by Daniel Wilde
“You too Arilee. I mean you’re the best sister I could have asked for,” I corrected as Arilee chuckled quietly. “Tell the girls I love and miss them.”
Anthrax E rages around us and above us on the surface. We’re protected here. I don’t believe my sister will be so lucky, nor do I necessarily consider myself to be lucky because I’m here, without her and her daughters. It’s too late for me to leave now. We made our choice. Now I have to live with that choice while my beautiful nieces are in peril of dying without me by their side to comfort them. What kind of uncle am I?
March 1, 2093
Excerpt from a CNN/IWO News article (French origin)
It is with grave sorrow and a newfound terror that I write this article on behalf of my colleagues in Washington D.C. Every state of the United States except Hawaii, every province of Canada, and every country in the western hemisphere has now reported cases of Anthrax E. Latest official reports indicate that over 92,000 people have been diagnosed with Anthrax E in North AM alone. Reported estimates for Central AM and South AM are well over 800,000.
The danger has spread, however. Unconfirmed reports from a remote Russian outpost in far northeastern Russia indicate the possible existence of Anthrax E there. A man checked himself into a local clinic with symptoms of Anthrax E and has been isolated, but fear prevails in that small community.
Furthermore, there are unconfirmed reports of Anthrax E infections in the Kelvin Islands off the eastern coast of the United States. Authorities in the Kelvins report that no craft has landed on the islands, either by air or by sea, since the IWO first warned against international travel. IWO authorities speculate (if the report is true), based upon a few cases of Anthrax E confirmed in seagulls, that Anthrax E may have been delivered by birds to the Kelvin Islands. The gulls, reports say, may be carriers, but do not appear to succumb to the disease.
The relative peace felt in the Eastern Hemisphere may not last. May God have mercy.
March 4, 2093—Staff Meeting—Hidden Bunker near Boston
“Please get us started Mike.”
Dr. Yurgi Shevchuk had largely, by this time, handed over the reigns to others to discuss various aspects of life both within and outside the bunker.
“Thanks Yurgi. As you all know, accurate statistics are getting hard to come by. Right now, estimates of infection in Central and South AM are in the 1.2 to 1.5 million range. Canada reported this morning at least 28,000 cases. A couple of days ago, Mexico reported more than 69,000 cases. Texas and New Mexico haven’t been reporting, but we can assume they are in the thousands as well. The United States now has at least 70,000 cases, with several thousand of those in the state of Puerto Rico, but stretching from coast to coast. These numbers are staggering, but probably low.”
“‘Reported’ cases,” Mike continued, “only include people who are actually reporting to a medical facility or contacting a response agency. Those that get sick and never leave home or make a call aren’t being reported. That is likely a significant number of additional people.”
“Andrew, what have you learned about how the disease is spreading?” Dr. Shevchuk asked. “Is there any way to stop it?”
Dr. Andrew Jones replied, “Some of the animal conservation movements, those that are still functioning, particularly in the western states and Canada, are reporting that all kinds of animals are succumbing to the infection. The exceptions are seabirds, saltwater fish and other marine animals, including marine mammals. Apparently, none of those animals are sick at all. But we know that several seagulls have been tested and found to carry the disease, but they aren’t getting sick. That’s not a comforting thought, at least not to me.”
“Why is that?” Anta asked. “What makes the sea creatures and the birds immune, if that’s what it is?”
“There’s a theory, but it hasn’t been vigorously tested, probably because nobody is too keen on getting near sick animals. I think it makes perfect sense though. As we know, Anthrax E is an airborne pathogen. It’s spread by both wind and through contact with infected objects or persons on which the pathogen has landed. When a person coughs or sneezes, tiny fluid particles containing Anthrax E are spread through the air. Or, when the wind blows, the bacteria spread.
“Marine animals have no exposure to airborne pathogens unless they leave the water. Obviously, that will happen, but since the majority of marine animals stay under water most of the time, and only come up sporadically, they are likely to be safe. Plus, high concentrations of salt are lethal to bacteria.”
