Death of the Republic

by Ken Ward

  CHAPTER 28

  CNN BROADCAST – LIVE

  BREAKING NEWS – IGNA-3 IN THE U.S., FLIGHT CARRYING VIRUS CRASHES IN N. FLORIDA

  Host: You're watching CNN's continuing coverage of the IGNA-3 outbreak. I'm Tani Dotson and pleased to have our panel of experts back in-studio: Richard Hogue, former chair of the CIA subcommittee on biological warfare; Dr. Avna Ghulli of the National Healthcare Institute, and formerly of the Centers for Disease Control; Nicholle Quantrell, spokesperson for the Advocate Society Alliance; and Brent Holberg, who's been covering the United Nations and the World Health Organization for the New York Citizen Tribune, the Manhattan Gazette and the Washington Courier. He joins us from New York. And, as mentioned before the break we are going to be joined via Skype – this is a world exclusive by the way – by Dr. Peter Costello, he's one of several experts with the World Health Organization currently on the ground in Bermuda where this all started, and what he has to say, well, frankly it's stunning. But first, I wanted to ask our panel here, their reaction to what has happened. As we've reported, President Howell had given the order to shoot down Flight 381 and the plane had in fact been engaged by two fighter jets based out of Pensacola, Florida – and this happened as the President apparently changed his mind based upon news we're about to share with you, but the order to abort came too late. We can tell you that the pilot of that RepublicAir flight still managed to bring the jet down safely somewhere in northern central Florida and as far as we know everyone aboard that flight has survived and emergency crews are on the scene. Just...amazing, wouldn't you agree Dr. Ghulli?

  Dr. Ghulli: I would. Unprecedented is another word I would use. I cannot remember a story like this in my lifetime. And this new bit of news from Dr. Costello. I still don't know what to make of it.

  Tani: We'll get to that. Nicholle Quantrell, your reaction.

  Nicholle: Well, I echo the sentiments of Dr. Ghulli, of course. This is both amazing and yet at the same time frightening news. How did this administration get this so wrong? I think we're going to be examining this incident for a long time to come.

  Tani: I think you're right. Richard, what was your initial reaction to hearing that this plane has somehow survived an encounter with two U.S. fighter jets?

  Richard: I think the pilot of that flight is a hero. Whoever that person is, I mean, it's truly impressive what they've done. As for President Howell, apparently he did try to stop this from happening based upon new information, but the order was not received in time by those fighter pilots. This may be cause for an inquiry or an investigation by the Pentagon, perhaps even a Senate hearing. Clearly the channels of communication within the halls of power need to be tightened.

  Tani: Brent, what are you hearing from where you are?

  Brent: Stunning, amazing, shocking, wonderful, scary. These are all of the words we're hearing tossed around by so many different media outlets. This story has been an emotional whirlwind for me, Tani, I have to tell you. And I don't know what Dr. Costello is about to say, as the rest of you and your panel might know, but my heart can't really take much more.

  panel laughs

  Brent: I just am happy to hear that the flight has managed to get on the ground and everyone thus far is safe, though this virus is still a concern.

  Tani: Well, Brent, stay tuned. Because we have Dr. Peter Costello on the line with us now live from Bermuda, the supposed location where all of this drama began. Dr. Costello, thank you for joining us.

  Dr. Costello: It's my pleasure.

  Tani: Now, Dr. Costello. If I have this right, and I can barely believe the words as they sit here on the page in front of me. You're there, on the ground in Bermuda, and you're here to tell us that this virus, this IGNA-3 disease, it simply does not exist?

  Dr. Costello: That is correct. There is no such thing as IGNA-3. There never was. This is all a fabrication. A piecing together of prior virus outbreaks, snippets from prior WHO bulletins and news releases have been cut and pasted and crafted to make it appear as though something new and deadly is happening when just the opposite is true.

  Brent: What?

  Tani: Hold on, Brent, hold on. We'll get to you. Dr. Costello, how could this have happened?

