by Bobby Akart
“Can’t we get one day of peace?” she asked.
“Nah,” he replied as he darted out the door. Then he yelled over his shoulder, “We’d get bored!”
Hunter tore down the stairs and out the front door onto the lawn. His sudden movement must’ve caught Captain Hoover’s eye because he slowly turned in Hunter’s direction as he sipped his coffee. His lack of urgency immediately calmed Hunter down, who approached Captain Hoover at a steady, but brisk pace.
“Hey, Cappy,” greeted Hunter. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, I was about to knock on your door and see if you wanted some coffee.”
“Where’s everybody goin’?” asked Hunter.
“Not quite everybody, but half of us,” replied Captain Hoover. “I got the order an hour or so ago. They want me to redeploy half my men to Breckenridge. I’ll go with them today to get everyone positioned and meet with the locals, and then leave the platoon to my lieutenant.”
“Is it safe to leave Star Ranch right now?”
“Oh yeah, by the end of the day, we’ll have some fresh faces out of Peterson. It’ll be a mixed bag of uniforms running around here, but they’ll all fall under my command.”
Hunter watched the activity for a moment. “What time are you pulling out?”
“Couple of hours,” replied Captain Hoover. “Sure you don’t want some coffee?”
“Um, no, thanks. Listen, Mac and Janie have the day off. Would you mind if we ride along in the convoy? Mac would love to see her parents.”
Captain Hoover handed his empty coffee mug to one of his aides while he signed off on some travel documents and requisition forms.
“Please, join us, but we’ll be coming back the day after tomorrow,” said Captain Hoover. “Hey, did you hear what happened in the city yesterday?”
“No, what?” asked Hunter.
“Our boys busted a load of terrorists in a stolen M35. They were cruising down the highway like it was nobody’s business. However, it does show these guys to be resourceful and fearless.”
Hunter nodded. “We caught a glimpse of it on the way back from Denver. Score one for the good guys. Do you know what they were planning?”
“I don’t know, but I’m fairly certain waterboarding will be approved again. Also, the President is going to address the nation tomorrow afternoon.”
Hunter decided to pick his brain. “Whadya think he’ll say?”
“Who knows? That stuff is above my pay grade, but here’s what I’m told. This move into Breckenridge is part of an overall plan to separate the well from the ill. That’s step one. Second, he is going to make a public statement about rescinding the Level 6 order, which is no longer a secret, thanks to CNN.”
“I didn’t like it to begin with,” interrupted Hunter.
“Neither did I. Seriously, more than you know,” said Captain Hoover as he kicked aimlessly at the gravel on the driveway. “Anyway, the President is kicking off the recovery effort by separating people and reopening medical facilities. Patients will be treated for all types of illnesses. The dying will be treated humanely, so I’m told, with pain medications and antibiotics to ease the dying process.”
“I like it,” said Hunter. “You seem to be tapped into the grapevine, is there any word on a cure?”
“No, unfortunately. I do believe the President’s plan can work. By shifting the healthy population away from the cities and into the small towns, at least we’ll have some people alive when this thing goes away.”
Hunter now knew information regarding the cure was on a strict need-to-know basis, which explained why Colonel Clements was informed and Captain Hoover was not.
Hunter slapped his friend on the back and started for the house. “Cappy, let me get the ladies up and at ’em. We’ll be ready to pull out when you are.”
“See ya at oh-nine-hundred,” Hoover shouted to Hunter as he jogged down the road.
When he arrived back at the house, Mac and Janie were standing at the door with their noses pressed against the small windows on either side of the entry.
“What’s happening?” asked Mac.
“It appears that half of Cappy’s people are being redeployed to Breckenridge. They’re leaving in a little over an hour.”
“Okay, are we going with them?”
“Yes, if you guys agree. Listen, those were ISIS operatives lying in the road yesterday. They’d commandeered that military cargo truck at some point. Guys, there’s a war coming, so we have to take our safety into consideration every time we leave Star Ranch.”
