by Jay Vielle
Jake’s face drained of all color. He felt naked, like all his thoughts had nowhere to hide.
“Wendy, I,” Jake began.
“Look, just in case you hadn’t noticed, my plate’s a little full too. I’m not just trying to save the country and maybe the world from the worst new weapon ever created, I’m trying to save my new friend’s wife, so that he can be enormously stressed at home while trying to survive in the aftermath of World War III and survive jail cell fights with his sons.”
Jake started laughing—it was undoubtedly his nerves that were to blame. Then Wendy joined in until it became one of those contagious things that won’t stop and gets prolonged way farther than it should. They both laughed uncontrollably for about five minutes until Jake was sweating and Wendy was holding her stomach and fighting abdominal cramps. Once the laughter started to wane, they both struggled to regain their breath.
“I’m gonna tell you this once, and then we don’t bring it up until it’s time, alright?” Wendy asked.
“Okay,” Jake agreed nervously.
“Our present needs all our focus. There’s too much at stake. And we don’t even know what the rest of the day is going to offer, much less next week. So how about we just agree that we focus on the here and now until our jobs are through, and if our futures ever cross in a time and place such that our plates aren’t quite so full, and our lives aren’t quite so complicated, we agree to explore all of this a little more then, hmm?”
Jake didn’t know what to say. He stiffened, and felt a little like the breath had been stolen away from him. He tried to speak, but couldn’t. So he just stood there with his mouth open, a surprised look on his face. Wendy walked up to him and said, “I’ll take that as a yes.” Then she gently placed her fingers under his chin, shut his mouth, and kissed him. Jake was caught unaware and his eyes bugged. With his eyes open, he could see that Wendy had closed hers. Then he felt his lips involuntarily draw in and pucker a little to return the kiss, and he closed his eyes as well.
CHAPTER 20
“Oh my God oh my God oh my god,” said Morgan. “I can’t believe we got out of there. Thank you, thank you so, so, so much!”
Mark Longaberger nodded as he leaned over the sofa, his lungs heaving, cheeks puffed out as he tried to catch his breath.
“Díos mío,” said Estela. “What do we do now?”
“We catch our breath,” said Mark, literally catching his, “and then we keep moving.”’;
“Did you, did you kill him?” asked Morgan.
“I don’t know,” said Mark. “I’ve never really fought anyone, ever. I sure as hell never hit one on the head with a rock twice. But I think so. His head was bleeding before I hit him the second time. After that, he lay still. Completely still.”
“We’ve got to go to the police,” said Morgan.
“Maybe,” said Estela. “But maybe not.”
“What do you mean maybe not? Why wouldn’t we go to the police? We just killed somebody who was trying to kill us,” said Morgan.
“Think about it. This man was employed by the Pastor of the big church here in town. Everyone who is someone in this town is a member of this church,” she said. “If the pastor is evil enough to order our deaths because of something we found out-- but don’t even understand—don’t you think he might have other people on his payroll? What if the cops are dirty?” said Estela.
Mark looked up suddenly in panic. “She’s right. All of these people in town, they are important socially around here. If the leader is doing what you say, other prominent people in town might not be trustworthy, including the authorities.”
“So what do we do?” asked Morgan. “Where do we go?”
“Is anybody hungry?” asked Mark.
“How can you think of food at a time like this?” asked Estela.
“Because the only people I know who can hide us from this church are in the dining hall right now,” said Mark.
“Actually, I could eat,” said Morgan, glancing at Estela’s look. “Don’t judge me, I haven’t eaten all day.”
“Okay, then let’s go,” said Mark. The three of them exited the lounge and then the dormitory. Mark walked out into the quad and then stopped.
“What’s wrong?” asked Morgan.
“I just realized I have no idea where the dining hall is,” he said.
“I do. Follow me,” said Estela. The three took a left turn and walked a few minutes to another of he attractive dark stone buildings. They entered and saw a couple dozen people sitting at a long table, laughing and eating.”
“There are my new friends,” said Mark. “Let’s hope they can be of some help to us.”
