“Son, get to the point,” Greer said.
“When systems like these shut down, they’re usually designed to seal themselves, so the last volume of air taken into the ESIP may still be in the filtration chambers. That means some of the air from the building is most likely still sealed inside the unit. That would reduce the volume of air inside the building. It creates suction.”
“And seals the building…” Mr. Woods concluded, his words trailing off as he appeared to consider what Matt had said.
“Sir, that makes sense,” Jackson said.
“But it’s probably not a perfect seal,” Matt said. “This old building was erected sometime in the ’60s, so there are bound to be some structural gaps and leaks. Gradually, the air on the outside will leak in until the pressure inside and outside is equal, and there will be no more seal.”
“Well that’s lovely,” I surmised in a sarcastic tone. “You said there’s another possibility.”
“Yes, there is,” Matt affirmed.
“What are you, some kind of genius?” Cole asked in a tone that suggested he didn’t believe what Matt was saying.
“He’s a national merit scholar,” I said.
“What does that even mean?” Cole asked.
“If you have to ask what it means,” I said, jumping to Matt’s defense, “then you probably wouldn’t understand if we told you.”
“Sir, we can’t rely on a kid,” Cole cautioned.
Greer held up a hand. “Enough. What is the second thing?”
“The second possibility is that the pressure is already equalized, and the seals are broken. That would mean the chemical substances outside have been neutralized. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
“You have a good point,” Corporal Greer said. He reached out and gave Matt’s head a paternalistic pat.
I shuddered as I considered the possible outcomes. “What do we do now? Do we just wait indefinitely until someone comes for us or we die from chemical exposure?” I felt my throat constricting with fear, and my voice rose with the tension. “How do we know if or when it’s safe to leave?” I tossed my questions into the air in the direction of the soldiers, realizing there would be no answer but hoping against hope there might be.
“Look, you just need to remain calm,” Angela Jackson said. “If you allow yourself to worry, you won’t be able to think clearly.”
I knew she was right, but then she had the training to handle something like this. All of us were stuck here and had to depend on them to keep us safe. Depending on others is not something I’ve ever done, and I didn’t feel comfortable with it now, regardless of how qualified they might be.
“Kid,” Greer said to Matt. “What’s your name?”
“Matt Fanes,” he answered.
“Matt, I’ll bet you know your way around the science lab here, don’t you?” Greer probed.
“Yes, I do, Sir.”
“Good,” Greer said. “Mr. Woods, Marrs, and Cole, you stay here to monitor the gym. Jackson, Matt, and…” He looked at me. “Who are you?”
“Casey Williams,” I answered.
“Mr. Fanes, take us to the laboratory,” the Corporal ordered.
◆◆◆
Matt, Jackson, Greer, and I hurried to the second floor of the main building where the science wing was located. The hallways were eerily quiet in the early morning hours. Very little light came in through the windows. I glanced outside and saw no streetlights were visible for as far as I could see. It seemed likely that the blackout extended for miles. A heavy cloud cover was visible in the sky, and little light showed through. Only vague outlines of buildings and the street below could be seen in the pitch black.
The science wing had several types of classrooms equipped with specialized materials for each discipline. We passed the biological science classrooms, and Greer stopped short as his flashlight skimmed the CPR dummies that rested atop several tables. I saw his silhouette heave as he exhaled. I guessed even soldiers’ nerves got frazzled sometimes.
We made it to the chemistry and physics lab, and Matt went in first. “What do you need from here, Corporal Greer?” he asked.
“I need to find a large amount of protective material and heavy-duty tape to construct an airlock compartment and an impermeable suit we can use to get to the truck,” Greer responded.
“So, like biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate or something thicker?”
How the heck Matt managed to say that was beyond me.
“I don’t know, what do you think?” Greer asked.
