Eves of the Outbreak

by Lilith Assisi

  Eves of the Outbreak

  by Lilith K. Assisi

  Special Thanks to my mom who helped tremnedously with advice and editing, and to The Brotherhood of Evil Geeks for inspiring me to write.

  Prologue

  “Are you sure this will work?” Lin asked, his shaky voice echoing off the laboratory walls and equipment. “I think we need to run a couple more tests on the ferrets. And it just doesn’t feel right, breaking the protocol.”

  The fluorescent lights were starkly white. Located several floors below the surface of the earth, their lab was illuminated more brightly then it would have been with natural sunlight. The artificial lighting gave much of the laboratory equipment a algid, colorless sterility.

  It also made the faces of the two people in the laboratory look more pronounced and defined.

  Both men in the room would have been considered relatively young in their respective fields, neither past their thirties. Aside from their lack of gray hair and wrinkles, the two had the air of individuals who had more experience than their age let on, and had already seen more than many twice their age.

  The man who had just spoken was Asian, with thick-rimmed glasses and a white laboratory coat. His face was speckled with stubble that his counterpart would have grown overnight, but took him at least a month. His dark eyes were shadowed with bags under them, his eyes appearing more slanted than usual because of the contrast. He glanced over the shoulder of his companion at a computer screen.

  The second man typed rapidly on a computer. Images of a molecular structure appeared on the screen and transformed in tune to the staccato noises.

  “Yes, I am certain we are ready to start human trials with this new version. The additional manipulation of the virus will allow us to have even more control now. It’s almost amazing to me that it all occurred by chance. It literally fell in to our laps. We just need to modify the temperature sensitivity a bit more, but the best way to do that is with live test subjects,” he chuckled as he said this. “Live at first that is. Besides, they are a dime a dozen in this country. And David’s funding source is getting impatient. We need to show them some human test results.”

  The man that had answered Lin had dark, disheveled hair. His handsome features were even more exaggerated in this bright light.

  “But what if-,” Lin was cut off as the other man at the computer shouted and pushed back from the desk.

  “Look at that! I think that will do the trick!” The man threw his arms up in the air and swiveled back to face Lin.

  Elated and terrifying in his zeal, his face seemed coldly inhuman.

  “Mark my words, Lin, this is going to change the world. They wanted us to fix their armies. Why not provide them with a whole new one? With this creation we can turn our enemies in to our soldiers, and anyone in to a weapon!”

  Lin came over to stand behind the handsome man’s shoulder, looking at the screen with scrutiny. He stood there staring at the screen for at least a minute before his face transformed in to one of shock and he spoke.

  “That makes no sense! We were looking for something to add to the virus to make it more controllable, but this addition. It would…it would make it infectious! You have to have made a mistake!” exclaimed Lin.

  “No mistake, Lin. This is the opportunity I have been waiting for. The one that the world deserves,” he said calmly.

  Lin’s face turned to one of horror as he exclaimed, “What is wrong with you? You can’t be serious!”

  “Oh, I am serious. Very serious,” the handsome man got up and walked towards the back cabinet and incubators.

  “But, no one will let you get away with this. No one in their right mind would let that virus leave the lab. I wouldn’t even use it in the ferrets!” Lin exclaimed, his mouth agape.

  “You’re right, Lin. Luckily you are the only person with a right mind that needs to be stopped. And, as I recall, I was saying a few moments ago that we are ready for human trials,” the handsome man responded as a grin spread across his face.

  Part 1: Busted

  “A woman, especially if she have the misfortune of knowing anything,

  should conceal it as well as she can.”

  -Jane Austen

  Chapter 1

  “You want anything to drink? Or snacks from the cafeteria?” Chen asked from the doorway.

  “No, thanks, Chen. Did you get the latest results from the micro lab?” queried Judy in return without taking her gaze from the computer screen.

  She remained focused on the data on the screen in front of her, but couldn’t help noticing there was no sound or reply from the top of the stairs. Taking a deep breath she pushed away from the computer and looked up towards the door.

  Chen was looking down at her with disapproving eyes. “Judy, you should really get away from the office more. We’d love to have you join us at lunch.”

  Judy’s mind started racing through the most recent excuses she had used, trying not to repeat one used in the last week or two. Luckily Mark was still in the lab to come to her rescue.

  “Give her a break, Chen,” Mark said as he got up from the desk next to Judy and headed towards the stairs. “Besides, you’ll have my company at lunch, and who could ever need more than that?” Mark batted his eyes up at Chen with an overzealous and disturbing smirk.

  “You know, Judy, all work and no play makes Judy a dull girl,” Chen said lyrically. Before Judy had time to roll her eyes Mark chimed in to her rescue again.

  “Nice quote, Chen. So is Judy, the most productive member of our team, going to turn out to be a local serial killer now? Sadly she probably doesn’t even get the reference,” Mark sarcastically interjected.

  Mark was right, she didn’t get the reference. She knew Mark didn’t mean any offense by mentioning that, and she didn’t feel the slightest bit ashamed about not knowing the reference. The clock kept ticking and Judy was indeed growing tired of this charade, wanting more and more to return to her work.

