Elias noticed Diane pause and stare into space, so he asked, “Found what?”
After reliving a memory, Diane blinked back to reality and continued.
“The source of the infection. It never had an official name, but I started calling it The Trinity Virus. I know you're going to ask why, so I'll save you the question and answer it as I go through. Stay with me. I'm not going to repeat this. So, after running countless blood panels and tests on live subjects, we finally discovered the disease- and it was everywhere. Once contracted, this thing is unstoppable, like a complete hostile takeover- no part of the body is safe, blood, organs...it’s everywhere. Once it gets inside you, you have at the most, forty-eight hours until you change. Minutes if you're near death or have a compromised immune system.”
She took a second to catch her breath.
“Before I left Atlanta, we put our strongest antiviral up against this thing, but it didn't stand a chance. This is why I believe it was manufactured. Trinity is smaller than the smallest virus and causes behavioral changes like one, too, but reproduces like a bacterium. You see viruses essentially have cells make copies of itself, whereas bacteria reproduce through asexual means, basically splitting and growing at an exponential rate. And that’s what Trinity does. It just keeps splitting. But it’s relationship with the host is parasitic in nature. See, you can’t just dig up a corpse and infect it with Trinity. That won’t work. Trinityneeds a living person to survive.”
Both men had blank stares on their faces but didn't know it.
Diane could tell that even the simplest of terms was confusing, so she did her best to sum it up.
“Okay, imagine a disease one hundred times smaller than HIV that causes behavioral changes like Rabies, but reproduces like a supercharged version of E. Coli, all the while keeping the host body alive to further itself like a parasite. Three unique traits: parasite, bacteria, virus. Hence, Trinity Virus.”
“That is fucking creepy,” Alex said, getting the chills.
Had it not been for his black skin, Elias' face would have run pale.
“If that wasn’t enough, some of Trinity's highest concentrations are found in the salivary glands,” Diane continued.
“That explains the transmission and why they like to bite,” said Alex, taking a moment to stare at Bob.
“Yes, precisely,” Diane said, dropping the pen after finishing her last sketch. “But I still have so many questions. Ones dealing with cellular structure, regenerative properties, continuous pupil dilation or how the heart and other vital organs can be destroyed or life-threatening injuries sustained, yet the infected still carry on. You see, when Trinity takes over completely, it doesn’t kill the brain or allow it to die. On the contrary, Trinity somehow keeps the command center alive and functioning. So it's like the person is living but dead at the same time. Zero reasoning, zero cognition, zero thought. Thesepeople are essentially mindless drones.”
“And that explains why they go down when we shoot ‘em in the head,” Alex said, forming his hand into the shape of a gun. He placed his index finger against Bob’s temple, dropped his thumb like a trigger and said, “Bang. Goodnight.”
“Thank you for the crass demonstration, Alex, but yes, enough trauma to the brain or decapitation seems to be effective in killing them.”
Elias ran a hand through his two-inch afro hair. “This is terrible. I'm so sorry,” he mumbled.
“What are you sorry for, it's not like you did it,” Diane joked, walking over to the centrifuge.
“No, I know that. I just mean I'm so sorry for all the poor souls out there; dead and alive. I pray for them every night,” he said, regaining his composure.
“Well, let’s hope you don’t have to pray for much longer,” Diane replied, staring at the incubator. “I’m confident my theories and calculations for this vaccine will be successful.”
“Not to be the asshole,” Alex started to say, “but what makes you so confident, Doc?”
“Because if this doesn’t work,” she said, letting out a huge sigh, “I don’t think anything else will.”
Neither Alex nor Elias had a second to let the dismal reply sink in. Instead, they all jumped at the sound of a nearby gun shot.
“Idiot!” Alex raged, suspecting that Larry was the one who fired. “He better have had no other choice-”
“Let’s go find out,” Elias said, speeding out of the room with his bat in hand. “Diane, wait here.”
Alex gave his machete a quick twirl. “I’m right behind you.”
Diane nervously followed the two men, but as instructed, she waited at the crest of the doorway.
