The White Death

by Rafferty, Daniel

  He looked up at her.

  “There is no one I would trust more, now more than ever, to be president than you. I wouldn’t trust anyone else to see us through these dark times. Let history decide upon our actions, Thomas. We’ll know we did all we could, and if American historians are analyzing our decisions 100 years from now, then I’ll take comfort in that.”

  “Why?”

  “Because it means the country survived, sir,” said Gail.

  He hadn’t thought of it like that.

  “We still need to run the country, Mr. President. That’s what we’re here for. That’s your duty.”

  “If this virus doesn’t get us, sterilization will.”

  “One problem at a time, sir,” said Gail.

  He looked up at her. She hadn’t changed, even with everything that had happened.

  “What are you planning?”

  Thomas smiled for a brief second. He stood up and straightened his tie.

  “To run the country, Gail—to run the country.”

  Chapter 54

  “Doctor, I feel like I’m going crazy!” shouted Nelson, smashing a computer screen before regaining his composure with a deep breath.

  “Try and control your anger,” replied Ursula calmly. She had watched from the corner of her eye as he began pacing the room like a caged beast.

  “I’m trying, but it’s not working. Why haven’t I turned into one of those … things … yet?” Even breathing was becoming a struggle, his chest getting tighter. His skin had turned red and blotchy in places, and his eyes were bloodshot.

  “I released another supplement into the atmosphere. It’s experimental, but at this point we have nothing to lose,” she explained.

  “What was it?” he asked.

  “B24-07, an experimental drug for those who have HIV,” said Ursula. “It’s designed to dramatically bolster the internal defense of the body.” It was never going to be a cure, but it could help delay the onset for him.

  “You think it’ll work?”

  “Probably not,” she admitted. “I’m trying to give you as much time as possible.”

  “How long have I got, Doc?”

  “I can’t tell,” she said. “Your body is fighting the virus at every corner. We just need to wait and see.”

  “But the virus will win?”

  She turned to face him.

  “If I don’t devise an effective solution within the next hour—two at the most—then yes. It will win. Your immune system can’t hold out forever. Think of the supplements I’ve given you as reinforcements, but they’re not enough.”

  “Aren’t you meant to humor the patient?”

  “Not something I ever practiced, Commander.” Ursula knew she’d never win accolades for her bedside manner. She was usually flown in to deal with a crisis, which meant marshaling a chaotic team into order and getting people treated as quickly as possible. People often hated her attitude but admired her abilities. “Commander, I suggest you stay calm, let your body fight the virus, and we’ll take it one step at a time.”

  “Give me something to do then, please—anything.” Nelson felt useless, literally twiddling his thumbs. He was used to being on the move, defending his country. To be confined to a small room doing nothing would feel like a slow execution.

  “Take blood samples every five minutes and scan them at a workstation. That will allow me to look for specific changes in your blood chemistry, comparing it over a select time period.” She wasn’t a natural liar but tried to sound as convincing as possible. There really wasn’t much he could offer her. She had all the data already, and the sensors in his room allowed her to monitor him at a very detailed level.

  “I’ll get on it right away,” he replied.

  Ursula turned her attention back to the monitor in front of her, intent on working to the end, no matter what. Satellite imagery had shown even more infected humans congressing above them, and it would only be a matter of time before some made their way down to her level. Rescue was impossible, but she refused to shudder at the thought of dying here. As her grandmother always said, there’d be plenty of time to rest when she was dead.

  “Keep talking to me, Doctor. Even if you know I won’t understand it, please, just talk.”

  “The more I study this virus, the more confusing it becomes.”

  Nelson grunted. “That’s not really what I wanted to hear.”

  “I mean, it’s extremely simple in construction but complex in design. Each layer is connected, as we’ve said, but I don’t understand why they’re there to begin with, unless we go with my theory that the virus is actually working normally.”

  “That’ll certainly annoy your scientist friend,” said Nelson. They’d lost the connection with Peter a while ago.

  “True,” she agreed. “I still think this virus was purposely designed to delete the SRGAP2 gene in humans.”

  “How important is this gene anyway?”

  “It’s a vital gene, duplicated three times, which gave rise to human intelligence millions of years ago. It allowed our brains to develop complex neural connections, giving us more processing power. It made us human. No other animal on earth possesses the duplicates. Human civilization probably wouldn’t have developed without them.”

  “Probably? You don’t totally accept the idea of it?”

  “I prefer to give humanity more credit,” she said.

  “Why would the aliens want to delete that?” Nelson starting withdrawing blood from his right arm. The needle stung like a bee, his skin a lot more sensitive since becoming infected. A red rash flared up across his arm, but she assured him that was a normal reaction now.

  “I keep coming back to this neurotropic virus,” she admitted. “Layer two.”

  She called up the full virus again.

  “But Peter is studying that.”

  “I know, but the more I look at it … well…”

  “Doctor, have you seen it before? You said you’d never.”