  “How about a date, tonight? We could meet up with Sandy and Phong?” Chen continued hopefully.

  “I don’t think I’ll be done with this batch yet. I’d rather finish it up. That’s more important than dinner,” Judy replied. She figured being frank was the best approach, but Chen’s face looked offended. Sometimes honesty was not the best policy.

  “What about me? Aren’t I invited?” Mark asked, miming a puppy-dog face as he joined Chen at the top of the stairs. Judy briefly wondered what was with him. Mark hadn’t seemed this goofy or animated in a while.

  “How about this? I pick you up and we all meet at the new hot pot restaurant on Rizal Street? Chen, can you tell Sandy and Phong, and then we can all meet there at seven for dinner? That cool?”

  “Did you hear that Judy? We’re all going out at seven and we’d really like you to join us,” Chen said loudly, looking in Judy’s direction as if she hadn’t heard Mark talking. Mark was smiling from behind Chen’s shoulder, rolling his eyes.

  Mark was Judy’s best friend here at the laboratory. But that was as far as their friendship went. He was a work friend, and maybe her only friend.

  Judy and Mark had first met during graduate school at Stanford. Mark was the TA for Judy’s Advanced Molecular Biology course. Naturally Judy had been the top student. It certainly reflected well on Mark that she was such a star pupil and that he was considered her mentor. Judy didn’t mind that their friendship also helped Mark out with his PhD in genetics and his career. Mark had returned the favor and been the one that had landed her this job right out of school. Though it was rare for her to open up to anyone, she had confided some secrets to Mark.

  Overall it was a mutually beneficial relationship: Judy helped Mark with scientific ideas and let him take
the glory for most of her research; Mark helped Judy stand out and be noticed when her usual wallflower personality would have made professors and employers glance over her without a second look.

  Mark was the one that told Viratech about Judy, and their symbiotic relationship had continued there.

  Even though Mark had been Judy’s connection at her first real job, Chen had been at the Viratech lab the longest. He had been recruited after finishing his PhD in molecular genetics at MIT. Chen had been born in a small village in Taiwan like Judy. Unlike Judy, Chen had spent his entire life in Taiwan until he got a scholarship to MIT. His success and accomplishments in the states had made him enjoy the American lifestyle, but he found he missed the feel of home. The humid heat of the tropics, the noodle dishes that Ramen could never replicate, the bustling farmer’s markets on the weekend filled with local cuisine, and enjoying the simple aspects of life in your down time. Working for an American biotech company in the Philippines was not the same, but did provide some of what Chen was looking for.

  Mark joined a year later, as a recent graduate from Stanford. Having another young guy who understood American culture in the office was a blast for Chen, and he was all too happy to offer Mark a place to stay. They were decent roommates, both equally brilliant but younger scientists with a bachelor pad mentality when it came to their house. Judy had been over for a football party once, Brazil versus the United States in the World Cup, and both guys seemed pretty pleased with their living situation. Not surprisingly, Chen helped Mark maneuver in the local towns and markets. Curious how Mark seemed to have a knack for finding friendships that benefited him in more than one-way.

  Judy was quite different from these two. She had taken the fast track for her PhD and joined the men just four years later after she completed her degree in molecular pharmacology. She didn’t really care about her living or social situation, since she was the definition of self-sufficient. Her research brought her joy and excitement more than it could for most.

  Being roommates with Chen, Mark became privy to the fact that the fellow Taiwanese man had quite the crush on Judy. Of course, she was not supposed to know this, but it wasn’t like it was a tightly kept secret. Most people who saw the way Chen acted around Judy knew he was interested in her. While Judy knew a lot about Chen thanks to Mark, Chen had no idea that aside from her social awkwardness and lack of interpersonal skills, there was a more important reason why Judy kept declining his advances.

  The easy thing to do was to blame it on her dedication to her job, which is exactly what Chen did. Judy really didn’t have time to think about dating, or as her mother would say, fulfilling her proper role as a wife for a deserving man. The truth was the driving factor was Judy’s lack of interest in Chen, and all men for that matter.

  Judy had been attracted to women for as long as she could remember. Her mother would never be able to accept it, so Judy just never broached the subject with family. This job abroad got her away from her family and the constant badger about finding a husband and starting a family. Her brother might have accepted her sexuality, but despite their closeness she hadn’t shared her secret with him either. It was such a taboo topic in Asian cultures.

  When Judy lived in California, her sexual orientation might have been more easily accepted, but her upbringing and Taiwanese culture still prevented her from talking openly about it. Thus she remained closeted. The only two people currently in her life that knew she was a lesbian were Mark, and her nephew Daniel.

  The best words to describe Judy were plain, practical, and hard working. She could be assertive when it came to her research or other important aspects of her life, but preferred to toil away in the background, surprising everyone when she achieved twice as much work as all of them in half the time. More commonly though, she just did all the work of four or more in group projects and received the same or less credit than she deserved if she had been an equal contributor. Even so, she never felt the need to speak up as long as she got the grade she deserved, which was always an A when she did the work.

