Dead in Love (Dead Series)

by Colby Van Wagoner

  The sergeant looked at me and then back at the house, noticing a shadow walk pass the front window, “Are you sure you’re the only one inside?” I looked at the house and then back at the sergeant, “Yes, I have a movie playing inside and it must be the reflection of my big screen television.”

  He looked as though he was going to buy it, but cautiously responded, “Well, I have to get this body back to the base, but I get the feeling you aren’t being completely honest with me. You can expect another visit soon for a total inspection. This quarantine needs to ensure there are no other infected people left in the town.”

  “Sure thing, not a problem, I won’t be going anywhere soon, but you know that. Take your time sir.” The sergeant turned and walked with the other soldiers back to the Humvee, loading the body in the back. He turned, took one last look at the house and then climbed inside the vehicle. Then engine turned over and drove down the road, into the distance. I would need to make sure that Laylianna stayed in the fallout shelter and keep her out of sight, just in case the soldiers return.

  I went inside and found Laylianna watching the movie. She turned and saw that I had come through the door, moved closer towards me, reaching her hand to her mouth. “You’re hungry, aren’t you?” She nodded her head, as I walked her into the kitchen. I unlocked the fridge and pulled out some of the thawed meat, placing it on a plate and then onto the table.

  She tore the meat apart with her hands and began shoving it in her mouth, stopping after a few bites. She stood up and walked to the sink, turned on the water and washed her hands, then opened a drawer, pulling out a knife and fork then returning to the table. She used the knife and fork and returned to eating the meat. “You remember how to eat?” She paused, looked up at me and smiled, showing an emotional response to my words.

  After she finished, stood up and placed the plate in the sink, she walked from the kitchen and back to the living room. I walked in and found her watching the movie. She was looking at the screen and changing her facial expressions from scared, too excited and then to fear, as one of the zombies in the movie was killed. She reached for the remote and turned off the movie.

  I watched as she stood up, came towards me and kissed my cheek. What in the world is going on? Is she overcoming the infection and is my experiment working? There must be some correlation between the infected eating a human’s flesh as opposed to animal meat. Maybe she has a chance, but I can’t let the military find out she is here.

  The director called a meeting of the committee with the Department of Defense, CDC and military officials involved in the facilities operations, “Gentlemen thank you for coming on such short notice. The operations conducted over the past few days have had their successes and their failures. We have lost a few team members, but more importantly have secured over 75 percent of the inner section of the town. Bio-safety containment principles, technologies and practices have been implemented to prevent unintentional exposure to pathogens and toxins, or their accidental release from the town.”

  “Somehow, we failed at our diligence to prevent this from happening and the facility is now reviewing the codes, principles and further operation taking place inside. Control methodologies include engineering controls, work practices and administrative controls, possible immunizations, medical surveillance and training, to address the variety of hazards anticipated in the laboratory.”

  “These methodologies work synergistically to protect laboratory workers and people the infected may come in contact with, such as co-workers and family members, as well as the environment. These control methodologies begin with basic principles and increase in scope and intensity as the nature of the hazards increase.”

  “The Department of Defense’s biological safety and security program was reviewed by a Defense Science Board task force in 2009. The review involved a comparison of biological laboratories with similar facilities in academia, industry and the Federal Government. Twenty-two laboratories were considered, including the facility I am in charge of.”

  “The task force found that the safety and security of the facilities were as good as or better than that found in comparably sized facilities. It also made the observation that several laboratories are more modern than other laboratories. The bio-surety program focuses on accountability of both personnel and materials. Taken together these criteria complement each other and are more stringent than the existing requirements set forth by DOJ and HHS/USDA.”

  “Personnel reliability is another aspect of bio-surety, which involves systems and procedures to ensure that individuals with access meet high standards of reliability. The Biological Personnel Reliability Program was initiated in 2003 and every new employee undergoes a 10-week process of personal interviews with questions about drug and alcohol use, mental health, financial issues and any interactions with law enforcement. Personnel records are reviewed, and a medical evaluation is performed that includes physical, emotional and psychological assessments. After enrollment in the program, personnel are monitored carefully for disqualifying attributes including inappropriate attitude, conduct, or behavior. This Biological Personnel Reliability Program is considered to be a model by other institutions.”

  “While this program is robust at screening and potentially deterring and detecting insider threats, it is the consensus of the committee that no program can stop all threats of theft, misuse or escape and contamination of biological and chemical compounds posed by those who have been granted access into the facility and who are determined to take action. Risk in any activity cannot be reduced to zero.”

  “This committee also recognizes that there are very few reports in the literature regarding employee theft or misuse of biological agents inside this facility, or any other in the United States, despite the large number of personnel working with these agents and the number of year’s research has been conducted. Preventing further incidents is an ongoing challenge that will need to balance strengthened bio-security measures against the placement of undue additional stress on laboratory personnel. That is why General Conrad Raymond is being reassigned to another facility.” The general stood and walked from the conference room, slamming the door behind him.

