The Fallujah Strain: Power After the Ebola Apocalypse

by Thomas Porter

  Gabe, who was leaning over Savane and holding her left ear tag in his right hand, looked up at Anthony as he stepped through the door. His eyes widened noticeably and he slowly straightened up. Savane jerked her head to the right to escape the cold grasp of Gabe, who didn't seem to notice.

  "You're kidding," Gabe said. "Anthony Barringer, CRM 28974. Am I right? Is it you? It looks like we're having a nab-one-get-one-free sale on wayward immune persons today. I can't believe it." Gabe looked down at Anthony's left ankle and asked, "So, how'd you do it?"

  "Do what?" Anthony asked.

  "Remove it. Remove your ankle identification tag. How'd you do it? I've never seen that done."

  "You don't know?"

  "What do you mean, I don't know? I have my suspicions but no, I don't know," Gabe said.

  "I'd love to tell you," Anthony said. "How much time do you have? It might take a while to explain."

  "Save it, Houdini. You can tell my boss when we get back to IRCC," said Gabe as he stepped to Pryce, who was lying on his stomach on the floor and resting his right cheek on his blanket.

  "That suits me just fine," Anthony said and moved toward the door leading out of the reception area and into the central hallway.

  "Not so fast, little man. I've got some business to take care of here. Serge, hold on to this guy. Pancho, take these numbers down. I've got two ear tags and an ankle ID I've got to call in."

  "Hmmm," said Serge.

  "Got it," said Pancho as he reached through the zipper opening of his jacket and pulled a small notebook and pencil from the breast pocket of his shirt.

  Anthony followed every movement of Gabe who, despite his size, was clearly the one in charge. Gabe effortlessly squatted next to Pryce and, with his thumb and index finger, pulled up on Pryce's ear tag.

  "Ready? This one is R548-58-865M. Got it?"

  "Yup," Pancho said.

  Gabe next moved to Savane, leaned over, grabbed her ear tag in the same manner, and said, "Ready? This one is R589-48-782F. Got it?"

  "Yup."

  Gabe then moved to Maya as Anthony followed him with his eyes. For the first time since the three invaders arrived, Anthony looked at Maya. What he saw filled him with fear.

  Chapter 24

  When Anthony was in his early teens, he and his friend Neil took a pellet gun, which belonged to Neil's older brother, into Neil's backyard. It had a pump on the underside of the barrel that loaded the gun with air pressure. Anthony and Neil took turns pumping the gun and firing pellets at trees. On one of Anthony's turns, he pumped the gun and, at that moment, saw a squirrel climbing a tree about 40 feet away. He lifted the barrel, lined the sights up with the tree, and pulled the trigger. To his huge surprise, the squirrel fell back to the ground.

  "Oh my God!" Neil yelled. "You hit it!"

  Instantly, Anthony regretted his decision. He felt the blood drain from his face as he ran to the squirrel. "No way! I didn't think I'd hit it!" When he reached the squirrel, it was still alive. He looked down on it, just as it looked up at him. The squirrel sqeeked loudly, a high-pitched chirp. But it was the look of raw, animal terror in the rodent's eyes that haunted Anthony for years afterward.

  Now, as he looked down on Maya, this memory flooded back. Her eyes were wide and black, like a doll's eyes, but filled with the kind of soul-shattering terror Anthony hadn't witnessed since that day so many years ago. Her teeth chattered silently. She looked into Anthony's eyes, but he could not speak. Even if he could, he could give her no words that would ease her terror. He just shook his head slowly, side to side, and returned her stare.

  Gabe nonchalantly jerked up on her left leg, like he was examining a piece of produce he was considering buying, and said to Pancho, "Ready? 58963 Green. Got it?"

  "Yup," Pancho said as he wrote the number in his notebook.

  "Good. Let's get these two on the horses. Don't release the ear tags until we're leaving. Barringer first."

  With that, Pancho effortlessly jerked Anthony's left elbow toward the exit door. Anthony stumbled sideways, regained his footing, and was brusquely led through the hall and out the building. A few seconds later, Serge emerged from the building carrying Maya on his right shoulder, her feet facing forward.

  Serge lowered Maya to the ground, cut the plastic strap from her wrists, moved her hands to her front, and put new ones on. He then lifted her onto his horse's back, stomach down, tied a rope around her ankles, looped the rope under the horse's stomach, and tied the other end to her wrists.

