08:30 AM
Luke sat back in his business class seat and thought back to the day before. Christ, was it only yesterday that a helicopter blade sliced his good buddy in half? So much had happened since then. He cursed his boss’s reluctance in backing him on his story and contemplated running the story on an anonymous website, but thought against it. He did not want the authorities on his back – again. Someone sneezed behind him and he felt a chill go down his spine. It made him realize how many people were sneezing at the airport. Could that have been a coincidence, or had the virus spread already? What would happen if infected people got onto an airplane? What would happen if an infected carrier had gotten on this airplane?
Was there someone else on the airplane who had visited the island hospital? What was the incubation period? How many people had visited the island in the previous three days? How many had they interacted with? Alternatively, had it started elsewhere and that person infected the hospital. It was an easy target after all, with the patients’ immune systems already in a weakened state.
Sophie had told him a sneeze, or something as innocuous as touching a door-handle could pass on the disease. He looked around and could not see a likely suspect, but then what does a person in the early stages of the virus look like?
A fat man sitting across from him did not look well; he sweated profusely, and rubbed a handkerchief across his face. He sneezed loudly, and then engaged the button that slowly reclined his chair into the lying position. Luke could see massive sweat stains under the man’s arms, yet the air conditioning worked fine, keeping business class at a comfortable temperature. Luke jolted forward as he saw the fat man scratching under his armpit. He recalled Sophie telling him a major sign of the Black Death were the buboes under the arm. Oh, maaan. The realization hit him like a punch to the face. The Bubonic Plague was on board the airplane.
He watched as the man jack-knifed and had a convulsion that ended in an almighty sneeze. Luke imagined that he could see the microscopic droplets propel from his mouth spreading to the aisle, covering the unsuspecting flight attendant, who in turn sauntered down the airplane spreading the virulent disease to the other passengers. The confined space was the worst place for a contagion, he thought. This was not the environment for a carrier to be on board, as the re-cycled air pumped throughout the craft, fatally infecting all three hundred and fifty passengers and crew. Should he tell them? Would they believe him? Even if they did believe him, what could they do about it?
09:00 AM
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense and named after its five sides, a fact that had driven conspiracy theorists nuts for years. It’s a pentagram after all, they said, and the number five had significance amongst occultists. It had five sides, five floors above ground, five circular corridors, how could it not be sinister, they speculated. The fact that the five-sided inner forecourt covered five acres was the final proof. The forecourt was known as Ground Zero, years before President Bush had coined the phrase, in the aftermath of the World Trade Center Twin Towers attack of 9/11. The terrorist attack upon the Pentagon being exactly sixty years to the day that building work on the pentagon began.
Ground Zero, the term coined during the height of the Cold War with Russia, because in the event of a nuclear attack the first warheads would target that very spot.
Across the Potomac River from the White House the Pentagon is the world’s largest office block, containing over thirty thousand military and civilian staff, seventeen miles of corridors and twenty fast food franchises including McDonalds, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell to name a few.
The structure, so enormous that President Dwight Eisenhower, while still army chief of staff after WWII, managed to get lost in its vastness, when out for a stroll and had to ask a group of stenographers the way back to his office.
Deep within its bowels, the Joint Chiefs of Staff gathered in the War Room, hastily assembled by President Burgess. The war room was a hive of industry, a multitude of personnel buzzed around in the background, fielding telephone calls and tapping away at computers.
The leaders of the different branches of the armed forces watched a debate between the disembodied surgeon general on the small desk-mounted monitors each had in front of them around the massive conference table, and President James Burgess whose face filled a video-link from his compound in Florida above their heads on giant screens.
The President brimmed over with health and vitality surprising the men assembled as they had heard through the rumor-mill that the President was at deaths door having had a colossal heart attack. Little did they know that the President was still in bed, careful camera angles from his trusted staff and plenty of make-up helped with the deception.
“- So, we should be cautious?” the President asked tentatively.
Quinn looked uneasy talking openly in front of the gathered personnel. “We’re beyond cautious, Mister President. This is a full blown pandemic.”
President Burgess nodded slowly taking in the information. “Well, there you have it, Gentlemen. Any questions?”
General Jumpin’ Jack Malloy, commander of army forces said, “I have one, the Bubonic Plague? I’m having trouble comprehending this. Correct me if I’m wrong, but hasn’t it been eradicated?”
Quinn Martell took the question. “That’s the whole point, we became complacent. While we’ve been expecting a chemical warfare attack we’ve forgotten about this archaic pestilence.”
“But there’s a cure for this,” the general said.
“No inoculations stored anywhere in the United States,” Quinn said.
The shock reply reverberated around the conference table.
“None?” exploded General Malloy.
“Not a drop.”
“Why not?”
“A decision was made long ago,” Quinn said. “Between the Center for Disease Control, my predecessors in this office, and the World Health Organization in Geneva, that it wasn’t a threat anymore,” he paused, to let them consider this, and then continued. “However, this is a new strain, for which there is no cure. And, the way the population moves around so fast today, it’s going to be nigh on impossible to stop.”
