It was all the convincing he needed.
He’d been following the Rage Virus Pandemic closely, so he grabbed all of his handwritten notes, along with a thumb drive backup of the research he’d done online, before heading home, followed by the Army Officers in their silver Ford Taurus. There he’d packed a bag, watered his houseplants and sent a quick text to Karen.
‘So sorry I’ll have to cancel our date. Being called to Virginia to help with Virus. Please be careful and minimize contact with people as much as possible. Andrew.’
The Army Officers sped him across town, unconcerned about speed limits or even the possibility of a traffic stop. When they arrived at Hartsfield-Jackson International, they’d shown their IDs at the gate to the tarmac and were allowed to drive to a nearby hangar, where a Gulfstream IV had been waiting, fueled and ready for departure. In less than 10 minutes they were airborne, heading north on their way to Virginia.
Arriving in the dead of night, he’d been ushered to the building that housed the laboratory and supporting facilities, including a small store, cafeteria, and dorm rooms. Wasting no time, he’d gone straight to the laboratory to begin work. Emptying his pockets onto the nearest desk, he’d noticed a green light on his phone blinking, indicating that he’d received a text message. He quickly unlocked and read the message.
‘Understand. Please stay safe. Probably better we cancel anyway. Not feeling good.’
His heart sank. It could be coincidence, but the way that this thing was spreading, it seemed unlikely. Sitting down in his chair, he stared at his phone, looking at the picture of Karen he’d added to her contact information. While he wished he could help her directly, he knew that his efforts were needed most where he was. Shaking his head, he turned the phone over and set it on the desk.
After uploading his research from the thumb drive onto the shared server, he had just begun organizing his written notes when the door opened.
A young man, dressed in Army fatigues stuck his head through the opening. “Dr. Chang?”
“Yes, um, soldier.” He knew nothing about military ranks and had no idea if the young man was enlisted or officer.
Stepping into the room the young man came over to his desk. “Sergeant Mason, Sir.” He stuck out his hand.
Doctor Chang evaluated the hand for several seconds before responding. “Sergeant, let’s not do that. In fact, let’s pass the word that No One should do that. Not until we figure this thing out.”
Embarrassed, the soldier withdrew his hand, looking at the floor. “My apologies, Sir.”
“Ok, first of all, no need to apologize. Lifelong habits are hard to break. Second, stop calling me ‘Sir’. I call my father sir, and I’m not old enough to be your father, am I?”
“No, Sir - I mean - um, Doctor?”
“Just call me Andrew, please, and if you don’t mind, I’ll call you by your first name as well. What is it?”
“Sir, I mean Doctor, I mean, Andrew. I - we don’t really do that in the Army.”
“I’m not in the Army, and it wasn’t necessarily my doing that brought me here, so I’m going to call you by your first name. If you won’t tell me what it is, I’ll make something up. Do you want me to make something up?”
“No.”
“Okay, so….”
“My first name is actually Andrew as well, but I actually go by my first two initials: A.J. My middle name is James.”
“Oh. Well…at least your parents were good at naming children, right?”
The young man laughed. “Right, sir, dammit! I mean, Andrew.”
“Alright, we’ll work on it. Now, what can I do for you?”
“Oh. Well, actually, it’s what I can do for you. I’m your liaison slash assistant. Whatever you need, let me know. On the phone there,” he gestured towards the phone on the desk, “dial star one. It will go to my desk phone and my mobile phone. Away from this office, you’ll use this phone.” He handed Doctor Chang a BlackBerry phone. “You’ll dial the same thing. Anything you need. Computer issues, issues with your room, directions in the building or even on the base, anything you need.”
“So I’ll have two phones? This one and my personal one?”
“Well, there may come a time when the base turns on X-Shield. When that happens, all outside communication will be prohibited. At that point, your cell phone will not be able to reach the local towers for a signal.”
“I see.”
“What I’m going to do is set up a drink station in the corner of the room here. My plan is to provide coffee, with cream, sugar, and artificial sweeteners. Would you like tea?”
