Crusher shook his head. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. We’re too close to getting you to Miami and potentially to a lab where you can work to fix this problem.”
Marta’s hand tightened on his arm. “I need to know how close they are. The timeline we’re working with could be much shorter if they’re finding a way around my temporary stall.”
“Mexico City is a big place.” Crusher wasn’t excited about venturing into the city. Too much could happen from a multitude of directions.
“From what I remember, she’s not terribly far from the airport. We have four hours until our flight. If I can get in and see what they’ve done so far, I’ll have a better idea of the time we have remaining.”
“You don’t even know if she’s home or if she’s awake at this time.”
“Let me check,” Marta said. “If she’s not home, we stay and wait for our flight.”
Crusher held out his burner phone.
Marta grimaced and took the phone. “Now, I just have to remember her number.” She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them to enter a number on the burner phone before pressing it to her ear.
A moment later, Marta met Crusher’s gaze as she spoke into the phone, “Priya, it’s Marta Hale. I’m sorry to call this late, but I need help.” She paused, listening. “Are you home? Do you still have access to the WHO database? Could you help me get online and into the database so that I can look up something? I know it’s a lot to ask, but it’s a matter of life and death—potentially, the deaths of millions.” She nodded. “Yes, I remember. We’ll be there as soon as we can get a ride. Thank you.” She ended the call and met Crusher’s gaze. “She’s home, and she can help. We just have to get there. It’s only fifteen minutes from here.”
Crusher turned to the receptionist. “Could you call for a taxi, please?”
The woman nodded and made the call.
Marta and Crusher had just stepped out of the building when the taxi pulled up to the door.
They sat in silence for the short ride to Marta’s friend’s apartment complex while Crusher kept a three-hundred-sixty-degree surveillance on everything around them. If Vasquez had people on the ground in Panama, he might be one step ahead of them and have more waiting for them in Mexico.
As soon as the taxi driver dropped them off, Crusher hustled them inside.
“Priya’s on the seventh floor,” Marta said.
Crusher followed her into the elevator and touched the button for the seventh floor. He reached for Marta’s hand and held it until the door opened on Priya’s floor.
A dark-haired woman with brown skin and brown eyes stood in a doorway down the hall. She motioned for them to enter.
Marta went in first. After Crusher crossed the threshold, the woman closed the apartment door and pulled Marta into a big hug. “It’s so good to see you.”
“It’s been too long,” Marta said and stood back. “Priya, this is Crush—Jack Bailey. Jack, this is my friend, Priya Patel.”
Crusher held out his hand and shook Priya’s. “Nice to meet you.”
Marta didn’t wait long before saying, “Can we get onto the WHO database?” She took a precious few minutes to fill Priya in, giving her a brief rundown of what had happened and what could potentially happen if the virus were unleashed.
Priya pressed her hand to her lips. “Oh, my. Come with me.” She spun on her heels and hurried down a hallway.
Marta followed her into one of the apartment’s bedrooms that had been converted into an office. Two monitors sat on the desk along with a keyboard, the computer tucked behind it.
Priya sat at the desk and touched the mouse. The monitors blinked on. Her fingers flew over the keyboard, bringing them into what appeared to be a portal into the World Health Organization’s database. “We’re in.” She pushed back and stood, allowing Marta to take her seat.
“Are you sure?” Marta asked.
Priya nodded. “I trust you with my life. I would trust you even more with the lives of millions. You’re one of the smartest people I’ve ever known. If anyone can stop a madman, it’s you.”
Marta gave Priya a quick hug and then dropped into her seat.
Crusher and Priya watched over her shoulder as Marta stared at the screen. “What is this you’re working on?” she asked.
Priya tipped her chin toward the monitor. “I’d received several red flags from a few areas around the world. I’ve been tracking them in Uganda, Bangladesh, and Paraguay, plus remote locations with several deaths from an unexplained disease.”
“Those locations aren’t even near each other.”
