But that had been Joseph’s dream, to be shot off a carrier in a fighter and then become a Navy SEAL. As Joseph’s parents, be damned if they would stand in the way of his dreams.
“Is mom still going on the cruise?” Joseph asked.
“Yeah, twenty-one days through the Caribbean with her sister and the girls from church,” Arthur answered. “She leaves April twenty-third and will be back on May fifteenth so you will get to spend half your leave with her.”
“You tell her she’d better go,” Joseph snapped. “The deal they got on tickets should be illegal.”
Giving a curt chuckle, “I said the same thing,” Arthur agreed.
“Let me talk to mom. I don’t want to know how much you are paying for my sat phone,” Joseph said.
“To talk to our boy, it’s well worth it,” Arthur told him. “You call if you need anything or think of something you want to do when you get here.”
Giving a homesick sigh, “I just want to walk the land, dad. Then maybe fish in the ponds,” Joseph answered.
“Love you, son. Here’s your mom,” Arthur said and handed the phone to Wendy.
“Hey, big man,” Wendy sang out as Arthur sat down. Wendy talked to Joseph for half an hour and then said goodbye.
Setting the phone on the glass table between them, “I should cancel,” she said.
“Babe,” Arthur said, throwing up his hands. “You have been looking forward to this trip for eight months since you got the tickets.”
“You were never going,” Wendy said, reaching over and squeezing his hand.
“Babe, we can’t leave the farm for that long anymore,” Arthur said. At one time, they’d had a worker named Jason. He had started working for them soon after they’d bought the land but a year ago, he had died in a car crash and they didn’t like anyone who’d applied for the job since.
“I know, but it’s been a year and a half since I’ve seen my baby,” Wendy pouted.
“You will get to spend over two weeks with him and I say, let’s drive him to Tampa,” Arthur suggested. “We would only be gone a few days and that’s not a problem for the farm.”
Raising her eyebrows, “Well,” Wendy mumbled.
“Babe, this will give me and Joseph time to bond, walking around and farting and such,” Arthur said in a serious voice.
Busting out laughing, Wendy almost slid out of her chair. “You two better have all that out before I get home,” she howled, kicking the floor. “I can still remember having to run out of the house for a breath of fresh air.”
As Wendy stopped laughing, Arthur shrugged his shoulders. “Besides, I used my chemistry set to cook up some date rape drugs. I’m going to drug Joseph and grab a hooker to rape his ass, then tie her up in the barn until she delivers.”
“Arthur,” Wendy snapped, making him turn to look at her. “You don’t tie her up in the barn. Tie her up in the basement, so we can tend to her.”
Nodding with a grin, “Yeah, that is a better place,” Arthur said.
Wendy held his hand tight as she looked out over the rise. She had come from a large family, but Arthur had spent his life in foster homes until he’d graduated high school. That was the only thing she felt bad about in the marriage. She couldn’t give Arthur more kids, but it showed her how much he loved her.
“He will give us grandkids,” Wendy said in a serious voice. “But if he hasn’t by the time he’s thirty, we drug his ass.”
Squeezing her hand as he chuckled, “It’s not like we would have to pay a girl, Joseph is a nice-looking kid,” Arthur said.
Nodding her head, “You know, I think I was the only mom who, when Joseph was in high school, wanted my son to knock a girl up,” Wendy admitted.
“That would’ve killed his dream, though,” Arthur sighed and Wendy sighed after him, agreeing. “I want you to promise me that you will have a good time.”
Slowly turning to look at Arthur, “I will be stuck in the same room with my baby sister for twenty-one days and you want that guarantee?” Wendy scoffed.
“Gloria is a sweetheart,” Arthur snapped.
“Shit, you didn’t grow up with her ass,” Wendy huffed. “I should steal some of her kids, she has four. She won’t miss one.”
“Nah, I hate to say it, but they are brats,” Arthur said. “Every time they come to stay, I want to run and hide in the woods until they leave.”
