by Bobby Akart
“This goes back to what we were talking about yesterday. Remember? You wanted to go into town to see what people were like. What do you think so far?”
Hunter laughed. “I think we’ve been transported back in time to the sixties, when the world revolved around sex, drugs, and alcohol.”
“No doubt,” said Mac with a chuckle. “I didn’t see any threats, though, did you?”
“Not at all, but these folks aren’t desperate yet. How will they react to being hungry or cold? What happens when their friends and neighbors become infected and start to die? Will Cheech and Chong ride off into the sunset, smoking a doobie? Or will they sneak through the woods and break into our place?”
Hunter opened the door for Mac and she slid into the passenger seat. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and whispered, “It’s time to talk about your parents.”
He closed the door and walked around the front of the Defender. She shook her head side to side and mouthed the word no. Then she quickly locked him out.
Hunter stood patiently by the door until she finally unlocked it to let him in. They had nearly two hours to broach the subject and make the arrangements. The conversation had been put off for too long.
“You know I’m just kidding,” said Mac. “I love my mom and dad. It’s just that I’ve lived away from home for fifteen years and I like my independence. Plus, I don’t want to share my time with you. I guess I’m selfish.”
“We can’t do this alone, Mac. Besides the fact that they’re your only family, you and I can’t sleep with one eye open and defend Quandary Peak alone. It doesn’t matter whether your parents can use a weapon or not. Just having extra sets of eyes and ears will make a huge difference in our quality of living during the period of isolation.”
Mac laughed. “You’ll be pleasantly surprised on the weapons part. Anyway, I agree and, frankly, I’ve waited too long to address the subject with them.”
For the next hour, Hunter and Mac took turns convincing the Hagans to join them at Quandary’s Peak. It took the promise of hunting and fishing for her father, coupled with a commitment for Barb to poke around the lab with Mac to seal the deal.
After they disconnected the call, Mac sat up and stretched across the console to plant a kiss on Hunter’s cheek.
“What was that for?” asked Hunter.
“My parents love you,” she said.
“How do you know that? Did they say something?”
“No, but a daughter can tell these things. Besides, you’re the first boyfriend that my father wanted to hunt with rather than hunt down.”
Hunter simply nodded and grinned.
Chapter 54
Day Forty-Five
DTRA/CIA Facility
Fort Collins
The research team was waiting for Mac in the large conference room. She’d provided them a number of tasks to get accomplished based upon her doctoral thesis concerning Bdellovilbrio bacteria, or BALOs, formidable predators in their own right.
The anthropological concept of predation was as old as the beginnings of life on this planet. In any ecosystem, in all walks of life, a series of interactions occur where a predator, the aggressor, feeds on its prey.
In human interaction, the attack could be psychological, taking the form of overbearing bullies intimidating another person. In the world of microorganisms, predation can involve bacteria, a tiny living organism, that sets its sights upon and attacks another bacteria or virus.
Mac’s college thesis studied the use of BALOs and their effectiveness on attacking gram-negative bacteria as a means to neutralize the harmful microorganism. Specifically, she focused on periodontitis, a common, yet serious gum infection that damages the soft tissue around a person’s teeth. Unchecked, the soft tissue erodes, causing the teeth to lose their support in the gums.
Periodontal pockets in the gum are full of gram-negative bacteria, which can also lead to osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. As she conducted her research, Mac sought to create a method to neutralize the bacteria that causes periodontal disease by using BALOs.
The thesis provided positive results and became the subject of a more extensive study commissioned by the American Academy of Periodontology. She’d never considered the use of BALOs against the gram-negative Y. pestis bacterium until recent weeks. But it was the logical next step in a no-win situation.
Firstly, BALOs failed to completely kill their prey except at high predator-to-prey ratios during genetic testing. The higher the concentration of BALO, the more likely the patient would suffer heart failure or brain aneurysms, causing a stroke.
Secondly, BALOs preferred oxygen-rich environments, which presented a challenge to Mac when she conducted her tests on periodontal patients. The gum pockets around teeth are oxygen-limited. While the BALO would be an excellent method to attack the plague bacteria as it spread through the lungs, it would be limited in effectiveness for other organs.
The real reason was practicality. This would be a groundbreaking solution that required years of clinical trials and governmental approvals before it could be tested on human subjects. Mac didn’t have years. She only had days.
She dropped her briefcase into a chair and dove right into the conversation without pleasantries. “The optimal strategy for protecting people from pneumonic plague is through vaccination. We are trying to create one based upon my research of stemming the growth of periodontal disease. You guys realize this is a real stretch, but at the moment, it’s all I’ve got.”
Dr. Gene spoke first. “We’ve made some progress, Mac, but we’re limited here in our capabilities. This facility was never designed for this type of genetic engineering.”
“Were you able to complete the deletions and modifications of the gene structure that I requested?” asked Mac.
“We did,” replied Dr. Gene. “It’s a mutant version of the Y. pestis bacterium, to be sure.”
