Hallam winked at me as he opened the door. "Too bad these suits aren't transparent." * * * * * We were sitting around the table over the remains of steak and french fries when the midnight news reports came over the TV. There was nothing more to do at the moment; the animals were not yet sick even though we were hoping for a much shorter incubation period in the ferrets than in monkeys or man. It had to be shorter if we were going to do anything in time. "First the British Columbia news," the announcer was saying. "We now have reports of outbreaks of influenza in the Interior. Kamloops has several hundred cases. Kelowna and Princeton hospitals are full. Across the border, Yakima and Spokane report a similar situation." Hallam cut in. "There it is again. A sudden explosive outburst! It's not right, I tell you. It's not natural!" "We now turn to the international scene." A brightly colored map of Europe appeared on the screen and, as the announcer spoke, he pointed. "Here, in the West German Republic, there are reports of an influenza epidemic that may be similar to ours. Apparently the Communists in the new country of Prussia, until recently called East Germany, feel it is serious. They have closed the border. An airlift to Berlin is beginning and the West Germans have requested the return of American and British transports to their old bases since their own air fleet is insufficient for the task. There are scattered reports from Yugoslavia which may indicate an epidemic there too, but the Tito government refuses to confirm this." He paused and the picture shifted to a map of the Far East. "Over in the Orient we have a different story. For the past several weeks there have been persistent rumors of a strange disease ravaging Tibet and West China. Communications are poor, of course, and the Chinese Communists have not authorized any official announcement. However, it is said that the disease has some resemblance to small pox. Other travellers insist it is more like a severe hemorrhagic measles. All agree that the mortality is high and that the already inadequate medical services of the Chinese, in those areas, are overwhelmed. The Russians are reported to be flying antibiotics to the Peiping government, but claim that they are having scattered outbreaks in Siberia which require their attention. They admit closing all frontier posts, ostensibly in an effort to prevent the spread of the disease." I looked at Hallam. "Now what?" He made a face. "My word! This complicates things, doesn't it? Not only are there two epidemics but the Reds have the worst one. If the reports are true, this Asiatic outbreak could be worse than the Black Death of the Middle Ages." The TV had returned to reporting the local scene in detail. * * * * *