Toxic Prey (Prey 34) by John Sandford

Lucas Davenport and his daughter, Letty, join forces to pursue a dangerous scientist whose recent project poses a global threat in the latest suspense novel by bestselling author John Sandford.
The scientist, Dr. Lionel Scott, holds a grim belief that Earth, personified as Gaia, is in a state of decline. With expertise in tropical and infectious diseases, Scott has witnessed the widespread devastation caused by illness and societal unrest. He sees a direct correlation between human behavior and the planet's degradation. Concerned about overpopulation and societal chaos, Scott believes that humanity itself poses the greatest threat to Gaia's survival. He sees removing this threat as essential for the planet's continued well-being, viewing himself as uniquely qualified for the task.
When Scott vanishes suddenly, Letty Davenport takes on the challenge of locating him. Scott's involvement in sensitive virus research has attracted the attention of various national and international agencies, given his high-level clearances at institutions like the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Letty, recognizing the urgency of the situation, enlists her father Lucas and a team of specialists to assist in the search. As they delve deeper, they uncover troubling connections between Scott and groups advocating for Gaia's preservation through extreme measures. With mounting evidence of Scott's dangerous intentions, they race against time to find him before his viral creation becomes a devastating weapon.