by JT Sawyer
Vehm swallowed hard, trying to nod favorably to appease Lau and lighten the man’s zealous expression. He forced out a half-smile, hoping to contain the bile surging in his stomach. Vehm had been in the military since he was seventeen, and he had seen his share of combat from the perspectives of both the victor and the vanquished. And though it sounded like the Americans were behind the release of this pathogen, according to the sketchy details relayed by Lau, Vehm knew that something had probably gone wrong along the way, most likely a fatal error on the part of some madman or rogue elements within the U.S. that would account for something on this scale. He also knew that the human species itself was at risk of being extinguished, and it was no time for Lau to be playing God with the fate of the remaining nations. Survival now meant banding together, not creating isolation from the other minds that could combat this menace.
In the years prior to the pandemic, Vehm had been working with Lau to modernize the PLA, taking it from a military heavy on manpower to having a sweeping cyber-warfare division and making greater technological strides to keep up with Russia and the U.S. Most importantly, Vehm and many other generals had pushed for avoiding unification of the navy, army, and air force so they would remain under their respective commands and avoid having one individual or agency in charge. Now, Lau had singlehandedly unraveled that effort and placed himself at the top. Further, Vehm suspected the general was responsible for the death of the premier and possibly other cabinet members. Lau’s ruthless executions of dissenters in the past twenty-four hours had only driven a wave of terror through the remaining officers, who were already in shock from the loss of their own families and the monsters on their doorstep.
Vehm knew that Lau’s extreme behavior could spell further catastrophe for the already beleaguered personnel spread out in the bunkers throughout China. Vehm knew he wasn’t alone in his thinking but couldn’t reach out to any of the senior officers until he knew for certain who the hardliners were that sided with Lau and who were unsympathetic to the man’s draconian measures. The political atmosphere amongst the remaining officers was precarious, but Vehm knew that Lau’s current course of action would only bring ruin to what was left of China as well as thwart any attempts at working with other nations to battle the deadly menace that had swept throughout the world.
Vehm looked at the general and saw that there was no reasoning with Lau, and to push his luck any further would invite a trip to the crucifixion posts outside the bunker. “You always were the one in our village who had the drive to climb to the top of the mountain. You could run faster than any of us.”
Lau nodded with a grin. “And this time the mountain is at the top of the world and I will make sure you have a place beside me, just like when we were little.”
Vehm stood up and touched Lau on the shoulder. “You should get some rest. Even a tiger must sleep sometime.” He stood and saluted then walked off, the double doors across the room seeming like they were miles away.
Chapter 3
USS Reagan Carrier Strike Group and Civilian Armada
As the skiff approached the stern of the sixty-foot fishing vessel, Reisner examined the newly welded bars that had been placed over the bridge windows. “It was smart to use another ship besides the Reagan to secure the live creatures for Doc Munroe’s work.” He shook his head and grimaced. “I’d hate to think of one of these things getting loose on board our ship.”
“It does the job for now until we get to Pearl,” said McKenzie, who was the first one to haul himself up out of the skiff and onto the rear deck.
Ivins leaned over and spit some chew into the waters below then monkeyed-up the ladder. “I’d much rather drop the cages overboard but Munroe wants her little petting zoo to study the freaks.”
“Well, she said she’s made some progress with understanding their behavior, so I’m intrigued,” said Tso, who had come to examine his colleague’s undertakings.
Reisner gripped the edge of the skiff, waiting for the gangly doctor to proceed. Once everyone was on board, they were escorted by two armed guards to the cargo hold below. Walking down the steps, Reisner was met by a fishy odor that was laced with a strange blend of bleach and an animalistic smell that reminded him of a horse stable. He saw Selene ahead, her back turned and her head focused on her tablet. Ten feet away was a sealed biocontainment unit with heavy, clear plastic extending from the floor to the ceiling. Behind this were two modified diver’s cages that had been cut down and welded back together by McKenzie’s engineers. The two cages were bolted to the floor and each was rigged with motion sensors near the padlocked doors.
Once they were inside the cargo hold, Reisner’s eyes adjusted and he could see two more guards standing at either end of the unit.
Selene turned when she heard the guards stand at attention and salute McKenzie and Ivins.
“Welcome, gentlemen,” she said, with a fond smile aimed at Tso, then let her eyes linger for a second on Reisner. “Thank you for taking time to join me here.”
She set down her tablet and motioned for them to follow her. They moved closer to the first cage, which held two creatures captured on a small fishing boat yesterday. As McKenzie came to a halt, they both lunged at the bars and pawed the air, the plastic sheeting between them rippling from the air movement.
“As you can probably guess, these are drones—similar in nature to the creatures you have encountered in battles on Jebwe Island, Taiwan, and elsewhere. They are the foot soldiers, if you will.” She pointed a pen at the shorter one, which was balding and had gray veins snaking across its face. Several flat worms were dangling their heads from the corners of each creature’s mouth, as if probing the air.
“From dissections I have performed, I’ve found that the drones have little of their lobe structures left intact. They operate on a more primitive level, which seems connected to attack and defend and little more.”