  Serge then went to Pancho, who was standing next to Gabe's horse, and the two men repeated the process with Anthony.

  As Anthony was being tied to Gabe's horse, Gabe emerged from the building. In his left hand he held Savane's elbow. In his right hand, he held Pryce's.

  "Hold these two. I'm calling this in to Shuh. He's going to love it," Gabe said.

  "You got it," said Pancho.

  Anthony raised his head away from the horse's side as much as he could and managed to get Pryce's attention. Staring into Pryce's eyes, he mouthed silently, "Wait for the timer. One a.m."

  Pryce nodded very slightly.

  "One a.m.," Anthony silently said again, then eased back down to the horse's side.

  Gabe, standing near Anthony's feet, keyed his radio and relayed the news to Sandra.

  "Two for one, you say? Outstanding, Gabe. Do you want me to get Mr. Shuh so you can tell him yourself? Over."

  "No, you tell him. We're going to try to get back tonight. We'll probably be back late but I don't want to stay out with these two. Over."

  "You got it, Gabe. I'll tell Mr. Shuh A.S.A.P. Do you want me to relay what he says?”

  "That'll work, Sandra, Thanks. Are you ready for the numbers?"

  "Ready."

  Gabe handed the radio to Pancho, who read to Sandra the numbers from Anthony's and Maya's ankle bracelets, then from Pryce's and Savane's ear tags. He ended the transmission.

  "Alright, saddle up," said Gabe. "We've got a long ride today but I think you guys are getting better. You can handle it."

  "I hope so. Let's get on the road," said Pancho. He pulled a knife from his pants pocket and cut the plastic strap from Pryce's and Savane's wrists. He then awkwardly lifted himself into the saddle. Serge did the same, grazing Maya's head with his boot on the way up.

  "Wait a second," said Savane. "Where are we supposed to ride?"

  "Oh, sorry, little girl. I'm afraid we don't have room for you two," Gabe said from his saddle.

  "What do you mean you don't have room? We're gonna need transfusions tonight! When are they getting back?"

  "Not tonight, sorry. I have my orders. We're only taking immunes today. No room for Ebola today," Gabe said and laughed.

  "You can't just take the immunes," Savane said, panic creeping into her voice. "You know you can't."

  "Yes, they can," Pryce said quietly to Savane. "They can and they are."

  "I know! I know! Let's draw vials now. We'll save it for tonight. Okay?"

  "Sorry. No time. Got to go," Gabe said. He spurred his horse, which responded instantly. Pancho and Serge fell in line closely behind. Gabe then spurred his horse again and it broke into a run.

  As Anthony, tied to the horse's back, bounced away, he yelled out, "Sorry, Savane! Sorry! I tried! I tried!" He turned his head toward Gabe and yelled, "You despicable animal! You know what this means! You know! You're killing them! Killing them!"

  Gabe swiveled his head and said to Anthony, "Sorry, Mr. Barringer. I have my orders."

  At that moment, the first grasshopper struck the right side of Gabe's horse. Then several more struck Gabe.

  "Pick it up, guys. Swarm's coming," Gabe said. He spurred his horse and Anthony felt its pace quicken even more. Within seconds, the few grasshoppers that flung themselves into the road turned into a flood. Anthony looked back down the road. Pancho and Serge were squinting and leaning forward, as if riding into a
strong rain.

  Anthony looked back past Pancho and Serge's horses, now running at full speed, and saw the outlines of Savane and Pryce. They were barely visible through the gray mist of grasshoppers and were rapidly receding from view. He shouted into the swarm "Check the timer! One a.m.! One a.m.!"

  The last he saw of Savane, she was running after them but fading fast. Gabe's horse cleared the swarm, navigated a bend in the road, and she was gone.

  Chapter 25

  Well after sunset, the three riders arrived at the front steps of the IRCC building.

  "Great ride, you guys!" Gabe said. "I'm very impressed. I'd say we averaged 8, 10 miles per hour. Outstanding."

  "No problem," Pancho said.

  "Hmmm," was Serge's only reply.

  "Pancho, you and me need to take care of these horses. Serge, if these two are still alive they need to be taken to overnight cells."

  "Hmmm."

