Lost Immunity by Daniel Kalla (free reads TXT) 📕

have to say, I thought you handled it with a lot of poise.”

“Thank you. In fact, it’s the vaccine that brings me here today.”

“So we gathered.” Douglas’s forehead creases as he opens a wire-bound notebook on his desk while Eileen lifts the screen on her laptop. “Do you mind elaborating?”

“In the past day, I’ve stumbled across what I think are two major crimes involving the vaccine. And I don’t know if or how they’re related.” Lisa goes on to tell them in detail about the website breach and the tampering with the vaccine itself.

Douglas jots notes while Eileen types on her computer. Each interrupts to ask for the occasional clarification, but for the most part they simply listen. Neither of them comments at all as Lisa describes how she confronted Nathan and Fiona over the reporting database.

“Wild,” Eileen says when Lisa finishes.

“Yes, thank you so much for bringing this to us.” Douglas’s frown lines deepen. “On the surface, these two crimes appear to serve opposite ends.”

“It’s true,” Eileen says. “It would be logical to assume the cover-up was perpetrated in response to—not in addition to—the poisoning of the vaccine.”

Lisa nods. “Especially if someone inside Delaware Pharmaceuticals was desperate to hide what they thought—as we did—was an unexpected side effect of the vaccine itself.”

Eileen narrows her gaze. “You have another theory, though?”

“It’s also possible someone might have wanted to induce enough severe immune reactions to ensure the vaccine appeared unequivocally responsible, before the vaccination campaign was halted.”

“I don’t quite follow,” Douglas says.

“With brand-new vaccines like Neissovax the surveillance is very tight. We could have stopped the campaign after the first serious reaction to investigate. In fact, we probably would have if we’d heard about Darius Washington’s death.”

“What would be the issue with that?”

“Well, reactions like Stevens-Johnson syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis are rare and sporadic. But they do happen with many different drugs. Even spontaneously, sometimes. If we’d stopped the campaign after one reaction, we couldn’t know for sure that the vaccine was to blame. In fact, it took three victims before we were certain.”

Eileen sucks air in between her lips. “You’re saying someone might’ve wanted to cover up the reactions until there were enough bodies to guarantee this vaccine would be labeled a serial killer?”

Lisa shrugs. “It’s just another hypothesis.”

“Could it be an act of domestic terrorism?” Douglas postulates.

“I’m an epidemiologist. I’m way out of my league here. But it seems to me the point of this sabotage wasn’t about the victims or the terror, but about fatally damaging the reputation of the vaccine itself.”

“And who would have the motive to do that?” Douglas asks.

“Anti-vaxxers?” Eileen offers. “Or maybe a pharmaceutical competitor? Or even someone inside Delaware itself. Out of spite or for personal gain.”

Lisa doesn’t comment, but she can’t help but think again of Nathan and Fiona. She feels connected to each of them in different ways, and she’s still bothered by their last accusatory encounter. She could imagine one of them being desperate enough to attempt to cover up the complications attributed to Neissovax. But to poison the vaccine? That’s almost beyond thinkable.

Douglas folds his hands on the table. “Basically, we’re looking at all the usual suspects in a case of corporate sabotage.”

“Absolutely,” Eileen says, sounding almost enthusiastic about the challenge.

The two agents ask Lisa a few more specific questions, including details about the toxicology results and accessing the website. Then Douglas rises from his seat. “Thank you again for bringing this to our attention,” he says. “Obviously, I’ll need to elevate this to Washington. There are potentially national issues involved. But we’ll immediately launch an investigation and put the full resources of our field office behind it.” He turns to Eileen. “ASAC Kennedy will be the lead investigator.”

Eileen turns to Lisa. “I’m going to need your help, Lisa, if that’s OK? For a road map to the world of vaccines. And to the other side, too. The anti-vaxxers.”

“Whatever you need.”

Eileen smiles warmly. “Until we understand the playing field better, I suggest you keep all of this strictly confidential.”

“Of course.”

Lisa heads back to her car, feeling simultaneously reassured and distressed by her meeting with the federal agents. Reporting the conspiracy has made the criminality of it sink in. Someone was actively trying to undermine their attempts to tame the most lethal outbreak Seattle had seen in years. And Lisa wasn’t sure who to trust.

On her way back to the office, Lisa passes a few blocks from Delaware’s warehouse and spontaneously decides to drop in on it. There are fewer staff inside than on her last visit, and a palpable pall hangs in the air.

Lisa finds Fiona in her office, motionless in her seat while staring at her screen. Once she notices Lisa, she speaks without making eye contact. “I wasn’t expecting to see you so soon.”

“Understandable,” Lisa says. “Where’s Nathan?”

“In New York, while I’m grounded here. And my poor mom is alone and beside herself.”

“What’s the matter with your mother?”

“She’s in a care home back east. She gets anxious. It’s nothing.” Fiona finally looks up warily. “How did it go with the FBI?”

Lisa ignores the question. “I’m going to need samples of Neissovax, Fiona. At least one vial from every separate production batch.”

“Why?”

“We need to do some independent analyses.”

“You don’t trust our testing?”

“At this point, we need to do our own.”

“I am a clinical pharmacologist, Lisa. I’m good at what I do. Whether or not you believe me about the website is one thing. But to question my ability to oversee decent quality control?”

Lisa recognizes the hurt burning in the other woman’s eyes and has to resist the urge to explain to Fiona that it has nothing to do with her competence as a scientist. “This isn’t personal, Fiona. We’ve had three major reactions and one death related to the vaccine.”

Fiona stares at her for a long moment, and then nods. “I’ll send you the vials.”

“I’d just as soon take them with me now.”

“Of course you would.” Fiona scoffs. “We don’t have vials left from all of