“Sorry, man. That’s rough,” Ed said.
“Actually, I feel kinda relieved. Biosphere was nothing like my last company. Things were dicey from the beginning. I have some good contacts at other companies for when this flu thing dies down. I’ll be fine.”
“So, I assume you guys are all set over there,” he said, nodding with a gesture toward Alex’s house.
“I think so. The kids are gonna be the biggest challenge, and possibly some of the neighbors,” Alex replied, looking around at the houses on their side of the loop. “Who knows how this’ll go down? What about you guys? You’re all set, right?”
“I think so. We have a decent amount of food stored up in the basement. Sam and I stocked up on canned food for a couple months after you guys scared the shit out of us with the swine flu, but that pretty much fizzled out. I’m not sure how long all of our stuff will last, but I think we have the basics covered. Our stove is propane and I have plenty of wood for the fireplace.”
“You should move that into your garage or basement. How much do you guys have?”
“I had a half a cord left from last year, and I just had them deliver another cord in September, which we probably don’t need. We just never seem to get around to making a fire. Shit. I really don’t want to move the wood into the garage. That’ll be a massive pain in the ass.”
“I know. I still have another cord or so to go. It’s a real chore for sure. Still, I wouldn’t leave it outside. Not if this thing takes a turn for the worse,” Alex cautioned.
“You’re probably right,” Ed said.
“Every once in a while I’m right.”
“Not according to Kate. Anyway, we should be good. We grabbed plenty of groceries for the next couple of weeks. We should be fine.”
Alex looked at Ed. “If you guys need anything, let me know. Seriously. Food, medical supplies, whatever. I don’t think we’re gonna have the luxury of running out to the stores for very long.”
“Thanks, Alex. It definitely makes me feel more secure about this whole thing. I just hope it all blows over.”
“You and me both,” Alex replied.
“Hey, I gotta get these kids settled in the house.”
“Have a good one, Ed.”
“You too.”
Alex walked up to the mailbox and opened the door, pulling out a handful of assorted mail: two magazines, bills, maybe a birthday invitation for one of the kids, advertisements. He looked at the mail and wondered exactly who, beyond their postal carrier, had touched these items. Mail from several different parts of the country, each piece touched by at least a half dozen different people. Finally, the postal carrier, who handled every piece of mail in the Fletchers’ mailbox, opened the mailbox door, and lowered the orange delivery flag. Dozens of points of contact. All of this now transferred onto Alex’s hands, as he closed the door and walked back to the house with the mail.
He decided that from this point forward, they’d wear gloves when they collected the mail and then sort it in the garage, leaving it there for a few more days to make sure it was safe.
He walked into the house, straining not to touch his face, which for some reason was nearly impossible to resist. The hot water hissed in the mudroom bathroom as he scoured his hand thoroughly. Then he thought about the doorknobs, garage door button, and faucet handles, that in theory, he just contaminated on his way in.
Walking into the kitchen, he commented to Kate, “Another stir-fry, super.”
“We have to use up the fresh veggies, especially the peppers. No sense in letting anything go bad,” she said.
“I wasn’t complaining,” he said.
“Yes, you were.”
“I’ll be down to help in a few minutes. I want to see what’s new on Facebook.”
“See you in an hour,” she said, winking at him.
“Funny. I won’t be long,” he said.
Once in his office, Alex jarred the computer out of standby and read several articles, which stated that the super flu was far more contagious than anyone had previous thought. It was also spreading faster than any of the predictions, because individual people shed the virus quicker than ever seen with any other flue virus. This sort of infection rate would make being in public extremely dangerous. Individuals who appear well could be actively shedding the virus without showing symptoms, infecting entire offices, offices, stores and places of worship. The death rate of those infected climbed to one in three, affecting the healthiest people the hardest. One sentence stood out in the sea of articles he reviewed.
Strict quarantine and social distancing strategies will be critical to mitigating the spread of this disease.”