  “I know what I said,” said Ursula. “When you’ve had a career as long and varied as mine, it is difficult to remember every virus that has come under my microscope. I recognize parts of it. If the aliens did use a virus from Earth for layer two, I’m sure they would have had to modify it.”

  “Ursula! Ursula, can you hear me?” said Peter, the connection restarting.

  “Calm down. I hear you loud and clear.”

  “I have that link with Commander Rodgers available,” said Peter.

  “Excellent, put him through.” Section 51 had been fighting with Japanese authorities, looking to establish a video feed between Ursula and the quarantined American soldier. The Japanese government seemed to be in a permanent state of panic now. She called it anarchy.

  “The connection won’t be great, but it’s the best we can do.”

  The screen went blank, and Ursula watched, hoping for a data connection. It was poor quality, and the sound was distorted, but she could work with it.

  “Commander Rodgers. My name is Ursula Barrington.”

  “Hello,” he replied quietly. She noted saliva drooled from his mouth, which he was oblivious to. He’d been strapped down to a chair, and she could see the faint outline of guards in the corners.

  “Have you felt any symptoms that could be attributed to the Eugenics Virus?”

  “I dunno, Doctor…” He closed his eyes, trying to concentrate. “I don’t feel well at all. I can’t really seem to focus on anything or remember anything.”

  “Okay, any problems walking?”

  “No, well, um … not physically. I’m terribly dizzy. I want to go home? I really want to see my family.”

  “I can’t allow that, Commander. I’m sorry.”

  The man’s eyes blazed. “Why not?�
�� he shouted. “You’re going to leave me here stuck in Japan, which just happens to beside a country containing two billion zombies?”

  Ursula was taken aback by his sudden outburst of extreme anger and took further notes.

  “Commander.” She tried to be gentle. “I know more than most how you’re feeling right now. Believe me.” Her eyes wandered upwards at the ceiling, imagining the millions in this city alone that would love to get down here.

  Rodgers squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them, shaking his head. “How can I help?” He spluttered and coughed.

  “I need some more information. From the reports I’ve been reviewing, it seems you were the first person to actually spot infection.”

  “Spot it?” he asked, confused.

  “You called it in to General Richards.”

  “Oh, right. The North Koreans started running toward us, going crazy, shooting their guns everywhere. Some even started running on all fours, like dogs.”

  “Your report mentions a white-clothed woman. We have her contained. Can you walk me through when you first saw her? I need every detail. Spare nothing.”

  “There isn’t much to tell,” he said irritably, shaking his head. She watched as he took a large gulp of water, before throwing it up. It was clouded with blood.

  “Please. Every detail, no matter how insignificant.” She sat, pen at the ready.

  He wasn’t showing much interest.

  “Captain,” she repeated.

  A masked Japanese guard came up from behind, threatening Rodgers with a gun.

  “Okay, okay … um, it was night. Very dark. We’d just received word the North was pulling forces back from the border. One of my team noticed someone moving among the bushes on the other side. I checked it out for myself.”

  “When you say checked it out—how so?”

  “I took his fucking binoculars. I don’t have eagle vision, Doctor. It was a woman wearing a long white dress…or gown…or something. The Koreans grabbed her a few seconds later, poor woman. They dragged her into the trees. Probably treated her worse than the dogs around her.”

  Ursula stopped writing, her mind focusing in on one sole theory now.

  “Dogs?” she asked.

  “Yeah, four or five or something. It’s nothing new. All of Korea is overrun with strays. They eat them. Soups, stews. I don’t know one soldier that hasn’t gotten bit by the pests. We’d use them as target practice whenever they ran across the border.”

  “But they were definitely in contact with her?” she asked.

  “I dunno … yeah, they were running around her.”

  “Did the dogs follow her into the forest with the Koreans?” she asked.

  “I don’t know,” he said after a long pause.

  Ursula knew it must all seem so confusing to him now. He didn’t want to remember any of it.

  “Best guess, Captain,” Ursula said.

  “Probably, yeah. Yeah, I think they did. Poor dogs, starving creatures. I love dogs, you know, Doctor. I’d do anything to see mine again…”

  “Commander, thank you. I’ll be in touch.” She cut the link, and Peter appeared back on the screen before cutting out. The connection was lost, again.

  “Dogs?” asked Nelson.

  She knew Nelson hadn’t missed the expression on her face when that word was mentioned.

  “Argh, I can’t think!” she shouted. She had so much flying around inside her head it was impossible to focus.

  “Calm down,” said Nelson.

  “Now the patient is humoring the doctor,” said Ursula. “God help us.”

  “Well it’s either me or her,” said Nelson, pointing at the woman in white. “She’s not really that chatty.”

  “I need my own database.” The Chinese library was fully loaded, but she wanted her own. “Dogs dogs dogs.” She was starving, and the constant fear of being invaded by hordes of infected was not helping her thought process.

