Page 30 of The Paradox Club

“Very good. They were afraid there might be a lunar virus…”

“A virus from the moon.”

“Right, a lunar virus that no one on Earth would be able to fight against. The same thing could happen to us as happened to the Martians in The War of the Worlds. So, they put the astronauts in quarantine. That means they put them in a room by themselves so that if there was a virus, no one else could get sick from it.”

“How long did they have to stay?”

“About three weeks, but that included the time they spent in the space capsule coming home from the moon. And after they got to Houston, they stayed in a bigger place with lots of rooms, and doctors and scientists to check on them who were also in quarantine.”

Tess considered all this for a long moment before asking, “But if a virus could survive on the moon, where it’s super cold—”

“And also super hot, when the sun is shining,” added her father.

“Right, if it can survive super cold and super hot and it can survive with no atmosphere and no life-forms for it to reproduce, don’t you think it might be able to survive inside an astronaut for three weeks without anybody finding it?”

“That, my dear Tess, is an excellent question.”

WHO’S TALKING ABOUT HARRY MAXWELL?

On the afternoon of Monday, October 12, Pilgrim 3 closed the door to the vault’s anteroom and turned to the three men she had summoned. The vault was three floors below ground level and so had no windows, and Pilgrim 3 kept the anteroom dimly lit, relishing the feel of dark secrets that the shadows imparted to the space. Montag 5, Nemo 7, and Lidenbrock 2 stood patiently in front of her desk. Her three most trusted allies. Lidenbrock 2 had stood by her side since before the Great Debate. Stood by her side was the expression Pilgrim 3 used; others in the club might be more crass. Kissed her ass was a phrase not infrequently heard in the corridors of the club when Pilgrim 3 was not nearby. Nemo 7, on the other hand, while he had quietly supported Pilgrim 3 for just as long, achieved his ends without drawing attention to himself. Half the members of the club had no idea he was a disciple of Pilgrim 3. Montag 5 was a more recent recruit but had the physique and the killer instinct of a Nazi storm trooper. And about as much subtlety.

“Anything to report?” asked Pilgrim 3.

“Nothing,” said Montag 5.

“The club is usually quiet this time of year with so many members working at universities,” said Nemo 7. “The past few days the lounges and the library have been almost empty.”

“And you haven’t heard anyone talking about Harry Maxwell?”

“Didn’t Harry Maxwell die ten years ago?” asked Lidenbrock 2.

“I didn’t ask for a history lesson,” snapped Pilgrim 3. “I asked if anyone in the club has been talking about Harry Maxwell.”

“No one,” said Montag 5.

“What about the big board?”

“Nothing,” said Montag 5. “Valentine 6 is on duty.”

“No problems with her?”

“None so far,” said Montag 5. “I’ve checked on her a few times. She seems attentive.”

“I’m not sure I like her,” said Pilgrim 3.

“Why not?” said Montag 5.

“Because I’m not sure she likes me,” said Pilgrim 3.

“Pardon me, Madam Vault Keeper,” said Lidenbrock 2, “but why this sudden concern about security? The president is out of the way, just like you wanted. Everything is going perfectly.”

“Have any of us figured out Harry Maxwell’s math?” asked Pilgrim 3.

“We have not,” said Nemo 7.

“Do any of us know exactly what will happen on October fourteenth at five twenty-two a.m.?”

“We do not,” said Nemo 7.