kelly asked.

Nate pointed to the screen. ”See those two spiraling loops at ei-ther end?”

”The double alpha helixes?” Kelly said.

”Right . . . and here the corks.c.r.e.w.i.n.g middle section,” Nate said, trac-ing the screen with his finger.

”So?” Kelly asked.

Nate turned and reached to the ground beside him. He picked up a stick and drew in the dirt, speaking as he worked. ”The middle corkscrew . . . spreading out in double loops at either end:” When he was done, he glanced up.

Stunned, Kelly stared at what Nate had drawn in the dirt.

Manny gasped, ”The Ban-ali symbol!”

Kelly stared between the two pictures: one, a high-tech computer map; the other, a crude scrawl in the soft dirt. But there was no disputing the similarity.The corkscrew, the double helixes . . . It seemed beyond coinci-dence, even down to the clockwise spin of the molecular spiral.

Kelly turned to Nate and Manny. ”Jesus Christ.”

The Ban-ali symbol was a stylized model of the same prion.

1 1:32 PM.

Jacques still had an unnerving terror of dark waters, born from the pira-nha attack that had left him disfigured when he was only a boy. Despite these deep fears, he glided through the swamp with nothing but a wet suit between him and the toothy predators of this marsh. He had no choice. He had to obey the doctor. The price of disobedience was worse than any ter-rors that might lurk in these waters.

Jacques clung to his motorized attack board as the silent fans dragged his body toward the far sh.o.r.e of the swamp. He was outfitted in an LAR V Draeger UBA, gear used by Navy SEALs for clandestine shallow-water operations. The closed-circuit system, strapped to his chest, rather than his back, produced no telltale bubble signature, making his approach unde-tectable. The final piece of his gear wasa night-vision mask, giving him adequate visibility in the murky waters.

Still, the dark waters remained tight around him. His visibility was only about ten yards. He would periodically use a small mirrored device to peek above the water's surface and maintain his bearing.

His two teammates on this mission trailed behind him, also gliding with tiny motorized sleds held at arms'

length.

Jacques checked one last time with his tiny periscope. The two bam-boo rafts that the Rangers had used to cross the swamp were directly ahead. Thirty yards away.

In the woods, he spotted the camp's fire, blazing bright. Shadowy fig-ures, even at this late hour, moved around the site. Satisfied, he motioned to his two men to continue on ahead, one to each raft. Jacques would drift behind them, on guard with his scope.

The trio moved slowly forward. The rafts were tethered to the sh.o.r.e and floating in waters less than four feet deep. They would all have to be even more careful from here.