Ralph hung up the phone gently.
“Dr. Bigsby will see you, ma’am. He wants you to wait for him in the lobby. Have a seat near the staircase and he’ll find you there. Here's a visitor’s sticker you need to display clearly while you are in the building.”
“Thank you, Ralph. Have a good day,” she said, this time feeling much more sincere. He reminded her a little of her father. “Sorry, I gave you a hard time.”
“No problem at all, ma’am. You too.” Ralph handed her a visitor’s badge. “Enjoy your visit to the CDC.”
“Ha. Thanks.”
Jamie took a seat near the beautiful, white spiral staircase in the CDC lobby and stuck the visitor sticker to her lapel on the right side of her jacket. She checked her watch repeatedly as the minutes passed by while she imagined what the patients would look like. The description in the dossier painted a gruesome picture, directions for the make-up department on the script of a horror movie.
She had emailed Lars several times throughout the evening yesterday, but didn’t receive a single response. She looked forward to giving him a piece of her mind.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Dr. Mills,” Lars said with a devilish smile. His hand extended towards Jamie as he snuck up on her, appearing suddenly from what seemed like thin air.
“It’s nice to meet you too. Dr. Bigsby, I presume,” Jamie replied as she turned her head as she rose to her feet with her hand extended to shake his.
His white lab coat was pristine and contrasted strikingly against his suave jet-black hair. His brown horned rim glasses looked excessively fake, like something Clark Kent would wear. He was a strong-looking, handsome man, not what she expected at all, though he did look like a scientist. He would have posed a stark contrast to the CIA agents driving around Virginia in a dark van, if she knew about them.
“You are even more beautiful than I imagined.”
Jamie blushed involuntarily, but was affronted by the flattery when they were analyzing a crisis unfolding. She thought about Jackson, and what he did to her yesterday morning. Though it already seemed like an eternity ago, it gave her goosebumps. It also didn’t hurt that it was cold in the CDC lobby.
He continued to lather complements. “Should I say it’s an honor to meet you? Your reputation in the medical community when it comes to infectious diseases is truly amazing. Exceptional.”
“Thank you.” She was becoming increasingly uncomfortable, but remained professional. “So is yours, doctor.”
“Call me Lars.”
The way he was looking at her reminded her of the way Franco looked at donuts. She felt naked all of a sudden.
“I’ve been following your work for some time. I just read the paper you published about Chromoblastomycosis. Fascinating.”
“Oh. You’re the one,” she joked. “Thanks.”
Lars laughed briefly. “What can I do for you, Dr. Mills? What brings you by so unexpectedly,” his tone changing to not so charming, “without an appointment?”
“I was hoping I could see the CFv1 patients. Examine them myself. After the call yesterday, I was left with some lingering questions.”
“I see. What questions do you have?”
“It seems like an exaggerated description was provided in the dossier and I’d like to do some examination and evaluation in person.”
“I’m afraid it is impossible for you to see the patients, though I’d be happy to have a cup of coffee with you in the lounge and talk again about what we know.”
“I’m not interested in any coffee or small talk, Dr. Bigsby. Why can’t you show me the patients?”
“Observation requires top security clearance.”
“What? Why?”
“By order of the President.”
“I have top security clearance.”
“You have secret clearance.”
“How…”
“I checked. Not quite good enough, I’m afraid.”
“Jesus. This is ridiculous.”
“I’m sorry, Jamie.”
“Dr. Mills will be fine.”
“I see. I’m sorry you are upset. I don’t mean to be difficult.”
“I can tell you are all broken up, doctor. I am not leaving here without seeing those patients.” Jamie sat back down and crossed her legs. “Who do I need to call?”
“The president, I suppose.”
“Pardon me.” She stood and walked about twenty feet away from where Lars stood. She was on the phone for about a minute and walked back over to Lars.
“Do you have your cell phone on you?”
“Yes,” Lars replied as he patted his pants pocket to make sure it was there. “Why?”
“Get ready to answer it.”
“What?”
“Your phone, doctor.”
“My phone?”
“Yes, that little thing in your pants.” She grinned.
His expression changed to anger. “Excuse me?”
“Get ready to answer your phone, doctor.”
At that moment, the phone in Lars’s pocket began to ring. He stared at Jamie, feeling as though he had underestimated her, and should have known better.