Orla spotted Mark coming in the dining hall and immediately brightened. She reached her hand up high and waved energetically. Saskia leaned over and whispered something to her and Orla swatted her playfully and blushed. Mark walked forward to the table with Morgan and Estela in tow.
“Hey Mark, decide to join us for dinner?” said Orla. “Who are your friends?”
“We’re in trouble and we need some help,” Mark said directly. The mood changed quickly at the table.
“What’s wrong?” Orla asked.
“There is a man who kidnapped and tried to kill these two young ladies,” Mark said.
“Oh my god!” said Orla. “Are they alright?” she said, turning towards Morgan and Estela.
“We’re fine now, thanks. Mark literally saved our lives. This guy brought us up to the Grotto to kill us,” said Estela.
“But we aren’t sure if he’s alive or not. If he is, he might still be looking for us. We need a place to lay low for a little while,” said Mark. Morgan was hugging herself, shivering.
“Sure, sure,” said Jordan. “We have just the place. Our dormitory is in suites, and most of our guys went home. You can stay with us. We have plenty of room, and Roberto and I can help keep a watch out for the guy.
“Thank you,” said Morgan. “Thank you. We really appreciate it.”
“In the meantime, have something to eat,” said Orla. “You look like you could use a meal.”
“Won’t they mind?” asked Mark.
“No, they don’t care,” said Roberto. “Times like these? The people here are happy to help us out. A couple more mouths won’t be any trouble. I’ll come up with you and talk to them.”
“Thanks, thanks for everything,” said Estela.
“You look familiar,” said Saskia. “Do you go to school here? I’ve seen you around.”
“Me?” answered Estela. “No, I don’t go to school here.”
“Funny, I know that I’ve seen you,” said Saskia.
“My father is a professor here,” said Estela.
“Really?” said Orla. “What does he teach?”
“Theology and religious studies,” she said.
“Dr. Fuentes? Dr. Pablo Fuentes?” asked Orla. “I know him. I didn’t know he was your father.”
“That’s not where I’ve seen you,” said Saskia. “It was last year. You were friends with Dawn, weren’t you? That’s how I know you.”
Morgan looked at Estela with the slightest grimace on her face.
“Sí,” said Estela. “We were friends.” Saskia nodded unconvincingly.
“Friends,” Saskia said.
“Can we go up to the dorms now. I don’t want to be visible if that man comes back for us,” said Estela. Suddenly the group was snapped back into a sense of immediacy, and they all dropped off their trays of food and walked quickly to the dorms.
It was a short walk down the quad and up the hill. The suite was on the third floor. The stairs seemed daunting to Mark, Estela, and Morgan, who had literally sprinted for their lives less than an hour ago.
“Mi casa es su casa,” said Roberto.
“Hablas español?” said Estela.
“Puertorriqueño,” Roberto said, aiming his thumbs at himself and smiling. “Y tú?”
“Lots of places,” said Estela elusively. Roberto nodded.
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“This place is awesome,” said Mark. “I’m frankly kind of shocked it’s so clean. It hasn’t been that long since I was out of college myself.”
“I have to admit,” said Jordan. “Roberto picks up after me a lot. But the guys who left, they were the worst. They didn’t live that far away. But at the first hint of bombings, they grabbed everything they could and drove home. You’re welcome to their rooms.”
“Estela and I can take this double,” said Morgan.
“I’ll take the one in the corner near the bathroom,” said Mark. “I can’t thank you all enough.”
“I can’t believe your story. I mean, I can believe it, but it’s crazy. We had just left you there, and a few minutes later this guy comes up there to the Grotto with those two girls,” said Jordan.
“Morgan and Estela,” said Mark.
“Yeah, Morgan and Estela. Hi, I’m Jordan,” he said
“We know. You introduced yourselves to us in the dining hall,” said Morgan.
“Yeah, I guess so,“ said Jordan sheepishly.
“Do you mind if we take showers?” asked Morgan. “Can we borrow towels?”
“Sure thing,” said Roberto. “There are some hanging in the bathroom. Use whatever you find. There are a couple of showers in there and the hot water is great.”