General Malloy held up a restraining hand, “I still think a terrorist attack is more likely. I’ve taken over from Homeland Security and they told me that their people on the ground down in Florida have been digging around and watching this unfold and believe it to be terrorists.”
“That’s because they’re looking for terrorists. They’re not considering any other possibilities.”
The general glowered at him, and then carried on, “We’ve been monitoring e-mails and cell phone chatter from that district, and the details are leaking out despite our efforts to contain it. I’m telling you that the rumors are spreading like wildfire. All sorts of tales from the vicinity, and at least thirty low level wannabe terrorists groups are claiming responsibility for the attack, none of which have such capabilities - yet,”
President Burgess rejoined the conversation. “I’m all for free speech, but we can’t have these sorts of rumors getting out of control. It could cause widespread panic. And we all remember what happened to the stock market after 9/11, we almost went into financial melt-down. This is unprecedented. I’d hate to think what’d happen if this epidemic -”
“Not if, Mister President, when,” Quinn Martell butted in. The men gathered murmured their shock. Quinn knew he had their attention. “We all know, of the Black Death from history, but possibly not the devastating effect it had in Europe, I had to look this stuff up myself, estimates put the number at between half and two thirds of the population of Europe was wiped out.” He heard them gasp and continued. “To put that into our context, you’re talking over one hundred and fifty million Americans would die, that’s one hundred and fifty million.” He took in the open-mouthed stares from the military men. “Going back to Europe, the entire workforce perished and it caused a huge economic disaster, with no work
ers, the few that remained were able to barter themselves a decent living wage. Multiply that into today’s market place, and the turmoil would be incalculable, and please bear in mind these are underestimates. If the infected get to foreign countries - to our trading partners, well, you can draw your own conclusions.”
The President said. “We must recall all aircraft at once.”
“Already been implemented, Mister President,” said General Malloy.
The President’s face clouded over, and he said menacingly. “And when the hell were, you going to tell me?”
“As soon as was possible, sir, but it is our remit to do what is best for the nation in a crisis. You would’ve been informed in timely fashion. However, given your condition we thought it wise not to alarm you. We kept the VP in the loop.”
“That’s right Jim,” said smooth-looking Vice President Hamilton Parker, beaming his Hollywood-star smile. “It’s all under control. I’ve taken care of the situation, you can rely on me, and I have your back.”
“I don’t want you having my back,” snarled President Burgess. “If there’s a threat to our nation then I need to know, immediately.” He choked, coughed, spat something into his hands, worrying the assembly, and then recovered his composure. “Recalling the aircraft is a good start, but we need to block entry and exit to and from our airports, our docks, and we must throw up road blocks.”
General Malloy blustered. “Let’s not be rash, Mister President, do you have any idea of the man-power needed for such a scheme?”
Quinn said, “You’re going to have to find a way, because we’re talking about Armageddon, the worst bits of the Bible, this plague, or pestilence if you will, could potentially send us back to the dark ages.” He paused, as there were audible gasps from around the war room. “You have to take this threat seriously. Going back to the historic events in Europe, the Black Death wiped out tens of millions and that was at walking speed.”
“Let me show you our projections if this virus is left unattended, and bear in mind this is without anyone flying into another densely populated area and starting the whole process again.”
A map of mainland America replaced his face. “We’ve calculated that this has already happened.” The Florida Keyes and Miami turned bright red, “Day one,” the bottom third of Florida colored red, “Day two, we’re talking about the whole of Florida and parts of Alabama.” The map turned dark red in the corresponding area. “Day three, most of the southern states, day four . . . “ He let the graphic do the talking as continental USA turned bright red, including parts of Canada and Mexico.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff were stunned into silence. From the huge monitors President Burgess cleared his throat. “We need to contain this information, let the material out bit by bit, let the nation absorb it slowly. Show them that we are in control of the situation and on top of it. We can’t be having the news leaking out until we’re ready,” he paused, wondering how to phrase the next question. “As I said earlier, I’m all for free speech, it’s a constitutional right, after all, but just this once, is there anything we can do to stop the email chatter from getting out of control?”
General Malloy stood and waited until he had everyone’s attention. “Already done, Mister President, since 0600 hours, we’ve managed to jam the major email carriers; they think it’s a glitch.”
The President allowed himself a brief smile, relief washing over him to this piece of news. “And cellular phones?”
“Since 0700 hours this morning. The Miami-Dade district immediately and we’ve worked on the other masts moving north until we’ve almost reached Orlando.”
“Well done, Jack, that’s excellent work.”
Quinn said. “Am I the only one to have grave misgivings about this affront to civil liberties?” No one else spoke, the Chiefs of Staff busied themselves making notes, “Oh, apparently I am.”
During the lull in conversation the VP seized the moment. “I’ve got my sources too, and I still say it’s terrorists. We know the Iraqis, Iranians and Syrians are stockpiling Anthrax and Ricin and god-knows what else, why not a modified form of the Black Death? By the time we realize it’s a foreign power behind the attack, it’ll be too late.”
“Duly noted,” said the President, nodding grimly. “Hamilton, I need you to take care of the day-to-day affairs of government.”