Elias made his way into the office directly across from Diane’s. He bent a small section in the corner of the blinds and scanned the alley.
“See anything?” Alex asked, attempting to peer over Elias' six-foot build.
“No, nothing yet. Try them on the radio.”
Alex lifted the hand-held radio to his lips and held down the transmit button. “Cody, Larry, you read me? Where are you?”
After receiving no response, he tried again. “Damnit. Cody. Larry. Do you read me? Where are you?”
A few seconds later, Cody came through. He sounded panicked and spoke so softly that Alex had to bring the volume up full blast.
“Alex, it's Cody. We ran into some trouble after leaving the pharmacy- damnit Larry, put that gun away! You already got us in enough shit! Now keep an eye out and let me talk to them! Sorry, Alex, four zombs spotted us on our way back. Two sprinters, two limpers. We had to ditch our bags; they were too heavy. We ran around the block and are pretty sure we lost 'em for now. We're hiding behind a dumpster the next street over. Wait! Shit, never-mind. The two sprinters just got to the intersection, but it doesn't look like they know which way we went. We can't stay here for long, they'll find us, over.”
Before Alex could respond, Elias brought up his own radio and cut in.
“Cody, it's Eli. Two questions. First, where exactly are the bags? Second, if you guys ran like hell, could you make it here? Over.”
Both Alex and Elias could hear the fear in Cody's voice when he came back through.
“We ditched 'em in the middle of the street a block east. To the clinic? Ya, maybe. I think so. But the moment we get up, they'll see us. Over.”
Elias closed his eyes and focused all of his attention inward.
Alex could practically see Elias' mind at work; the man’s lips moved as though verbalizing a plan, whatever it was. After a long fifteen-seconds, Elias came back on the radio and said, “Okay. Here's what you're going to do. When I give the signal, you guys book it to the clinic’s emergency exit. Alex will be waiting there to let you in. Whatever you do, no more shooting, though. Over.”
“Will do. Over and out,” Cody replied.
“And the plan is?” Alex asked.
Elias departed the room and made his way to the emergency exit.
“I'm going to lead the infected away from here and get those supplies…”
“Whoa. Hold up. You mean you get to have all the fun and I get to stay here and babysit the damn door?”
“Alex. Please, there's no time to debate this,” Elias said with a sense of authority in his voice. “I need you here.”
Alex hated being told what to do, even worse, being put in his place. But he had a great deal of respect for Elias. Reluctantly, he nodded okay.
“Besides, who else is going to cover my six?”
Alex didn’t even realize that he stuck out his fist for Elias to bump knuckles. It was a little thing he and Billy used to do before they'd go into battle.
Without hesitation, the teacher bumped knuckles, and then ducked out of the emergency exit.
Alex propped the door open with his foot and waited.
It took less than fifteen-seconds for the schoolteacher to move into position. There, Elias had an unobstructed view of the opposite end of the alley where his two companions would be entering.
“Cody, on the c
ount of three, you guys run like hell and don't look back. Click your transmit button twice if you understand.” Two clicks came through and Elias started his count. “One. Two. Three! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!”
Elias clipped the radio back on his belt and waited.
In ten-seconds, Cody and Larry came sprinting around the corner into the alley. Both men pumped their arms as fast as they would go. Neither wanted to be food for the two sprinters who were twenty feet behind them. When the alley opened up into the receiving port for the clinic, both men hugged the wall and continued their dead sprint to the open emergency exit door.
Alex stood to the side waving both men to safety. Cody was the first to make it into the clinic, and steps behind was Larry, panting. As soon as Larry passed through the crest of the door, Alex pulled it shut.
Seconds later, both infected slammed into the steel door. Their fists and heads banged into the thick frame, beckoning to be let in, but in an instant, the thunderous pounding stopped.
Looks like Elias' plan is working so far, Alex thought.
He let go of the handle and turned to face the others. “You guys alright?”
