Sam said, “I know, Qween. I know. It was a good plan. Wish to hell somebody had listened. Maybe things would be different. All we can do now is let folks know the inside story. Put some pressure on these assholes.”

Ed slid back into the booth. “It’s all set. We’re gonna meet Cecilia out in front of City Hall in an hour. Just so we’re clear, me and Sam won’t be anywhere near the cameras and you are not to mention our names under any circumstance, all right? All I want is for people to start wondering what’s going on in that hospital. Let’s put it out there, and let somebody else start poking around. We don’t need that kind of exposure. Like it or not, you’re gonna be the face of this thing. You ready, Doc?”

Dr. Menard rubbed his face. “I don’t know. I guess so.” “That’s the spirit.” Ed grinned. “Fuck it. You’re gonna be a hero. Go on Oprah.”

“Maybe she’ll give you a car,” Sam said.

Ed rapped on the table. “That’s it then. We’re gonna get your story out in front of the public, and damned if we’re aren’t gonna bring justice to the mean streets of Chicago.”

“Hell, that’s our job description,” Sam said.

Ed’s phone rang. He checked the number. It was Arturo.

Across the restaurant, the cook yelled, “Holy shit, turn that TV up.”

CHAPTER 52

9:09 AM

August 14

Kimmy awoke to pounding. At first, she wasn’t sure what was making the noise. She realized it must be Lee. He’d left his phone when he stormed out last night, and he must have left his keys as well. She just hoped he had burned off the anger.

She wanted to slip into some lingerie, coax him back into bed, see if she couldn’t improve his mood, but she didn’t want to risk enraging him further if she made him wait. She threw on a silk robe instead, deciding that she could always make him coffee and then change. She closed Grace’s door as she passed, and hurried to the front door.

It was Phil. “I need to talk to Lee. Immediately.”

“He’s not here.”

“Then where the fuck is he? He won’t answer his phone.”

Kimmy shrugged. “He took off last night. I think he broke his phone before he left, so he didn’t take it.”

“Jesus Christ.” He eyed her suspiciously. “You sure he’s not here? You’re not covering for his dumb ass, are you?” He pushed past roughly past her and banged on the walls with his fist. “Lee! Lee! You better not be hiding, you stupid sonofabitch.” He poked his head in the master bedroom, even checked the bathroom. On the way back, he opened Grace’s door, stuck his head inside.

He circled the living room, squinting at the brilliant sunlight sizzling through the floor to ceiling windows. He whirled on Kimmy in the kitchen. “Goddamnit, I’ve been up all fucking night, trying to save his career.”

Kimmy crossed her arms. She didn’t like the way he looked at her. “I told you. I don’t know where he is. He left without saying anything.”

Phil ran a shaking hand through his wild hair. “Make me some coffee. I need to sit and think a minute.” He dragged a chair back from the dining table and collapsed into it.

Grace appeared, rubbing her eyes. “Mommy, can I watch TV?”

Kimmy shook her head and muttered, “Goddamnit.” She threw Phil a furious look, then turned to her daughter. “Go back to bed. No TV. Not now.”

“But Mommy,” Grace whined.

Kimmy smacked her on the butt. “I said get back into your bed. Now!”

Grace started to cry.

“Go! Now!”

Phil’s phone rang. He checked the number. “Shit.” It wasn’t Lee. He flipped it open. “Yeah, what?” He was silent for a moment. “You’re shitting me.” He snapped the phone shut, stood up, and strode into the living room.

He stood for a second, scratching his head again. He finally located the remote and turned on the TV. “What happened to your TV?”

The picture worked, despite the spiderweb of cracks in the center. Phil flipped to one of the news networks. The president’s face appeared. He had a grave look on his face, but Phil couldn’t hear anything. He shouted, “Sound, goddamnit! Where’s the sound?”

Grace muttered, “I wanna watch Kipper!”

Kimmy shot Phil a withering look as she walked over and hit the POWER button on the audio receiver. The president’s smooth baritone voice came out of all eight speakers, sounding as if he was there in the room with them.

“—unprecedented scale. Drastic measures must be implemented to counteract this unparalleled threat to our American way of life. I have appointed a special task force to work in conjunction with the CDC response team already in place in downtown Chicago.”

“Aw . . . fuck.” Phil looked like someone had just cut a small hole in a blow-up doll and it was slowly but steadily losing air. He took a step backward and looked like he might just sink to the floor, everything inside of him gone.

The president continued. “Evacuation of the Loop is scheduled to begin in less than two hours. I want to emphasize that this is strictly a precautionary measure, one that will ensure that this virus does not spread beyond the confines of the Chicago Loop. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone within this magnificent city. To repeat—”

The front door open and Lee stumbled in. His tie was gone, shirt untucked. He spotted Phil. “Fuck you want?” he said. His breath made Kimmy’s eyes water.

In the hall, Grace burst into tears, squeezing her fists.

“Shut that fucking brat up,” Lee said, rubbing his temples. He blinked at Phil, trying to refocus his bloodshot eyes. “I asked you a question.”

Kimmy smacked Grace again and dragged her back to the bedroom.

Phil drew himself up, set his jaw, and found the strength in his legs. He waved a hand at the table. “Sit down before you fall down. Then get your girlfriend to make some coffee. We got a lot to talk about.”

“Why? Thought you were finished with me.”

“You’re not dead yet, not as far as the public is concerned. Believe me, you ain’t on the front page anymore. You been watching the news?” Phil gestured at the TV. “All hell is breaking loose. Maybe we can make it work for us.”

Lee glared at the president, who was saying, “—information we have received, information that is currently being confirmed by no less than the U.S. Army’s Infectious Disease Center. At the moment, however, it does appear that the virus, initially thought to be spread by rats, is actually being spread by the common bedbug. Again, I want to emphasize that everything able to be done is being done, and there is no need to panic.”

“Fuck did he just say?” Lee demanded.

Phil ignored the question. “Remember that freak from the CDC? Dr. Reischtal? Turns out he wants a meet. Needs some help. From you.”

“What? Okay? When?”

Phil checked his watch. “Just under an hour. You’ve got just enough time to shower and shave. This might be just the break we need, so look sharp.” He indicated the TV. The president was still justifying drastic measures. Phil shook his head. “I wouldn’t dillydally. No telling what the big boys have got cooked up.”

CHAPTER 53

9:10 AM

August 14

“Here’s the deal,” Ed said as he raced south down Clark, lights blazing, siren going, weaving around people and blindly sailing through intersections. “We’re fucked.”

While Sam, Qween, and Dr. Menard had wandered over to the counter to watch the president’s news conference, Ed took the call from Arturo. Arturo laid everything out. Word was that the president was about to call a press conference and declare martial law in downtown Chicago. The feds were about to evacuate the Loop and Arturo needed Ed and Sam back on the job. Immediately. All past sins would be forgiven if they pitched in and helped Arturo out. Arturo had a lot of shit to coordinate and zero time. Ed didn’t have much of a choice. He said yes, hustled everyone out to the car, and took off.