Andrew cocked his head to the side, evaluating the young man. “Why do you think I want tea? Is it because I’m Asian?”
Sergeant Mason paused, his eyes widening at the thought of having offended the doctor. “I...uh...“
Doctor Chang smiled. “Relax, A.J. I’m messing with you. I would LOVE tea. And yes, it’s because I’m Asian.”
Visibly relieved, the young man smiled. “Phew. Okay. I’ll also add a refrigerator with sodas, as well as a small snack bar with candy bars, protein bars, nuts, and microwave popcorn. If you think of anything else you’d like, either add it to the list, which I’ll leave on top of the fridge, or…” He waited, looking at Chang expectantly.
“Dial star one.”
“Exactly.”
“Got it. Even so, I’ll check in a few times a day to see how you and the others are doing.”
“Others?”
“Oh, they didn’t tell you? Two other doctors will be joining you. Apparently one is an expert in Neurology, and the other is an expert in Hematology. I understand you’re an expert in both.”
“Well, I don’t know about ‘expert.’”
“Sir, I mean Andrew, I read your file. You are literally the expert.” He looked around the room again. “Oh, one more thing. I will call 15 minutes before the kitchen shuts down at the end of each meal time. It can serve as a reminder, or it can be used as an opportunity to order food from the DFAC.”
“Dee FACK?
“Dining Facility.”
“Oh, okay. Got it.” Doctor Chang nodded in understanding, but then hesitated. “But, I’ll be honest. I feel weird, having you act as my, well, assistant.”
“Andrew, I normally work with EOD. That’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal. I’ve spent tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, where I’ve seen my fellow soldiers get blown to pieces. Then I came home and found out my closest friend in the service caught this damn virus and killed his wife and children before being shot by police.” He waited as his words sank in. “My ma and pa live on a ranch in Idaho. I’ve checked, and so far no cases of the virus have been reported in the state of Idaho. I know that won’t last for long, so if I’m going to do this job, which is a thousand times easier than my normal job, and have this job give you and the others back all the time that could be wasted doing other things, so that you can focus on finding a cure for this thing before it reaches northern Idaho, I will do this job and smile every fucking second of the day.” He stopped, looking into Doctor Chang’s eyes. “I need you to succeed, Andrew.”
Nodding, Andrew met the man’s gaze before solemnly responding, “I know. I need me to succeed as well.”
With that, Sergeant Mason left the room, leaving the Doctor alone with his thoughts.
Thirty minutes later, after the Sergeant had returned to drop off the coffee station, refrigerator, and snack bar (Andrew had already added his guilty pleasure, Skittles, to the list) Doctor Bowman arrived.
“Hello.”
She strode into the room confidently, her eyes locked on his. A 5’9” blonde woman with her hair wound neatly in a bun, Andrew was glad she was in flats, otherwise he’d be looking up at her.
Setting her small purse on the desk, she smiled at him. “I’m Doctor Bowman. It’s a pleasure to meet you Doctor Chang. I’ve read all of your research on the brain and nervous system. Your work is simply the best.”
Chang broug
ht his hands up, palms out. “Wait, please. I’m hardly the best, I -“
“You are. I know. I’ve read well over 300 research papers on the subject, trying to learn everything I can. While others have made decent contributions, none come close to providing the type of enlightenment that your work has.”
Seeing it wasn’t worth an argument, he simply replied. “Thank you, but you must allow me one thing.”
“Of course. What can I do?”
“Can we use first names? I need a break from all the titles, some kind of relaxed environment in the middle of all this craziness. Plus, I understand there will be another doctor joining us, and it would be pretty ridiculous if the three of us were calling ‘Doctor’ every time we tried to communicate.”
She smiled, a minimalist smile that barely curved the edges of her mouth. Seeing the comfort in her eyes, he knew it was genuine and that she was just a very reserved person. “Of course. I’m Lisa. Your name is Andrew. I know that from your papers.”
“Got it.”
