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Clarence slowly sat back down. He had lost and now had to contemplate his wife — whom he had abandoned — and his nonexistent unborn child going into hostile territory where the hostiles in question ate people. Margaret hoped he felt as miserable as he looked.

Klimas turned back to the screen. “The SEALs will still secure a landing area, as planned. The Ranger company will come in next. Once the LZ is secure, a Seahawk will bring in Doctor Montoya, Agent Otto and Doctor Feely.”

Tim waved his hands. “Whoa, tough guy. Margaret wants in, that’s fine, but I’m out. You get me? O-u-t, out!”

Feely was the final piece of the puzzle. Margaret had to get him to come along. What would push his b.u.t.tons?

“Don’t be a coward, Feely,” she said. “I need you with me.”

Tim shook his head, hard. “f.u.c.k that. I’ve done my part!”

Margaret leaned across the table and slapped Tim’s left cheek as hard as she could. The sharp crack sound filled the mission module. Tim stared, mouth open, eyes wide.

“You’ve done your part? The world is crumbling around us. We have one last opportunity to kill this thing.”

He stood, hand still on his cheek. “I get paid to work in a lab. I don’t get paid to ride a helicopter into the G.o.dd.a.m.n apocalypse. I’ve been shot at, almost drowned, and the last s.h.i.+p I was on got blown up by a missile. I’m not keen to add cannibalism to the list of threats on my résumé, understand?”

He turned toward the door.

Margaret was trying to think of another angle when Klimas gently put his hand on Tim’s chest, stopping the smaller man from leaving.

“Hold on, Doctor Feelygood,” Klimas said. “I know you’re scared. So am I.”

Tim huffed. “Ha. In this category, it’s a safe bet that mine is bigger than yours.”

Klimas smiled. “You’ve got me there. The SEALS get paid to do things like this, but we don’t get paid to fail. If your presence increases our chances of succeeding, that’s more important than your fear. That’s more important than you. Everyone dreams of being a hero, Tim — this is your shot.”

Tim shook his head. “I don’t want to be a hero. I want to live. Margaret had it right — I’m a coward. It’s what I’ve always been and what I’ll always be.”

“I’ll get you out,” Klimas said. “You have my word that I’ll get you out safe. I know how much you respect Margaret. She wouldn’t put you in danger on a whim.”

Tim’s resolve seemed to waver. He glanced at her.

Margaret looked down, did her best to appear contrite. “Sorry I slapped you,” she said. His ego, the same ego that made him demand the yeast be named after him … that was his hot-b.u.t.ton, she had to play to that.

“Tim, we’ve become a great team,” she said. “If I had all the options in the world, I’d still pick you, but I don’t have any other options. I can’t do this without you.”

Tim chewed at his lower lip, forgiveness already visible in his eyes. She almost had him.