“Well, are you going to answer it?”
“Lars Bigsby,” he said into the phone as he finally answered it. “That’s correct,” he said after a quick pause. “I understand. Yes, sir.” He hung up the phone and placed it back in to his pocket, red faced. “Shall we head to the containment unit, doctor?” he asked Jamie.
“Who was that?”
“Shall we go?” he asked her again, ignoring her question, feeling bested.
“Please.”
The two began their journey through the lobby towards the front door of the building with Jamie getting more confused with each step.
“Wait. I thought you were taking me to see the patients.”
“That’s the plan.”
“Where are we going then?” Jamie asked Lars as he stepped through the lobby entrance and into the outside world, still serene. The sun was blinding. “Did I miss them in the parking lot?” she asked as she shaded her eyes with her hand, following him out.
“Pardon me, Dr. Mills. I forgot to mention. The patients aren’t here.”
Jamie couldn’t hide the surprised look on her face, nor did she try to. “Where are they?”
“The containment unit isn’t too far from here. I’ll drive us.”
“No, thanks,” Jamie said, aloof. “I’ll just follow you there.”
“That may be hard for you to do without being able to see where you’re going.”
“What?” Jamie fired back.
“The patients are currently being managed at a separate CDC building. One that… isn’t on the books, shall we say? I have to blind fold you for the trip.”
“The hell you will.” Jamie began to dig through her purse. “I’m calling Franco.” She located her phone and began to dial with her hands near her waist.
“You’ll never know the truth,” Lars said coldly as he placed his hand over her hands, blocking her, “if you make that call.”
Jamie moved her hands away from his and stopped dialing. She stared at Lars with anger and despair.
“You want to know the truth. Don’t you, Jamie?”
After careful contemplation, she hurriedly stuffed the phone back in her purse. “Is this some kind of sick game you’re playing, Dr. Bigsby? I’m really not in the mood. I’m tired and trying to solve problems rather than create new ones.”
She stepped away from Lars.
“Not at all, Jamie. Pardon me. Dr. Mills. I wish this was some type of game or a trick. What you will be seeing after just a short trip is a frightening reality. I think you will have a better understanding after we see the patients. You will have to trust me from here forward if you want to learn the truth.”
He turned and walked deeper into the parking lot.
Jamie stood baffled for a moment, alternating looks between Lars and anything else that wasn
’t Lars.
“Fine,” she finally responded as she walked towards him and caught up. “Let’s go. Which one is yours?”
“This one,” he said a moment later as they stopped next to the shiny red Maserati.
“Tool,” Jamie said under her breath. “Figures,” she said a little louder.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
Lars passionately flung the passenger door open for her with steam coming out of his ears. “Please,” he said as he motioned for her to sit down, re-gaining control over himself.
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” he said and then shut the door softly.
She wondered how Lars could afford the vehicle as she hurriedly ensured the tracking app was active on her phone before he saw what she was doing. She had it installed on her and Jax’ phones. She worried about him getting home after school.
Lars appeared in the driver’s seat seconds later as Jamie pushed her phone into her purse. He started the engine of the expensive machine with the push of a button, and then handed Jamie a black eye mask.
“I need you to cover your gorgeous blue eyes with this.”
“Is this mask really necessary?”
“Absolutely. You will be expected to take every imaginable precaution once we arrive at the offsite facility as well. Your life depends on it.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Take it as you wish, but don’t disregard it.”
“Whatever.”
Jamie fastened the mask to her face while Lars smiled.
“It looks good on you,” he said as he put the Maserati in drive and sped through the CDC parking lot like it was a racetrack. “Of course, that’s no surprise.”
Jamie ignored his comments. “How long will it take to get there,” she asked a moment later.
“A few minutes. Not long at all.”
“Why can’t I see the location of the facility?”
“Let’s just say the people who own it love their secrets.”
“Huh?”
“It doesn’t belong to the CDC. Not our call who sees it.”
“Who does it belong to then?”
“CIA.”
“The CIA?”
“Yes. And they told me if I shared the location of the facility with anyone or even admitted it existed without their prior approval, I would find myself hanging from the rafters by my testicles, though they used a few different words.”
Jamie was silent for another minute. Contemplating. “Why are you taking me there then? Do you think you will enjoy hanging from the rafters by your balls?”