  Serge dismounted, landing flatly on both feet. He first went to Maya, grabbed the top of her bald head in his huge hand, and tilted her head up. Her eyelids fluttered and her mouth moved slightly.

  "Check," Serge said to Gabe.

  "He speaks!" Gabe said to Pancho. "How about that."

  "Sometimes he does," Pancho, who had by this time dismounted, replied to Gabe.

  Next, Serge lifted Anthony's head up. Anthony grimaced and managed to open his eyes. "You need to give us water," he said.

  "Check," Serge said to Gabe.

  "Excellent. Get them out of here so we can take care of these horses," Gabe said.

  Serge gently stroked the horse's face and said, “Yes, sir.”

  He cut Maya from his horse and slung her over his shoulder. He ascended the steps of the Frederick J. Murray Federal Building, opened the outer door, then the inner door, and turned left down the hallway.

  When he was about 20 feet down the hallway, well out of view of Gabe and Pancho, Serge gingerly lowered Maya from his shoulder and cradled her in his arms in front of his chest.

  As he walked, he lowered his face toward hers and said softly, "We'll be there soon, little sister. You okay?"

  Maya's eyelids parted slightly.

  "Don't you worry. It's just a couple more minutes. Have some of my water." Serge removed a water bottle from a clip on his belt, lifted Maya's head slightly, and put the opening to her lips. They responded almost imperceptibly, but some trickled through her lips.

  "You need to drink," he said quietly. "Try again." Again, he poured a few drops of water through her lips. This time, Maya's jaw moved slightly and she swallowed.

  "Very good. We'll be there in a minute, promise."

  The overnight cell consisted of an empty room with a mattress on the floor. A pillow and tan blanket lay on the mattress. Serge kicked the blanket off the bed, lowered Maya onto it, and covered her up to her neck. He gently lifted her head, put the pillow under it, lowered her head again, and dripped more water into her mouth. Again, she drank, stronger than before.

  "I'm leaving this here. Drink as much as you can. There is a bucket in the corner if you need to go. Be strong, Maya. I'm sure they'll let you go tomorrow."

  Serge stood up and left the room, quietly closing the door behind him.

  When he went back outside, Pancho's and his horse were gone. Gabe stood at his own horse's nose, gingerly feeding it something from his cupped hand.

  "What took you so long? Get this other one off my horse."

  Serge silently cut Anthony loose and hoisted him onto his shoulders. Gabe immediately walked the horse toward the corner of the building and was gone.

  "Don't worry, Mr. Barringer. The girl's going to be okay," Serge said to Anthony.

  "Which girl?" Anthony said.

  "What's that?"

  "Which girl is going to be okay?" Anthony asked again.

  "Sorry, Mr. Barringer. I really am. The girl inside is going to be okay. I don't know about the one we left behind."'

  "I do," Anthony said bitterly.

  "Let's get you inside. Can you walk?" Serge asked.

  Anthony didn't know the answer to that question but said, "Yes, I can walk."

  "Come on, I'll help you," Serge said. He lowered Anthony to the ground, feet first, and held him around the shoulder. "You good?"

  "I'm good," Anthony said.

  "Let's get you inside, get you some water."

  Anthony slowly ascended the stone steps. Serge slowed himself down and climbed the steps at Anthony's side. At the top, Serge opened the outer door and let Anthony pass through first. He did the same for the inner door and then said, "Take a left."

  "I know the way," Anthony said.

  A few minutes later, Serge held open the door of the room next to Maya's. "Welcome home," Serge said.

  Anthony stepped inside. Serge said, "Back in a sec" and left.

  Anthony eased himself onto the mattress and propped his head on the pillow. Serge returned a minute later with a large bottle of water, set it on the floor next to Anthony's head, said "Drink," and was gone.

  Eight hours later, Division Director James Shuh linped into Maya's room, followed closely by Gabe Sparrow, Scout 459.

  "Exhibit A," Gabe said. "Exhibit B is in the next room, alive as far as I know."

  "This is excellent," Shuh said. "Excellent! When can your report be finished?"

  "Lunch time okay?"

  "Excellent! Bring it to my office as soon as it's finished."

  Maya, who was awakened by the voices, opened her eyes slightly and looked at the two men. Terror returned to her eyes but they did not recognize it.

  "Good morning sunshine. Ready for your new jewelry? You've been promoted to COOP yellow status," Gabe said.