“Does that theory give us any hope as to ways in which the spread of Anthrax E may be stopped?” Anta asked. “I mean, can salt be used to kill the disease in some way?”
“Well, there may be a way, but nobody has figured it out yet. It’s not like we can just stand in salt water and be saved. We can’t throw salt into the wind and hope that it kills the bacteria heading our way. Whether salt can be used in some kind of injection that could kill Anthrax E in the bloodstream seems highly doubtful. So, I think the answer to both of your questions is ‘No’, unfortunately; but it hasn’t been ruled out as a possibility. I think one of the teams in Europe is doing some experimentation with salt.”
“Charles, is there any truth to the rumors that seagulls are carrying Anthrax E to the islands or that Anthrax E has been found in Russia.” Dr. Shevchuk preferred to call Mr. Charles “Lucky” Rabene, a CIA agent from Washington D.C., by his given name. “Lucky” hated it, but kept it to himself when addressed by Dr. Shevchuk. Dr. Shevchuk had made Lucky feel welcome, even though some of the others in the compound had looked upon his inclusion as a way for the government to keep track of, and regulate what the scientists were doing.
Lucky had tried, largely in vain, to persuade everybody that he was there, not on assignment, but as one of a few lucky agents chosen by lottery to be included. That was the truth. Lucky had no real contact with any government entity, particularly since the United States government had ceased to function in any regular sort of way. Plus, Dr. Shevchuk had given him an important assignment—to monitor rumors and look deep into those rumors to ascertain their truth—something Lucky was very, very good at. His nickname—“Lucky”—stemmed from his colleagues’ belief that he had to be lucky. There was no other way to explain how often he was able to successfully complete difficult tasks for the CIA.
“Well,” Lucky replied, “It does seem true that the seagulls aren’t getting sick. I don’t think that’s just a rumor. As for the Kelvin Islands, yes, the news is accurate. According to my sources, which I believe to be wholly reliable, there are at least 16 confirmed cases. There are also two confirmed cases in Bermuda. As for the Russians, there are now four confirmed cases in a small fishing village in the remote northeast corner of Russia, across the Bering Strait from Alaska.”
“Does anybody have any idea how Anthrax E got across the Bering Strait?” Shift was puzzled by this. “I mean, even if seagulls or other birds carried the disease across the Strait, it seems unlikely that birds would be flying that far north this early in the year. But maybe I’m wrong.”
Everybody looked at Lucky. “It is absolutely accurate that Anthrax E has arrived in Russia. How it got there is still a mystery, but there are theories. This is what I know, and it’s somewhat complex. I’ll go slowly to make sure I get the details correct.
“The first confirmed case of Anthrax E in Alaska—a fisherman by trade—was on February 27. That infected person was identified in a native village 70 miles east of Anchorage—over 700 miles from the Bering Strait. The first case of Anthrax E in Russia was confirmed on February 28, one day later. As you all know, international travel has been restricted and both U.S. and Russian transportation officials confirm that no boat or flying vessel has landed anywhere near the Russian coast in that area.
“So, one theory is that the sick fisherman, who frequently fished in the waters of the Bering Strait, but who had been restricted to shore fishing since the travel restrictions went into place, continu
ed fishing from the shore and may have contracted Anthrax E from seabirds. That’s possible, but it doesn’t explain why he checked himself into a clinic 70 miles inland. A more likely theory is that someone actually crossed through the Bering Strait Tunnel on an earlier date—earlier than February 27—carrying Anthrax E with him or her and infecting others as he went. It seems farfetched given the difficulty of getting through the Tunnel even under ideal conditions and without the travel restrictions.”
“Why would that be difficult Charles?” Dr. Shevchuk asked.
“Well, I was talking to Shift about this a little while ago. Maybe he’d be a better person to answer that. He seems to know just about everything.” Lucky was genuinely complimenting Shift, and Shift smiled as he began.