  The director continued, “Under the new General, General John Hunter, the current program will be strengthened by further training laboratory personnel on their individual and collective bio-security responsibilities, reinforcing ethical norms of safe and responsible scientific conduct and paying increased attention to behavioral signals that may identify personnel as “at risk” of becoming potential threats to their coworkers and the program, such as Dr. Weiss.”

  “Responsible research with biological select agents and toxins, recommends training in scientific ethics and dual-use research and that the training be designed to foster community responsibility. Research enterprises in academic, corporate, and military settings have been slow to respond to increasing calls for training of life scientists in ethical aspects of their work. It would appear that we have had some difficulty assigning priority to training in ethics and responsibility in research, but this is not unique to military installations.”

  “Physical security is commensurate with the maximum level of fortification typical of high-value domestic military bases. The entire facility is surrounded by fencing and there are security checkpoints at all entrances. Vehicle and personnel checks are performed for all who enter the fort. There are additional security checkpoints at the entrance to the laboratory buildings, as will be the case for the new standards of this facility. Incoming packages will continue to be subject to X-ray and/or physical inspection.”

  “Access to the individual laboratory suites requires the use of swipe cards, key pads, and/or biometric readers, the nature of the laboratory. There are exterior and interior closed-circuit television systems. Access to higher level bio-testing will require further security access.”

  “As indicated above, all persons having access must undergo FBI verification and adjudication, then extens
ive further scrutiny through the Biological Personnel Reliability Program process. That is all, now we will return to the black-op night operations and eradicate any further threats of the compounds from spreading. Dismissed” The director walked from the main podium and into his discreet office, lay down onto a small cot and closed his eyes.

  I continued securing my ranch and placing additional reinforcements on the fencing, more barbed wire and metal shielding to prevent further incidents. As I made my way through the town, during the day, I was careful to move through the building and stay concealed from the infected wandering during the day. For some reason, they would move slower during the day and were easily avoided if I caught their attention.

  Inside the main section of the town, there were infected crossing guards standing at the intersections, walking from sidewalk to sidewalk and holding up their stop signs. At another intersection, I found a deputy sheriff attempting to direct traffic. It was Larry; I could recognize his facial features, along with his mustache. His hand had been severed and was torn down to the bone. He was missing a foot and was holding himself up by the stump. I looked down at the ground and sighed, “Shit” I whispered under my breath.

  I pulled out my machete and quickly made the decision to end him. I wouldn’t want to walk around in that infected state. With no hesitation, I ran from the side of the building, across the intersection raising my blade into the air. As I passed the center of the intersection, I swung the blade with all my might, landing a fatal blow across Larry’s neck. I kept running and running, never looking back at my friend. Throughout the day, I collected supplies and then returned home at sunset, the military would be more than likely continuing their nightly operations.

  When I returned home, I found the body of an infected woman, caught in my perimeter fencing. She was missing half the skin on her face and was extremely decayed. Mosquitoes were landing on her and swarming around her wounds, landing, taking their fill and then flying off into the air. Would the mosquitoes be able to carry the infection and transmit the virus? I better get my mosquito repellent out to be on the safe side.

  Back inside the house, I tried to explain to Laylianna, “The soldiers that were here the other day may return. So you need to stay in the fallout shelter, or they may take you or even kill you.” She seemed to understand and had a scared look in her eyes. She ran from the first floor, into the basement and then into the shelter, closing the door behind her. Later on, I would bring her a plate of meat for dinner.

  A news caster was broadcasting a special news report on the local news, regarding the history of the facility. In fact, every local news station was providing non-stop coverage on the outbreak, “In late November 2009, a laboratory worker contracted tularemia pneumonia as a result of her research with the causative agent Francisella Tularensis. She began to exhibit symptoms of illness which were fever, chills, myalgia and headache, several days after having worked with the agent.”

  “Vaccination for tularemia is available to all workers, however, this researcher had not been vaccinated against F. Tularensis because she had a non-laboratory related clinical case of tularemia in 1992, and had positive Hemagglutinin Titers suggesting that she retained immunity to the bacteria. Because her children were ill, she attributed her symptoms to catching their illness. Thus, she sought medical attention from the usual military channels for non-occupational illnesses about a week after symptoms began.”

  “However, after her fever and symptoms persisted, she sought care from the facilities special immunization program clinic. The clinic confirmed a diagnosis of tularemia. The county public health officer was informed by the on-base army health clinic once a presumptive diagnosis was made, and was periodically updated. No other cases of tularemia occurred.”

  “Based on these observations and comments on the case from the county health officer and the public, a number of lessons may be learned. First, even though there were circumstantial reasons for the worker to suspect her illness was unrelated to work in the laboratory, this case suggests that workers with fevers should be required to report to the clinic before seeking care elsewhere because it has the specialized clinical staff and resources to identify diseases related to laboratory research.”