  “Will you calm down?”

  “I’m trying to save the world, and we have a billion zombies on top of us,” she shouted back, echoing Rodgers’ comments.

  “Remember, we’re the good guys, and they always win, Doc,” said Nelson. “Think of every zombie film in the past thirty years. We always won.”

  She laughed at the silliness of his humor. If only it were that simple.

  “I’m telling you,” he said, continuing the joke, “if you haven’t seen Night of Smoke: Dawn of Maggie, you missed a great zombie flick.”

  She rolled her eyes.

  “I guess it’s a bit tasteless for you,” said Nelson. “A killer outbreak of rabies, sending people crazy.” Nelson continued to giggle, remembering vivid images of the movie. “The best part was a completely crazy scene where a grandmother fends of a horde of them with a shotgun. Even funnier was she actually won.”

  “Rabies,” she said, this time with no lightheartedness in her tone.

  “Yeah, stupid, I know.”

  “Rabies,” she repeated, sitting down. “Commander, you are a genius.”

  “Come again?”

  “A genius. Now, be quiet.”

  Ursula pulled up layer two again and applied a new scanning algorithm. She watched each increase in percentage as the computer worked through it again. She also tried to reestablish the connection with Peter, but there was still no signal.

  The computer beeped, taking her attention away from him.

  “I knew it,” she finally said. “Commander, I HAVE seen this virus before.” Data streamed across the screens as her algorithm was now able to understand the second layer with much more ease, and that provided a lot more detail. It showed it from the inside out.

  “What? Where? How?” Nelson was shocked. “Explain.”

  Ursula sat back from the desk, taking a breath. It was such a long time ago.

  “I first saw this virus in North Korea. The year was 2015, almost twenty-five years ago now. You remember the influenza epidemic?”

  “Vaguely,” he replied. “I remember being in South Korea at that time, junior officer. A flu outbreak or something, which spread to Asia.”

  “Yes. The South Korean government had convened an international medical conference to discuss the new strain of influenza. They were worried it would lead to a global pandemic.”

  “What happened in the North?” Nelson stabbed his arm with another needle, watching blood leak out this time and splash onto the white floor tiles.

  “Well, I was there for the conference,” she said, watching the blood trickled down him. “I was just a junior myself back then, just there with my team to take notes, really. During the conference, there was an outbreak of rabies in a remote farming village in the North. The North Korean government was so spooked they permitted a western medical team to cross the border.”

  “Rabies, in humans?”

  “Yes. My tutor thought it would be good for me to see rabies firsthand in humans. We went to investigate. The problem with rabies is that you must treat it within the first ten days of infection, or you lose the patient. It is a slow, gross death for any person to endure.” She recalled the numerous times she had seen patients strapped down to beds, screaming and losing their minds, while doctors could only watch and wait for them to die.

  “I’ve seen troops infected with rabies before,” said Nelson. He sat down and started eating a biscuit.

  “You’ve never seen this kind of rabies before. We couldn’t figure it out at all. It infected the host immediately, and you had to administer a large, extremely potent drug within one hour to avoid death. Thankfully it was an isolated incident in the village, and we contained it. But once I was back in the UK, I began analyzing my blood samples. It was indeed rabies, but so aggressive to any host it entered and so close to mutating into an
airborne virus. I alerted the Korean authorities, who began a mass animal cull in the area.”

  “Where does a highly aggressive strain of rabies even come from?”

  “I didn’t investigate it much further. Suits came in and removed it, for ‘national security.’” Suits was a word Ursula used, knowing Nelson would understand, to refer to government agents that operated behind the scenes. Black ops.

  “Incinerated then,” said Nelson.

  “No way,” said Ursula. “Stored in some off-the-books lab somewhere for experimentation. But then I came across this particular rabies strain again, in 2026.”

  “In Asia?”

  “Siberia, actually. We were drilling deep into permafrost, looking to find untouched soil samples that had been frozen for thousands of years.”

  “Permafrost?”

  “Frozen soil,” she explained. “It can contain hundreds of exotic organisms in deep hibernation. With all our antibiotics useless, my team was looking to the far distant past for new ones. That’s what led us to the permafrost. I was able to determine one particular sample was almost 100,000 years old … and contained an ancient form of what I suspected to be rabies. I compared the two, from some notes I’d kept, and they were identical. The rabies outbreak in Korea had been the result of a dormant version of the virus from over 100,000 years ago.”

  “Kept secure in the ice,” said Nelson. “How did it turn up in Korea?”

  “I never found out, but we long suspected the North was experimenting in extreme biogenic weapons. I wouldn’t have put it past them to try and modify this particular rabies strain into an airborne virus and send it across the border. That would have been lethal.”

  “It’d certainly explain why they never let you keep samples and were so eager to cleanse the area.” He didn’t have any sympathy for the North. They had created all their own problems and had been a major thorn in America’s side for 100 years.