  Dr. Costello: Not entirely sure, though I've been informed of this new smartphone application called Clackzi and it's been suggested the application itself misread the symptoms of various flu sufferers and from there crafted this entire narrative. The implication is that this application is using artificial intelligence built within it to construct its own version of world events. It's a frightening prospect if it's true.

  Tani: Yes, this is what we've understood so far as well. I should point out, CNN has reached out to the President of TechG5kInc – the company behind the development of this app – and it's president Bari Nah and we have yet to hear back from them. Dr. Costello, are you then saying that the World Health Organization has been compromised by this app?

  Dr. Costello: It goes much farther than that. Th- it- mu- j- audio goes to static

  Tani: Dr. Costello?

  video goes black

  Tani: It appears we've lost our connection with Dr. Costello. Oh, I'm being told we have established a new connection, audio only, unfortunately. Dr. Costello, are you there?

  Dr. Costello: Hello?

  Tani: Yes, Dr. Costello, this is Tani Dotson, CNN. We'd lost our connection with you, but we can hear you once again.

  Dr. Costello: It's a pleasure to be with you. I wish it were under better circumstances of course.

  Tani: Please continue with what you were saying before, Doctor. When you were cut off you were about to elaborate on whether the World Health Organization has been compromised fully by this Clackzi app.

  Dr. Costello: I'm sorry, I don't follow. You're asking about an app?

  Tani: Yes, the Clackzi application you'd mentioned that had manufactured this narrative about IGNA-3 and all the rest.

  Dr. Costello: Yes, IGNA-3. We're seeing its effects here, obviously. It's been devastating to us. We have 130 dead here in Bermuda, many of them medical experts with the WHO who had been treated symptomatic patients. I am in quarantine myself, but I'm hopeful we'll have some way of reaching successful containment, though as you know that hasn't happened as of yet.

  Tani: I'm sorry, Dr. Costello. There must be some kind of miscommunication here. You had just gotten through telling us that the virus does not exist. Now you're talking about it as though it is real. Can you explain?

  Dr. Costello: I'm not sure what you're speaking about. I have never said that this virus does not exist. How could I say such a thing when I've been here and witnessed its devastating effects? Are you saying someone has reported to you that IGNA-3 is somehow not real?

  Tani: That was you sir, not more than two minutes ago.

  Dr. Costello: I'm sorry, is this CNN?

  Tani: Yes.

  Dr. Costello: I don't understand what it is you're asking me. I haven't spoken with you prior to right now, and I certainly would not intimate that this virus isn't real. I resent the inference to be quite frank. This is a serious disease and we have no way of containing it or treating it as of now. This is a serious problem. I'm not certain who you were speaking with that might have been trying to tell you that it isn't real, but it certainly was not me.

  Tani: This is Dr. Peter Costello, with the World Health Organization, correct?

  Dr. Costello: Yes. Is this live, on the air?

  Tani: Yes, it is.

  Dr. Costello: I would expect more responsible reportage than this. I hope your viewers understand, this threat is very real. I hope the American government has measures in place to handle this emergency. I fear that they do not. But the media must do it's part and treat this outbreak with the seriousness it deserves. We've never seen a virus like this, ever.

  Tani: Okay, thank you for joining us, Dr. Costello.

  Dr. Costello: That's it?

  Tani: Yes, thank you, doctor.

  Dr. Costello: Ok
ay. I don't understand- audio fades

  Brent: I just want to say, I am more confused than ever. Were we speaking with two different people there? What is going on?

  Tani: Yes, we're trying to get to the bottom of that. I don't know if that was some form of sick prank. I'd like to apologize to the viewers at home. We are learning as we go here.

  Dr. Ghulli: Truly frightening. No one seems to know what is happening.

  Tani: Yes. It's a developing story.

  Richard: I should point out, both voices sounded identical.

  Nicholle: I think this is that app at work once again.

  Tani: Expand on that.