  “Second, it is important to maintain communications, to ensure timely reporting of cases to the state. In particular, because there is routine and frequent turnover of medical staff at the military facilities, it is important that procedures are in place to ensure that communications are maintained. This incident should be carefully reviewed for other lessons to be learned.”

  “Questions to consider include, were work practices and respiratory protection appropriate and what level of protection would be appropriate, and was it employed? Were practices in the laboratory regularly audited and are vaccination practices appropriate? Was the worker aware of the procedures for reporting incidents and was she comfortable that incidents can be reported without fear of reprisal? Are changes in current practices, engineering controls, or administrative controls for work with bio-contaminates and chemicals necessary?” The station cut back to the newsman, back at the station, “Our reporter in the field, as usual, great story Melissa. We will continue to bring you additional background on the facility and any other breaking news, as it comes to us, Goodnight everyone.”

  Chapter Twenty Four

  Laylianna had been staying in the fallout shelter, keeping out of sight, just in case the military decided to return. She was in the basement, sitting on the long couch that I had set up in front of the television. All she was interested in was meat and zombie movies.

  As I came into the room, she looked over at me and smiled, “Hello Baxter.” She spoke, it was an unexpected surprise and I could understand it perfectly. “Hello Laylianna.” She stood up from the couch and hugged me. What was going on? She seemed to be returning to normal and began to exhibit enhanced motor skills and strength.

  It was late and I had a long day, planning on returning to the market to retrieve more meat and take care of the store owner’s body, he deserved a decent burial. Laylianna went into the fallout shelter and closed the door behind her. I turned off the television and went up to the second floor of the house, falling onto the bed. In no time, I was asleep and began dreaming about flying through the air. There were a variety of animals running across the land and the predators were hunting and killing their prey. After flying through the clouds, I suddenly began falling and no longer had the ability to fly. Falling, faster and faster towards the ground, just before impact, I woke to what I thought was the sound of someone pounding on the door. I listened for a while and waited, my heart rate was increased and I could feel my heart beating in my ears.

  Another loud knock came at the door. I rushed from my room, down the stairs as fast as I could and reached for my rifle. I cocked the hammer and listened, “United States Military, open the door. Under the declaration of martial law, we have come to search the premises and the house.” There was another loud knock and then silence.

  I had boarded the door and secured it with a long metal bar stretching across, bolted to the frame. There was no way anyone was coming through that door. “Stay off my property. I don’t want to have anything to do with the Army. Leave my ranch.” I raised the rifle and cocked the lever action once again, caught the bullet and reached into my pocket, pulling out a blank round. I loaded the blank, cocked the hammer and fired off the round.

  I could hear the soldiers rush from the front porch and went to the window to check and see if I could see anything. Through the boarded window, I looked through a crack and could see that the soldiers had retreated to the cover of their vehicles. I turned on the flood lights and saw that there were four, larger transport Humvees.

  The soldiers were preparing a breach and I could identify the gear they were pulling out, was used in an armed confrontation. They carried large shields, meant for various breach and riot situations. I am surprised they were not caught in any of the traps I had set up.
Perhaps they spotted them, or were just plain lucky and missed them altogether.

  One by one, the soldiers returned to the sides of the vehicles, waiting for their orders to breach. “Shoot out the lights.” The sergeant called out the order. The soldiers fired and took out all the flood lights, allowing them to be able to see the house. It was still dark and I had retrieved various weapons and homemade devices from my storage room in the garage.

  I fired off two smoke bombs from the second floor and threw them onto the lawn, smoke flooded the air and the soldiers were forced to wait by the vehicles. I could hear the radio chatter coming from the sergeant’s radio and he was replying to someone, “We have a situation. The resident is not cooperating and is barricaded in the home. He has ignited smoke cover and we are waiting for a clear opportunity to breach.”

  “Roger that,” a voice responded over the radio. The soldiers waited and waited and continued to sound warnings through the loudspeakers on one of the Humvees, “Come out without your weapons and we will not take you into custody. This is a violation of the declaration of martial law and it will be taken seriously. I repeat, come out without your weapons and surrender to our search.”

  The sergeant ordered his men to begin preparing for the breach and search. I went from room to room and firing off one round from each of the rooms, as quickly as I could, making it seem like there were more people in the house than just me. The sergeant ordered a group to take the backyard and prevent any escape. I could see them taking positions in various spots of the yard.

  One of the soldiers was moving towards the shed and fell into one of the dead falls, screaming as his legs were punctured by the spikes inside. The remaining group rushed to his aid and pulled him from the hole. They carried him to the front of the house and into one of the Humvees. There was additional radio chatter and soldiers rushing to the Humvee.