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"Originally its function was to combat insufficient cellular growth, as this is what ultimately leads to aging and death."

Rain was still massaging her wounded hand. "This was all for a fucking wrinkle cream?"

"One application, perhaps. But a far more ambitious goal would be the eradication of cellular-based wasting diseases. As I said, the T-virus was a major medical breakthrough."

"And also a mass murderer," Matt said. "Or would that be you?"

"I was trying to keep them isolated, but I'm afraid you've changed all that."

"How do you kill them?" Rain asked.

Kaplan sighed. Rain, as usual, cut to the chase.

"Severing the top of the spinal column or massive trauma to the brain are the most effective methods."

Now Rain smiled. It wasn't a particularly pleasant one. "You mean shoot them in the head."

"We are so fucked," Spence muttered.

"You said that already," Kaplan snapped.

"Yeah, well, am I wrong?"

Kaplan couldn't argue with that.

Matt looked up at the speaker. Kaplan noticed that he looked pained. "Why did you kill everybody down here?"

"The T-virus escaped into the air-conditioning system and an uncontrolled pattern of infection began. The virus is protean, changing from liquid to airborne to blood transmission, depending on its environment. It is almost impossible to kill. I couldn't allow it to escape from the Hive, so I took steps."

Shaking his head, Matt repeated the word: "Steps."

"If I might make a suggestion: you have sufficient ammunition. One bullet apiece to the spinal column should suffice."

Rain moved closer to the speaker, as if challenging the computer. "What are you saying?"

"Merely that I think suicide would be preferable to what awaits you."

"You're a computer," Kaplan said defensively. "I don't care if you're an artificial intelligence, you don't really think."

Undaunted, the computer said, "This facility housed five hundred technicians and support staff. Five hundred against five are odds of a hundred to one."

Alice snapped, "We can do the math."

"Logic dictates that you won't leave here alive."

"Fuck logic."

Rain spoke for them all.

At least Kaplan hoped she did.

"You must understand—those of you who become infected—I can't allow you to leave."

"Whoa," Spence said, "we're not infected."

"Just one bite, one scratch from these creatures is sufficient. After that, it takes from fifteen minutes to several hours, depending on the severity of the infection and the strength of the individual's immune system, and then you become one of them."

Kaplan couldn't help but give Rain a look.

Rain stared right back. "What're you looking at?"

"A check of my systems indicates my main drive circuit breaker has been disabled. May I ask why? "

"Insurance," Alice said. "We need a way out of here. If you refuse to help at any time, we flip the switch—understand?"

"Very well. If you insist on this ridiculous course of action, your most likely avenue of escape is through the utility tunnels. There is a trapdoor in the northwest corner. Proceed to Tunnel 3B, then go right at Tunnel 9E. At the end of that tunnel, there will be another trapdoor at the terminus for the train to the mansion."

Kaplan flipped up his wrist-top and called up the map of the utility tunnels. Then he looked at the others and tried to keep his voice from breaking when he said, "She's right, that'll work."

Alice and Rain were both standing by the northwest corner, and looked down to see the trapdoor in question.

It also had a codepad. Kaplan did a search on his wrist-top for the code for that door.

He found nothing.

"We need the code."

"One, five, nine, six, eight."

Rain crouched down and entered those five numbers. A clicking sound indicated the lock releasing, and she opened it, Alice standing next to her.

The door opened to a ladder.

Rain looked at Alice and gave her another one of those scary smiles of hers. "After you."

Forcing himself to focus, Kaplan climbed down the ladder.

He and Rain were the only ones left now.

Warner would never hustle Kaplan at hearts