  The one situation where Judy never hesitated to speak up was when questioning a professor or correcting faulty science, otherwise she was such a quiet worker many people failed to acknowledge her presence until she did point out an error in their work. Granted Judy thought she was just being inquisitive or professional when speaking up, but a lot of women interpreted her behavior as aggressive or competitive. Even the way she talked, short and to the point with a hint of a Taiwanese accent, was often times interpreted as cold or uncaring. Coupled with a lack of interest in men, she was harshly labeled as an asexual machine by some.

  For those who got to see Judy outside of the laboratory, her boyish and nerdy looks could have given her a role in a live action anime production. She was only five feet tall. Thin, petite, and with short Bieber-style hair, she could easily be confused for a teenage boy. She commonly wore comfortable button down shirts and slacks under her laboratory coat, making her look even more like a little boy at times. Her shirts camouflaged her lack of breasts and emphasized her excessive use of pocket protectors.

  Judy probably didn’t look older than a 17-year old on most days, even though she was close to thirty. Judy had chosen to wear glasses instead of contacts when she first ended up needing them at the age of twelve. Her thin-rimmed, simplistic pair did not accentuate any of her prettier features, and instead made her slightly round cheeks look chubby. And she never wore makeup. Makeup, like high heels and form fitting clothing, seemed impractical.

  Judy called out to Mark when he followed Chen out the door.

  “Do you have the eighth generation data from the lab?” she asked.

  “Lin was in charge of that, but he’s been working for some other project that Mr. Dickinson assigned him. I hope he got it done. If he did, he was supposed to transfer it to your computer last night. I talked to him last night. He said he felt under the weather so I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t get it done. I think it was food poisoning from that street vendor duck he had the other day.”

  “Thanks, Mark. Have fun at lunch.”

  “Don’t work too hard Judy…and don’t beat yourself up if you don’t make it out tonight. We need more people like you in the world,” Mark said to her, though his goofy attitude was gone and replaced by a more serious look.

  Judy heard the door shut as her lab-mates finally left her in peace.

  Judy appreciated Mark’s understanding. If she had been interested in men, Mark might have been someone she admired. Not that he needed any more admirers.

  Mark Brentz was what many women swooned over: tall, fit, incredibly intelligent, and occasionally witty. His deep blue eyes and gorgeous disheveled brown hair added to the attraction. He was brilliant. Maybe not quite as brilliant or as hard a worker as Judy, but Viratech had scooped him right up after his thesis work had helped perfect the vaccine to malaria. And he was full of duende, attracting even the least likely with a simple smile.

  Mark was a Caucasian diamond in the Asian rough here at Viratech. At least three-quarters of the staff at Viratech’s Philippines facility were Asian in origin, including Judy. She knew that should have made her feel at ease, but instead it seemed to force even more pressure on her than she had experienced in college. Here people thought she should fit in more easily and join in their cultural norms, whereas in college she could use the culture excuse for being anti-social.

  Judy found herself entertaining the possibility of going out tonight as she scooted over to check Lin’s computer for the eighth generation data. He had not gotten it transferred to her computer, but maybe there was some data on his that she could peruse while another set of real-time PCR samples was running.

  Judy shook the computer mouse to bring Lin’s screen to life. She typed in his password. Her frequent help finishing his end of the month reports led to him giving her unofficial access to his computer password, something management would have forbade.

  Scanning the desktop for the Micro
biology Results folder, Judy’s eyes flashed through other folders labeled Journals, Protocols, Microsatellites... She lingered on one she had never seen before: Human Trials.

  Never having seen that folder before, she wondered what it contained. The majority of Viratech’s research was on viral vaccines. The research started out in the petri dish, and eventually made it to pigs or ferrets. When human trials were ready to commence, the company would reach out and partner with other pharmaceutical companies to begin that research in the area the vaccine would first be introduced.

  Judy opened the microbiology folder in the other corner of the desktop and stuck her flash drive in to the USB port. The eighth generation data was there. She copied the material over to her memory stick and closed the folder.

  Moving the mouse towards the eject button, she couldn’t resist the nagging temptation in the back of her mind. The mouse jerked over to the Human Trials folder and opened it.

  Opening the first Excel file she saw didn’t give her much information, but below that were video clips. And word documents labeled SUBJECT numbered one through thirty-three. Judy’s palms started to sweat, and her chest pounded as she struggled to control her breathing. With certain images her eyes went blurry as she forgot to blink. Before she knew what was happening, she copied the contents of the entire folder to her flash drive.

  After removing the drive she walked to her station thinking about what to do next.

  Sitting at her desk for a moment her mind struggled to comprehend all that it had just seen. She had so many questions, but no one to ask.

  Impulsively Judy threw her laptop and her thumb drive in to her bag and headed for the exit.

  Judy turned back quickly when she got to the door, grabbing a post it note from Chen’s desk, she scrawled the only thing that she thought would buy her some time:

  Mark, Chen- Don’t feel so good. Must have what Lin has. Will have to take a rain check for after I recover.