“The vaccine has given the flu to everyone who received shots.”
“What are you talking about, Moya?” A fumbling sound was heard over the mouthpiece of the phone. “You know as well as I do, vaccines contain a small amount of the virus, but they’ve been rendered inactive to build the antibodies to strengthen the immune system against the virus.”
“Yes, sir, I know that, but I’m only relaying the information to you of what’s happened. You need to have it tested, sir.”
“We do? Why can’t you do it there? That’s why I brought Calgleef in on this.” Thorncroft then ordered his guest to get him a drink.
He doesn’t treat his lover boys any better apparently. Moya shuddered; the very thought of these young men with that fat, old—blech!
“Sir, if an analysis was conducted here, the results would be available to those I’m sure you’d prefer not know of the vaccination’s makeup. The possibilities for reproduction—albeit illegal—would be all too prevalent.” Moya appealed to the one thing he knew would make Thorncroft sit up and take interest. Money.
He could practically hear the gears grind away in Thorncroft’s head as he thought it over. He heard the sound of ice cubes in a glass, then a long slurrrp as the CEO of Thorn Bio-Tech took a swallow of his drink. Either that or he and his— No, Moya shook his head to get that picture out of his mind. His head still contained remnants of the earlier image.
“Perhaps you’re right on that point, Moya. I’ll get our lab people to run a check right—”
“There’s also a potential problem with the CDC officer in charge at the hospital. She is calling on Calgleef to suspend the program until we have better information—”
“Suspend the program? We can’t have that, do you know how much is at stake?”
Moya didn’t but he could guess. “Sir, Calgleef would need an order from the president to do that, so we have some time. Have your techs look for the virus cells first.”
“The virus? What do you—”
“Sir,” Moya cut Thorncroft off again; he wouldn’t be able to get away with it much longer. “It’s the process of elimination, and that’s where we have to start.”
“Okay then, Moya, consider it done. Now unless there’s anything else, I have some unfinished business to attend to.”
I bet you do at that. And please don’t fill me in on it!
“No, sir, that’s all and thank you.” Moya ended the call and called Calgleef back as quick as he could. It would be easier to keep images of a naked Thorncroft romping with young men out of his head if he kept busy.
“Stall for time, Dr. Calgleef. I’m getting those tests you asked for done,” was all he told the director, then hung up. It was in his and Thorncroft’s interests that the tests were carried out, but by telling the director of the CDC he’d done it for him, his loyalty would be guaranteed.
Now he had to wait on the technicians from Thorn. He believed the virus was still active in the vaccination; there could be no other explanation for all patients showing symptoms otherwise. He couldn’t tell Thorncroft directly but he could hint—like leading a horse to water.
“Now if I can just get them to drink!”
“How do you feel?” Delaney asked her younger assistant. Together with other staff they moved most of the ill into the consultation rooms, the most severe cases into beds in intensive care.
Tilford pulled the surgical mask everyone he wore below his chin. “Confused more than anything, but physically I’m okay. You?”
“Holding up but I’ll join you on the confused part.”
“Well it’s about to get worse.” Tilford gave a subtle nod behind her.
Before she had a chance to turn, around the sour tone of hospital CEO Gerard sounded.
“Dr. Delaney, what is the meaning of all this? What have you done?”
She didn’t like the insinuation but had more important concerns than Gerard’s temper. She had to refrain from an argument; he appeared the type who would have no qualms in removing Delaney, her team and probably the patients from his hospital. She couldn’t risk the consequences; it would be horrendous.
“There have been some complications—”
“COMPLICATIONS?” Gerard pointed at the remainder of the patients in the room. “Looks more like a fucking disaster to me!”
Delaney couldn’t argue against that if she wanted to.
“Mr. Gerard, we’re doing everything we can to contain the—”
Delaney shot a remonstrative look in Tilford’s direction. Don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t say anything!
“Contain what, Tilford?”
“The, err, problem, sir, to outpatients.” Tilford responded.
Delaney breathed a little easier.
Gerard had been so intent on stamping his authority he hadn’t noticed the surgical masks worn by the staff hospital and CDC staff.
“And what exactly is that problem?” Gerard’s no longer seemed confrontational.
Delaney noticed the recognition in his face and the two backward he took; he understood. The virus was out!
“So… so where are all the patients you inoculated this morning?”
“Because of the different reactions, some are still here in the consultation rooms while the most severe have been moved into IC right —”
Gerard’s pupils grew to a size of black plates. He stared at Delaney for a moment, panic all over his face, he then whirled on his heels and stormed from the waiting room.
“The hell?” Tilford stared at the departing CEO.
“I’d say he’s off to inform the health authorities. He wasn’t about to tolerate this any further, but he needs some authority to remove us.”
“These people are in no condition to be moved, Dr. Delaney.”
“I know but there’s a more important consideration.”
“And that is?” Tilford’s inexperience in a crisis showed, but he wasn’t coming apart at the seams, which impressed Delaney just as much as his looks.
“The virus would be out and there’d be no stopping it.”
