The Devil's Vial

by Brumbaugh,Byron

  “Yes, of course,” said Todd. He turned toward the screen on the wall and pushed a button on a remote he held in his hand. The screen lit up with an animated picture of smoke stacks billowing out clouds of pollution. “What do you know about global climate change?”

  “I know we’re in serious trouble and, if we don’t do something soon, we’re going to hurt,” said Alex.

  “It’s worse than that,” said Todd. “Fifteen years ago, a few environmental scientists came face to face with the fact that we’re choking the planet to death with our pollution.” The view on the screen changed to a graph. On the graph were two wiggly lines, one red, one blue. They both started out at the left lower corner of the plot and advanced to the right upper corner in a sweeping exponential arc. The red one was above the blue. “They measured atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide and average global temperatures shown as here.” He pointed to the left lower corner with a laser pointer. “They then plugged these values into models they had at the time to predict the worse case scenario these models could produce. The blue line is the CO2 level as predicted by the models, and the red global temperature.” He pushed another button and two more lines appeared, yellow and black. “This is what we’ve actually measured since. Notice the yellow curve, actual measured CO2 levels and the black curve, measured temperatures, are well above the green and red respectively. This means what’s happening to our environment is worse than what we thought possible.”

  “Yeah, and the price of gasoline has gone up to more than four bucks a gallon,” said Emily. “So what?”

  “Patience, please,” said Todd. He turned back to the screen and quickly brought up other graphs, one after another. “These plots show predicted food and water availability, storm severity, rate of infant death, overall mortality, percentage of the world’s population that is diseased, average household income, and many other parameters that measure the state of the world’s human population. They all point to absolute disaster.”

  “Okay,” said Richard. “We’re heading for some really hard times. I don’t get the connection with designing a virus to eradicate the human race even more quickly.”

  Alex listened and had an uncomfortable feeling he would not like where this was all leading.

  “It’s a long story,” said Todd. “But let me see if I can give you the Cliff’s Notes version.” Todd turned from the screen and began pacing again. “These environmental scientists were frightened by what they found. They didn’t know what they could do about it, so fifteen years ago, they went to the powers that controlled the world, governments mostly, and pitched the results of their research. Much to their credit, the people in charge of our world, very clever people, rounded up the very best military, scientific, medical, social science, and economic minds in the world to study the problem.” Todd sighed deeply and stood still, folding his arms in front of him. “Twelve years ago, this group of very bright people got together in a very secret conference and compared notes. The result was worse than Armageddon. By the latter half of the twenty-first century, there will be widespread famine and drought that will kill off more than half of the world’s population. The resulting decaying biological mass, a lot of which will remain unburied and exposed to runoff and pollute otherwise potable water resources, will cause world-wide pandemics that will cross all borders and economic class barriers, killing off more than half of the remaining human population. It was predicted violence will reign supreme and bloody battles between those having water and food and those that don’t, will slaughter another seventy-five percent. By the latter quarter of the century, worsening drought and rising temperatures will eliminate almost all plant life. This is both on land and in the sea.”

  “So,” said Emily, “you’re saying we should help nature take its course by designing a virus that will kill us off quicker?”

  “No, wait,” said Alex. He felt a tightening knot in his stomach. “I think I see where he’s going with this.”

  “Huh?” said Emily.

  “Population control,” said Alex.

  “Exactly,” said Todd as he pointed to Alex like a professor recognizing an unusually bright student. “The predictions said that unless we take dramatic action NOW, these things WILL happen.” He turned and began moving about the room again.

  “More bright people were called in, more predictions made, and it became clear that the reduction of energy consumption required would not support the existent human population at current standards of living. The sacrifices that would have to be made, even if it could be done, and this is not at all certain, would destroy our way of life. The only way out of this predicament was to somehow dramatically reduce the world’s human population, and quickly. That’s when I, and others like me, were called in. The question I was presented with was: how can we humanely reduce the world’s population in a few years’ time so the survivors could maintain our way of life; could keep all of the advances in knowledge and technology that humanity has made since its beginning; could continue to progress forward instead of regressing God knows how far back.”

  “I see,” said Richard. “You’re going to sacrifice the peons so the Roman nobility can still take hot baths.”

  “Hardly,” said Todd. “We, the human race, have progressed to the point where we have some control over our fate. We need to take that control. Nature is arbitrary, has no sense of what direction humanity should take. She would kill off the brilliant along with the retarded, the caretakers along with those that would not survive without that care, the technologically and artistically gifted along with those that produce nothing but only consume, that part of the gene pool that represents human evolution along with that part that represents devolution. Billions of people are going to die horrible deaths anyway. But we can take control and insure that some will survive and that those that do are capable of keeping alive the best of what humanity has to offer.”

  It still sounded pretty elitist to Alex.

