the wall。 He lifted the receiver。 Ricky came forward； very quickly； his body a blur； and slammed the phone down。 He shoved Charley back…hard。 Ricky's strength was surprising。 Charley was a big guy； but he went down to the floor； and skidded backward a few feet。 Charley got to his feet； continued to yell； then he turned and ran out of the room。
Julia and Ricky exchanged a glance。 Julia said something to him。
Immediately； Ricky ran after Charley。
Julia ran after Ricky。
〃Where are they going？〃 I said。
Mae released the hold button； and the screen flashed 〃Updating Time；〃 and then we started seeing images from all the cameras again； in sequence。 We saw Charley running down a corridor； and we saw Ricky start after him。 We waited impatiently for the next cycle。 But nobody was visible there。
Another cycle。 Then we saw Charley in the utility room； dialing the phone。 He glanced over his shoulder。 A moment later； Ricky came in； and Charley hung up the phone。 They argued； circling around each other。
Charley picked up a shovel； and swung it at Ricky。 The first time Ricky dodged away。 The second time it caught him on the shoulder and knocked him to the floor。 Charley swung the shovel over his head； and slammed it down on Ricky's head。 The gesture was brutal； the intention clearly murderous。 Ricky managed to duck back just as the shovel smashed onto the concrete。
〃My God 。。。〃 Mae said。
Ricky was getting to his feet； when Charley turned and saw Julia enter the room。 Julia held out her hand； pleading with Charley （to put down the shovel？）。 Charley looked from one of them to the other。 And then Vince entered the room； too。 Now that they were all in the room； he seemed to lose his urge to fight。 They were circling him； closing in。 Suddenly Charley dashed for the m room； stepped inside； and tried to shut the door behind him。 Ricky was on him in a flash。 He had his foot in the door and Charley couldn't get it closed。 Charley's face looked angry through the glass。 Vince came right alongside Ricky。 With both of them at the door； I couldn't see what was happening。 Julia seemed to be giving orders。 I thought I saw her reach her hand through the crack in the door； but it was difficult to be sure。 In any case； the door opened； and both Vince and Ricky entered the room。 The action that came next was swift； blurred on the video； but apparently the three men were fighting； and Ricky managed to get behind Charley； and get him in a hammerlock； Vince pulled Charley's arm behind his back； and together the two men subdued Charley。 He stopped fighting。 The image was less blurred。
〃What's happening？〃 Mae said。 〃They never told us any of this。〃 Ricky and Vince were holding Charley from behind。 Charley was panting； his chest heaving； but he no longer struggled。 Julia came into the room。 She looked at Charley； and had some conversation with him。
And then Julia walked up to Charley； and kissed him full and long on the lips。 Charley struggled； tried to wrench away。 Vince grabbed a fistful of Charley's hair and tried to hold his head steady。 Julia continued to kiss him。 Then she stepped away； and as she did I saw a river of black between her mouth and Charley's。 It was only there for a moment； and then it faded。
〃Oh my God；〃 Mae said。
Julia wiped her lips； and smiled。
Charley sagged； dropped to the ground。 He appeared dazed。 A black cloud came out of his mouth； and swirled around his head。 Vince patted him on the head and left the room。 Ricky went over to the panels…and pulled out wiring by the handful。 He literally ripped the panels apart。 Then he turned back to Charley； said something else； and walked out of the m room。
At once Charley sprang to his feet； closed the door； and locked it。 But Ricky and Julia just laughed； as if this was a futile gesture。 Charley sagged again； and from then on he was out of sight。
Ricky threw his arm around Julia's shoulder； and they walked out of the room together。
〃Well； you two are certainly up bright and early！〃
I turned。
Julia was standing in the doorway。
DAY 7
5：12 A。M。
She came forward into the room； smiling。 〃You know； Jack；〃 she said； 〃if I didn't trust you so pletely； I'd think there was something going on between the two of you。〃
〃Really；〃 I said。 I stepped away from Mae a little； while she typed quickly。 I felt tremendously uneasy。 〃Why would you think that？〃
〃Well； you had your heads together about something；〃 she said； as she came toward us。 〃You looked quite fascinated by what you were seeing on the screen。 What're you looking at； anyway？〃
〃It's ah； technical。〃
