“You’re right. It is the decent thing to do. We’ll talk to the ranchers today and hit Triple E tomorrow. What did you find with the tiger?”
Mike’s quick agreement gave Donna pause. Did he truly understand she had a responsibility to her clients, or was he merely humoring her? Maybe, she conceded, at another time he could afford to simply humor her, but not now. He was actually going to spend critical time to accompany her on her final rounds. She had to admire him for doing that. And she felt a little flattered by it, too.
What was most disconcerting was the thought that today would be the last time she would see some of these men and women. Which of them might rebuild and which might simply abandon ranching for good, she didn’t know, but there would be a few at least who wouldn’t be able to weather the loss of their herds even if the government came through with some sort of subsidy.
There was, she knew, the national crisis that was about to unfold. But thinking in terms larger than her single county right now was just too overwhelming. She had to keep focused on what she could affect and the things that could affect her here and now. Otherwise, she knew how easily she could be lost to despair.
So she focused on Mike’s question and tried to keep at bay the visions of a crumbling world with millions of animals dying and a vast economic depression sucking the hope out of every person across the globe.
“I got some sedimentation from the BSE test. Nothing conclusive, unfortunately. But it’s the same reaction I was getting with the other inconclusive samples that the lab’s finding the new prions in now. So it’s maybe a positive by inference. I put in a rush request for the lab to process, but who knows when they’ll get to it after today? I did, however, find this.” She reached out to touch an icon on her Pad-L screen to expand it, but found her hand was shaking too badly for her forefinger to connect. Events catching up with me, she thought, as she wrapped her fingers around the screen and pressed her thumb to the icon instead.
Mike looked over her shoulder at the image that appeared, but couldn’t make heads or tails of it. “What is it?”
“Some of the brain tissue I was looking at under the microscope. The right side of the screen shows fairly healthy tissue. On the left though, there’s some evidence of the patterning you see with prionic disease. In typical BSE or scrapie, the whole slide would look like the area on the left, except even worse. But the lab indicated that this disease causes localized degeneration, which would be consistent with what we’re seeing here. So, again, nothing I can point to conclusively to say the tiger was infected, but based on the lab results we got yesterday, the evidence is strong that it was. I don’t know how positive we need to be before we approach Triple E with our results, though.”
“After the president’s speech—which should be starting in just a couple of minutes—I would say suspicion alone would be enough to get us back in the door.”
Donna nodded, satisfied, then clicked on a CNN newsfeed. An anchorman was speculating on what the president would be talking about, filling time as Del Campo made his way to the podium centered in the camera’s field of view. That the media seemed to have only been told there would be a press conference and not what it would be about was significant, Donna knew. She just wasn’t sure what the significance was. Were the president’s advisors simply trying to position the president as being ahead of the crisis in an effort to gain back the popularity votes he’d lost during the earthquake response in Anchorage? Or was the CDC in effect making the president the spokesperson for their agency to give the crisis the extra weight of authority? Or was what the president was about to say so grave that only the highest authority in the land could deliver the message? Donna remembered the last time a president had made such an announcement—eight years ago it had been left to President Van Allen to announce that America had gone to war with Iran. Now, perhaps, it was being left to President Del Campo to inform the American people that the U.S. was going to war with the prions.
Onscreen, the president had reached the podium and was carefully arranging the papers in front of him. No doubt his speech had been written in haste and he’d had little—if any—time to rehearse it. The camera zoomed to a closeup of his face: grim, composed, properly concerned, setting the mood of the news conference. Donna approved.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we wake up today to a global crisis with its roots deep in American soil. You are bound to hear many theories and much speculation in the coming days. What I am here to discuss today are the facts. Facts that will impact your lives no matter where in this great country you live. Facts that will impact your businesses, your commerce and your trade both domestically and internationally. I want to be very clear that your government recognizes the magnitude of the repercussions of the actions we are taking now and will no doubt take in the future to handle and contain this crisis. And I know personally what sacrifices each of us will need to make in order that we emerge strong and healthy, both individually and as a nation.
“Yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control working alongside researchers, doctors and laboratories identified a new disease. They have named it Variant Trans-species Spongiform Encephalopathy, or VTSE for short. This disease is aggressive and highly contagious. It affects the nervous system, causing memory loss, muscle spasms and seizures. In the past week, VTSE has contributed to the deaths of 343 people across three states.
“Today, the CDC issued a pandemic alert. Pandemic, meaning they believe this disease will spread beyond our borders, and that it will spread rapidly.
“Here is what we know about VTSE. One, it is prionic in nature. That means it is not caused by a virus or a bacterium or any other living organism. It is caused by the same kind of protein particle that is responsible for diseases such as scrapie in sheep and goats, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in people, and probably its most notoriously known form, BSE—what many of you know as “mad cow” disease. Like its counterparts, there is yet no effective cure or preventive. That means there is no vaccine available nor is there a vaccine in production.