“Good,” said Mac, who became hopeful. “Now, the problem we have is that we don’t have any primates or near enough laboratory mice to conduct the necessary testing. Your mutant version, as you put it, will need live testing to determine whether it’s a safe candidate without causing significant internal damage to vital organs and tissue in the vaccinated test subjects.”
“We’re not set up for that here,” said Dr. Gene.
“I only have one option and that’s to call on someone that used to be an ally.”
*****
Mac was surprised when Dr. Spielman agreed to take her call. He had several reasons to avoid speaking with her. First, she was still persona non grata at the CDC, Baggett made sure of that. Second, after the incident at Denver Hospital, she was concerned the doctor had contacted the CDC about her continuing to use her credentials to gain access to patient data. Finally, she imagined that Dr. Spielman was a little busy, under the circumstances. When he answered the phone with a sincere, jovial greeting, Mac had high hopes for the success of her request.
“Dr. Spielman, I know this is a long shot on many levels. You have to know that I’ve been working on a possible cure or vaccine since the day I left the CDC. I may not carry the title I once had, but that didn’t stop me from being a dedicated epidemiologist.”
“I absolutely respect you for that, Mac,” added Dr. Spielman. “I regret what happened and I can only apologize to you for my inability to work things out on your behalf. Truthfully, if it hadn’t been for the ever-watchful eyes of Baggett, I could’ve kept you around much longer. This administration is in a state of chaos. In my opinion, the country is a ship without a rudder.”
“Sir, I will send you all of my clinical notes, the genetic reports, and the proposed modification ratios.”
“Thank you, Mac, but don’t send it to me. Send it directly to Janie Turnbull, who I’ll give full autonomy to. Further, I’m going to give her authority to speak directly with you, if you’re in agreement.”
Mac was thrilled. She and Janie could come out of the shadows. “Absolutely, but, sir, I’m sure your a
nalysis of the disease spread is the same as mine. Between the news reports and data received from GPHIN, I believe the number of deaths per day will increase at a staggering rate now. How will you get this potential vaccine FDA approved?”
“You let me worry about that,” replied Dr. Spielman. “We’ve got a desperate President who’ll grab any lifeline we throw him.”
“And the side effects?” asked Mac.
“Well, people will have to make a choice—side effects or death,” he replied before he hung up the phone.
Chapter 55
Day Forty-Five
Oval Office
The White House
Washington, DC
The President settled into his chair for a rare Oval Office address to the nation in the middle of the day. Ordinarily, Presidents attempt to reach the broadest possible audience by delivering prime-time addresses. However, in light of the constant media coverage, the exponential rise of infected patients, and the death toll skyrocketing, the President and his political team determined this address needed to be delivered sooner rather than later. In his mind, it was time for a mea culpa, an acknowledgment of his shortcomings, without admitting it outright.
The President hesitated for a moment after he’d received the countdown to begin his statement. He appeared tired, even haggard, with dark circles under his eyes. He turned more and more to his beloved brandy to calm his nerves and cope with the most devastating crisis to confront the nation, and the world. The President’s mental acumen, which was once his greatest political asset, had begun to fail him, as evidenced by his misstating the time of day for this noontime address.
“Good evening, my fellow Americans. There is a time for rhetoric and there is a time for straight talk. Today, I’m not only speaking to you as your President, but also as a fellow American who believes it’s time to discuss the reality about the threat we face from this deadly, global pandemic.
“Over the past several weeks, many citizens of the world have met a terrible death caused by a deadly strain of the pneumonic plague. They were black and white, Latino and Asian, immigrants and refugees. Some were Americans, our moms and dads, daughters and sons. Each of them had families and loved ones, but all were a part of our American families.
“The disease first became apparent on American soil in the American Southwest among our Latino population. Sadly, the disease appeared to be carried into the country from Mexico and Central America by migrants crossing the border illegally. Then it appeared some refugees from Middle Eastern nations fleeing the war-torn region were unknowingly infected as well.
“While I have always had compassion for the plight of those fleeing oppression and squalor, it is problematic that the disease has entered our borders from abroad. Toward that end, I have signed another executive order immediately cancelling travel visas and closing our borders to all non-American citizens regardless of point of origin. We’re in a crisis, and I must take care of our own first.
“With brutal candor, I want to talk to you about what we face as a nation. Let me first start with what your government is doing to solve this crisis. Our CDC has been working night and day, relentlessly pursuing a vaccine or cure for this deadly disease. I am pleased to provide an update to you and a reason to have trust, confidence, and hope in our abilities to prevent this disease from taking many more lives.
“Moments ago, I signed an executive order that waives the customary rules and regulations required to bring new pharmaceuticals to the marketplace. Without getting into the hard science, let me state the breakthrough in the simplest of terms. Sometimes, as is the case when battling terrorism, you have to send in a killer to defeat a killer.