〃May I see？ I'm interested in technical things。 Didn't Ricky tell you I had a new technical interest？ I do。 I'm fascinated by this technology。 It's a new world； isn't it？ The twenty…first century has arrived。 Don't get up； Mae。 I'll just look over your shoulder。〃 By now she had walked around the bench； and could see the screen。 She frowned at the image； which showed bacterial cultures on a red growth medium。 White circles within red circles。 〃What's this？〃
Mae said； 〃Bacterial colonies。 We've got some contamination of the coli stock。 I had to take one tank offline。 We're trying to figure out what's wrong。〃
〃Probably phage； don't you think？〃 Julia said。 〃Isn't that what it usually is with bacterial stocks…a virus？〃 She sighed。 〃Everything about molecular manufacturing is so delicate。 Things go wrong so easily； and so often。 You have to keep alert for trouble。〃 She glanced at me； and at Mae。 〃But surely this isn't what you've been looking at all this time 。。。〃
〃Actually； it is；〃 I said。
〃What？ Pictures of mold？〃
〃Bacteria。〃
〃Yes； bacteria。 You've been looking at this the whole time； Mae？〃
She shrugged； nodded。 〃Yes； Julia。 It's my job。〃
〃And I don't question your dedication for a moment；〃 Julia said。 〃But do you mind？〃 Her hand darted forward and hit the back key in the corner of the keyboard。 The previous screen showed more pictures of bacterial growth。
The next screen showed a virus electron micrograph。
And then a table of growth data over the last twelve hours。
Julia continued to hit the back key half a dozen times more； but all she saw were images of bacteria and viruses； graphs； and data tables。 She took her hand away from the keyboard。 〃You seem to be devoting a lot of time to this。 Is it really so important？〃
〃Well； it's a contaminant；〃 Mae said。 〃If we don't control it； we'll have to shut down the entire system。〃
〃Then by all means keep at it。〃 She turned to me。 〃Want to have breakfast？ I'd imagine you must be starving。〃
〃Sounds great；〃 I said。
〃e with me；〃 Julia said。 〃We'll make it together。〃
〃Okay；〃 I said。 I glanced at Mae。 〃I'll see you later。 Let me know if I can do anything to help。〃
I left with Julia。 We started down the corridor to the residences。
〃I don't know why；〃 Julia said； 〃but that woman bothers me。〃
〃I don't know why either。 She's very good。 Very thoughtful； very conscientious。〃
〃And very pretty。〃
〃Julia 。。。〃
〃Is that why you won't kiss me？ Because you're involved with her？〃
〃Julia； for Christ's sake。〃
She stared at me； waiting。
〃Look；〃 I said。 〃It's been a rough couple of weeks for everybody。 Frankly； you've been difficult to live with。〃
〃I'm sure I have。〃
〃And frankly； I've been pretty angry with you。〃
〃With good reason； I know。 I'm sorry for what I put you through。〃 She leaned over； kissed me on the cheek。 〃But it feels so distant now。 I don't like the tension between us。 What do you say we kiss and make up？〃
〃Maybe later；〃 I said。 〃We have a lot to do now。〃
She got playful； puckering her lips； kissing air。 〃Oooh； e on； sweetie； just a little smooch 。。。 e on； it won't kill you 。。。〃
〃Later；〃 I said。
She sighed； and gave up。 We continued down the corridor in silence for a while。 Then she said； in a serious voice； 〃You're avoiding me； Jack。 And I want to know why。〃 I didn't answer her； I just gave a long…suffering sigh and kept walking； acting like what she'd said was beneath response。 In fact； I was badly worried。
I couldn't keep refusing to kiss her forever； sooner or later she'd figure out what I knew。 Maybe she already had。 Because even when Julia was acting girlish； she seemed sharper； more alert than she'd ever been before。 I had the feeling she didn't miss anything。 And I had the same feeling about Ricky。 It was as if they were tuned up； ultra…aware。 And I was worried about what I'd seen on Mae's monitor。 The black cloud that seemed to e from Julia's mouth。 Had it really been there； on the video？ Because as far as I knew； swarms killed their prey on contact。 They were merciless。 Now Julia seemed to be harboring a swarm。 How could that be？ Did she have some sort of immunity？ Or was the swarm tolerating her； not killing her for some reason？ And what about Ricky and Vince？ Did they have immunity； too？
One thing was clear： Julia and Ricky did not want us to call anybody。 They had deliberately isolated us in the desert； knowing that they would have only a few hours until the helicopter arrived。 So apparently； that's all the time they needed。 To do what？ Kill us？ Or just infect us？ What？
Walking down the corridor next to my wife； I felt as if I was walking with a str