  “After being called in to see what could be done, we worked years trying to develop a biological means that would target only humans, that could be inoculated against for those that were chosen to survive, that would act quickly, but not so quickly that there would be a sudden mass of rotting protoplasm lying around that would lead to worse disease. Srivastava stumbled across a simian virus that infected nearly one-hundred percent of the monkeys exposed with nearly one-hundred percent fatality. After ten years of study, we were able to make some changes in the viral genome so that it would target people instead of monkeys, could be inoculated against with one-hundred percent certainty, and was indolent enough so that the infected would not know their fate while they helped bury and remove those that had already died. The only copy of this virus in existence is in the sample given to you, Richard, by mistake.”

  Todd stopped his pacing in front of Richard and stared at him. Richard was leaning forward in his chair, forearms resting on his thighs, staring at the floor.

  “Richard,” said Todd. “We’ve run out of time. If we don’t release the virus soon, within the next few weeks, CO2 levels will rise to levels that will ensure the demise of everything that we have worked for as a species since the dawn of mankind. We need the vial that has the virus, and we need it now. Where is it?”

  “But I thought…” said Alex, then stopped himself as he glanced Richard’s way. I see, he thought. Richard’s hope. They have the other vial!

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Okay, thought Richard. They know. Now what? How could he get to Todd and convince him he was wrong?

  “I don’t understand,” said Alex. “I thought you had the vial.”

  “Oh, we have a vial, alright,” said Todd. “Just not the vial. What we have is just a tube containing water. I don’t know where you got it, but it’s not the vial we want and know you have.”

  “It’s the only one we have -”said Emily.

  Todd hit his desk with his fist. “Don’t give me that crap! Damn it! We know Srivastava passed the via
l to Richard. He told us so before he died.” He stopped and looked directly at Richard. “Once again, Richard. Where is the vial?”

  “We don’t know anything about another vial,” said Alex, glancing at Richard. “The one you have is the only one we know about. Srivastava must have lied.”

  All eyes turned to Richard. He shook his head, but said nothing. Emily and Alex were trying to buy time with denial. But Richard would not lie. Not even a lie of omission.

  “We know you have the vial we want,” said Todd. “Srivastava died trying to retrieve the vial. Why would he risk so much if Richard didn’t have the vial? Oh no,” he looked straight at Richard, “you have the vial. Where is it?”

  Richard made no reaction.

  Emily opened her mouth to say something, but stopped herself.

  Doug watched quietly, eyebrows drawn together in a frown.

  Oscar watched and nodded in approval.

  Todd’s full attention was on Richard, waiting for a response. Richard remained silent. Martin stirred behind the desk, but said nothing, face passive.

  “I hoped, after all I’ve told you, you’d cooperate,” said Todd.

  There was a knock. Todd looked up at Martin as he moved toward the door. “Ah yes,” he said. “I had forgotten. There is one more to join us.”

  Martin opened the door, took a leash from a guy in black suit on the other side and walked back in with a large German shepherd in tow.

  Richard watched Alex give the dog a casual glance, then do a double take. “Buddy?” he asked. Rising from his chair, he approached the dog with his hand out in front of him. “Buddy!”

  The dog took one look at Alex, his ears drew back along his neck, and he bared his teeth. What started as a warning growl erupted in a snarling lunge toward Alex’s hand. Buddy was restrained by his leash. There was a broad smile on Martin’s face.

  Alex stopped mid-stride and jerked his hand back reflexively. “Buddy?” he said, as if not believing what just happened. He looked up at Martin. “What did you do to him?” His hands were clenched in tight fists drawn close to his sides.

  “Oh, just a little retraining,” said Martin. After a moment of reflection, he said, “Yes, that’s the right word. I quite enjoyed it.” Martin looked up at Alex. There was a challenge in his eyes. “He was a royal pain in the ass, and I did have a score to settle with him, you know. Sit!” he commanded. Buddy let out a slight whine and sat next to Martin’s leg. “He now is quite an obedient guard dog. I still have a more… um… permanent solution in mind for him, but that‘ll wait.” The two of them moved back behind the desk. “I wouldn’t get too close to him, if I were you,” said Martin. “He’s been trained to attack anyone that approaches him; that is, anyone except a few specially chosen handlers.”

  Alex scowled. He looked very angry. “Damn it!” he muttered under his breath. “He’s my dog!” Martin, in order to get some kind of vengeance over Alex, obviously went out of his way to find and take Buddy from Alex’s neighbor where he left him. Or maybe it was just a show of the power Martin held over all of them. A chill ran through Richard. What happened to Alex’s friend, his neighbor?

  “All right,” said Todd, still looking at Richard. “Enough. I, we, need that vial and we need it now.”

  Alex seemed to reach the boiling point. “Wait a minute,” he said. He couldn’t keep fury from his voice. “You’ve told us you plan to kill billions of human beings so a few elite can survive in luxury and this is supposed to make us support you?”

  “Those who will die, will die even if we don’t release the virus.” Todd’s voice was even, reasonable. “By using the virus, a few are guaranteed to survive. If we let nature take her course, there is no guarantee anyone will survive. By choosing who to inoculate, we can insure that those who will survive will have the skills and expertise to preserve all the knowledge and technology developed from the dawn of humanity to the present moment. What could be more worthwhile?”

