Stumbling in stutters, the lab coat used his keycard to access the safe room. True to his word, the black walls slid above a transparent screen surface, to reveal a large pair of metal canisters shrouded in vapor. While Raptor examined the refrigerated environment, Jessica tapped the scientist's shoulder.

"What did you mean when you said these are meant for Azareans?"

"Once they graduate final testing, the strains will be mass-produced," he answered. "That's what they told ...