Just then the door opened and a tall African-American man ducked through the doorway as he entered. Straightening his frame and closing the door behind him, he turned and walked over, crossing the room in long strides. “I’m Doctor Reed.”
Andrew smiled. “We’re going to use first names. I’m Andrew, and this is Lisa.”
Jonathan Reed looked confused, then annoyed. His status as a doctor was important to him, and he didn’t understand why this Asian guy and the striking blonde woman were trying to ignore it. “Really? Why?”
“Because calling me Doctor Chang, you Doctor Reed, and her Doctor Bowman seems a little ridiculous, to be honest. We have a very important job to do, and at this point, titles hardly seem important. Either we find a cure, or the country - maybe the world - as we know it will cease to exist.”
Doctor Reed’s demeanor changed at hearing Andrew’s last name. He knew exactly who Doctor Andrew Chang was, and as confident as he was in his own abilities (a confidence that frequently bordered on arrogance), he understood that his skills paled in comparison to Andrew’s. He nodded. “Got it. I’m Jonathan, Jon for short.”
Andrew smiled. “Nice to meet you, Jon. I’m glad we got that out of the way. Lisa just got here as well. You two can choose desks and get settled in, although it is already after 3 am, so I’ll understand if you need to go get some sleep.” He also pointed out the coffee/tea station, refrigerator, and snack bar.
Neither Lisa or Jonathan wanted to sleep. The work ahead of them was too important and too time sensitive. They immediately began comparing notes and adding things to the massive dry erase wall. Items were added either a list on the far left, indicating they were blood-related, or to the list on the far right, indicating that they were brain and/or nervous system related. In the middle would be a series of bubbles with lines between them, indicating connections.
At some point, Sergeant Mason returned with two other young soldiers, a young woman he introduced as Corporal Richards, and a young man he introduced as Corporal Johnson. The female was assigned to Lisa, along with ‘star 2’, the male to Jonathan, with ‘star 3’. The details that had been provided to Andrew were repeated for the two of them, and they were appreciated. This whole ordeal had been a bit of a whirlwind.
“Andrew?” Sergeant Mason stood in the center of the room. All eyes were on him, especially Lisa’s and Steve’s. They hadn’t realized first names had extended to the soldiers.
“Yes?”
“I realize you’re all working, but it would probably make sense for us to at least show you where your quarters are. That way when you’re tired, you won’t have to track us down.”
“Sounds good to me. Okay with you two?” The other doctors nodded.
Their rooms were surprisingly spacious and somewhat tastefully decorated. Looking around, Andrew saw a large bed with what appeared to be very comfortable bedding, a desk, a sofa, a flat screen smart tv atop a dresser, another mini-fridge, snack bar, and coffee/tea station, one door leading to the bathroom, another open to show a small closet.
Each doctor’s ‘assistant’ showed them a mesh bag and informed them that laundry would be picked up daily in the mornings and returned in the afternoon. They were also informed that if they needed any additional clothing items, such as clothes for sleeping, a robe, workout clothes, or undergarments, all they needed to do was ask.
Being out of the lab, and realizing it was already 6:30 in the morning, the trio decided to get some food before heading back to the lab. The cafeteria was large, easily capable of seating 200 people, and after they got their food and sat down, they felt lost in a sea of Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force combat fatigues. A young man approached them. “Um, excuse me.”
“Yeah?” Doctor Reed replied.
“Normally more senior people eat in the officers’ and chiefs’ eating area.”
The three of them looked at each other, confused.
“I can show you. You might like it. It’s a bit quieter and the seating is more comfortable.”
“Sounds good to me.” Doctor Reed rose from his chair immediately, holding his tray in his hands as he waited to be shown where to go. Andrew and Lisa followed.
The young man was right. The space was much quieter, and the seating was more comfortable. Sitting down with their trays, they realized they were the only ones with them. A young lady rushed over. “Did you get your food out there?”
Andrew looked up at her, apologetic. “Yes. Was that wrong?”