I was thankful we were in the dark so that Greer and Jackson couldn’t see the expression I could feel forming on my face. Frankly, it was scary that they were asking Matt for his opinion on this. I mean, Matt is smart, there’s no doubt about that, but shouldn’t they know what would work best against the chemicals outside? The army made this stuff, right?
“Well, it depends. What are we dealing with? What’s in the air?” Matt questioned.
“That’s classified,” Jackson informed.
“Well it’s going to be kind of hard to make suggestions then,” Matt retorted. I could hear a tinge of resentment in his voice.
“Okay, let’s just say it needs to be impermeable to both water and gas, and it needs to keep its structural integrity if exposed to petrochemicals.”
“So, you want really thick aluminum foil? ‘Cause that’s what I’m hearing. Even if we did have some industrial grade barbeques up here, I don’t think foil would be a wise choice. It would be too brittle for a suit.”
I was surprised at the snark in Matt’s voice. I never heard him use that tone of voice with an adult before, but then I usually wasn’t in science class with him either. Who knew nerds did trash talk? I supposed this was his domain, and he obviously saw himself as in charge inside it.
I heard a heavy sigh come from Greer’s direction. “Okay, you’re right. We can use a petroleum-based sheeting of some sort. Maybe high-density polyethylene. If we move fast, we can get what we need and not worry about airborne solvents,” he said.
“Well, why didn’t you just say so in the first place?” Matt asked in a rhetorical tone. “We have Tyvek suits in the supply closet.”
“We also need possibly eight to ten tarps at least eight by eight, a couple of pairs of heavy shears or box cutters, and all the duct tape you can find,” Corporal Greer told him. “Do you think you can get all that?”
“No problem,” Matt said. He took a flashlight to the supply closet, and we followed. The “closet” was more like a large storage room with multiple shelves of boxes and bags of beakers, bottles, jars, and things I couldn’t identify. He began bringing us stacks of tarps and some bags filled with rolls of duct tape. I noticed some of the tarps were heavy blue material, and others were heavy, clear plastic, kind of like the drop cloths you might use to cover your floor when painting, but much thicker. Matt handed one of the bags to me.
“Careful with this,” he told me. “It’s got box cutters and shears in it.” His final haul consisted of several white Tyvek suits and what looked like breathing masks of some kind. He also carried a type of light that looked similar to one I’d seen in my dad’s shop. It had a globe on it the size of a small headlight and a metal base that fastened onto a large, rectangular battery. Dad used to take his when he and Derek went out hunting for frogs of all things. What was it he’d called it? Grogging or gigging or something like that? It seemed like centuries ago the last time they went. Matt handed me another armload, bringing my attention back to the present. We took the supplies and walked back the way we came. Matt stepped inside the biological sciences lab and came out carrying an aerosol can. “Medical grade antibacterial spray,” he explained, holding the can up as he walked toward us.
Back on the first floor, Greer stopped us in the hallway just outside the gym doors. “We’ll work here,” he said. “I must caution both of you, Matt and Casey, not to say anything about what we’re doing or why. We cannot le
t anyone know the severity of this situation because people will be afraid. If they panic, we will not be able to control them, and someone will get hurt. We can’t afford that risk right now. So not a word, not even to your friends or any family you may have here. “Understand?”
“Yes,” I responded. I heard Matt agreeing as well.
“Jackson, I want you and Casey to work on the suits. You’ll need to take a couple of tarps and make headcovers, shoe covers, and gloves. Jackson, I know you’ll remember the hazmat suits used in training drills,” Greer said. “Model after those.”
“Yes, Sir,” Jackson confirmed.
“You’ll need to cut material from the tarp piece it together with duct tape. Once personnel is dressed in the suits, we’ll tape any gaps,” the Corporal instructed.
“The aerators are industrial grade and will filter out most airborne particles. They’re not made for filtering biological agents though. I guess they’re better than nothing,” Matt explained. He grabbed the can of antibacterial sanitizer, shook it, and sprayed the ventilator masks.