“This is not good,” he mumbled, before heading downstairs to help Kate finish dinner.
Chapter 14
Alex led the last stretch of the run down Harrison Road, keeping a quick pace for the last half-mile of the run. The beach loop already carried them five miles, emptying onto Higgins Beach about halfway through their run. Alex loved this route, especially breaking out into the fresh ocean air. Occasionally, when the winds were off the ocean and conditions were just perfect, the same unmistakable traces of salt air filled their neighborhood.
Ryan led the first half of their run, setting an unsustainable speed—for himself. Despite young legs and seemingly boundless energy, Alex was pretty sure that the middle school cross-country team’s practice runs didn’t exceed four miles. Five at the most—and only occasionally. Figuring Ryan would hit a brick wall early, he took over the lead and slowed them down a notch. He hadn’t heard any complaints.
Ryan still looked upright and strong, keeping pace with his dad. They were close enough to home for him to pick up the pace. Only about a quarter of a mile, with a nasty little hill right before the turn into Durham Road.
He yelled back to Ryan, “Ready to pick it up for the hill?”
“Let’s do it,” his son yelled back.
Alex quickened the pace and lengthened his stride. The increased pace felt good, almost purifying, though he was glad that the burst of speed would come to an end within a few minutes. He could already see the turn onto Durham Road. Only a short, brutal hill stood in their way. They hit the hill, and his legs started to burn. His son kept pace, with a similarly anguished look on his face. Alex’s heart thumped against his ribcage as they reached the top of the hill and turned onto Durham Road.
“Let’s loop around a few times for a warm down,” he grunted to Ryan.
“Sounds good to me, Dad,” he replied, sounding a lot less worn down than Alex.
His heart rate slowed down as they approached the fork in Durham Road, where he planned to lead them to the left. However, he glanced down the street toward their house and saw two Foresters in their driveway. His garage bay door was open, and the Forester directly in front of the bay was red, which led him to believe the car was his own company car—but he couldn’t see far enough into the garage to be completely sure. The Forester parked behind his car was black. Alex picked up the pace again and turned right, toward his house.
“What’s up, Dad?” Ryan asked, pulling up to him.
“I don’t know, but…hey, when we get home, I want you to stay clear of anyone you don’t recognize. All right?” he said, hauling past the Perry’s house, still two houses away from his own.
“Okay. What’s going on?” his son asked, keeping pace.
“I’m not sure, but this could be my boss, and he’s a real jerk, so just stay in the backyard. Okay?”
“Yep.”
Alex suddenly slowed down to a walk right in front of the Walkers’, wanting to slow his heart rate before he ran into Ted. If it’s Ted. Just as he finished this thought, he heard the unmistakable sound of his wife yelling. She sounded frantic. Alex sprinted ahead, yelling back to Ryan.
“Backyard!” he yelled over his shoulder.
Alex ran between the two cars, noticing Massachusetts plates on the black Forester.
“Get out of here, right now! Don�
�t you dare touch me!”
Kate’s screams could be heard as he rushed up to the mudroom door. A large man dressed in tight khaki pants and an even tighter blue polo shirt moved from inside the mudroom to block the door. The man’s biceps strained against the armholes of his shirt. Despite the smart outfit, Alex immediately categorized him as hired muscle.
Ted. I’ll kill him.
His wife continued to verbally assault someone deeper inside the house as he walked briskly toward the door. The man in the doorway looked alarmed.
“I think he’s here,” the man yelled back into the house.
“Stay right there, everything is fine,” he said, pointing at Alex.
He was still breathing heavily from the run, sweat pouring from his face, and wished that this encounter had occurred under different circumstances. He knew that he was running on pure adrenaline, and that it would soon run out.
“Alex! Get these jerks out of our house,” Kate yelled from the kitchen.
He suppressed his fury, and the urge to charge through the guy at the door. He decided to try a different strategy.
I just need to get into the house.
“Hi, I’m Alex,” he said, closing the distance with his hand out.
