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n San José called Berkeley to plain。 And Berkeley said they'd never heard of this survey team。 Meantime; the team fled the country。〃
    〃So nobody knows who they really were?〃
    〃No'。 Then last winter; a couple of Swiss geologists showed up to collect gas samples from offshore islands; as part of a study; they said; of volcanic activity in Central America。 The offshore islands are all volcanic; and most of them are still active to some degree; so it seemed like a reasonable request。 But it turned out the 'geologists' really worked for an American genetics pany called Biosyn; and they were looking for; uh; large animals on the islands。〃
    〃Why would a biotech pany be interested?〃 Levine said。 〃it makes no sense。〃
    〃Maybe not to you and me;〃 Guitierrez said; 〃but Biosyn's got a particularly unsavory reputation。 Their head of research is a guy named Lewis Dodgson。〃
    〃Oh yeah;〃 Levine said。 〃I know。 He's the guy who ran that rabies vaccine test in Chile a few years back。 The one where they exposed farmers to rabies but didn't tell them they were doing it。〃
    〃That's him。 He also started test…marketing a genetically engineered potato in supermarkets without telling anybody they were altered。 Gave kids low…grade diarrhea; couple of them ended up in the hospital。 After that; the pany had to hire George Baselton to fix their image。〃
    〃Seems like everybody hires Baselton;〃 Levine said;
    Guitierrez shrugged。 〃The big…name university professors consult; these days。 It's part of the deal。 And Baselton is Regis Professor of Biology。 The pany needed him to clean up their mess; because Dodgson has a habit of breaking the law。 Dodgson has people on his payroll all around the world。 Steals other panies' research; the whole bit。 They say Biosyn's the only genetics pany with more lawyers than scientists。〃
    〃And why were they interested in Costa Rica?〃 Levine asked。
    Guitierrez shrugged。 〃I don't know; but the whole attitude toward research has changed; Richard。 It's very noticeable here。 Costa Rica has one of the richest ecologies in the world。 Half a million species in twelve distinct environmental habitats。 Five percent of all the species on the planet are represented here。 This country has been a biological research center for years; and I can tell you; things have changed。 In the old days; the people who came here were dedicated scientists with a passion to learn about something for its own sake…howler monkeys; or polistine wasps; or the sombrilla plant。 These people had chosen their field because they cared about it。 They certainly weren't going to get rich。 But now; everything in the biosphere is potentially valuable。 Nobody knows where the next drug is ing from; so drug panies fund all sorts of research。 Maybe a bird egg has a protein that makes it waterproof。 Maybe a spider produces a peptide that inhibits blood clotting。 Maybe the waxy surface of a fern contains a painkiller。 It happens often enough that attitudes toward research have changed。 People aren't studying the natural world any more; they're mining it。 It's a looter mentality。 Anything new or unknown is automatically of interest; because it might have value。 It might be worth a fortune。〃
    Guitierrez drained his beer。 〃The world;〃 he said; is turned upside down。 And the fact is that a lot of people want to know what these aberrant animals represent … and where they e from。〃
    The loudspeaker called Levine's flight。 Both men stood up from the table。 Guiitierrez said; 〃You'll keep all this to yourself? I mean; what you saw today。〃
    〃To be quite honest;〃 Levine said; 〃I don't know what I saw today。 It could have been anything。〃
    Guitierrez grinned。 〃Safe flight; Richard。〃
    〃Take care; Marty。〃

Departure

His backpack slung over his shoulder; Levine walked toward the departure lounge。 He turned to wave goodbye to Guitierrez; but his friend was already heading out the door; raising his arm to wave for a taxi。 Levine shrugged; turned back。
    Directly ahead was the Customs desk; travelers lined up to have their passports stamped。 He was booked on a night flight to San Francisco; with a long stopover in Mexico City; not many people were queuing up。 He probably had time to call his office; and leave word for his secretary; Linda; that he would be on the flight; and perhaps; he thought; he should also call Malcolm。 Looking around; he saw a row of phones marked ICT TELEFONOS INTFRNATIONAL along the wall to his right; but there were only a few; and all were in use。 He had better use the satellite phone in his backpack; he thought; as he swung the pack off his shoulder; and perhaps it would be…
    He paused; frowning。
    He looked back at the wall。
    Four people were using the phones。 The first was a blonde woman in shorts and a halter top; bouncing a young sunburned child in her arms as she talked。 Next to her stood a bearded man in a safari jacket; who glanced repeatedly at his gold Rolex watch。 Then there was a grayhaired; grandmotherly woman talking in Spanish; while her two fullgrown sons stood by; nodding emphatically。
    And the last person was the helicopter pilot。 He had removed his uniform jacket; and was standing in short sleeves and tie。 He was turned away; facing the wall; shoulders hunched。
    Levine moved closer; and heard the pilot speaking in English。 Levine set his pack down and beiit over it; pretending to adjust the straps while he listened。 The pilot was still turned away from him。
    He heard the pilot say; 〃No; no; Professor。 It is not that way。 No。 Then there was a pause。 〃No;〃 the pilot said。 〃I am telling to you; no。 I am sorry; Professor Baselton; but this is not known; It is an island; but which one。。。We must wait again for more。 No; he leaves tonight。 No; I think he does not know anything; and no pictures。 No。 I understand。 Adiós。
    Levine ducked his head as the pilot walked briskly toward the LACSA desk at the other end of the airport。
    What the hell? he thought。
    It is an island; but which one。。。
    How did they know it was an island? Levine himself was still not sure of that。 And he had been working intensively on these finds; day and night; trying to put it together。 Where they had e from。 Why it was happening。
    He walked around the corner; out of sight; and pulled out the little satellite phone。 He dialed it quickly; calling a number in San Francisco。
    The call went through; rapidly clicking as it linked with the satellite。 It began to ring。 There was a beep。 An electronic voice said; 〃Please enter your access code。〃
    Levine punched in a six…digit number。
    There was another beep。 The electronic voice said; 〃Leave your message。〃
    〃I'm calling;〃 Levine said; 〃with the results of the trip。 Single specimen; not in good shape。 Location: BB…17 on your map。 That's far south; which fits all of our hypotheses。 I wasn't able to make a precise identification before they burned the specimen。 But my guess is that it was an ornitholestes。 As you know; this animal is not on the list …a highly sigificant finding。〃
    He glanced around; but no one was near him; no one was paying attention。 〃Furthermore; the lateral femur was cut in a deep gash。 This is extremely disturbing。〃 He hesitated; not wanting to say too much。 〃And I am sending back a sample that requires close examination。 I also think some other people are interested。 Anyway; whatever is going on down here is new; Ian。 There haven't been any specimens for over a year; and now they're showing up again。 Something new is happening。 And we don't understand it at all。〃
    Or do we? Levine thought。 He pressed the disconnect; turned the phone off; and replaced it in the other pocket of his backpack。 Maybe; he thought; we know more than we realize。 He looked thoughtfully toward the departure gate。 It was time to catch his flight。

Palo Alto

At 2 a。m。; Ed James pulled into the nearly deserted parking lot of the Marie Callender's on Carter Road。 The black BMW was already there; parked near the entrance。 Through the windows; he could see Dodgson sitting inside at a booth; his bland features frowning。 Dodgson was never in a good mood。 Right now he was talking to the heavyset man alongside him; and glancing at his watch

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