The two stared at each other for a long moment. The realization of those consequences was firmly entrenched into the minds of both, but Delaney did have one fleeting thought of a restaurant and a candlelight dinner for two…
She took a deep breath, snapped herself back to reality and glanced at her watch.
“I need to go make a phone call.” She headed back to her office; she should have heard back from Calgleef by now.
In a hotel across the other side of Des Moines, Moya waited nervously in his room. He had given up all his beliefs; gone over the “dark side” and had become a leading proponent for the pharmaceuticals. As a doctor he knew some of the medications they made—mainly the more expensive ones—did more harm in most cases, which usually resulted in a prescription of yet more expensive medications. This meant little in many European and other countries around the world where universal health care or a similar system was in place. In the United States, however, where the system was designed to favor the private hospitals, private health insurers and drug manufacturers, the pickings were plentiful—for the few.
And that’s why he changed sides halfway through the game. He felt he hadn’t been rewarded for his hard work; getting on side with Thorncroft would change all that. He had become the leading advocate for the development of a vaccine throughout Europe, and when the United States government wanted an expert opinion it was he who was asked. He pushed ahead with the proposal for the use of the drug before the proper test had been carried out. The vaccination of more than half the population of America would be a financial windfall, and as long as the menace of the Baltic flu hung around a bit longer they (Thorn) could probably squeeze in another year of vaccinations, perhaps even two if people were concerned enough about the death toll in Europe.
He had overheard Thorncroft mention that very thing a few months ago when the first overtures were made by the director of the Centers for Disease Control, An
drew Calgleef. This got Moya to thinking. If a vaccine was to be rushed ahead, it would only be for the markets that hadn’t suffered any cases of Baltic flu, and the only one that was worthy of profit was the US market. It made perfect sense; the more who suffered the more vaccines would be sold and the more likely it would turn out to be annual. Thorncroft knew how to turn a profit; he granted him that.
When his cell eventually rang he expected Thorncroft to be on the other end.
“Yes, sir?”
“Ah, good day or evening as it may be. It’s Waddell here, Dr. Moya.” Waddell was one of the head researchers at Thorn labs. “Mr. Thorncroft asked me to call you immediately.”
Moya had no time for introductions or small talk. “What have you got?”
“Apparently your assumption was correct. The virus cells are active and they’ve multiplied extensively.”
Moya knew that when a scientific researcher used the word extensively it meant more than a factor of ten.
“Okay, thank you, Dr. Waddell, I assume you’ve informed the old man?” Moya’s reference was to Thorncroft and was answered in the affirmative before he asked if there was anything else he should be aware of.
“Well, further tests have confirmed the virus cells are the cause for the low iron count in the sufferers and not, as first suspected, that those with a low count were merely more susceptible.”
“And how’s that?”
“The virus organism seeks out the iron in the red blood cells, consumes it, and then multiplies in the process. The reason for the attraction to the iron has yet to be determined but—”
“You’re working on it!” Moya wasn’t concerned with why or with Waddell himself and cut him off. What did concern him, however—and he knew it would be the same for Thorncroft—was that if this news got out, the vaccine and the program would be canceled and a fortune would be lost.
Moya paced the room as he pondered how he could cover this and make it out to be an isolated event—just enough so that the program would be completed across the country. There would be a chance to refine the vaccine for next year and…
“Buy some time, buy some time…” He paced his room, then came to a sudden halt by the window. “A smoke screen, damn it that’s it!”
He picked up his cell phone and called Calgleef.
“Do you have an emergency response team for hazardous material spills in Des Moines?” he said before Calgleef answered.
“Well not in Des Moines specifically but—”
“What do you mean?” for Moya’s plan to work, immediate action had to be taken.
“Well, a team can be arranged in an extreme—” Calgleef sensed the urgency in Moya.
“Do it!” Moya ordered, then explained how best to handle the situation at Riverside Hospital.
Five
“Doctor, Doctor!” a nurse stepped from one of the consultation rooms, her voice distressed.
Isaac Tilford had just entered the waiting room on his way back from the canteen when he heard her cries. Expecting to be told she felt the flu coming on, Tilford pulled his surgical mask back over his face and sidestepped a couch, a wastebasket and a few patients in his effort to reach her.
“Yes, Nurse, are you all right?”
“It’s not me, inside quick.” She pointed inside the consultation room.
“What the…?” He choked back his words when he saw a female patient, about his age, hunched over on the examination bed, her head down. He also couldn’t help but notice, with more than a passing interest, she was completely naked save for her tiny panties. He may have been a doctor of only one year’s experience, but he’d been a man for much longer.
Though her head hung low and her arms were limp at her side, Dr. Tilford nonetheless could see she was quite an attractive woman in her mid-twenties. Her dark brown hair was pulled back from her face, and braided behind. He was unable to see that, but he could certainly see her petite shoulders, smooth clear skin and small but enticing breasts. Tilford hadn’t been exposed to many naked women and definitely not one as nubile as this young lady.
“Her eyes, Doctor, her eyes!” the nurse informed him but stayed well back.