“Hun, Gloria was much worse, so I see them as an improvement.”
Getting out of the chair, Arthur kneeled down in front of her. “Love, I want you to have fun. This will be the first vacation you’ve had without me up your ass in the twenty-six years we’ve been married.”
“I would have more fun if you were there,” Wendy mumbled.
A grin spread across Arthur’s face. “I want you to come back with tan lines, so I can request light meat.”
Throwing her arms around his neck, Wendy busted out laughing again. “You are so bad,” she laughed. Wendy was spoiled and she knew it. For the last decade, Arthur had bought her a new BMW every two years. The only reason was when they were in college, Wendy had seen the rich kids driving them and had told Arthur she wanted one just to flaunt it.
Being Arthur, he’d taken it seriously and did buy her one after they graduated, but only after finances allowed. Then ten years ago, he had started buying her a new one every two years. No matter how much she bitched, Arthur still bought her a new one. To date, only Wendy had ever had a new car. Arthur bought used ones and fixed them up.
The one time she’d tried, Arthur had found her researching new pickup trucks on her laptop and holy shit did a fight ensue. Wendy did buy him a new tractor and Arthur was only mad for a week. Finally, he’d hugged her and said. “Babe, I like building them so if something breaks, I already know how to fix it.”
So that was the only new thing she’d bought, except guns. Not even Arthur would bitch when she bought him a gun. The electric carts, four-wheelers, and side by sides they had, Wendy bought them used and helped Arthur and Joseph when he still lived with them, fix them up.
Even Joseph was corrupted on new cars. On his sixteenth birthday, he wanted a classic Camaro and he got a ’67.
“I will have fun, but it’s not fair that you don’t get a vacation,” Wendy said.
“I went to that six-day combat class in Arizona last year alone,” Arthur reminded her as Wendy sat back.
With a flat expression and voice, “You shot guns in the desert,” Wendy said. “We’ve been to those classes together and shoot all the time here.”
Shrugging, “I know, but it was still fun,” Arthur smiled. “You realize you won’t be able to take your pistol, right?”
“Yeah,” Wendy snapped. “I can’t even take your damn dogs. I’ve never been unarmed that long.”
“I like looking at you holding weapons,” Arthur chuckled. “How about you put on a swimsuit and let me take some pictures?”
Standing up, Wendy grinned down at him. “How about nudes?”
She laughed as Arthur scooped her up in his arms and ran into the house.
Chapter Four
Disaster looming
April 19
Walking into the White House, Dr. Scott Sutton held up his ID to the Secret Service agent. “They’re waiting for you, sir,” the agent said and led Sutton through the halls. Sutton had been the assistant director of the CDC for over a year and this was the first time he’d had to give a report to the president.
The agent held open a door and, seeing the president and his cabinet sitting around the table, Sutton nodded at the agent as he walked in. “Mr. President,” Sutton said, moving to the other end of the table.
Setting his briefcase down, Sutton opened it to take out bound reports. Passing a stack to each side, Sutton took one for himself and sat down while opening it up.
“Can I ask what is so important that I’m missing my tee-off time? I was feeling hot today,” the President said, taking one of the bound reports.
“M
r. President, a lethal virus has sprung up in China,” Sutton said and everyone around the table groaned. “We are basing our preliminary information on what the Chinese have researched on the virus. We are working on confirming this now.”
“Dr. Sutton, you do realize China is on the other side of the globe, right?” Kenner, the Secretary of Defense said.
Stopping a smartass comment on the tip of his tongue, “Yes I do, but there is a confirmed case in London,” Sutton replied and everyone became very interested. “The first death was on the fourteenth of this month and as of today, over fifty more from one village. We have a team on the ground and the report you are holding is what we have so far.”
Opening his report, the president saw the map and where the village was at. “How did someone in London get infected from this little farming village?” the President asked.
“We are looking into that,” Sutton answered as the others started reading.
