“Facial recognition hit on certain data points.It’s him.But he’s good, which makes us believe he has more to hide than even Fitzwilliam.The boys in the tech room are working hard on it right now.”
“Shit,” muttered Saint.
“Shit, what?” frowned Moose.
“Tanner just sent a message. These two are getting around.A village outside of Al Taibah reported that people started getting sick yesterday morning.Vomiting, diarrhea, cramping, all the nastiness.As of one hour ago, two-thirds of their village was dead.The World Health Organization is sending in medical support.”
“Shit,” muttered Logan.“How did they get there so quickly?Do they have help?”
“Maybe,” nodded River.“Or maybe this is bigger than we thought.What I’m struggling with, beyond the obvious, is even if he succeeds at this, even if he wipes out two-thirds of the populations, what then?He’s not going to change their thoughts on marriage.We’re talking centuries of culture.That won’t change.”
“I don’t know,” said Logan shaking his head.“I don’t understand it either.Maybe this isn’t what we think.Maybe there’s another plan.”
The monitors in the Osprey lit up and the faces of Suzette, Riley, and Blythe smiled back at them.
“Hello, boys,” grinned Riley.Behind her they could see a familiar face coming toward the screen blowing kisses.Gabi.
“You handsome devils!I don’t see you all nearly enough.”
“Hi Gabi,” they all recited at the same time.
“What’s up?” asked Logan.“Everything okay?”
“We’ve been digging into your bloodwork from that poison they injected into you.I have to give it to them, this was a bitch to figure out,” said Riley.
“Except it wasn’t poison,” said Suzette.“We think he injected you with the same thing he’s giving these poor villagers.”
“Clarify please,” frowned Moose.“Logan wasn’t vomiting or had diarrhea, so what was different?”
“Protein,” said Riley.
“I still need clarification Riley.I’m not that smart,” he frowned.
“You’re smarter than you think you are,” she grinned.“We all know that protein is vital to our bodies.But there is such a thing as protein poisoning.For a little tutorial, I’m going to turn it over to our newest team member, who by the way, is absolutely brilliant.”
“Aw, thank you,” smiled Blythe.“Okay, let me start with what you probably already know.Proteins are essential macronutrients for building muscle, enzymes, and hormones, but excessive consumption—particularly from animal sources—can cause harm.High-protein diets can lead to kidney strain, digestive issues, nutrient imbalances, dehydration, and increased risks of heart disease, with some studies suggesting If you are consuming more than twenty-two-percent of your daily calories from protein, it may cause long-term health issues.
“High protein intake forces kidneys to work harder to filter waste products such as urea and ammonia, which can aggravate pre-existing kidney issues.Which, by the way, many of the people in these countries have because of lack of clean water sources.Top that with the fact that if they’re not consuming enough water, they can’t flush out waste as efficiently or effectively.Diets high in animal protein often come with high levels of saturated fat and cholesterol, raising risks of cardiovascular disease and mortality.”
“But that will kill you over time, not immediately,” said River.
“That’s true,” nodded Blythe, “but if those proteins were treated with something, a poison, an additional arm on the molecule itself, we could have the issues we’re seeing now.Excess protein consumption is often converted and stored as fat, causing weight gain rather than muscle growth if caloric intake exceeds output.High-protein diets, particularly those lacking in fiber, can cause constipation, diarrhea, and nausea.Sound familiar?”
“The people in the Syrian village,” frowned Moose.
“That’s right.Consuming too much protein with inadequate fat and carbohydrates can cause protein poisoning.We would typically see this happening over long periods of time but what I believe, what we believe, is that Wadston has figured out a way to compress massive amounts of protein into a small dose, for lack of better words.With the protein is a carrier, possibly a toxin, that will force the protein to attack the body faster.
“When investigated, it simply looks as though they died from high protein diets, with a lack of rounded nutrition from vegetables and fruits, as well as poor water sources.It makes it appear that it’s simply a risk of these remote regional areas.”
“I’m speechless,” said Moose.
“I’m fucking impressed,” smirked Logan.“You are brilliant.”
“We are brilliant,” smiled Blythe.“I couldn’t have figured this out without Suzette, Riley, and Gabi.And thanks for the jewelry.”She waved her arm to him, showing the bracelet and ring with the communications and tracking systems, as well as the necklace she wore.Pulling her hair back, she showed him the small bandage covering the spot where her main device was injected behind her ear.
Logan could only laugh and smile at her, nodding his appreciation of her cooperation.
“Here’s the bigger question,” said Conor.“Can it be stopped?Once started, is there a way to reverse this?”
