“Okay, Statton,” Denny said ten or so minutes later. “That's everything I can think of to tell you about our residents, unless you want to know what they ate for breakfast this morning. I'm signing off to go wrangle the crowds watching the excitement . . . if the relief workers need any other information, or you think of something else, just give me a ring.”
“Okay, thanks.” Nick clicked the pen and tucked it into the spiral of the notebook, then nodded to Gen. “Let's go figure out who to give this to.”
They politely intruded on the bustle around the field hospital, searching for someone to talk to. It was weird to be around a bunch of people they knew had probably been exposed to Zolos recently, and not have to fear catching the virus or becoming carriers anymore.
Their world had completely changed in less than an hour.
Finally, one of Gorstrom's aides noticed their efforts to get someone's attention and came over. Nick briefly filled the woman in on the task he'd been given as he handed her the notebook.
“Thanks,” she said, idly checking the information he'd jotted down. She raised an eyebrow after a few seconds. “This is in database format.”
“Yeah, I figured that'd make it easier for you when you plug it into your system, assuming you have one.”
“No kidding,” the relief worker grumbled, running her eyes down the columns. “And yes, we do have a running network complete with databases. And you have no idea how long I spend sorting out pages full of scribbled information all jumbled together in no particular order.” She shook her head wryly. “Most people are happy to help, but the quantity of their help is usually much higher than the quality.”
Nick smiled at that, and Gen laughed.
The relief worker started to turn away with a vague wave to acknowledge his work, then paused as a sudden thought struck her. “So you know data entry?”
He shrugged. “Sure, although my background is programming.”
She gave him a thoughtful look, uncapping the pen he'd tucked into the notebook's metal spine and jotting something down with the other information he'd provided. “Good to know,” she said to his and Gen's curious looks.
Nick couldn't see how his previous profession was good to know, although he supposed bureaucrats tended to want to have every single bit of information recorded and put in its place.
Shaking his head, he turned to Gen. “Come on. Let's go get Billy and the other Zolos vulnerable people back at the house and get you in line for your vaccine.”
Chapter Fifteen
New World
Ellie felt a bit bad being bumped up to the front of the line for the vaccine.
But she was going to be working closely with the relief workers to organize everything, so Gorstrom had insisted that she and Borden and the other town leaders get their vaccinations first. Which made sense, but it didn't make her feel any less bad as she thought of all the hopeful people in town, waiting for the nightmare of this pandemic to finally be over for them and their loved ones.
Although she supposed she could still empathize with them, since Ricky and Hal and his family and Gen and the Norsons hadn't been afforded any special consideration, so they were somewhere in the line of those waiting; she wouldn't be able to truly feel like they were safe until she knew for sure they'd all received the vaccine.
Ellie wasn't sure how medical personnel fit into the military, but aside from the uniform the nurse who'd be giving her the vaccine wore, his manner reminded her a lot of Betty Griegs. He was currently going down a list of questions with her, the usual stuff like her medical history, allergies, and any medical conditions she suffered.
It didn't take him long to determine that for the most part she was perfectly healthy and there was nothing preventing her from receiving the Zolos vaccine. He reached into a crate and pulled out an unopened package, confirming she'd be the first in town to get the vaccine, and began cutting away the tape sealing it shut.
A few minutes later, he approached holding a syringe. “Here it is, ma'am,” he said with a warm smile. “Just a bit longer, and your Zolos fears will be over.”
Ellie stared at the miracle in the nurse's hand with a mixture of wild hope and trepidation.
The Zolos vaccine. If all the reports about there being almost no probability of the virus mutating were true, that syringe represented an end to the nightmare they'd been through for the last few months. An end to the looming specter of death hanging over her and her family and all their friends.
On the other hand, part of her felt like it was too good to be true. “This vaccine was rushed out pretty quickly, wasn't it?” she asked nervously as the man went about the usual routine before administering a shot. “Has it been properly tested? Any bad side effects?”
“Nothing you wouldn't see with any other vaccine,” the nurse said, giving her a reassuring smile and not even slowing in his preparations. “As for whether it's been tested?” He snorted. “If you count me and a few thousand other medical professionals and soldiers with the first batch . . .” He raised his hands and wiggled his fingers. “Nothing's turned green or fallen off yet.”
She subsided, letting him do his job, and soon he was warning her, “There'll be a slight pinch.”
Ellie usually looked away when she got a shot, not exactly squeamish but not really interested in seeing it, either. But this moment was momentous enough that she felt like she should witness it, so she watched has he gently inserted the needle and pressed the plunger.
And that was that. The nurse set aside the syringe, bandaged the injection site, and seconds later she was on her feet and being ushered out of the tent.
“Now don't immediately run out and give the first infected you see a big hug,” he said as a last word of advice. “Your body should already be at work creating Zolos antibodies from the vaccine, but it takes time to build up an immunity.”
Ellie considered asking whether that applied to contact with the military nurse himself, as well as the rest of the relief convoy. But obviously they didn't think there was a danger, or they would be employing more safeguards during their vaccinations.