Mac led them into the kitchen, where the smell of coffee permeated the air. “Hunter, how will we get back on our own?”
“Cappy and some of his men will return the day after tomorrow. That’ll give us a couple of nights at Quandary Peak to talk with your parents.”
“And I can see Derek,” Janie chimed in.
Mac poured everyone a mug of strong, black coffee. “I vote we pack up and head out with the rest of them. We need to get home and think with clear heads, agreed?”
“Agreed.”
Chapter 63
Day Ninety-Nine
Quandary Peak
Mac’s mind wandered as Hunter drove the Humvee through the checkpoint at Blue Lakes Road. To her right stood Red Mountain, where Janie had been held hostage and innocent women were forced to become baby incubators. She closed her eyes and shuddered, revolted by the thought of abusing women that way. The ills of society, from sexual degeneracy to murder and all of man’s perversions, had risen to the surface during the apocalypse.
Driving up the road to their home, she admired the beautiful dusting of snow on Quandary Peak rising two thousand feet into the sky to her right. Its beauty gave her hope that the world would right itself and set humanity on a better course than the one it was on.
Finally, driving down the slope to the front of their home, seeing her mom and dad on the front porch reminded her of something her dad had said when they moved from the West Coast to the East Coast when she was seven. They’d had a rough ride and Mac had a terrible cold. They’d had a flat tire in a driving rainstorm and witnessed a deadly accident as well.
When they’d reached their new home, Mac recalled her daddy’s words. The greatest parts of a road trip aren’t arriving at your home. It’s all the wild and crazy stuff that happens along the way.
Mac chuckled to herself as she thought of the nearly one hundred days since their discovery of the plague outbreak. She could remember what happened on each and every one of them. What bothered her most was that she couldn’t remember what she was doing the day before that fateful trip to Guatemala.
What would I have done differently if I knew the day before was the day before?
“Welcome home, you guys,” said Hunter, startling Mac slightly as she was brought back to the present. “It appears we have a welcoming committee.”
Tommy and Barb stood on the front porch with their arms wrapped around each other while Flatus ran back and forth in front of the house, unsure of which direction was the best way to go, so he chose them all.
Mac bolted out of the truck and sailed up the stairs until she was in their arms too. The tears flowed from all the Hagans as they were reunited after the most stressful period in their lives.
When they finally stopped hugging, Mac walked around Tommy and assessed his health as if she were tire-kicking a used car. She laughed at herself because it was his insides that needed to be evaluated, not his outward appearance. Nonetheless, she took it all into consideration and then she spontaneously hugged him again.
“Daddy, you’re gonna be okay,” she whispered in his ear.
“Some doctor you are,” he joked. “I could’ve told you that.”
Mac gave him a playful slug followed by a kiss on the cheek. She returned to her mother for another hug. The two made eye contact and smiled. Everybody is gonna be okay.
“When they called us from the checkpoint and said you’d arrived, I scrambled around to create
a special treat for everyone today, which comes with a bit of good news for you, Janie,” announced Barb.
“For me?” asked Janie.
“Yep. Derek and his buddies came by yesterday with some deer meat. He is doing much better although his face is still partially bandaged. He said he misses you.”
“I miss him, too,” said Janie as the waterworks opened up. Mac quickly hugged her friend.
“I started venison stew in the Crock-Pot for dinner,” said Barb. “I suspect we have a lot to discuss, not the least of which are your plans. For now, I think some wine is in order and perhaps Hunter can start us a roaring fire. Temps dip into the thirties every night now.”
“Sounds like we just arrived home for Thanksgiving,” said Hunter. “Tommy, you wanna join me while we see how our firewood supply is doin’?”
“Yeah, I need the fresh air.”
The guys headed off the porch and toward the woods where Hunter had stacked firewood between the pine trees many weeks ago. Mac followed her mom and Janie inside, where the smell of the stew already floated throughout the house. She closed her eyes for a moment and took in the scents. It was like Hunter said, home for Thanksgiving.