“I don’t know everything, but I do know it would be difficult to get through the Bering Strait Tunnel on foot, under any condition.
“The tunnel is actually a series of four big adjacent tunnels, each 60 feet wide and 75 miles long, give or take.
“Initially, back in 2034 or 2035, two tunnels were built to house electric trains and 18-wheel trucks. Sometime around 2045 or so, two additional tunnels were completed for the magnetic levitation trains and an airless Maglev Tube transportation system stretching from Washington DC to Berlin, with speeds upwards of 1,800 miles per hour. I’ve been on that—and it’s awesome!
“Additional smaller tubes or tunnels were constructed to house water, oil, gas and electrical lines. Anyone who has been paying attention knows that this system of tunnels has been extremely successful at bridging the gap, literally and figuratively, between North AM and Asia.
“The reason it would be hard to get through the tunnels, now, is that the Port Authorities have been monitoring both sides for weeks, and, according to Lucky’s research, no vehicular travel, including the trains, has gotten through. Foot travel is not allowed in the Tunnels, and never has been. Plus, any person walking through on foot would certainly have been apprehended. And, the tunnels are 75 miles long—quite a walk, especially if someone is feeling ill. I guess a bicycle might work though.
“So, yeah, it would be difficult for someone carrying Anthrax E to get through the tunnels; but, I don’t think it would be impossible. I’m sure that the employees of the Port Authority are as scared as everyone else. There’s a very real possibility that some of those employees have gone home to be with their families, like many of us would like to do. The other possibility, of course, is avian transfer. I don’t think the Port Authority would be very successful at keeping the seagulls out of Russia, but that’s really not my area of expertise.”
“Well, that’s interesting information, but not our problem at the moment. Does anybody else have anything they would like to add this afternoon? No. Okay, let’s get back to work.” Dr. Shevchuk closed the meeting.
March 6, 2093
Excerpt from a New Russian Federation News Agency article
Local authorities in Stansk, Siberia have located the body of a man believed to have violated IWO, American and Russian orders prohibiting international travel. The man, presently unidentified, was not local to Stansk. Several sources have indicated that they saw this man many days ago on the street outside the local police department building. Upon inspection, the man’s body was found without any papers or other identifying information. The only inference of his origin is a college sweatshirt on his body from Montana State University. His body has been confirmed infected with Anthrax E, and has deteriorated in alarming fashion.
March 6, 2093—Shift
Holy crap! Lucky just told us that at least 13 people are infected in Stansk, Siberia. Stansk has been quarantined. Russian and IWO military personnel are organizing to contain the plague in the area around Stansk, just like they did in El-Alamein! The IWO plans to apply the same HMP Foam across the entire city, sealing everybody and everything inside, alive or dead. They want to contain Anthrax E in that area, and try to keep it from spreading any further into Asia. I guess it says a lot about the impact this plague is having on us when I say their actions make sense to me, even though they’ll be killing hundreds, or maybe thousands of uninfected people in the process.
In fact, my biggest concern is that if Lucky was able to learn about the plan to apply the foam, even though he’s trained in how to find information, there’s no way that he’s the only person who knows. Someone is going to get out of Stansk before they apply the foam.
March 9, 2093—Shift
Cases of Anthrax E in North AM are now in the hundreds of thousands. We haven’t heard what happened with the foam in Stansk. I intend to ask Lucky if he has any news yet. It’s killing Anta right now, not knowing whether Anthrax E is in Asia.
The doctors and researchers here and around the world are using tissue samples, or transfigured samples, taken from the Safars in their attempt to determine and locate whatever it is that causes the immunity. The Safars, by the way, appear to be perfectly comfortable with this whole thing. The limitations imposed upon them by the isolation don’t seem to bother them at all. They want to help. Mrs. Safar never sleeps, or so it seems. She is always ready and available for Yurgi when she’s needed for further testing and interviews. Hopefully their willingness to help will pay off soon and we’ll get some real results.
