Mitchelâs hand paused on the seatbelt as his phone interrupted the moment.
Luis was on the other end.
Anticipating a casual call, Mitchel dismissed it, only to see Luis âname flash again.
âYes?â he answered on the second ring.
Luisâ grave tone met Mitchel.
âThe lab results came through.
â
Mitchelâs brow furrowed.
âWhat results?â he probed.
âThe blood analysis my overseas contact conducted while you lay unconscious the other day,â Luis explained.
A beat passed.
âAnd?â Mitchel pressed.
With earnest gravity, Luis revealed, âYou were administered a virus known as âMutant.
â It was smuggled out and sold by someone from Swynboroughâs bio-research sector.
Only two pairs exist worldwide, and thereâs no antidote.
â
A sharp intake of breath from Mitchel as he processed this.
âsaying there are only two pairs, and I was injected with one?â
Luisâs surprise at Mitchelâs level-headed reaction was palpable.
While panic would have been the norm, Mitchel was astute enough to latch onto a vital piece of the conversation.
âYes, âMutantâ is given in twos,â Luis shared.
Luis continued to clarify that the creators of âMutantâ had found a single dose to be benign.
Only with a second injection would the real trouble start, triggering the mutation.
Mitchel digested this with a flicker of relief.
âSo Laurenâs single injection hasnât put me in immediate danger?â
âThatâs correct.
â
Mitchel contemplated this revelation in silence, his mind racing.
After a pause, Luis cautioned Mitchel to stay vigilant.
For now, Lauren was out of the picture, slated for her fate in mere days.
Mitchel then probed the more pressing issue.
âHow did Lauren get access to such a virus?â
Such a thing was beyond the reach of Swynboroughâs fortified labs, certainly beyond the strength of the Murray family.
Luis admitted his ongoing probe but disclosed that one pair of âMutantâ was with the Maxwells on Aurora.
The mention of the Maxwell lineage brought a darker shadow to Mitchelâs expression.
Agitation laced his next words.
âIf the second injection finds me, whatâs my timeline?â
There was reluctance in Luisâs voice, an urging toward Mitchelâs self-preservation, but Mitchel was adamant.
âThe full truth.
I have to know,â he insisted with gravity.
Luisâ voice carried a soft but grave note.
âThree months.
â
The words hung in the air as Mitchel repeated them, seeking confirmation.