Jackson picked up a mask and turned it over in her hands. “They may help some, but I doubt they’d protect us from gases.”
“Better with them than without them, like Matt said,” I pointed out.
Matt finished spraying and placed the masks on a windowsill. “When these are dry,” they’ll be safe to breathe through, but the antimicrobial protection will remain in effect for several hours.”
Greer clapped Matt on the back, causing his glasses to slide down his nose. “Matt and I will construct an airlock chamber from the remaining tarps and tape. When we’ve constructed the chamber, I’ll need everyone’s help setting it up. We’ll secure it to the exterior doors and use it to make our exit and return trips to the truck. The most important goal is retrieving additional radios and batteries, but while we are at it, we may bring in additional supplies if all goes as planned,” Greer explained. “We need to finish this task as quickly as possible.”
We worked with focus and diligence. Matt set up the shop light, turned it on, and tilted its beam toward the ceiling. Its light reflected into the hallway and provided adequate, even illumination to enable us to complete the work. It was nearing 4:00 am by the time we’d finished with the construction and setup of the airlock chamber and secured it to the side doors just outside the gymnasium.
I glanced outside, anxiety building in my chest. Although the area was cloaked in darkness, and I could barely see, I knew the door led to an alcove between the main building and the gym. The righthand side of the recess was formed by the outer wall of the Family and Consumer Sciences wing.
From where I stood, the soldiers would have to walk about thirty feet beyond the door to reach the grassy area that stretched across the front of the school building. Just beyond the landscaped front yard was the tall fence that surrounded the building. There were three gates in the fence, one at the front entrance. The two remaining gates were situated at each end of the parking lot. To reach the part of the parking lot where their vehicle was parked, the soldiers would have to walk out through the recessed area and turn to the left. Their vehicle would be situated several yards away.
I turned back to our work. By now, the tarp structure had taken on its final form. It resembled a kind of tent with internal flaps to serve as baffles to block airflow. Matt had retrieved two volleyball net poles with weighted stands from the athletic supply room, and we secured these to the back wall of the airlock to hold it up.
Greer had us wait while he went into the gym to bring Cole and Marrs to help. When they returned, Greer gathered us all for instructions.
“Troops, our objective is to retrieve critical items from the truck. I will go first to get the radios and extra batteries. They are our first priority. In the unlikely event I am unable to make it to the vehicle, Jackson, you are next in line for command.”
“Sir, what might happen that would keep you from making it to the vehicle?” Marrs asked.
“As I said, it is an unlikely event, but anything could happen. I could fall. I could rip my suit and be exposed to chemicals. If anything like that occurs, Cole, you are to get the radios. They are on the floor of the passenger side in the front cab. Bring that box back into the building and establish communications with the base. Marrs, if I am compromised and unable to make it back to the building, wait until Cole brings the radio inside and then come to examine me. If I show any signs of exposure to toxins, leave me in place and return to the building. We cannot risk exposing others. Radio base and advise them of the situation. Request dispatch to send a rescue unit with antitoxin.”
“But they won’t get here in time to save you if you’re exposed,” Cole said.
“Right. But if you can get them to bring a supply, you’ll have it here for others who might need it,” Greer answered. “If we are able to get the radios back to the building, the next priority is to recover the weapons. Jackson, those are in a locker in the back under the bench. Take Marrs with you and bring the trunk. The same protocol. If Marrs and/or Jackson go down, Cole and I will retrieve the weapons. The final priority is the case of provisions, also in the back under the bench. When Marrs and Jackson return with the weapons, Cole and I will obtain the final trunk. If at any point, we lose a team member, everyone comes back inside to reassess the situation. Again, we’ll need to be quiet and fast. The objective is to finish this without alerting the civilians. We do not want to cause disruption. Once we’ve recovered the necessary items, we will secure them inside the building for future.”