March 16, 2093—Shift
“I want to see just one news report from America, Anta. Just one.” Anta and I have had a hard time getting together to talk lately, except over dinner occasionally. There’s no time. Everybody is helping with research and tests that run all day, every day. We take turns sleeping and eating so that there are always people up to keep the research moving along. Human survival is on the line. But when we do talk, I feel like I’m with an old friend—someone who really gets me and understands my emotions. I feel so comfortable with Anta.
Tonight’s meal: I’m not sure. I think we’re eating beef in some kind of pasta. I know its pasta, but beef, I’m not so sure. Fresh food is running low. Soon we’ll be stuck with the food processors and I’m sure Javier will be pissed. Me too.
“Are there any cable channels still broadcasting live from the U.S.?” Anta had to know the answer already, but she humored me. We all watched the Holos during our short time off, even if just for a few minutes.
“No. Everything’s coming from Europe, Asia or Africa,” I replied.
Just one week ago, media outlets in Canada and the United States were broadcasting that infections and deaths in the United States and Canada were in the hundreds of thousands. Those same media outlets are no longer reporting. Only sitcom reruns are airing, and they suck. Of course, media outlets from the eastern hemisphere are continually talking about events as they unfold over here. I don’t know where they’re getting their information unless there are still news sources alive here. I’m sure that some news men and women are still alive, but they’re just not going to work. If I were on the outside, I wouldn’t leave the cabin where my sister and her kids are still hunkered down and safe.
“I haven’t been watching lately. Is there anything on besides the foreign news? I mean, is there any entertainment happening?” Anta asked.
“Not really. Every once in a while I pop onto a foreign channel that’s showing some infomercial or lame talk show, but mostly, it’s just the news. And the news sucks.”
“I’m sure,” Anta said. “What’s the latest on the foam thing in Russia?” We hadn’t talked about this in a long time, surprisingly. There’s been nothing to talk about. There haven’t been any news stories about Stansk. I don’t know why, but I’m sure it has to do with avoiding panic, like always. Until today.
“Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that. There’s finally news. I saw it just before I came in to eat.”
“What is it?” Anta asked quietly. She looked both excited and worried. After what I had to say, she wouldn’t be excited any longer.
“The media in Europe are saying that it failed. There are reports today of new outbreaks all over Russia and Mongolia.�
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“Huh.”
That’s not exactly the response I expected, but Anta isn’t one to go overboard with her emotions.
“It gets worse,” I said. “Several other Pacific Islands are now reporting outbreaks. For now though, Europe, South Asia and Australia are still safe, but that probably won’t last. I’m sorry Anta.”
“Shift, you don’t need to worry about my emotions. You’ve got your own to worry about. How are your sister and the girls?”
“They’re good. They’re still safe, tucked away in the cabin.” I really hoped that was true.
“That’s great.” Anta tried to act excited, but she was clearly not thinking about my family right now.
“How are your parents?” I asked. “I guess you’ll be talking to them soon about leaving home?”
“Yeah, probably tonight,” Anta said.
“How is Hasani? Have you heard from him recently?”
“No. I don’t know what he’s up to. We can’t talk on the Holos so I only get the news John or Mike give me from the IIA boards, which is very little. I don’t know what they’re doing up there, but they’re all still alive and healthy, as of a couple of days ago.”
Anta paused. “How is this all going to end, Shift?”
“I think you know Anta. It will probably end very poorly, but I think Yurgi is making progress. That’s what I hear anyway.”
Thankfully, some of the people who were assigned to our bunker continue to have contact, albeit sparse, with the government agencies that sent them. It appears that the United States hasn’t crumbled, yet; although most governmental functions have ceased since most people refuse to show up for work. While we don’t have a realistic headcount, it’s safe to assume that there are so many infected or dead, that it’s only a matter of time, and maybe not much time, before there are very few people left on the outside.