“Thank you,” said Morgan. She and Estela wandered into the large bathroom together and shut the door..
“Those girls are pretty,” said Jordan. “If things get straight for them, I might want to ask one of them out.”
“Get straight?” Mark asked, smiling.
“You know, this was a traumatic event. I’m not gonna ask them out right after somebody kidnaps and murders them. But you know, like, maybe later or something. When they get straight,” Jordan repeated. Mark chuckled.
“I don’t think they’re going to get straight for you, Jordan,” said Mark. “They’re dating each other.”
Roberto and Jordan looked at each other with wide eyes.
“Oh, snap,” said Roberto. “Girls aren’t like that where I’m from.”
“No, me neither,” said Jordan.
“Oh come on, Roberto. I refuse to believe there are no gays in Puerto Rico,” said Mark.
“Well, I didn’t know any at least,” said Roberto.
“You probably did, but just didn’t know it,” said Mark.
“Nobody says they’re gay in Cameroon,” said Jordan. “At least not in my village. They do bad things to you if you tell them that,” he said evasively.
“Well, I hope you two aren’t less accommodating to your guests, just because their homosexual,” said Mark. “They’ve had a rough time. Once they’re out of the shower, I want to find out more about why that man was trying to kill them.”
“You don’t know?” said Roberto.
“There wasn’t time. We got out of there fast, collapsed in the dorm lounge for a few minutes, then I thought I should seek you guys out for help. Now we’re here,” said Mark.
“Did you know the man?” asked Jordan.
“Yes. That’s the thing. I have spent the last five days around that guy. He didn’t say much, but I’ve been in a car with him several times,” said Mark.
“Did you know the girls?” asked Roberto.
“I had seen them before. Never introduced. And I know Estela’s father. I was just with him. He dropped me off here and then went back to the church. A few hours later I save his daughter’s life. None of this makes sense, and I’m starting to freak out. I, I may have killed that man, Oleg,” said Mark.
“Oleg?” asked Jordan. “Is he Russian or something”
“I think so,” said Mark. “But I’m starting to question things I thought I knew now that this has happened. In two weeks’ time my whole world has changed. I was a happily employed high school teacher. Then the world went to war, and I went into survival mode. The people I was surviving with had a falling out, and split off into groups. The group I stayed with is starting to look like the wrong one after all.”
About a half hour later, the girls had showered, dried off, and put their clothes back on. Orla and Saskia had come over from their suite and were chatting with Mark about the entire episode with incredulity. Morgan and Estela both came into the living room of the suite with wet hair holding hands. Jordan shot Roberto a knowing look. Then everyone sat down, and Mark finally turned to the girls.
“Okay, I’m trying to make heads or tails of this. I know who you two are, and I know the man who tried to kill you. I was just with him and your father, Estela, setting up for this big town meeting at the church. But suddenly all of this seems very, very wrong, and we need to figure out what’s really going on.
The girls talked about sneaking into the church, hearing Russian spoken, and finding the secret staircase to the hidden room in the Church of Many Blessings. They talked about finding the water tower keys, and the receipt from the man named Sergei, and the two boxes of something with lots of letters labeled on them. They told everyone how Father Joe had ordered Oleg to bind them, and convinced Estela’s father that Oleg was taking them to the police, only to end up in the woods with their would-be-murderer.
“Jesus,” said Orla. “That is incredible. Like really, crazy unbelievable. What was in those boxes?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” said Morgan.
“Try to remember the letters again,” said Mark. Morgan and Estela fumbled with them for a while, but between them were able to come up with REGN-EB3, and PLX-R18.
“REGN-EB3, and PLX-R18. Neither of those rings a bell, and I’m not a chemist or a biologist. Ugh! I would kill for access to the internet right now,” said Mark. “You never know how addicted you are to it until you don’t have it.”
“We have it,” said Roberto.
“What do you mean?” asked Mark.
“We have internet. It’s from the cable. It was out for two days after the bombing, then somebody here at the college was able to get it up and running again. You don’t have it?” asked Roberto.