“What’s the lethality rate?” Jackson, the Surgeon General asked.
Clearing his throat, “So far, one hundred percent,” Sutton answered and everyone dropped their reports and looked at him. “If everything continues to unfold the way we have all feared, H5N1 has learned to transmit human to human.”
“Incubation period?” Jackson asked.
“Six to ten days after infection, but the victim shows no signs, with the exception of a slight runny nose, sneezing, and itching of the nose and eyes,” Sutton said.
“Oh, come on, it’s spring! Half the population has that now,” Kenner shouted.
Ignoring Kenner, “When are they contagious?” Jackson asked in a trembling voice.
Nodding his head, “Thirty-six to forty-eight hours after infection, yet won’t show signs for another week,” Sutton said and Jackson rocked back in his chair, visibly shaken.
“Care to enlighten?” the President asked, looking at Sutton.
“Sir, those infected don’t show signs of it until six to eight days later. The most prevalent is hard coughing as the lungs fill with fluid, but some patients pass blood in the bowels from a cytokine storm,” Sutton said, looking at the president. “After the coughing starts, average time to death is twelve to twenty hours. Those put on ventilators manage to hang on for another day before dying.”
Before the president could respond, “How are the anti-viral meds working?” Jackson asked.
Shaking his head, “The advance team report none are responding,” Sutton answered. “Even Flu-X shows nothing.”
“So,” the President snapped, looking from Jackson to Sutton. “We developed a flu drug in secret, spending billions, and it doesn’t work?”
“That’s correct,” Sutton answered with no shame.
“How about a vaccine?” the President asked.
Cringing and dropping his eyes to the report, “We should have a trial dose ready in ten months,” Sutton finally said.
“We know anything about the case in London?” Jackson asked, grabbing a glass of water.
“Just that James Taylor left Hong Kong on the twelfth,” Sutton said. “He’s a senior executive for Tong Shipping, but MI6 is doing background.”
“Can’t they ask him?” Temple, the Secretary of the Treasury snapped.
“No, he’s in a coma and they don’t expect him to live much longer. He arrived at the hospital in a coma,” Sutton snapped back, getting tired of feeling like he was responsible.
“What’s the CDC recommendation?” the President asked.
“Total travel ban in and out of the US for two weeks,” Sutton said and most of the table jumped up yelling.
Grabbing a cup, the president tapped the table to get the attention of those that were yelling. “Please!” the President shouted, looking at their chairs. “Surely that can’t be all,” the President said, leaning back in his seat.
Taking a deep breath, “Yes sir, Mr. President. We feel if a case is confirmed in the US, we need to declare a fourteen-day holiday and force people to stay at home,” Sutton responded. This time, even the president jumped up, shouting with the others.
“Shut the fuck up!” the President bellowed at the others. The throng of cabinet members all froze, staring at the president in shock. “I’m the boss, so sit down,” the President snapped and then looked down the table at Sutton. “Do you realize the impact to the economy those actions would bring?”
Nodding, “Yes sir, but if people start dying, then that would be worse because there wouldn’t be anyone to work or spend money,” Sutton answered as sweat beaded on his forehead.
Sitting back down, the president narrowed his eyes at Sutton. “So, the CDC is one hundred percent sure this will reach us?” the President asked.
“We believe it already has,” Sutton replied. “We are waiting for confirmation on a case in Los Angeles.”
Glancing around the table and stopping at the Secretary of Treasury, the President leaned back in his chair. “Temple, is there any way we could do a shorter holiday like Mexico did years ago?” the President asked.
Scoffing as he threw his hands up, “Mr. President, our economy is a thousand times bigger than Mexico’s. Our economy generates over fifteen billion dollars a day, sir. You do the math,” Temple huffed.
Sutton’s eyes grew wide, hearing the numbers as the president looked over at the Secretary of Labor. “Kasich, is a minimal shutdown feasible from your area?” the President asked.