Reisner looked at the infuriated creatures then over at Selene. “They like this all the time when you’re down here or just because we arrived?”
“They go in spurts. If I’m at my table taking notes, they settle down, but any abrupt movement from me or the guards triggers them to go into a rage like this.” She walked ten feet down and slid back a black curtain that was separating the two cages. The stocky creature Ivins had harpooned the day before was crouched in the corner. It glanced over at each person, briefly resting its eyes on the four new arrivals. As Selene moved closer, it stood up, thrusting its chin in the air while its nostrils flared from deep inhalations. Its pectorals were striated with blue-gray veins that seemed to pulse with movement, and the neck region was swollen and enlarged as something large wriggled beneath.
“Now, this creature—this alpha—is another story.” She lowered her hand, pointing to the ribs. “Despite the hole you put in its side, Lieutenant Ivins, it has hardly been affected by the trauma. He, or it, rather spends most of its time watching me with keen interest. Other than the initial response of violence when it first awoke, this one is quite docile.” She stepped closer to the plastic barrier, which caused the other two drones to lunge at their cage and thrash their crusty fingers towards Selene. A second later, the lone creature turned its head, letting out a faint shrill sound, which caused the other two to retreat to the corner of their cage.
“Damn,” said Ivins, rubbing his chin. “He’s an alpha male alright.”
Reisner remembered a similar dominant creature in action on Jebwe Island that had nearly cost him his life, but he hadn’t been able to observe one up close before under controlled conditions. It almost reminded him of a silverback gorilla he had seen at the Cincinnati Zoo when he was a kid. He had marveled at the presence and stature of the primate, and he wondered what the parasites in this one’s body had done to transform it into something with such confidence and authority over the others.
“What’s really intriguing is when I picked up my tablet yesterday to jot down some notes, I saw the alpha move forward and fix its gaze upon my devic
e and finger motions.”
“Come on, Doc—you mean this thing can read?” said McKenzie.
“No, nothing like that—more like there was a look of recognition.”
“That would suggest the cognitive function of the frontal lobe is more intact than in the drones,” said Tso, who had moved up alongside Selene and stood gawking at the alpha. “That leads me to wonder how much of the host’s former memory is left, if any.”
“It would depend on how quickly after dying that they reanimated,” said Selene. “If the brain was without oxygen for only a minute or two after death before reanimation then there could be a high probability that their memories are still present.”
Ivins shook his head, interrupting. “Sorry, but you’re saying this thing is half monster and half Joe-Blow from his former life—like he could be trapped inside his own body because of the parasites?”
Selene stepped back, blowing a strand of blonde hair off her nose. “I’m honestly not sure at this point. This is the first live specimen like this that I’ve been able to observe, but it does beg the question of what the discovery of a cure could do—could it be used to reverse the effects of the virus on a high-functioning individual like this or would killing the parasites also kill the host’s body?”
McKenzie crossed his arms, thrusting his chest out. “Tell me about weaknesses that my men can exploit instead.”
Selene motioned for them to follow her back to her makeshift desk. She clicked on video footage on her laptop. “This was taken yesterday. I exposed the two drones to an increase in temperature by having the ship’s captain increase the heat to this room.”
The video showed the temperature in Fahrenheit in the right corner of the screen as it increased in five-degree increments over the next half hour. Selene sped up the footage until the temperature indicator was at ninety degrees. “Notice how the creatures responded with their usual aggressive behavior as the guards moved around the room, but then watch what happens when the heat spikes beyond ninety-six degrees.”
The bodies of the two drones crumpled forward slightly, then they moved against the bars and slid to the floor. They spread their bodies out with their mouths hanging agape as they panted.
“We already knew that heat is an issue with them,” said the admiral.
“Great, so we just need to wait until next summer to launch an all-out offensive to ensure success,” said Ivins with a wry smile.
“This won’t be of help around much of the U.S. with winter coming. I wonder how cold affects them,” said Reisner.
“Not sure how to simulate a cold-weather setting under these conditions. I did however try exposing them to ultraviolet light and other spectrums, but didn’t see any adverse reaction.”
“Thank you, doctor,” said McKenzie. “I need to relay this information to our other commanders stateside and I also have to prepare for a briefing with MacDill Air Force Base.” He looked around at the other men. “Any other questions before we leave?”
Tso, Ivins, and McKenzie nodded to Munroe then moved back up the steps. Reisner lingered for a moment, moving closer to Selene, then pointed to the second cage. “Just watch your back down here, Selene. This is a little too close for comfort. Your googly-eyed lab rat over there just sees you as a dish on his menu.”
“Why, Mr. Reisner—are you developing a soft spot for me, watching out for my safety again?”
“I didn’t think that was a secret,” he said with a smile as he turned and walked up the steps.
***
Selene let her eyes linger on the stairwell as she thought about Reisner. During their time on the Reagan, the chemistry between them had been increasing and she found his presence a bright spot in her otherwise monotonous days spent researching the virus. She felt an attraction to him but questioned how much they really had in common and how much of their mutual connection was due solely to the circumstances surrounding their fortuitous meeting in Taiwan. Selene figured Reisner would have more to relate to with Connelly and wondered why he seemed so aloof with the younger agent who clearly had an interest in him.