“Secondly, we know that VTSE can be transmitted between species. You can catch VTSE by eating the meat or drinking the milk of an infected animal. Coming in contact with the blood, saliva or urine of an infected animal puts you at risk. VTSE has been positively identified in cows, and positive identification is expected soon in pigs, sheep, goats and other livestock animals. As of this morning, chickens, turkeys and other poultry are not suspect in the transmission of this disease. Nor is any type of fish or seafood.
“The steps—and there are six of them—the government is mandating to contain this outbreak are hard and drastic. The lives and businesses of many Americans will be directly affected, and the lives and businesses of all Americans will be touched by them.
“Step One: All meat and dairy products produced in the last 90 days in the affected tri-state area, which includes Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota, are ordered to be removed from the shelves of all food establishments. This includes fresh, canned and processed products, as well as all animal feeds and pet foods that contain meat by-products. Meat is defined here to mean any product originating from any livestock source, including but not limited to cows, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, bison and oxen.
“Step Two: All livestock in the tri-state area are hereby ordered to be slaughtered and the carcasses buried in permanent landfills. They are not to be burned or otherwise disposed of. Ranches and businesses will provide the land and the equipment to perform the burials. Compensation means and methods will be determined by Congress at a later date, but this order must be executed within the next 72 hours. No exceptions. To ensure this process is carried out in the most timely and humane manner, I have ordered the National Guard in these states to visit livestock operations in their area and offer their assistance in the slaughter. Animal burial must be completed by the ranch or business owner within 48 hours of the animals’ deaths.
“This order extends to all livestock, any parts of which are intended for
animal or human consumption at any time in its lifecycle. In general, this order does not extend to horses, mules, burros, llamas, alpacas, or sheep or goats raised solely for wool production. However, this order may be amended at any time.
“Step Three: Shipping of any and all livestock in any of the 48 contiguous states is hereby halted. This is a zero-tolerance order and includes all ground, air and water transport of any livestock animal, extending even to those that are excluded from the slaughter order. Animals currently in transit to slaughterhouses, rodeos, fairs, racecourses, shows or other destinations must be delivered back to their point of origin within 24 hours. Those animals already at events have 24 hours to return to their point of origin. After this time tomorrow, any livestock animal found on the road, in railroad cars or in any other transport will be confiscated by local authorities and disposed of.
“This order excludes animals originating from within the affected tri-state area. If these animals would have been subject to the slaughter order, that order must still be carried out no matter where in the country they are now. Animals not subject to the slaughter order will not be allowed re-entry into the affected states. Owners will need to find other accommodations for them, and it is my personal request that event coordinators work compassionately with these owners to find alternative solutions for these owners and animals until this crisis has passed.
“Step Four: All import and export of any livestock animal subject to the slaughter order or not is hereby halted. The same parameters for domestic travel apply.
“Step Five: All human travel in and out of the tri-state area is hereby halted for an undetermined length of time not to be less than 72 hours. This includes all ground, air and water transport. No mail, no deliveries, no personal or business travel. I call on all businesses within the affected area to manage and prioritize products, especially those for which there is traditionally a limited supply. Likewise, I call on charity service groups such as the Red Cross to identify people most in need of these types of items and ensure critical supplies such as drugs and infant formula reach them. Like with any other national disaster, price gouging and other ethically questionable practices during a time of crisis will not be tolerated.
“Step Six: When avoidable, do not congregate. The transmissibility of this disease among humans has not been adequately determined. This means we do not yet know whether VTSE can be transmitted through casual contact, drinking after another person, or through more intimate activities. Therefore, the recommendation is to limit or suspend trips to the malls, concerts, sporting events and anywhere else large numbers of people can be expected. Businesses are encouraged to cancel conferences and conventions that can reasonably be postponed. Mass transit travel such as by bus, railcar or plane is discouraged. However, none of these actions are prohibited. Schools and churches in the tri-state area may elect to suspend classes and services, while those outside the area may reasonably continue to hold them.
”As of this time, it is not known what further orders may be given concerning excluded livestock animals or household pets. It is the intent of the CDC, the Department of Agriculture, and the Federal and State Governments to take the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of this disease but not to go to extraordinary measures beyond need. We mean to use a surgical knife not a bludgeon to deal with this outbreak.
“However, that does not mean our direction or our mandates will not change as we learn more about VTSE and how best to combat it. Finding a preventive and cure will be the priority of all our domestic resources.
“Steps you can take now to prevent contracting this disease are to throw away any meat or dairy products if you do not know where or when they were processed. Go to your doctor if you experience any neurological problems such as unexplained muscle tremors, seizures, hallucinations, or persistent memory gaps or loss. However, let me stress that having these symptoms does not mean you have VTSE. Nor does it mean someone you love or your coworker or your classmate or the stranger walking by your house has it. Do not panic if you have or see someone who has these symptoms. There are any number of diseases or complications that are not contagious that VTSE can look like, such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s or stroke.