“The CDC has deployed a killer of its own—a cannibalistic bacteria that feeds on other deadly bacteria. A BALO, as it’s called, will envelop the plague bacteria and stop it in its path, rendering it incapable of spreading the disease within an infected patient’s body.
“For the first four years of my presidency, I have kept America safe from an ever-evolving threat from terrorism. As commander in chief, I have no greater responsibility than the security of the American people. Yet I know many of you are asking whether we are confronted by a plague for which there is no immediate cure.
“Here’s what I want you to know. The threat of a deadly pandemic is real, but we will overcome it. We will test the BALO vaccine and make it available as soon as it’s safe for human use.
“Now, I want to tell you what you can do to help. The most important thing you can do is to keep your distance from infected people. It’s referred to as social distancing. If you don’t have to leave the house, stay home. This disease is communicated by several means, including airborne respiratory droplets like when someone coughs, sneezes, or breathes in close spaces. Try to avoid elevators, enclosed rooms, or even forms of transportation that involve riding with strangers.
“Avoid simple skin-to-skin contact like handshakes, hugs, or other forms of touching. Certainly do not exchange bodily fluids with anyone who might be contagious. Avoid contact with any foreign surfaces. The plague bacteria can reside on most surfaces for up to seventy-two hours. If you touch your mouth, eyes, or nose after touching a contaminated surface, you could contract the plague.
“I want to share a story with you to illustrate my point. Before I became President and was afforded the luxury of Air Force One, I flew commercial like so many of you. There were many conversations with flight attendants over the years who warned me about the air that we were breathing, the blankets we were sharing, and the tray tables that only got cleaned once a day. Like flying, we all undertake everyday activities that can easily transfer germs.
“My suggestion to you is to minimize contact with anyone you suspect to be contagious, avoid potentially tainted surfaces, and give your government time to solve this crisis so we can bring our nation back to its feet.
“My fellow Americans, these are steps that we can take together to defeat this global pandemic threat. Let me also mention what we cannot do. We simply cannot turn against one another by letting this battle consume who we are as a nation. Bigotry begets bigotry and it should not be tolerated. The people who are infected are our neighbors and co-workers. They should not be judged for having a disease that was not of their choosing.
“Let’s not forget what makes us exceptional as Americans—our freedom. Freedom is more powerful than fear. So long as we stay true to our convictions, we will survive this challenge as a people and America will prevail.”
Chapter 56
Day Forty-Five
NBC News Report
Coto De Caza, Orange County, California
NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt led the broadcast that evening with the reaction to the President’s midday Oval Office address. Like most major networks, breaking news coverage concerning the plague pandemic took precedence over all other regularly scheduled programming. Prior to Holt coming on air, NBC, through its news arm, MSNBC, had portrayed the President as out of touch, uninspiring, and one guest commentator alluded to the President’s past bouts with manic depression.
Holt began the broadcast with a summary of the day’s events before summarizing the opinion of most pundits. “The administration’s initial response to the plague’s arrival into the United States has been roundly criticized as rocky, with each new case raising legitimate questions about preparedness and the capabilities of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Today, the cases have become a deluge, and the hospital facilities are more than overwhelmed. The National Guard has been called into every major city from New York to Los Angeles to control the mobs of people demanding access to health care.
“During this afternoon’s White House press briefing following the presidential address, a spokesman continued to maintain the President’s confidence in CDC Director Dr. Tom Spielman, who provided the President, and the nation, a lifeline in the form of a new genetically modified antibiotic, which may be a vaccine to stop the spread of the disease
. The CDC has announced a press conference will be held in the coming days regarding the vaccine’s effectiveness and availability.”
Holt turned his attention to a different camera as the angle provided a split-screen view of NBC news correspondent Miguel Almaguer, based at the network’s Los Angeles bureau. Before addressing Almaguer, Holt set up the next story.
“The President addressed many issues surrounding the plague pandemic, including the original source of the disease in the United States, followed by a warning to those who might be shunned as a result of their ethnicity. Miguel Almaguer has that report.”
Almaguer wore khaki pants and a red polo shirt bearing the NBC logo. He stood outside an upscale gated community protected by two men dressed in Apex Security uniforms.
“Lester, I’m standing outside a gated community in Cota de Caza, one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Orange County, California. Today, following the presidential address, a number of local residents began to descend upon the nearby Wagon Wheel Elementary School to pick up their children.
“To provide some background for your viewers, the Wagon Wheel was included in a private program created by President Garcia’s predecessor to create equal opportunity and access to an education for unaccompanied minors who’d entered the country from Central America and Mexico.
“For the past six years, more and more of these children were successfully integrated into the school, which, by all measures, provided them a physically and emotionally safe learning environment. In the last several days, that has changed.”
The network feed switched to a steady stream of expensive vehicles operated by predominantly white women entering the school property and rushing inside the building. Almaguer stood within the camera’s field of view on the footage while his voice-over continued to set up the scene.