“Jeff,” the man responded, shaking his hand with a bewildered look.
Alex purposely gave him an excessively firm handshake and backed up a few feet, folding his hands in front to assume a non-threatening posture.
He heard his wife yell out to him. “Alex, where are you? These jerks have been all over the house!”
“Jeff, do you see any reason why I can’t come inside and help calm my wife? She sounds pretty frantic, and quite frankly, she’s not exactly stable. I really need to get in there,” he said calmly.
Just get me in there, so I can break Ted’s neck.
“Uh…I don’t really…”
Kate suddenly appeared in the mudroom. “I’ve got another meathead in the kitchen standing guard over me. Ted is searching the basement. Who do these—”
A massive hand connected to a huge, tattooed forearm extended from the kitchen into the mudroom and grabbed Kate’s right arm.
She shook loose of the grip. “Get your hands off me.” She flashed a faint smile at him as the other man stepped into the mudroom.
“Take it easy,” he barked at her, turning his head toward Alex.
The man was not as tall as the guy playing bouncer, but was clearly cut from the same mold. His muscles bulged through the khaki pants and blue polo. He had a thick goatee and a tattoo at the base of his neck, by his right shoulder, and both of them sported crew cuts. He stopped trying to grab Kate and walked a few steps toward the door. Alex noticed that he had two pouches attached to his belt. One looked like it could house a multi-tool, or knife; the other pouch was bigger. Pepper spray canister. He noted the same set-up on the guy at the door.
“Your woman is out of control. You’d better do something about her before she gets hurt.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to do. May I calm her down?” Alex asked.
“Be my guest,” he said, nodding to the guy at the door.
So he’s the leader of team meathead.
He stepped through the doorway, inching past the bouncer’s chest, staring at him intensely. The guy’s expression changed almost imperceptibly, but Alex saw it. The guy had just realized that they shouldn’t have let him in until their job was done. Alex intended to prove him right. He walked up to Kate and hugged her.
“How long have they been here?” he asked, moving her into the kitchen and noticing that all of his computer equipment sat on top of the kitchen island, along with Ted’s briefcase and a few inventory sheets.
“About ten minutes. They pushed through the door and searched most of the house for your company equipment. They’ve been in our bedroom, your office, the kids’ rooms. Third floor. Everywhere.”
“Is Emily all right?” he asked, feeling his anger almost boil over at the thought of these guys barging into their little girl’s room.
“She’s fine. Really freaked out, but fine. They poked their heads in and left when they saw her. I told her everything’s fine and to lock the door,” she said, clutching him tightly as the leader walked into the kitchen.
“Are you all right? Did any of them touch you, beyond the obvious case of criminal assault that I saw in the mudroom?” he asked, emphasizing the point for the tattooed guy standing with his arms crossed near the open door to the basement.
“They pushed through me at the door, and this guy’s been trying to manhandle me ever since they got here,” she hissed, glowering at the guy.
“Hey, I’m just doing my job here, and she’s been out’a control. Pushing my buttons…she’s lucky,” the tattooed guy remarked.
“Lucky about what? That she just had three idiots break into her house and assault her? Just doing your job ain’t gonna cut it when they come to serve the warrant for your arrest,” Alex said, letting go of Kate.
“Where’s the king dummy?” he asked Kate, getting a laugh out of her.
“He’s still in the basement,” she said, and they both heard footsteps ascending the basement stairs.
“Hey, Carl? We’re going to need to bust open a door down here. I think that’s where all the samples are hidden. It has two separate locks and—”
Ted entered the kitchen and saw Alex. He looked surprised. Alex whispered to Kate, who walked toward the great room.
“Hi, Ted. Looks like you have everything you need here, so where do I sign? I’d like to conclude this transaction in less than two minutes, and I’d like to conclude it in the driveway, so please issue the appropriate orders to your crew of Neanderthals. Right now!” he snapped, taking a few steps toward Ted.