“Yes, let’s have a look, shall we?” He took a step toward the patient. “Nurse, do we have a coat for her?” He knew that to act like a doctor should, he would have to keep his eyes off her tits.
He put the stethoscope to his ears and took a step toward the patient who lifted her head sharply and snarled. Her eyes were red—blood red. Her entire eye, the pupil, iris and the sclera were full of blood, a single bloody “tear” dripping from her right eye. She bared her teeth and lunged at Tilford, who jumped back awkwardly. He had quickly lost interest in her bare breasts.
“Back, stay back, Nurse!” Tilford flung his arms outward.
The blood-eyed woman with enticing breasts jumped from the examination bed and thrust her arms at Dr. Tilford. She was more a wild beast than a suffering patient. The ferocity displayed convinced Tilford he didn’t want to tangle with her, no matter how enticing her tits were. He had no idea why her eyes would be filled with blood—it didn’t seem to affect her vision at all—but the word contagion came to mind, especially after what Dr. Delaney had told him.
This particular consultation room had an adjacent “secure” observation room for troublesome patients like violent offenders, those suffering the ill effects of drugs, or patients who exhibited infectious and communicable diseases. It had two doors and a long glass observation area between; and it could be locked from the outside.
Tilford moved quickly; he had to, Ms. Enticing Tits moved as fast.
“Open the door to the other room,” he yelled to the nurse. “Do it, do it now!”
As soon as the nurse opened the door, Tilford followed her. He waved his arm about as he beckoned the woman whose only crime had been that she was chosen for a free vaccination against the Baltic flu.
“What are you doing, Doctor, what…”
“Go to the other door. When I tell you, you open it then run around and lock this door from the outside okay?” He stood in the doorway, his voice edgy as he kept his eyes glued on Ms. Enticing Tits.
“Come on, bitch, you want to take a bite out of me?” He wasn’t sure that’s what she wanted, but that was the impression she gave.
Delaney had no idea Tilford was engaged at this moment with a half-naked woman in one of the consultation rooms. She was unaware the danger in the hospital had turned into an immediate life or death situation.
From her office, which was positioned behind the nurses’ station on the first floor, Delaney heard several screams but didn’t investigate. It was a hospital after all, and tragic events happen, even without the possibility of a highly contagious flu breaking out. But this time the screams grew were louder and closer than usual, and when every telephone in the building rang at once—or certainly seemed that way—she knew it was more than a tragic event at a hospital.
The moment she left her office, the beleaguered looks of the nurses on the phones at the station were confirmation of the worsening crisis. “Slow down, you’re not making sense,” she heard one nurse on the phone say.
Doctors, Nurses and other staff members ran toward outpatients’ clinic, one doctor shouted. “They’re bleeding from their eyes, their noses, everywhere. It’s, it’s a fucking mess!” More confirmation the vaccine was unsafe.
Why didn’t they test, why?
She stopped at the nurses’ station for a quick report, and the youngest nurse, Beth Sanders, informed her that the patients who had received the vaccine this morning had attacked staff and even tried to “drink their blood.” Before Delaney could investigate these claims, her attention was directed to the foyer where an orderly reported that there were men in uniform surrounding the hospital.
It was all going too fast, too damn fast, but Calgleef was behind this latest action. The sight of police and the National Guard told Delaney confronting them would not be wise. She needed to call Calgleef.
That asshole!
She marched back to the nurses’ station and demanded a phone. She heard several beeps on the line as the call was connected, but paid no attention.
“This is Delaney, I need to speak to Director Calgleef immediately, do you hear, immediately!” She picked up a ballpoint pen from the counter and anxiously depressed and released the button on the top.
“What’s going on, Calgleef, why are you sealing off the building?” she appealed to her director. “And how did you know the outbreak had worsened—do you have someone working for you inside?”
Calgleef chuckled before he answered. “Of course we do, Miss Delaney. You! And as you know I’m bound by CDC rules to seal off any building where an outbreak of a contagious disease occurs. Unfortunately this means you and your team will have to remain inside until the all-clear is given.” Calgleef sounded calm, too calm for the director of the CDC facing an outbreak of a major contagion.
“Do you intend to inform the public of the possibility of the Baltic flu right here in downtown Des Moines?”
“Have you gone mad, do know the panic that would ensue?”
“That’s not what I meant and you—”
“Dr. Delaney, quick come. There is something I’m sure you’ll want to see.” Tilford came running from outpatients.
“I can see you have your hands full, Miss Delaney. I’ll call you soon. This is strictly precautionary, and as soon as we can confirm there is no danger of an influenza outbreak, the quarantine will be lifted. Until then.”
Calgleef took the opportunity to beat a hasty retreat.
“Wait, hold on you… bastard!” She slammed the phone on top of the counter.
“Dr. Delaney, Dr. Del—”
“Oh for Christ’s sake, stop calling me that. It’s Grace, okay?” She was in no mood for the “Dr. Delaney” bullshit. She would have preferred they got to first-name basis in more intimate surrounds.
Well if we get out of this in one piece, it’ll definitely be intimate, that’s for sure.
Pestilence: The Infection Begins Page 4