“Mr. President, unemployment is finally under four percent. Asking the companies to shut down, even for a short period, means they will have to lay off thousands,” Kasich answered.
“Mr. President?” the Secretary of Homeland Security said, holding up his hand.
“Yes, Paterson,” the President sighed.
“Reports over the last two decades indicate the average family only keeps three days’ worth of food in the home,” Paterson said, looking down at the report. “Even if we declare this holiday, people will have to get out to buy food or they will riot.”
“Everyone,” the President said, clearing his throat. “I want each of you to come up with fifty million dollars from your area by the end of the day and transfer it to the CDC. I want Homeland to allot seven billion,” the President commanded, then looked at Sutton.
“You tell everyone at the CDC, nobody goes home until we have a vaccine. You will have the finances, now you should be able to put more people working on a vaccine with ten billion dollars,” the President told him.
The Secretary of the Treasury gave a sigh of relief, pulling out his smartphone. “Mr. President, I’ll make sure the CDC has that in the next few hours,” Temple said with a lazy smile. “Hell, if need be, we can double that.”
“Mr. President,” Sutton said, feeling lightheaded with the way everyone casually tossed around the word ‘billion’ associated with money. “The finances will help, but research takes time and no matter how much we spend, we can’t buy time.”
“I beg to differ,” Temple laughed out and most joined in, giving a chuckle.
Looking down at the end of the table to Sutton, the president leaned over the table and rested his arms. “Sutton, you head back and get your people to work and hire who you need. I expect a report in one week, right here.”
“Mr. President,” Kasich said in a low voice. “You will be in Texas next week.”
Flopping back in his chair and giving a curt grunt, “No, I won’t,” the President chuckled. “I don’t want to go there anyway, they didn’t vote for me. I’ll be here for Sutton to give me an update.”
Everyone laughed as the Secretary of Defense handed out his own bound reports. “Mr. President, I’ll see Dr. Sutton out,” Jackson said, getting up.
“Thank you and will you read his report and explain it in English for me?” the President asked, picking up a pen and making notes on a pad.
Walking around the table, the Surgeon General waited as Sutton packed up his stuff. When Sutton stood up, instead of leading Sutton to the hall, Jackson led him out a back door
into another room. Closing the door, Jackson turned to Sutton. “When will your team have a more detailed report on the virus?” Jackson asked.
“We only got a sample here two days ago, so in the next forty-eight hours we can confirm what the Chinese sent us,” Sutton answered.
Looking at Sutton hard for a few seconds, “In your report, it said the virus could survive outside a host for five hours. You think that’s right?” Jackson asked.
“No, that’s what the Chinese stated,” Sutton answered quickly and Jackson sighed in relief. “I think it can survive outside longer,” Sutton replied and Jackson paled. “The virus is encapsulated, unlike any H5N1 we’ve ever seen, that I already know and was going to explain.”
Closing his eyes, Jackson took a deep breath to steady his nerves and then opened his eyes, waving at the door to the meeting. “None in that room would understand, just like they don’t understand research takes time,” he sighed. “What about the other trial pre-pandemic vaccines we already have for H5N1?”
“The Chinese have the same vaccines we do and so far, none show an immune response in patients. But the real problem is the virus is highly lethal to chickens, more so than us. Most avian species show symptoms in twelve hours and die within five days but there are a few, seagulls for one, that last over a week,” Sutton explained and Jackson stumbled back into a chair.
“Holy shit,” Jackson gasped.
Glad to see Jackson understood what they were facing, Sutton put his briefcase down. “Just from what we know now, this is the virus that we have always worried about. It’s airborne, can live on surfaces for hours, has a long contagious phase with the patient showing no symptoms, and is highly lethal,” Sutton said and Jackson noticed Sutton was nervous.
Reaching in his pocket and pulling out a business card, “Call me if you need anything, and keep me updated,” Jackson told Sutton as he took the card. “You think our H5N1 test kits that we have will work to identify people who are infected?”
Viral Misery (Book 1) Page 3