Cody pulled both arms over his head to open up his lungs. Despite possessing a firefighter's physical conditioning, Cody was sucking in air. He had enough energy to nod his head affirmatively and say, “Yeah.”
Larry didn't have enough strength to remain standing. He collapsed to the ground and rested against the wall. He appeared objectively worse than Cody did, and all he could do was hold a weary thumbs up.
“Good,” replied Alex. Then, he darted for the office with the best vantage point of the alley.
Alex pulled down a handful of the blinds but was too late. Whatever Elias had done, happened in the seconds it took for Alex to make it to the office. Alex looked out in to the alley and saw two bodies with their heads smashed in, lying on the concrete.
“What the hell just happened?” Alex mumbled, attempting to piece together what he missed in ten-seconds. His right hand grasped firmly onto his machete, while his left twiddled with the radio. As tempted as he was to call Elias, Alex knew the transmission could put the schoolteacher’s life in jeopardy. So, he waited anxiously for his companion's return.
1155 hours
After recovering from their exhaustive sprint, Cody and Larry wandered into Diane’s office.
Inside, Diane had returned to her station and continued working. Larry dragged his tired body to the stool to the right of Bob. Before sitting down, though, the former CFO slid the chair back as an added precaution.
Curious, Cody asked about Diane’s progress. “So, Doc. Any closer to a cure?”
“Cure, probably never. Vaccine, let’s hope. Can't be sure until we get to trials,” she said, keeping her eyes glued to the microscope’s lenses. She lifted her right hand and pointed to the incubator. “That is our best hope. Inside, those vials hold potential vaccines.”
Cody turned his attention to the small steel cube at the end of the room. He began to walk to it, but was stopped.
Sensing Cody's movement, Diane sprung up to attention. “Whoa, nuh-uh. Off limits, Cody. Sorry,” she began to say, putting up both arms to keep him away from the invaluable equipment. “Those machines over there are the only ones I have. I don't want anyone messing with them. You guys shouldn't even be in here anyway.”
After years dealing with the structural integrity of inflamed buildings, chemical spills and clandestine drug labs, the fireman backed off instantly. Cody knew all too well about areas and items deemed sensitive and dangerous.
“You got it, Doc,” he said turning to get Larry. “Come on, Larry; let's leave the Doc to her business.”
After muttering a series of complaints, Larry reluctantly stood. To take out some frustration, the CFO half-swung his bat at Bob. He was aiming for the man’s meaty thigh, but instead the bat hit Bob’s hand, breaking his thumb upon impact.
“C'mon, Larry. That really necessary?” Cody asked. He stopped to gaze at Bob. “Imagine if he was your family. Asshole.”
Larry didn't respond. Instead, he continued sulking and dragging his feet to the door.
Cody shook his head and shot a look to Diane. She didn't witness Larry's childish act, but returned a disapproving head shake before resuming her business.
Just as Cody began his walk to the exit, he screamed in surprise. It all happened so fast that Cody never stood a chance...
In a split second, Bob's broken right hand slipped through its Velcro strap and grabbed a handful of Cody's shirt. The attack was so quick and forceful that it pulled the unsuspecting fireman off balance. Simultaneously, Bob's other hand had ripped through the already tearing restraint and reached toward his face to remove the gag.
There was nothing Cody could do as he fell right into Bob's big bite. Diane's lab experiment latched on to Cody's cheek and swung its head back and forth like an alligator.
Cody howled in pain and attempted to pull away with all his might, but now, Bob had dug his nails deeply into Cody's back and side.
Larry had just passed through the crest of the door, but spun around at the sounds of Cody's scream. Petrified, he witnessed how wild and feral Bob’s attack was. Rather than help a desperate friend, Larry ducked out of sight and scurried down the darkened hall, seen only by the wide, fear-laden eyes of Cody.
After hearing Cody's pleas, Diane spun around and sprang to her feet. She fell victim to a moment of temporary paralysis, but soon after, she darted to the firefighter's position.
By now, Bob had thrust his mouth forward for a second attack, one more devastating than the first. His canine teeth impaled into the soft tissue surrounding Cody's throat.