  Nicholle: The doctor told us that the app had pieced together a story from bits and pieces of prior stories. Then we have apparently the same person tell us that this is virus is real, that there have been deaths. Did the app take prior interview clips with Dr. Costello and construct responses to fit a narrative?

  Richard: My god.

  Brent: Is it even possible to do that?

  Nicholle: With artificial intelligence? Who knows? I would wager yes though.

  Tani: What's that? presses earpiece tighter into her ear Now? Stand by for breaking news.

  *BREAKING NEWS flashes across screen – cut to Tani Dotson*

  Tani: CNN has just learned that authorities on the ground in Florida have been given permission to execute all 322 passengers and crew from Flight 381 that crash landed in northern Florida. And just now we've been informed by the State Department that Russia has just launched two nuclear-tipped inter-continental ballistic missiles at the island of Bermuda. In response, President Howell has placed America's nuclear arsenal on alert, ready for launch at a moment's notice.

  CHAPTER 29

  The mustached man plunked me down on a metal folding chair in the center of the tent. Two other workers in full body suits stood nearby. The man approached a small aluminum table and picked up a large needle. He stepped over to me with the needle while one of the other workers opened a small Velcro hatch on the arm of my suit. “What is this?” I said.

  “Hold still,” said the mustached man. Just as he was about jab me, an alarm shrieked from the hip of all three workers. The man placed the needle back on the table and all three of the workers grabbed their phones and held them out in front of them. Immediately they pocketed their phones and marched out of the tent.

  “What's going on?” I yelled after them, but was ignored. I stood up and walked to the window of the tent and watched as many of the emergency workers converged on the police vehicles and were pulling assault rifles and shotguns out of the back of every one of them. Two people, now carrying assault rifles, marched back toward the tent. They could see I was looking right at them. “What the hell is this?” I muttered to myself. In that instant I had the overwhelming feeling that I should run, but I was also so afraid that I stood there, frozen in place. Not sure how far I'd have been able to run anyway given the bulky nature of the suit. Unsure of what to do I sank to the ground and waited for the armed workers to enter the tent. That's when a burst of gunfire erupted and I could hear women screaming and men shouting. I stood back up and looked out the plastic window and saw that the armed emergency workers were all running in the opposite direction from the tent, toward another part of the orange grove. I ran out of the tent to the front of the emergency vehicles. I saw all of my fellow passengers were still mostly together in a group about a hundred yards away. Strangely, a group of people dressed in street clothes and armed with assault rifles of their own were amassed along one side of the grove, firing on the armed emergency workers. A few of those folks were holding up their cell phones. Were they filming the gun battle or trying to show the emergency workers something? The two sides were yelling at one another, but I couldn't make out what they were saying.

  “What are you doing?” Barked a lady in a hazmat suit. “Get back over to that tent.”

  “No, I think I'm good here.”

  She grabbed for my arm and I ripped it away. “Hey,” she called out to another worker. “Give me a hand with this one.”

  Before anyone could respond, I tore off the suit and ran back toward the rest of the flight passengers and crew. Just as I'd made it back to the main group, one of these men in regular clothes holding a shotgun had run over to us. “You folks need to come with us,” he said, out of breath. “They're aiming to kill all of you.”

  “What? No they're not.”

  The man held up his cell phone. The Clackzi app on his screen showed in big bold letters the order had come down from on high that the passengers and crew of Flight 381 were to be executed to contain the IGNA-3 virus once and for all.

  “Where are we supposed to go?” One woman yelled out.

  “Soon as we deal with them,” the armed man said pointing to the police officers fifty yards away, “we'll show you outta here.”

  “Aren't you worried about catching the disease?” I asked the man.

  That's when he swiped to another screen on his phone where the news was being reported that the entire IGNA-3 thing was a hoax. My head was spinning.

  “We're supposed to believe that?” Said one of the flight crew members.

  “It was on TV too,” the armed man said.

  “Then why are they trying to kill us?”

  “They must have different information.”