“You can rely on me, Jim,” the VP said.
“I’m going to have my hands full with this. I’m calling out the National Guard and we will go to Defcon three.”
“Mister President,” interrupted General Malloy. “I still think you’re being rash, this could backfire. This’ll only be the fourth time we’ve been on a Defcon three state of readiness, do you think Defcon three is necessary, after all, the last time was 9/11.”
“I’m prepared to stand by my decisions. We need to be decisive and pro-active not reactive. We cannot wait.”
The men gasped at the gravity of the statement. Eventually General Malloy tried again. “Mister President, we have had no other reports of the Black Death outside of the island, it could have blown out to sea.”
“If I’m wrong, I’ll look the biggest fool in history, no doubt lose my job, and become a laughing-stock, but if I’m right . . . well, let’s hope I’m wrong.” He sighed and then said. “If you need more convincing I’ll pass you over to the surgeon general, Quinn?”
“We; my department, the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta and the World Health Organization have been expecting a pandemic like this. It’s long overdue, the population has increased too fast, and this is nature’s way of culling the herd. From the evidence gathered so far this contagion has the potential to be what we call an E.L.E.-”
“In English, Quinn,” said President Burgess.
“It’s an extinction level event – in other words it’s the Doomsday infection.”
CHAPTER 7
THE ONSLAUGHT
09:45 AM
“Hey, Buddy?” The fat man shook Luke awake. Much to his surprise Luke had managed to drop off, unable to warn anyone, or be taken seriously, he’d shut his eyes and let much needed sleep wash over him.
The fat man dripped sweat, and pointed out of the window beyond Luke. “Correct me if I’m wrong but that ain’t London is it?”
Luke stared aghast to see that the airplane was skirting jungle-like treetops as it prepared to land.
The flight attendant showed the fat man back to his seat. “Fasten your seat-belt; this could be a bumpy landing.”
“Why are we landing here,” Luke asked her. “What’s going on?”
“The captain will make an announcement as soon as we are on the ground.”
Luke stared at the window watching the fire-trucks with lights flashing and sirens blaring running parallel with their predicted landing route.
The captain’s voice crackled over the tannoy. “Flight attendants to your seats. Ladies and gentlemen assume the crash position.”
Luke crunched forward to put his head between his legs, remembering that he’d heard that the recommended crash position was best to preserve the teeth for future identification if bodies were burned to a crisp. He shuddered at the thought and sat up. He decided he’d rather try to work out where they were.
Flight 416 bumped heavily to the runway with a painful screech of the tires, then the reversal of the engine throwing Luke forward. The airplane finally stopped at a remote part of the airport and he saw in astonishment that the military, fully attired in camouflaged biohazard suits had encircled the Boeing 777.
“What the f-?”
The Captain interrupted his thoughts. “Ladies and gentlemen do not be alarmed, we’ve temporarily been diverted to the Caribbean, where we are to re-fuel and then return to Miami.” The passengers, who seconds earlier were begging for their lives, now groaned and bitched, and threatened to sue the airline. “The soldiers outside,” continued the captain. “Are going to hose down the aircraft, it seems that we may be contagious.”
/> The word caused the expected pandemonium amongst the passengers. The flight attendant shushed them. “Listen, this is important.”
He continued. “I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about; it’s only a precaution and the locals are following the instructions from our government. It seems there has been a kind of chemical incident and they are being prudent and recalling all airplanes back to Miami International, where they will check us out and give us the all clear. Thank you.”
The mumbling and complaints got worse, when the tannoy crackled once more, “One more thing,” the captain said. “On a more serious note, the local authorities have said any attempt to alight from the aircraft will be met with the, erm, utmost force.” The passengers took the latest news with righteous indignation. “Sit tight, we’re already refueling and naturally we have priority to take off, so we’ll be out of here in a jiffy. Thank you.”
Luke observed the local militia looking like spacemen in their biohazard suits.
Armed and trigger-happy spacemen.
10:15 AM
Kelvin Copnik awoke and stirred in his Key West penthouse apartment. He smiled broadly at the person asleep next to him - a pick-up at a Miami nightclub who’d agreed to come all the way back with him. Kelvin smiled, looked out through the floor-to-ceiling windows down onto the town at the southernmost tip of mainland USA, ninety miles to Cuba, which oddly made him closer geographically to Havana than Miami.
He loved the Key West life-style, what with the applauding of the wondrous sunsets that were plentiful, to the seven-toed cats at Earnest Hemingway’s home, and to the laid-back live-and-let-live attitude of the locals. He rolled to his side to gaze at his latest conquest, long shapely legs, shaggy blonde hair . . . and beard.
Kelvin, or to call him by his Miami alter ego’s name, Big Mary, was the queen of the Fairy Grotto, a gay Miami drag show, where he was the star act. He blew in the man’s ear while trying to remember the dude’s name, Dave, Daniel, or Danny. Something like that, anyhow, they were all the same to him. Big Mary loved the gay scene and its promiscuous life-style although nowhere near the early '80s heights.
The Doomsday Infection Page 5