“Be vigilant, but don’t be stupid.
“I will hold another press conference in 72 hours to update the nation on the progress of this crisis. Sooner if events warrant it. Thank you.”
Donna turned down the volume as the camera followed the president stalking off the podium without acknowledging the anxious questions that trailed him.
Mike took a deep breath, already envisioning the chaos and panic gripping the Midwest and beyond, before saying simply, “It’s started.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
IT WAS GINGER’S WHINING that brought Lisa to the laundry room. Newspapers covered the linoleum floor and in a discarded packing box under the folding table a Miniature Schnauzer bitch lay with the six pups she had whelped just two weeks before.
This morning, though, when Lisa looked in the box she saw that the pups were scattered over the blanket, rooting at each other for warmth and comfort rather than nestling snug beside their mother. Ginger looked up from the blanket with frightened eyes. She was panting, droplets of drool dripping off her tongue. She was also shivering, and her entire body trembled spasmodically. One spasm, count to three, another spasm, count to three, and another—as regular as heartbeat or breathing.
“Oh God,” Lisa breathed. Then she called to the dog. “Ginger, come here. Get up. Come on now. Ginger, come.”
The tiny-framed dog with the rather prominent teats raised her head in response. Her front feet paddled helplessly in front of her as she tried to obey.
“Ginger?” Lisa laid a hand on the dog’s head. Heat welled up beneath her palm. She ran her hand along the dog’s muzzle, feeling the bitch’s hot nose. The dog tried to lick Lisa’s fingers but wasn’t coordinated enough to do much more than loll her tongue in their general direction. Lisa’s heart beat faster. She placed a hand over the dog’s front paws to still them. The warm feet went limp under the pressure but started paddling again as soon as she removed her hand.
Her chest clenched, Lisa hurried back into the living room where her husband, John, was pulling on his work boots as he watched the recap of the president’s address.
“Something’s wrong with Ginger,” she told him and the fear in her face told John in a glance it wasn’t good.
He laced up his left boot and followed Lisa back into the laundry room.
One look at the prostrate dog with tendrils of drool hanging from her mouth and spasms that rippled across her leanly muscled body had John scowling and tramping to the bedroom. Lisa knelt down and scooped the puppies into a corner of the box, knowing only too well what was coming next.
“Mom, what’s Dad doing?”
Lisa heard her oldest child’s voice as John reappeared in the doorway, the Remington Yellow Jacket cold in his determined grip. “Stay in the house, Chuck,” John called over his shoulder, making sure by the tone of his voice that Chuck and his little sister both knew this was one of those times to obey without question.
He stooped under the folding table and grabbed Ginger up by the scruff of the neck, lifting her clear of the box. The little bitch yelped at the unexpected pain as she hung in his grip while he maneuvered the back door open with the same hand his rifle was in.
Lisa used a corner of the blanket to cover the pups to keep them warm.
The yelping stopped.
Faintly from the living room, she heard the TV announcer saying, “This has been a special report,” right before the sharp crack of the Remington ripped through the morning air.
Chapter Thirty-Three
TRIPLE E STAFF AND CLIENTS gathered in the media room to watch the presidential address once word spread that it wasn’t just Del Campo trying to get more face time to bolster his flagging popularity but real news. News that, most importantly, had a direct impact on all of them.
> Those who started dialing or texting before the end of the speech connected with their parties. The others who waited found their wireless towers had hit capacity.
While waiting for a connection, one hunter took the philosophical approach. “Well, I’m scheduled to be here through Thursday anyway. They can’t reasonably ban travel more than 72 hours.”
“They just need time to set up checkpoints and security,” another agreed. “Make sure people aren’t trying to smuggle out food or animals.”
“Do the restrictions apply to these animals? I’ll be able to ship my rhino home, right?”
Walt Thurman smiled graciously. “Your animals will be held in cold storage while the taxidermists mount them. It’s going to take a few weeks to get through all of them anyway. I can’t imagine that the shipping ban will go on longer than that, but if it does they’ll be safe here. Once we get the all-clear, we’ll get them to you as quickly as possible.”
“Damn!”
Walt’s smile froze as he scanned the group to identify where the outburst had come from.
Steve Steinman was just pocketing his phone when he looked up to find several pairs of eyes on him. “Sorry,” he muttered.
“Problem?” asked Walt.
“I have 23 stores in this region and they’re all panicking. If they can’t get merchandise, they can’t sell and the sales managers don’t get SPIFFed. We’re gonna take a real hit. All I can say is that this epidemic thing had better be worth the hype; otherwise, the economy’s gonna go all to hell over nothing. Market’s gonna bottom out over this as it is. I’m gonna see if my pilot can get the company plane off the ground. If the commercial jets aren’t flying maybe the private ones can.” Steinman yanked his phone back out and stared at the Connection Signal Status: No Signal Detected message on the screen. “Bloody hell!
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