“Um, no sir. It’s just that normally senior people come in here and order the hot items from the menu.” She nodded at a laminated card in the center of the table. “The other food is over there,” she pointed at a long bar of fruits, yogurts, and cereals, “and the drinks are on the end.”
“I see.” Andrew looked down at his tray. “Is it okay if we eat this?”
“Of course, sir. But if it’s alright with you, keep the dishes and I’ll return the tray to the dishwashing area.”
The three of them moved their dishes and glasses to the table and handed over the trays. The young woman accepted them and left without another word.
They ate their meals quickly, anxious to get back to work. It became obvious, though, that fatigue was beginning to set in. Each of them had been up for at least 24 hours, and coffee or tea wasn’t going to be enough at this point. Only rest would provide the necessary recharge to allow them to function properly.
Agreeing that they would each take 4 hours to rest before meeting back in the dining room for a quick bite and a cup of coffee at 1100, they began to rise from their chairs when Sergeant Mason, Corporal Richards and Corporal Johnson entered the dining room.
“Gentlemen, Ma’am” Mason began, nodding at each of them in turn. “Your presence is requested in the war room.”
“Which way is that?” Doctor Reed asked.
“It’s not in this building, Sir. It’s in Building one. We’ll have to drive over in the van. If you’ll follow me, please.”
The van ride took only a few minutes, and they were soon pulling into a circle drive. Still 100 yards from the entrance, the three doctors were in awe of what they saw. Building One was a large, monolithic building, with massive concrete pillars and reinforced glass. Every square inch of it appeared fortified, and security cameras were mounted on both sides of the entrance and at evenly spaced intervals along the roof’s edge. The building’s windows didn’t begin until the third level, and those were completely opaque. Sergeant Mason led the three doctors down the long walkway from the driveway to the building’s entrance, where they were required to go through the standard metal detectors like the ones used at airports. Sergeant Mason helped the security officer find the doctor’s names on the access list, and they were given permanent security badges that had been prepared in advance.
Now, as they walked down the hallway, following Sergeant Mason, Doctor Chang couldn’t help but wonder who had summoned them. None of them spoke as they walked, each wo
ndering what was expected of them at this point. They’d barely started and had made minimal headway. They hadn’t even identified the origin of the virus. Where had it come from?
Reaching a set of double doors, Sergeant Mason stood aside and indicated that they should enter. When Doctor Chang looked at him questioningly, he said, simply, “No clearance. You three have been granted all required access.”
Entering the room, they saw a long oval-shaped conference table, with seats for 20 people. The single chair at the head of the table remained empty. At the far end of the room, three massive televisions were in use for video conferencing. The middle one indicated its location was NORAD, the right indicated the CDC, and the left showed the Pentagon. One of the officers in the room indicated that Dr. Chang should sit at the table. Doctors Reed and Bowman sat behind him, along the wall.
Doctor Chang nodded at the military officer on his right, who looked rather important, based on the gold on his sleeves and the number of medals on his chest. Much to his surprise, on his left was Alan Roberson, the Secretary of State. Doctor Chang waited for the opportunity to introduce himself, but the Secretary was too busy reviewing his notes and writing comments in the margins.
After several minutes, the door to the conference room opened again. Everyone immediately stood, with Doctor Chang and two others following suit.
In strode President Jessica Martinez, carrying an iPAD and wearing a charcoal gray pantsuit, her hair pulled back in a ponytail. She was followed by a middle-aged man in a navy blue suit, who was busily writing notes on the leather-bound notepad he carried in the crook of his arm. Behind him a third person followed, a dark haired woman in a gray suit, who surveyed the room until her eyes settled on the trio of doctors. She leaned forward and touched the man’s arm, saying something to him. His eyes met Doctor Chang’s, before drifting to either side of him, noting the presence of Chang’s colleagues. He scribbled something on his notepad before taking his seat next to the woman’s, against the wall, behind President Martinez’s left shoulder.
Surviving Rage | Book 1 Page 8