Diane grabbed hold of the fireman and pulled backward with all of her might, yelling, “Larry! Alex! Help!”
Cody attempted to bellow in agony, but the increasing blood flow into his throat sounded more like gargled yelps.
Diane backpedaled, but under-anticipated her balance and ability to support Cody. The fireman's massive build was too much for her one-hundred and thirty pound frame and the two fell back, knocking over HHS equipment and precious materials along the way. Their bodies crashed into the incubator and centrifuge, smashing numerous glass beakers and destroying the invaluable contents.
Seconds later, Alex burst into the room, shocked but ready.
“What the fu-” he said under his breath.
Bob had one ankle restraint untied and was clawing at the second. So, without hesitation, Alex unsheathed his machete and struck a forceful, downward blow to Bob's head.
When Bob's body went limp and fell back into the cushiony stretcher, bits of Cody's neck dribbled out of his dead mouth.
Alex looked up and followed the thick lines of blood to the far end of the room.
“Help!” Diane yelled, but Alex was already on his way over.
At first, Cody attempted to cover his throat, but as his heart pulsated, so did the blood through his exposed artery. Slowly, the pressure from the fireman's hands gave.
Alex leveraged his hands under Cody's shoulders. He lifted the dying fireman off Diane and laid him flat on the floor. Alex didn't have much medical experience but he knew to plug up the artery. When he attempted to do so, Diane immediately stopped him.
“Don't touch him!” Diane exclaimed, ignoring the cuts and soon-to-be bruises on her back. “His blood has been exposed. Get me a towel or something!”
Alex turned and noticed a paper towel dispenser next to the wall. He snatched two handfuls and brought them back to Diane. Hands already gloved, the doctor pressed the wad of paper against Cody's neck. The bleeding slowed to a trickle, but didn't stop. Within seconds, the paper was saturated with a crimson red.
Cody gasped for air, but the only thing he found was a mouth full of blood. Sadly, Diane watched Cody’s body jerk slowly and painfully as his soul slipped into the next life. The fireman's gasps grew less and less, and his frightened eyes blinked and blinked until they stopped.
Cody Campbell had died.
Alex stared at Diane, and Diane at Cody. Both Alex and Diane had known Cody for months now. He was incredibly hard working and always willing to go on supply runs and do his part for the sake of Camp. Now, he was just another dead body in a world where the dead outnumbered the living. But in a few seconds, maybe minutes, Cody's body would return to life. He would no longer be the life-saving fireman from Jeskin, Washington. This time, he would be a life-taker, a ravenous carrier of the Trinity virus.
Alex scrambled back for his machete. Unsympathetic, he used his foot to leverage the blade from Bob's skull, and then used Bob's dirty jeans to wipe off the blood. He marched back to Diane and their former friend.
“Move,” Alex said, his tone indicating he wouldn't repeat himself.
Diane was far too seasoned to let emotions into this game. She sniffled quietly, released her hands and slid away, settling back up against the cabinets. She knew what was coming next, so she turned her head and closed her eyes.
“Sorry, man,” Alex said, giving his machete a quick twirl. And with lightning speed, he embedded the blade into Cody's head.
After pulling out the machete, Alex sauntered over to the towel dispenser. He opened the cupboard above it, found a bottle of sterilizing alcohol and doused his weapon with the liquid. He wiped off the excess with paper towels before re-sheathing the machete.
Next, Alex calmly opened up cabinet after cabinet until he found what he was looking for. He removed a white, bed-sheet-like-material and gently laid it over Cody’s body.
Diane finally opened her eyes and screamed, not from pain but from loss. Loss of a good man was terrible and tough, but as she slowly pushed herself up and slapped off her gloves, something hurt even more. Her equipment was destroyed; her latest and most hopeful attempt at a vaccine was gone. Hope, lost.
Alex passed Diane the bottle of alcohol to rinse her hands. “What happened? And where's Larry?” he asked, handing her a wad of paper towels.
The Longest Road (Book 2): The Change Page 7