  "Bring it to my office when you're done, Gabe" Shuh said and left the two alone.

  Although he was a small man, Gabe had no trouble raising Maya to her feet. He pulled her by the wrist to the same room in which Anthony received his first ankle ring. Two men, one short and the other shorter, were waiting outside the room.

  "Are we going to need the usual restraints?" the shortest of the two men asked Gabe.

  "No. She's less than harmless. Let me know when you've released her," Gabe said.

  "Why are you doing this?" Maya said, as loud as she could manage.

  "I'm sorry, what?" Gabe asked.

  "Why are you doing this?"

  "Doing what? Do you mean why are we bringing you here?"

  With a little more strength, Maya said, "Yes. Bringing me here. Treating me like this. What did I do to you?"

  "Don't you know?" Gabe asked. "You broke regulation. Moved without permission. Took in a resource without authorization. Aided an immune who illegally removed his identification ring. Not to mention had the division director shot."

  "What are you talking about? You shouldn't treat me like this," Maya said.

  "Little girl, these are no small matters. We've organized everyone, people immune to Ebola like you, sick resources like those other two you were with, into a collective. Very orderly. Everyone is taken care of according to his needs. If you cooperate, if everyone cooperates, then we can spread resources around. The way it should be. If you go against that...Let's just say your actions are counter revolutionary."

  "What are you talking about?" Maya said. "You're crazy."

  "Take my advice, girl. Quiet that talk down. You're part of the IRCC protectorate. Be thankful," Gabe said, then turned and walked back the way he had come.

  "This way, ma'am," the short man said and looped his arm under Maya's. A third man stood next to the bench inside the room.

  "Thank you, ma'am. If you would be so kind, please sit in the bench as indicated." Maya did so. "You're lucky today. Our phlebotomist is already here and ready for you." The man left the room. Maya leaned over sideways until she was laying on the bench. She closed her eyes and thought about her pool, the smoked salmon in her kitchen, the swirling paint on her bedroom cei
ling. Her mind drifted and she was lying on the couch in the window room. A few minutes later, the door opened. A phlebotomist carrying a metal tray entered. Maya opened her eyes and looked at him.

  "Left arm, please," he said as he put his hand around Maya's left wrist and pulled.

  "Ow," Maya said.

  When he took a hypodermic needle from the tray, Maya relaxed. Just a transfusion.

  "That's a big bag," Maya said when she saw the pint-size clear plastic bag marked "IMMUNE". "Is this my monthly pint?"

  "Didn't they tell you? We're taking an insurance pint, in case you have any ideas of moving again without registering your new location."

  Maya looked him the eyes but saw only coldness.

  "Squeeze, please. You're too slow."

  Maya squeezed her hand and he waited until the bag was filled. "Thank you, ma'am. We are done here," he said and left the room.

  Within seconds, one of the men who led her there returned. He pulled a silver apparatus, about the size of his middle finger with a twisted end, from his pocket. He waved it over the ring until it popped open slightly. He pried it open until it came off, then pulled a new ring from a box under the bench and secured it.

  "Congratulations, 58963 COOP YELLOW. Let's get you on your way." With that, the two men who led her to the phlebotomist took her to the end of the hallway. They passed through the large foyer and pushed her into the space between the two sets of doors.

  "Thank you again for your cooperation, ma'am," the shorter of the two men said as he held the outside door open.

  "How am I supposed to get home?"

  "That's not up to me. Your traveling companion should be out shortly," said the shorter man. He let go of the door and it swung shut, leaving Maya on the stairs, alone.

  She sat on the top step, glanced left and right, pulled her knees to her chest and lowered her head.

  Several minutes later, Anthony emerged. On his left ankle was a red ring. CRM 28974 COOP RED, and he carried two small paper bags. He took one step down, sat down next to Maya, put his arm around her shoulder and said, "Let's get home, Maya. I'll show you how to take these things off."

  Chapter 26

  Anthony pulled a green bottle from one of the brown bags and said, "Here, drink this. Mineral water. From Italy. Tastes like crap, I know, but you need to drink as much as we can before we leave."

  "We're going home?"

  "Yes, we're going home."

  Maya took the bottle and tried to remove the screw-off cap but her weak fingers didn't budge it. Anthony took the bottle from her, twisted the cap off, and handed it back.