Three days had passed since the first of the mosquitos had been released. The team remained on pins and needles, hoping and praying for any small sign the problem was abating. Logically, they all knew it would take time for measurable progress to be made. Exactly how much time, well, that was the question. Today was the first time they had seen anything resembling progress: anecdotal reports of a few cats returning home as though nothing had happened, and a slight decrease in the number of reported animal attacks. They put more faith in the former, as the majority of the animal attacks went unreported anyway.
Jamie hadn't received any requests for changes to her story, so she had taken it the previous day to the news outlets. Mitch was the only member of the team she'd seen since the restaurant. By noon, her phone was blowing up. Indeed, the article had hit the papers. She ignored all the calls from numbers she didn't recognize.
Mitch came into the room with his phone ringing also. He quickly silenced it. "I'm thinking we need to go get a paper."
"Sounds like a plan."
The temperatures had dropped in recent days to what was more normal for early January in the D.C. area. Mitch and Jamie donned heavy coats, hats and gloves. They opened the front door to find Chloe, Jackson and Abe just about to ring the doorbell.
"Perfect timing," Chloe grinned.
"I'll say," said Mitch as Jackson presented him with the morning edition of the newspaper.
"The phone just won't stop ringing," Jackson said with a broad smile. They came in and shut the door. Mitch took their coats and removed his own as Jamie did the same.
She peeled off her gloves, exposing her ring finger.
"I told you!" Chloe tugged at Jackson's sleeve. "I told you it meant something."
"Wow, I guess it did," Jackson nodded as his smile spread.
"Am I missing something?" Mitch asked.
Jackson unfolded the paper and pointed to the article. "The byline."
Mitch wouldn't have thought something so small would matter to him, but somehow it did matter. He found himself pleased to read the byline. He had no idea she had made that change.
Jamie Campbell Morgan. It had a nice ring to it.
"Come on!" Jackson exclaimed. "You guys have been holding out on us. Spill it."
"We got married yesterday," Mitch answered matter of factly. "Virginia. No waiting period."
Abe gave Jamie a hearty hug. "Congratulations!"
After the exchange of many more hugs, Chloe asked, "You don't want a big wedding?"
"No," Jamie said, "we just decided to elope. It's the marriage I want, not the wedding."
While that was true, it wasn't the entire story. The reality was that neither of them had any family who would attend anyway, and the their only real remaining friends were in the room. Jamie knew immediately that she wanted to elope, and was surprised when she brought up the subject to find that Mitch already researched it in the hope that she would want it. They briefly considered inviting the rest of the team, but ultimately they wanted it to be private. Intimate.
"Thanks for understanding, guys. Anything on the news? We had it on this morning," Mitch said, "but there was nothing but the updates on the attacks."
"Let's put it on now," Abe suggested. "Our story has had hours now to break."
Jamie clicked the button on the remote control, illuminating the television screen. She handed the controller to Abe. "I'm gonna go start another pot of coffee."
Abraham began searching through the program guide with the sound muted.
"We didn't see any animals on the way here," Chloe said.
"This is a different satellite system than I have," Abe said, "where is the news?"
"42," Jackson replied.
"What is 42?"
"The answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything," Mitch dead panned.
Mitch's phone rang yet again, this time electing a grimace as he checked the caller ID. "Excuse me, guys, I have to take this one." He disappeared into the back bedroom.
The television screen filled with images of their faces, just as it had a few months prior when they were on the lam. Every reporter in the world, it seemed, was frantically trying to verify the accuracy of the big story.
"Look, Reiden's stock is plummeting," Abe announced.
Chloe stood in the corner with a call of her own. After a moment she ended it. "We have been summoned," she reported. "At five o'clock they want us all for a press conference. We have to be there at three thirty for preparation."
"Apparently Amelia's tired of the calls already," Jackson said. "Good. We've been wanting to be heard for a long time."
"What about the non-disclosure agreements?" Abe wondered. "Perhaps we will talk only of our adventures and not answer any questions about Reiden Global?"
"I'm sure that's gonna be part of the 'preparation'," Jackson theorized. "Amelia promised we'd be heroes if we came back with the cure, now's her chance to make good on it."
"I don't need to be a hero," Jamie returned. "I just want to be Reiden's worst nightmare."
"I'd say you're there. Their stock is dropping like a rock. I'm guessing Clayton Burke's not taking any calls right now," Jackson high-fived her.
"Where's Mitch?"
"Taking a call in the other room. Listen, they want us all in for a news conference. We have to be there at three thirty."
"Hmm. I've never been on this side of a press conference before."
A few minutes later Mitch reappeared. The sudden downswing in his mood was instantly apparent to everyone, but especially to Jamie. She pulled him aside.
"Everything ok?"
"Sure," he muttered, clearly lying. He tried to end the conversation there, but she wouldn't have it.
"Mitch—"
He lifted his palm toward the crowded living room. "This isn't a good time."
"Ok, well just so you know they want us to come in pretty soon for a press conference this afternoon."
"Of course they do," he grumbled. Noting her expression, he softened a bit. "Look, it's nothing we need to worry about right this minute. Just give me a few minutes to get my head back into the game, and I'll be fine for the cameras."
As if on cue, Jackson spoke up. "Hey, we're gonna head home to get ready. See you guys at three thirty?"
"Yeah," Jamie replied, "the Marler building, right?"
Jackson nodded, then he, Chloe and Abe departed.
"Ok, they're all gone now."
Mitch thought it over. "You know what? You've waited a long time for this. This is a really big day for you—for all of us, really. I'm not going to let it get derailed by someone else's issues. Let's just do the press conference and everything else can wait."
"Whose issues?"
"Audra's. Aren't you glad you asked?" He gave a sarcastic smirk. "Trust me, it can wait until tomorrow."
"But everyone's ok?" She asked anxiously.
"Oh, yeah."