That, or they hadn't considered the risk, and were inadvertently getting half the people they vaccinated infected with Zolos. But she didn't believe such clearly professional people would make that kind of oversight.
Shoving that worry aside, she made way for the next person waiting for their shot and went in search of Gorstrom.
Ellie found the relief administrator talking to Borden, who bore his own bandage signifying he'd received the vaccine.
“I understand your position,” the older woman was telling the man patiently as Ellie approached, “but nevertheless, your town will cease all scavenging activities immediately. I'm afraid I must insist.”
Borden didn't protest, but his expression clearly showed his displeasure at this mandate.
The relief administrator sighed, taking on the tone of someone explaining the obvious. “I know your town has been struggling for resources, Mr. Borden, but let me stress that we are not in a nationwide shortage. The sad reality of Zolos killing so many people is that resources are plentiful, enough for everyone and to spare until the US can get back on its feet.”
Her tone became firm. “But we need you to leave it to the officials to gather those resources and make sure they're fairly distributed. Otherwise there will be shortages as people try to hoard supplies. Not to mention inevitable conflict from scavengers trying to take things that are already owned, or fighting each other over prime spots.”
Borden's irritation abruptly gave way to discomfort, and Ellie felt a guilty itch between her own shoulder blades as she thought of Nick's scavenging efforts and the fight it had provoked with Jay.
Gorstrom seemed to sense what the acting mayor was thinking, judging by her knowing expression. “We'll discuss what your town's been through during the crisis in detail when we have the time,” she said, not unkindly. “But until then, I need your assurance that you'll pull your scaven
gers back.”
“All right,” he said grudgingly. “But only if I have your assurance that you can keep us adequately supplied. If we find ourselves starving while you disappear again for weeks on end, we'll have to make hard choices about what it takes to survive.”
“You have that assurance.” The administrator's expression turned dire. “But even if we were to be out of contact for a while, I would be very displeased to hear you've resorted to unlawful activities.” She gestured at the convoy along the road. “Part of our mandate is restoring law and order to the areas we pass through, and I will ensure that it's done. Now that you know the situation, I'll hold you doubly responsible if you decide to go your own way in spite of my warning.”
Borden drew himself up stiffly. “Point taken.”
“Good.” Gorstrom turned to Ellie. “Got your vaccination, Mrs. Westmont? Then if you would, I'd like you to begin coordinating with my aides about getting the quarantine camp prepared to receive their vaccinations once we're done in the town. From what I've heard, I believe I can trust you to handle it.”
Ellie felt surprisingly honored by the indirect praise. “I'll get in contact with the camp's leaders and get started right away.”
The administrator nodded curtly and turned back to her monumental task, leaving Ellie to get to work.
Gorstrom's aides were polite and professional, but not exactly friendly. They had the weary demeanor of people who'd already done this several times, and were eager to finish here and move on to the next place. Personal attachments with the locals had no place in their plans.
What they needed from Ellie was fairly simple and straightforward; get everyone in the main camp organized and prepared for their vaccinations, and gather names, last place of residence, medical information, and any other details she could from everyone.
She found Hal waiting in line for vaccines with Cara and his siblings, Nick, Gen, Billy, and the Norsons, and made her way over to join them as she talked over the radio with Johnny and Starr.
Ricky ran over to hug her as she arrived, looking excited. “Is it true? Are we really going to be safe from Zolos now?”
“It's true,” Ellie said, and a joyous laugh escaped her as she hugged him back. “Look,” she continued, pointing to the little bandage on her arm. “I've already got the shot.”
“Wow!” Her son had gotten shots before, but he still stared at her arm as if it was the coolest thing ever. “When I get mine, will I be able to go out and scavenge with Dad, like Tallie got to?”
“Well . . .” Ellie was a bit surprised by the question, since Nick had long since abandoned scavenging. Of course, that had been to avoid exposure to Zolos and having to go through his 21 days again, so now that it was safe with the vaccine their son might think his dad would start going out again.
And he'd think it only fair he got to go too, since his sister had.
She hadn't been pleased to find out Nick was taking Tallie out scavenging, and had no intention of letting their son go, either. Thankfully she'd just listened to Gorstrom forbidding the practice, which made the answer easy. “The town isn't going to be doing that anymore, honey.”
“Oh.” Ricky scowled in disappointment. “But can we go somewhere and do something? I'm so tired of not being able to go anywhere or do anything.”
Ellie wanted to point out that they'd been going into town regularly, and that was pretty good. But she knew what he was talking about because she felt the same way. “Of course we can,” she said, kissing his forehead. “Once we know the vaccines have done their job and we're safe, we'll go do something fun.”
“Maybe camping,” Nick joked, and the kids all groaned in protest.
“What about swimming?” Tallie asked hopefully, joining Ricky in inspecting where Ellie had gotten her shot. “It's been so long since we've gone swimming.”
Tallie didn't actually know how to swim, but she loved going to the pool. Especially if she could hold onto someone's back while they walked quickly around the pool, or someone held her on her tummy in the water so she could pretend she was swimming.
