"How's the research project coming, sir?" I asked as we sipped our drinks. "We have a variant of the FS-flu now that sterilizes only monkeys. It may be the weapon we're looking for." He paused and looked mischievously at Pat. "Did you know, by the way that the original FS virus does not cause permanent sterility in primates?" I caught the glance and her look of dismay. "Primates? You mean humans too?" He nodded. I turned to Pat. "Then you aren't sterile? You didn't tell me you had a biopsy." This time Hallam laughed outright. "How many months have you been away soldier?" "My God! Pat ... you're pregnant!" She came to me. "Yes darling. I am. I didn't want to tell you because I might miscarry again: but I went to Ray Thorne and he says I'm doing just fine." "Oh baby," and I pulled her into my arms. "What a wonderful, wonderful Christmas!" It was after dinner. We sat around the fireplace in silence. To one side the Christmas tree, with its tinsel streamers and glass ornaments, threw back a shower of sparks in answer to the flames. The coffee was finished and I savored the last drop of Drambuie slowly, letting it bite my tongue with its pungent sweetness. "I wonder where Harry is," Polly spoke as she looked into the fire, absently twirling the liqueur glass in her fingers. "Have you had any news?" I asked. "I got a letter this morning," she replied and added after a pause. "They left for the Chinese mainland a week ago." * * * * * The wood crackled on the hearth and the room was silent again. I thought of the bare brown hills of China; of the squalid mud huts like those I had known in Korea; of the lice and fleas, the filth and bitter cold; of the snow that sprinkled the stunted brush and dusted the stubbled rice paddies. I thought too of the death that lingered in those dank and sweaty rooms, black holes of fear and despair. "God help them," I said fervently and added a little prayer for myself in the days to come. Polly began again. "He wrote the letter on the assault landing craft and sent it back with the Navy. Apparently they had not managed to perfect a vaccine before they left Formosa so the party is unprotected against the measlepox. They hope to find enough survivors on the mainland to collect anti-serum, provided they can keep away from Red patrols." "It's a shame they couldn't have waited another couple of weeks," the Chief spoke up. "Why so?" Pat asked. "I got news this morning that our agents in Russia have sent out more of the vaccine, stolen by the partisans, I suppose. It should be available in a day or so and some of it will be rushed out to the research teams for their protection." "Maybe they'll send another team with vaccine after the first," Pat suggested. "I surely do hope so," said Polly, "I'm real worried about that man." CHAPTER 12