Barb filled Janie in on Derek’s condition and she passed along to Mac the attitude of the town toward the military’s presence. As expected, the locals welcomed the soldiers from a security standpoint, but they had no interest in opening up the floodgates to refugees. Barb and Tommy were ambivalent because they were isolated on Quandary Peak and benefited from the proposed upgraded checkpoint expected for the Blue Lakes Road intersection. They looked at it as having their own secured neighborhood.
Tommy and Hunter returned and soon there was a roaring fire. Barb unwrapped some waxed cheese and passed around the Triscuits she’d been saving for a special occasion. Everyone had a comfortable seat in the oversized furniture around a cocktail table.
The carved wood bowl filled with scented pinecones had been removed from the table, and in its place, the aluminum case had been opened with the vials of vancomycin standing upright like soldiers at attention, reporting for duty.
For a minute, the group stared in silence at the case, each contemplating the ramifications of what it stood for. Mac knew this was going to be a long conversation during which the fate of her family, including Hunter and Janie, would be decided. She polished off her glass of wine and quickly refilled it.
“Mom, Daddy, we have a lot to discuss. Can we get it out of the way so we can enjoy our evening together?”
Barb immediately had a concerned look on her face and she leaned forward on the sofa. “Honey, what’s wrong?”
“Okay. No, I mean, we’re okay.” Mac stumbled out of the block. She was having difficulty knowing how to start, so she began to ramble. “Just bear with me. I am so glad we’re all together. This feels so right, so homey. For years, we’ve been separated by a long distance and busy schedules.”
“Of course, dear, we’re glad you’re home too,” said Barb. “Are you worried that you have to go back to Colorado Springs? When do you have to return?”
“I don’t know. I mean, day after tomorrow, depending—” Mac’s voice trailed off and she looked to Hunter. Her mind was racing as she began to realize where the conversation might lead them.
“Barb, we’ve learned some things that may alter our plans.” Hunter rescued Mac. “Let me summarize the good news.”
“Yes, please,” said Tommy. “As long as all of you are healthy, then the bad news is probably not as bad as you think.”
“I agree,” Hunter continued. “Yes, we’re all safe and healthy. Mac and Janie have successfully reproduced the drug in large quantities, as you can tell from this case.”
Mac had recovered from her mental paralysis and was ready to rejoin the conversation. “The president ordered us to accelerate the production of the vancomycin without further laboratory testing or even primate trials.”
“But, Mac, that is a mistake—” interrupted Barb.
“I know, Mom, and I voiced my concerns to both Dr. Spielman and Andrew Morse.”
“I’m glad Tom’s alive and you spoke to him. You also spoke to that weasel Morse?”
“Yes, Mom. That’s a longer story, which I’ll save for later. Here’s the thing. The President accelerated the timetable suddenly, and for the last couple of days, Janie and I worked at a drug-manufacturing facility to produce these doses and thousands more like them.”
Barb clapped her hands and said, “Well done, girls. Listen, I know the trials and studies were skipped, but we know the compound works. Your father is living proof.”
“I sure am, and so is Flatus, right, boy.”
Flatus force some air through his throat and appeared to heartily agree.
Barb continued. “We’re finally going to help the people who need it the most.”
“No, Mom, that’s just it. The President wanted to accelerate the timetable so he could send the doses to the military bases around the country. I believe the infected Americans are about fourth in line to receive the cure.”
“Hunter,” began Tommy, “why would the President provide the drug exclusively to the military?”
“I believe the President is about to deploy troops around the country to search out ISIS fighters who’ve been initiating attacks against the military installations. We thwarted one against Star Ranch.”
“While you and Mac were there?” asked Barb.
“Yes, Mom. Hunter sniffed it out and suggested an Apache air strike. We blasted them before they could fire their rockets.”