“I think that would be fun,” Ellie said. “We'll have to see if we can find an open pool.”
Hal helped out as she coordinated with the camp, jotting down information while she talked with the camp's leaders. To her pleasant surprise Nick also pitched in, offering advice on the questions he'd asked the survivors, and some of the points he'd made to encourage them to share details. Most valuable, though, was that he offered to take the notes Hal wrote down and organize them in database format.
“The relief worker I talked to said that made her job easier,” he said to Ellie's questioning look. She smiled back; this was the first time they'd really worked together on something since the divorce, and it was nice to know their relationship was still amiable enough for that.
Between being occupied with gathering information and the efficiency of the relief workers, the line for the vaccine moved along quickly and in orderly fashion. In what felt like no time at all Ellie was holding Ricky's hand as they made their way into the tent, while Hal and Cara led his siblings into another tent and the others waited for their turn.
Nick and Tallie, already immune, waved goodbye to them there and headed around to wait for them by the exit.
Ricky had always been pretty good about shots, and he was even better with this one since he knew how important it was. In no time at all the nurse, not the man who'd given Ellie her vaccine but a kindly young woman, was offering Ricky a piece of candy for being such a trooper as she ushered them towards the exit.
When they got outside, they found Borden and a few of the other town leaders waiting with a crowd of people who'd already gotten their vaccines. “Gorstrom wanted me to get everyone together now that they're almost finished giving vaccines to the entire town,” the acting mayor explained when Ellie led Ricky over to find out what was going on. “I guess she's ready to give her speech to the town.”
Ellie checked the lines and confirmed that they were, indeed, down to a last few dozen people. No surprise, since her group had been near the back of the line with everyone needing to gather together and make their way over all the way from the Norsons' house.
“Any hint about what she wants to talk about?” she asked.
Borden shrugged. “My guess is where we go from here.” Glancing at where Gorstrom was having Brant help her find a place atop the barricade where she could make her speech, he snorted. “I'm guessing whatever bigwigs are left in charge have plenty of plans there. We'll just have to see whether they're going to be helpful to Stanberry.”
Fair enough. Ellie spotted Hal and his family emerging from a tent, and Nick and Tallie beyond them waving, and excused herself to rejoin them.
Showing her customary efficiency, Gorstrom was ready to begin her speech right as the last people in line for vaccines emerged from the tents. By that point pretty much the entire town was assembled outside the barricade, probably the first time many of them had ventured out of town in weeks or even months.
Even in the quarantine camp people were crowding the fences to listen in, ignoring Gorstrom's aides over there who were calling out that the administrator would be talking to them as well once she was done talking to the town.
The stately, professional woman hardly needed to wait for silence, since an expectant hush had already fallen over the crowd. Even so, she let the tension build for a few seconds, perhaps gathering her thoughts, before speaking through her megaphone in the clear, well enunciated cadence of an experienced orator.
“Ladies and gentlemen of Stanberry. This should come as no surprise since we just got done administering vaccines to everyone here, but so there is no confusion, let me make it clear that the widespread production of this vaccines marks the beginning of the end of the Zolos pandemic.”
That announcement was met with a nearly deafening cheer from the crowd. On Nick's shoulders, Tallie was bouncing up and down and waving her arms so enthusiastically that she nea
rly knocked him off balance, and at Ellie's side Ricky jumped and pumped his fist in the air. Hal pulled Ellie into a brief, spontaneous kiss, while his siblings hugged each other and spun in a dizzying circle.
Gorstrom waited patiently for the jubilation to die down on its own before continuing, her smile audible in her tone. “The vaccine is being distributed as quickly as it can be produced, and I'm pleased to say that all the quarantine camps and most of the population centers have already received it. We estimate that in less than two weeks, the entire country will be safe, and Zolos will be eradicated within our borders.”
That led to a shorter but no less enthusiastic cheer, although people quickly quieted to hear what she would say next.
“So what comes next?” she asked. “How do we come back from such a devastating disaster, one that has claimed almost three quarters of our population?” She paused a few seconds, as if waiting for someone to answer her rhetorical question, then continued. “First off, let me reassure you that the nation's leadership is intact and on top of managing this crisis. The President and his cabinet, as well as the Joint Chiefs of Staff and others in critical government roles, were all kept in a safe location and were not exposed to Zolos. The same applies to most of the state governors and their staffs. Our relief and rebuilding efforts are well organized and proceeding smoothly.”
This announcement was met with a wave of relieved murmurs among the crowd, and even more cheers.
“Furthermore, while there has been some chaos during this crisis, it is mostly small in scale,” the administrator continued. “I know there have been fears in other towns we've visited of imminent invasion from other countries while we're weakened, and perhaps some of you have also feared this, but let me assure you that no such threat exists. The other countries of the world are also receiving the vaccine as quickly as it can be produced, and we're all working together to recover from this pandemic.”
Isolation | Book 4 | Holding On Page 24