Carl unfolded his arms and cocked his head at Alex.
“Wait a minute right there, Alex. I have every right to be here. Company policy. I am required to make a visual search of your residence to check for any product literature or company property.”
“Let me get this straight, Ted. Somehow, Biofuck’s company policy trumps the Fourth Amendment? Don’t worry, Carl, I don’t think Ted knows what I’m talking about either, so I’ll explain. If the police can’t search my house without a warrant issued by a judge, why the hell do you think that Bioshit’s company policy gives you and your buddies here a free pass to break into my house and search it? Carl, I don’t think you’ve thought this through very well. You guys are breaking the law, and probably probation from the looks of you…”
“That’s enough with the jokes, pretty boy,” Carl snarled.
“Ted. Get the fuck out of my house. Now!” Alex yelled.
“I’m not going anywhere until you open the locked door in your basement. Nobody believes your fabricated sample transaction to Maine Med. I know you have it all hidden down there so you can sell it later. Don’t even for one minute—”
“Ted! Get out!”
Alex started walking behind the kitchen island to reach the cordless phone. Carl moved along the other side of the island.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he demanded.
Alex understood why; the phone was sitting in front of the knife rack.
“I’m just grabbing the phone to dial 911,” he said, swiping the phone from the counter.
Carl moved his hand away from the pepper spray pouch.
“Last warning, guys. Get that out of here, and—”
“Carl, I am required to see that room. If he won’t open it, then we’re going to force it open,” Ted squeaked from across the kitchen.
“Are you kidding me, Ted? Hold on. Let me make this call, so the police can be here when you and your soon to be cell mates are smashing down the door. I’ll be sure to mail you some lipstick, Ted. You’ve gotta look pretty for the guys. Right, Carl?” Alex taunted, walking back toward the great room with the phone.
Alex noticed a strong breeze blowing into the house from the open patio door.
“I’m b
usting that door down and putting those samples back into the regional inventory,” Ted said, with spittle flying from his mouth.
“The samples are gone, Ted. Gone. And now, I’d like for you to be gone. Last warning!” he warned, walking through the great room to the other doorway spilling into the foyer.
Alex stood at the foot of the stairs and watched Jeff appear in front of the island next to Carl. Jeff didn’t look comfortable with the situation. Next to the two behemoths, Ted looked pathetic. Carl’s forearms looked bigger than Ted’s neck.
“Gentlemen, I have a phone call to make. I expect all of you to be gone when I get back down. And take all of that shit out with you,” he said, pointing to the equipment behind them.
As he walked up the stairs, he heard them arguing in the kitchen. He heard Jeff ask if it was a good idea for Alex to be going upstairs.
No, Jeff, it’s not a good idea at all for the three of you.
He reached the top of the stairs and Kate poked her head out of Emily’s room. “Are they leaving?” she asked.
Alex saw that she was scared. “I don’t know. They’re arguing about whether to break into the storeroom downstairs. He thinks all of the samples I gave to Dr. Wright are hidden down there, and he thinks I’m going to open up a stand on the corner of our street and sell them or something. He’s lost it,” he said.
“But you do have some TerraFlu samples down there, right?” she asked.
“Yeah, that’s why I’m not calling the police. I have a lot of drug samples down there, from several different companies. Technically, all stolen, really, so I’d rather not take any chances. I don’t know exactly what laws come into play, and I really don’t want to find out.”
He walked toward the bedroom, Kate and Emily trailing him.
“I still can’t believe they think they’re entitled to force their way into our house. Did you know they might do this?” she asked.
“I knew I’d have to inventory all of the company’s equipment with Ted, but I didn’t think they’d try to search the house. Ted looks frazzled, like he hasn’t slept in days. I’d be willing to bet that he’s taken some serious heat because of the samples. And you know what? I hope he has. Sorry about all of this, Emmie,” he said, kissing her forehead.
THE ALEX FLETCHER BOXSET: Books 1-5 Page 8