"You have 15 minutes, Alamain," the prison guard said

Lawrence gave the man a dismissive glance as he walked to his chair opposite the plexiglass barrier and Maurice Marchand. He sat down and leaned close.

"You have some news for me?"

Marchand nodded. "Donovan turned up in London yesterday."

"So?" Lawrence knew Shane had a house near there and he probably conducted ISA business out of England.

"Let me back up. Donovan left Salem a few days before the Egypt raid. Kayla and Kimberly Brady left Salem just two days after the raid. We found no record of them traveling on a commercial flight, but found a flight plan for a private jet from Salem to Oxford, England."

Now that was interesting. "Donovan had both his ex- and his current lover go to England?"

"Yes. I put some surveillance on the house and they spotted both of the women."

"But not our friend from Egypt?" Lawrence could tell where this was going.

"No," Marchand said. "But some inquiries around the local village indicated that Donovan's butler had some men's clothing sent to the house shortly after the raid. There was a special request that the clothes be 'more casual' than Donovan might normally order."

Lawrence slammed a fist on the counter in front of him. "You're telling me that the ISA was behind the raid and Johnson is now at Donovan's house?"

Marchand looked down and appeared almost afraid to answer.

"In ancient times, Maurice, a messenger who brought bad news would be executed," Lawrence growled. Dammit, he thought, barely able to contain his fury. It was bad enough to find out that they had lost Johnson, but to lose him to the ISA and find out that Donovan was involved was even more infuriating. Donovan had thwarted Lawrence's plans in Alamainia and was responsible for his current incarceration.

"Mr. Alamain, there's something else." Marchand said that in a very hesitant tone.

"There's more?" Lawrence asked.

"Yes . . . It appears that Dr. Manning has found the cure for the virus."

Lawrence closed his eyes and counted backward from 100 in an effort to stay calm. It took him to 47 before he could ask, "How?"

"It appears she was able to reverse engineer a cure from antibodies to the virus found in the bloodstream of an unknown individual."

Lawrence could feel his blood boiling. "Let me guess. She received the blood with the antibodies shortly after the raid?"

"Less than 24 hours after."

Just long enough for blood to be taken, examined, and flown to the U.S. from Europe or Africa, Lawrence thought. It had to be Donovan again. "We must assume our friend has told the ISA everything and they've figured out our plans for the Egypt facility." Lawrence thought for a few minutes. "Has the research been transferred?"

Marchand nodded. "The new facilities are operational."

"Good. And you have everyone working towards a December date?"

"Yes, Mr. Alamain," Marchand said. "But I must warn you that we probably will not have done sufficient testing by then."

"That's okay, Maurice." Lawrence sat back in his chair. "I have a few tests of my own in mind."

Marchand looked confused. "What do you mean?"

Lawrence smiled. "Don't worry. When the time comes, you'll find out." And so will our neighborhood ISA agent. When the time came, Lawrence was going to have his revenge.

I'm going to watch Shane Donovan die. And I'm going to enjoy every minute of it.