  A line of bullets slammed into the dirt around us. In a flash, instinctually – like a herd of spooked antelope - everyone ran, scattered in all directions. Some of the police officers turned away from the vigilante group and began firing on the passengers and crew. I ran as hard as I could deeper into the orange grove. My lungs were on fire and my body did not want to cooperate at all. I ran for thirty seconds before I fell to the ground coughing. People had fanned out all over the expansive grove. Gunfire echoed through the air, seemingly coming from all directions. I laid in the middle of a row on the grass, staring up at the deep blue sky above, hoping the killer police officers would be distracted enough by everyone else to leave me laying there, alone.

  WHITE HOUSE – UNDERGROUND BUNKER

  President Howell stood over a communication worker's shoulder, eyeing a panel of controls and watching an interactive map that highlighted nuclear weapon installations around the world. Chief of Staff Rick Saunders entered the control room through a glass door. “Sir,” he said to Howell, “we have the Russian President on the line.”

  “It's about time,” Howell said as he stepped away from the control panel and he and Rick exited the room for the underground bunker's main corridor. “Still no word from Bermuda. Those nukes will hit any minute now.”

  “I know, sir,” Rick said, he motioned for the President to enter an office where a phone sat on an otherwise empty desk. “You can take the call in here.”

  “Good.” Howell sat at the desk and picked up the receiver. Rick turned to leave. “It's fine, Rick, you can stay in the room.” Rick stopped and stood where he was, facing the President.

  “Mr. President,” Howell said into the receiver.

  “Mr. President,” said the Russian President Alexander Tulkin in response.

  “I wish you and I had spoken before you'd decided to take this drastic measure,” Howell said. “We were working very hard to contain the situation in Bermuda.”

  “I'm afraid I don't understand,” Tulkin said. “What is this drastic measure to which you refer?”

  “Come again?” Howell said. “Mr. President, you'd just launched nuclear weapons on a defenseless island.”

  “I have done no such thing. Your accusation greatly offends me.”

  “What?” Howell practically shouted into the phone. He looked over at Rick who looked back at Howell with a questioning expression. “You mean to tell me you didn't order a nuclear attack on Bermuda?”

  “That is correct. I do not know where you received this information. We have ordered no such attack. Why would we do-”

  A bolt of static cut the Russian President off.

/>   “Mr. President?” Howell said, receiving no response. “The call cut out.”

  “We'll try again,” Rick said. “What's going on?”

  “I wish I knew,” Howell said.

  A young staffer entered the office. Rick put his hand up immediately. “What are you doing?” He said. “The President is not to be disturbed at the moment.”

  “Sorry, sir, sorry Mr. President, but I had to let you know we have the Russian President on the line for you. He's been waiting to speak with you. He seems upset.”

  “I was just speaking with him,” Howell said, “he's fine.”

  “Oh,” the staffer said. “He just said he hadn't spoken with you yet, and had been trying to get through for a while now.”

  “Thank you, Christine,” Rick said. The staffer left the room.

  “What the hell, Rick? Explain this to me,” Howell said.

  “I don't know,” Rick said, “I'm as lost as you are.”

  President Howell pressed the lit-up button on the phone to take the call. He pressed the “SPEAKER” button and sat the receiver on the desk. “Mr. President,” Howell said loudly. “This is President Howell, you're also on with my Chief of Staff, Rick Saunders.”

  “Mr. President,” President Tulkin said, “why does it take so long to get you on the line?”

  “So, you and I were not just talking a minute ago?” Howell asked.

  “What is this. You are making a joke?” Tulkin said.

  “No, sir, no joke.”

  “You should know we are doing this to protect ourselves. I hope you will understand,” Tulkin said.

  “Doing what, Mr. President.”

  “Oh,” Tulkin said, “I felt certain you would have received this news. We are acting defensively. In our best interest, as is our right.”

  Howell frowned at Rick. “I'm still not certain what you're getting at.”

  “We have taken it upon ourselves to contain this virus, since you and your government seem so incapable, Mr. President.”