  Richard looked at Todd. “Let me get this straight. You want to use the technology that created the problem, to kill billions in order to preserve that same technology?”

  Todd opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Emily said, “It sounds an awful lot like the Nazis killing off six million Jews in order to improve the living condition of the Aryan Race. Only you want to kill off almost six billion innocents.”

  “Again, people that will die whether we take action or not,” said Todd.

  “What you want to do is simply morally wrong, dead wrong,” said Alex.

  “How can it be wrong to guarantee that someone will survive?”

  “Dr. Todd, Griffin,” said Richard. “Wouldn’t it be better to preserve what humanity has produced that’s life-supporting, rather than technology that destroys life? Like religion, moral philosophy, humanitarian ideals, love of your fellow man?”

  “There’s no reason why we can’t preserve both. Scholars and libraries specializing in those areas will be preserved.”

  “But ethics is not a collection of ideas written down in a book and stored in a library someplace. It’s not just dry argument between intellectuals as a thought experiment. What’s right and wrong has real meaning only when applied to real situations - like this one. You can’t keep it on a bookshelf, you have to employ it to keep it vital. It is not saved, it does not live, if you don’t use it. You cannot preserve it if you murder billions. You can’t because killing all those people is wrong.”

  “I don’t get you guys,” said Todd with exasperation. “Don’t you see that we have to do this in order that someone will survive? What good is ethics, or a moral system, if no one’s around to use it?”

  “I just can’t believe that’s the only solution to species survival,” said Alex. “I just can’t accept that.”

  “You’re a bunch of megalomaniacal Nazis!” said Emily.

  Richard looked up at Doug who hadn’t said a thing. His expression was inscrutable and Richard couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking. But then, Doug was more of a man of action than a debater of philosophy.

  “Look,” said Todd. “Very smart people, smarter than you five, have looked at other alternatives and found no acceptable options. These experts are the best in their fields - scientists, politicians, heads of governmental agencies, health care organizations. They are your bosses, your leaders, your mentors. These conclusions are theirs, not just something I made up. All those clever people can’t be wrong.”

  “What about those very bright people that are Tibetan Buddhists monks, Catholic bishops, Protestant ministers, Islamic imams?” asked Richard. “Did you ask their opinion? Did you ask all those that will be doing the dying? What they thought the right thing to do is?”

  “What it boils down to is this,” said Alex. “You can’t kill off billions because you can’t think of a better way to survive. You have to keep working on the problem and try to help as many survive as possible for as long as you can. That’s what’s right. If we can’t survive as a species doing that, then we don’t deserve to survive.”

  “Well,” said Todd. “I, for one, am not willing to throw away everything just so that some bum off the street has an equal chance to survive as a Nobel Laureate.”

  “And just who gave you the right to decide who should live and who should die?” asked Emily.

  Todd paused and let out a long sigh. “I hoped that you all would see reason, that you would join us and help us accomplish the great task that is before us, once you understood what we are all about.” He turned back to Richard. “Richard, I need that vial now!” He looked at Martin and nodded. “There are other options to your cooperation.”

  Martin walked from behind the desk, Buddy at heel, and casually pulled an automatic pistol from his belt. He cocked the gun and held it up to Richard’s head. “I’m going to count to ten. If, by the time I reach ten, you haven’t told us where the vial is, I’ll fire.” His lips were curled into a slight smile. “One,” said Martin.

  Richard s
tared at the floor and said nothing. He was scared, but resolute.

  “I see,” said Martin. “You don’t care that much for your life. Okay, let’s up the ante.” Richard glanced back up at Martin as he swung the barrel of the gun around and pointed it at Buddy. “Two.”

  Richard didn’t move. He watched Martin, but was careful to keep his expression blank, as if he wasn’t aware of what was happening.

  Martin swung the gun again and pointed it at Oscar. “Three.”

  Oscar looked at Richard. “Don’t, Richard. Don’t you do it!”

  Shit! What was he going to do? What could he do? His mind searched wildly for something, anything he could do to stop this.

  “Okay, look,” said Emily. “The truth is, we lost it –”

  “I don’t believe you,” said Todd. “And if true, we have nothing to lose by killing you, do we?”

  “Four.”

  Richard felt torn in two. He hated to see his friends threatened. But he knew, in the deepest levels of his being, he shouldn’t give in. “I won’t be a party to what you are trying to do,” he said. Billions will suffer if I give up the vial.

  “You don’t have to be,” said Todd. “Just give us the vial and let us do what needs to be done. Give us the vial and I’ll make sure that you all are inoculated and will survive.”

  “Five,” said Martin.

  No one moved. Richard again stared at the floor. He was nauseous; his stomach hurt. Remember the billions…

  “If you don’t cooperate, you all will die for sure and you won’t be able to help anyone,” said Todd.

  “Six,” said Martin. Richard couldn’t help but look back his way. Martin swung the pistol around and pointed it at Emily’s head. Doug stood up and was given a warning glance by Martin that stopped him in his tracks. Buddy growled and bared his teeth. “Don’t even think about it. I don’t have to go all the way to ten.”