Barb shook her head and gulped her wine. “ISIS has rockets?”
“RPGs, but let’s not get into the details,” replied Hunter, who was trying to get the conversation back on track. “Tommy, I believe the President is beginning his rebuilding effort now and the acceleration in production of the drug is part of that. He has to deploy the troops and be able to guarantee their safety in case they come in contact with the plague-stricken citizens.”
“I have to say, it sounds like a viable plan,” added Tommy. “The President has to maintain order first before he can begin a viable recovery process. I suppose their presence in Breckenridge is part of that.”
“Exactly,” said Hunter. “The second aspect of his plan is to separate healthy Americans from those exposed to the plague. They will seek out the well and find them a new place to live in safe zones on a much larger scale than Star Ranch.”
“Again, makes sense,” said Tommy. “I’m glad to hear he’s doing something right for a change.”
“Let me add this,” said Hunter. “They’ve dispatched the National Guard to control and reopen health care facilities. The Guard has secured major freeways and cordoned off the medical facilities so they can begin seeing patients again. Hopefully, the vancomycin will be distributed to these locations immediately.”
“It seems like there are a lot of unknowns behind the President’s plan,” Barb added.
“You’re right, Mom. We were told the President plans on making an address to the nation tomorrow, his first since the government moved into Cheyenne Mountain.”
Tommy, who was sitting next to Mac, leaned forward and patted her knee. “Honey, this doesn’t sound like doom and gloom to me. The rebuilding process will be tedious anyway, but the addition of ISIS attacking our military complicates matters. I can see where the President has to take extra precautions to ensure the safety of our troops and probably law enforcement too. Order must be restored.”
“I know, Daddy. I can deal with all of that, but there’s more.”
He squeezed her hand and gave her an encouraging smile. Her dad always knew when she was troubled and had been a great listener when she was a teenage girl growing up. He hadn’t changed.
Mac continued. “We also believe the President plans on hoarding the vancomycin for use in the United States only. Both Dr. Spielman and Morse lied to me about their intentions. They don’t plan on sharing my research with the WHO or any for
eign government. Hunter learned more as to why.”
“Some of this is speculation, but most comes from the colonel in charge of the National Guard in the Denver region and Captain Hoover, whom you guys have met,” said Hunter. “Basically, the President has adopted an America First policy. It appears his intentions are to protect our military, cure our diseased, and then share the formula with the rest of the world.”
“Mom, based upon what I gathered, he may prevent my findings from being disseminated to the WHO for as much as a year. I don’t know what the current death toll is, but hundreds of millions could die in that time period.”
“Are you sure of this?” asked Barb.
“Everything we learned points to this conclusion,” replied Hunter.
Barb slammed her empty glass on the table, causing the fluid in the vials to shake. “That’s not his decision to make. Curing the diseased of the world should transcend politics. He’s playing god with people’s lives just because they’re not Americans.”
Everyone in the room was silent. Hearing her mother’s words angered Mac even more. “Why would he do this? We can take care of our own, but it doesn’t need to be at the expense of the rest of the world’s population.”
“I have a theory,” replied Tommy. “Now, I’m not a political person, and as Barb knows, I’ve lambasted the media, social media, and Hollywood for politicizing everything. It just sickens me. Be that as it may, consider the logical end result of the President’s actions.”
Hunter chimed in. “Americans are cured and the nation has a tremendous head start on the recovery process.”
“To the detriment of other nations,” added Tommy. “While we get on our feet and again start to flourish, other countries will sink further into the abyss.”
“Daddy, are you saying that we’re going to attack them or something while they’re down?”
“Not necessarily, Mac. However, we will soon be the only functioning economy on Earth. Our military will be operating on all cylinders. Our markets will be stabilized first, including our currency.”
Barb interjected, “In essence, everyone will be coming to us for help, including the world’s best kept secret—your clinical notes and the formula for vancomycin d-ala d-lac.”