“No. The school has been without it for a week or more,” said Mark.
“I wonder why. I mean, I can see why satellite would be a problem. But cable is underground. There might not be much new stuff on the internet, but everything that was there before, it should still be there, right?” Roberto asked.
“In theory, yes. Maybe not everything, but a good bit,” said Mark. “Can somebody bring me a laptop?”
“Sure thing,” said Roberto. He went into his room and brought out the laptop.
“The Wi-Fi doesn’t work,” he said. “But if you plug in this ethernet cord, you’ll be fine.” Mark smiled.
“Oh, Google, how I’ve missed you,” Mark said, grinning. “Now, let’s see if we can figure out what it is about REGN-EB3 and PLX-R18 that makes it worth killing for.
CHAPTER 21
“I got it,” yelled Colonel Ray Cannaveral, bursting through the door to the office. Jake and Wendy backed away from one another quickly and nervously. Wendy looked startled, and Jake looked like a deer in headlights.
“Oh, hey Jake,” said the Colonel. “How are you doing?”
“A little exhausted, but I’m recovering,” Jake said, unable to make eye contact.
“I imagine so. Well, I may have come up with a breakthrough,” said the Colonel.
“I managed to get our hands on some PLX-R18,” he said. “I had to pull some big-time strings, but the short version is that some is being sent here via chopper from Three Mile Island.”
“Three Mile Island—in Pennsylvania? So it survived?” asked Jake.
“Yes. Remember, we think the Russians wanted to avoid the mess and cost of rebuilding, so they used this new weapon of theirs for massive human casualties and minimum structural damage. You may also remember that lead walls seemed to protect everyone from the weapon. Guess what kinds of structures have a lot of lead in the walls?”
“Nuclear facilities?” said Jake.
“Nuclear facilities. So
they keep a lot of that stuff on hand in cold storage. They’re prepping it and will be sending in here in an Army chopper within a few hours,” the Colonel said.
“That’s great,” said Wendy. “Isn’t that great?”
“It does present us with another problem,” said the Colonel. And one you’re going to need to be involved with, Marine.”
“What’s that?” asked Jake.
“Wendy already treated this mutate with anti-Ebola medicine. She can try to treat it now with the radiation sickness medicine after the fact, but if her theory is right, those two medicines must be administered simultaneously to reverse the effects of the mutation,” the Colonel said.
“So we need another mutate,” said Jake.
“We need another mutate,” said the Colonel. “Wendy, do you have any progress on this one?” the Colonel asked.
“Yes,” she said. “The virus is completely gone. It’s no longer a carrier.”
“And the mutation?”
“Unchanged, as we thought might be the case,” she said.
“So now it’s official, Jake. We need to go find your wife,” the Colonel said.
“I’ll saddle up the troops,” said Jake.
“You know all of this is still experimental, right Marine?” said the Colonel.
“Yes sir. I do. I think the boys do too, but it will be hard for them to contain high hopes for all of this. They’re in a tough spot. Don’t worry. We’ll do what we can, focus on what we can control. Focus on keeping our minds tight,” Jake said.
“Spoken like a true disciple of Marcus Aurelius,” said the Colonel.
“You read the Stoics, sir?” asked Jake.
“Every day. Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Seneca. Good advice never gets old,” the Colonel said.
“Wisdom, justice, fortitude and temperance. Focus on what you can control, learn to accept and live with what you cannot. Work to improve the self,” said Jake.
“Good stuff,” the Colonel responded.
“Good stuff,” said Jake.
Jake exited the office and went into the waiting room where Vinny, Tommy, and I were waiting. I had pretty much dried off by now, and all of us had bellies full of vending machine food. It was a big mood-changer for all of us. What the day had presented as great disappointment, the afternoon and evening seemed now to be tempered a bit thanks to salt, sugar, carbonation, and loads of preservatives. Wendy pulled her hood back up over her head and secured it and went back into the lab where the mutate lay. She checked a number of vital signs, drew some more blood, and completed various tests to verify some of the conclusions she had come to earlier. The Colonel suited up and joined her.