Greer turned to face me and Matt. “Your job is to maintain door security. You’ll both suit up to prevent exposure to any chemicals that could escape the chamber. Under no circumstances are you to leave this building.” He turned to Cole and Marrs. “You two, secure the door to the gym, use the steel bar to ensure they can’t open it from the other side. Seal it with tarps and tape. Be sure all cracks are covered and secured, including the floor.”
The two privates worked on the door, and Greer turned back to us. “When we’ve all returned to the building, we will remove our suits, secure them in a classroom and then seal that room. As a precautionary measure, we must all shower. In fact, if you are exposed, flushing with water is the only means we have available at this time to attempt to stop chemical burns and infectious agents from entering your bloodstream. These substances can be absorbed through the skin or an open cut. You can also be affected by breathing in contaminated air.”
A sick feeling gnawed at my gut as we all put on the Tyvek suits and covered our heads, feet, and hands with the hoods, gloves, and boot covers that Jackson and I made. They were awkward and anything but easy to move in. We each helped everyone else tape up any seams where the Tyvek joined with the tarp material. We’d made the hoods from the clear plastic drop cloth and affixed the breathing masks to them. Attaching the masks was difficult, and I worried they might come loose from the plastic sheeting. Ultimately, we settled on a design where the hood was more like a sack over the head with holes poked in it at the nose. We fitted the masks over the whole bag and around the head from the outside, ensuring that the openings were right behind the respirators. We had to cut the duct tape strips in half, longways, to seal the seams between the mask edges and the plastic tarp.
We had to breathe in shallow, short breaths to minimize condensation on the inside of the plastic. It was hot, sweaty, and stifling. As Matt and Jackson taped my hood to my suit, I felt a sense of panic rising. My heartbeat felt fast and hard, and I could hear the pounding in my ears.
“Hey, you okay?” Matt asked. “Casey?”
I started to claw at the suit, trying to get it off me. “Hey! Calm down,” Jackson said. “I need you to focus, Casey. If you can’t do this, we’ll cut you out of the suit, and you can go wait in the gym, but you must calm down.” She stared into my eyes, and intense connection took place. Her dark stare was hard and determined. “That’s right Casey,” she said. “You have a choice here. You c
an get out of the suit, or you can help us with this mission. It’s up to you.”
Something clicked in my mind, and I felt the familiar sense of dissociation engulfing me with its hypnotic trance. ‘This isn’t so difficult. I can step outside the fear and just go through the motions like I’ve always done.’ I told myself.
The team readied to exit the building. Matt pointed the can of antibacterial sterilizer inside the airlock and sprayed some around the interior. Corporal Greer stepped up to the tent-like structure and motioned to Cole to follow him. He used his tarp-gloved hands to separate the outer panels and gingerly stepped into the airlock. Cole followed. Neither soldier was visible through the blue sheeting, but I could estimate where they were by watching the way the sidewalls moved. I stepped across the hall and pressed my face against the windows beside the doorway to watch them. Matt came to my side and looked out as well.
I could see the door swing open, and Greer stepped into the darkness. He switched on a flashlight and swept its beam from side to side, illuminating the area. He took a few steps forward and beckoned to Cole, who followed him outside. Greer moved forward and then to the left. Cole switched on his own light and fell in-step with Greer. The whiteness of their suits gradually faded as they walked away. Both lights disappeared around the corner of the building as they moved in the direction of the parking lot where the army transport vehicle remained.
Marrs and Jackson stepped into the airlock, and they too stepped outside. They switched their flashlights on and scanned the area before following in the direction of their Corporal. Even though I could see nothing, I couldn’t tear myself away from the window. Time seemed to stand still. I glanced at Matt. From the movement of his suit, it looked like he was breathing heavy. The inside of his hood was starting to fog up around his nose and mouth. I reached out and touched his shoulder, and he gave a startled jerk. He turned and looked at me, and I heard a muffled sigh of relief followed by a half chuckle.
“How long have they been out there?” I asked.
Viral Series (Book 1): Viral Dawn [Extended Edition] Page 9