All of those thoughts faded away when she recalled Reisner’s easy smile and his confident walk. She felt safe in his company and found herself feeling lighter when he was around as if he had lifted the worries of the world from her shoulders for a short time. Maybe we’ll run into each other in the mess hall tonight. That would sure be a good way to end the day. She grinned, turning around towards her workstation and reminding herself of the monumental work ahead as she felt the rough waters outside slap against the hull of the small vessel.
Chapter 4
The next morning, Reisner moved with a brisk pace through the narrow corridor on the second level of the Reagan as he made his way to the communications center. He had been summoned there by Admiral McKenzie and he thought it could be related to some news from one of the CIA command bunkers, which had hopefully survived the initial onslaught of the virus. Reisner also had some pressing information that he wanted to discuss with the admiral in regards to being able to access the Agency database that Runa had provided links to before they lost touch. Something David Siegel, the former CIA director, had said at their last meeting before their ill-fated trip to the Agency ghost ship Atropos. Siegel had referenced several other Agency bio-weapons vessels operating around the globe. Reisner was hoping to obtain their locations and see if any of their research staff were still alive. With most of the CDC centers having gone dark since last week, he thought it was their best chance at locating additional medical staff whose research backgrounds were a close match to Selene’s, along with a ship containing critical scientific equipment specifically designated for coping with deadly pathogens. He admired Selene’s abilities and was well aware of her medical accolades but knew she was a lone scientist fighting an uphill battle against a savage new predator that had tipped the odds of survival for the human race in less than a week. God, what will this world look like a month from now if we don’t figure something out fast?
As Reisner entered the room, he saw a half-dozen personnel sitting before their computer consoles. They were adorned with headsets and were chattering into their microphones. Amidst the jumble of conversations, he could hear that many of them were communicating with military outposts throughout the U.S., while some were in contact with frenzied survivors relaying their harrowing stories. One beacon of hope stood out above the others as Reisner took notice of a CDC center in Phoenix and another in Seattle.
McKenzie stood in the center of the room, his arms folded and his gaze resting on an overhead monitor that showed the source of the signals coming from a wide range of locations around the country. Reisner moved up alongside McKenzie, who nodded at his arrival.
“Sounds like a lot of action on the horn since yesterday,” said Reisner.
“We’ve gotten reports from the 173rd Air Force Base in southern Oregon and Twenty-Nine Palms in Joshua Tree that they are still intact.”
“Those are in more isolated regions than other bases, so maybe that helped.”
“That and their sheer firepower. Sounds like both bases had a helluva fight on their hands after the initial outbreak.”
“Well, it’s good they were able to destroy the hordes in time.”
McKenzie glanced over at him, raising an eyebrow. “Actually, the commanders indicated that the creatures pulled back after the kill rate on their numbers increased. They haven’t been seen since.”
Reisner rubbed the black stubble on his chin, shifting his gaze back to the monitor. “Where to?”
“We’ve only been able to look at satellite imagery from the West Coast so far. In the case of California, it shows a massive cluster of creatures around East Los Angeles.”
McKenzie stepped forward and asked the female communications officer to his right to pull up the radio transmissions from the past forty-eight hours. A computer-generated map came onscreen, showing the spiderweb-like network of civilian and military broadcasts throughout the United
States that the Reagan had been receiving.
“Here’s what I wanted to show you.” McKenzie swept his finger along the East Coast, beginning at Georgia and moving up to New Hampshire. “Until three days ago, there were active transmissions coming from this entire region. They were scattered and infrequent like the rest of the country but we were consistently getting broadcasts from all manner of towns, federal facilities, and outlying areas.”
McKenzie asked the young woman to scroll back through data files until she arrived at the time-stamp of the evening of November 2 at 21:06. She then juxtaposed the footage, showing the before and after image.
“You can see that we were getting broadcasts along the eastern seaboard until 21:06 that night.” McKenzie snapped his fingers. “Then, poof, everything goes dark and has been quiet ever since.”
Reisner scrunched his eyebrows together. “The power grid back east is all linked together by three central stations—in Atlanta, New Jersey, and Burlington—and provides electricity to all the states in between.”
The communications officer looked back, her short black ponytail bobbing on her shoulder. “The creatures couldn’t have taken out the power grid—not on that scale.”
Reisner and McKenzie gave each other a brief glance, each man exhaling at nearly the same time. Reisner’s vision shot beyond the admiral’s shoulder to a map of the world affixed to the wall, and he settled his eyes on China. He knew the admiral had to be thinking the same thing—that this was a retaliatory strike using an EMP weapon or computer virus against the U.S. power grid. There was no other explanation for something on this scale. Reisner had taken part in enough cyber-security briefings to know that the eastern U.S. had the most antiquated electrical and energy relay stations in the country, which was probably why the rest of the U.S. was intact. But for how long?