“No, but you’re worth it,” Lars said to Jamie with yearning in his eyes, though she couldn’t see his expression. “I believed that since the first time I saw you. At a conference in Seattle, five years ago. You didn’t see me, but I saw you. Haven’t been able to get you out of my head.”
“Whatever! You need to stop. You know I’m married, right?”
“Yes. I know that.”
“And you realize that I love my husband? My Marine Corps Special Ops awarding winning sniper husband.”
“Yes, I know who he is. What if the world was about to end? Would I have a chance then?”
“It wouldn’t matter if you and I were the last two people on Earth, Dr. Bigsby.”
“Hold that thought,” Lars replied as Jamie heard the sound of him rolling down his car window. “Take off the mask. Hurry up.”
Jamie took off the mask just as Lars’s $100,000 Italian automobile rolled up to a guard station in the middle of nowhere. Dried out, brown overgrowth blocked Jamie from seeing anything around except for the ramshackle guard station.
“Dr. Bigsby,” the guard said after lowering the window. He was a Marine Corps police officer dressed from head to toe in desert camouflage and carrying a large machine gun. “Welcome back. Love the new wheels, sir. Who’s your guest?”
“Thanks. This is Dr. Jamie Mills with FEMA.”
The Marine stepped into the booth in which he spent most of his day and picked up a clipboard. He scanned the top document clipped into with his eyes, and then flipped over to the second. He walked back to the car with the clipboard in hand and a puzzled expression.
“I don’t see her name on the list.”
“What? Are you sure? I cleared it with the director about fifteen minutes ago.”
“I’m sure, sir. There is no one by the name Jamie Mills on the list.”
“Has anyone called you in the last fifteen minutes to add her to the list?”
“No, sir.”
“Well, I can’t imagine why. She’s the second highest-ranking officer with FEMA in the region. Trust me. She’s approved. You’ll be getting a call any moment.”
Jamie smiled at the Marine and he smiled back. He stepped back, leaned into the security booth and pressed a button. The chain link gate opened.
“Go ahead.”
He waved them through and they drove slowly through the gate, not speeding down the road until it closed in the rearview mirror.
“Quite simply, I need your opinion,” Lars said, now looking into Jamie’s eyes, finishing his thought as they picked up speed, seemingly heading nowhere in the thickets. “We have no idea what to do next.”
“How can that be? You are the CDC, for heaven’s sake.” She found herself squeamish and ducking inside the car as tree branches whipped against the windshield. “Jesus!”
“I know. That’s the sad part.” Lars was oblivious. “This is why I’ve brought you here without permission from the most unethical and lethal organization in the history of the world. I really, really, really need your opinion, Dr. Mills.”
Jamie said nothing and didn’t speak again until the vehicle pulled into one of just a few cleared out parking spaces in front of a large, single story, metal structure. It appeared suddenly in the midst of the all the overrun, dying landscaping, and looked like a vacant warehouse. It was gray with no markings of any kind, aside from juvenile appearing graffiti that seemed to be too well done and strategically placed to be authentic. Besides, she wondered, what delinquents would come all the way out here?
The building was dirty, with no windows, and surrounded by an unusually tall, electrified, chain link, double fence. There was a single entry point past the fence, two guards posted inside the entryway, and two more posted outside. They all stood at attention with big machines guns ready.
“Far cry from the CDC lab.”
“Shouldn’t judge a book by its cover,” Lars replied.
Jamie wasn’t sure if he was talking about the warehouse or himself as they exited his car.
“The set up works quite well for the clientele either way. You’ll know what I mean when we get inside.”
“Okay,” Jamie said as she noted the sand and gravel beneath her feet. “CIA has no landscaping budget I take it.”
Jamie didn’t know what to expect. The look on her face made that clear as Lars put his arm around her, though she pushed it off.
She felt queasy, not sure if she was ready to know the truth as she passed through the heavily guarded entryway, dizzy as she looked up. She wished Jackson was with her as she wondered what on Earth could be inside the warehouse and needed a fence that high to keep it away from everyone else.
Chapter 22
Jax jerked open the heavy double glass doors of the Quickie Mart and walked inside with his father covering his wing. An older teenage boy at the checkout counter acknowledged their presence with a nod, but did nothing more. No smile. No greeting.
It was quiet inside the store. The pair walked to the back where a sign hanging from the ceiling marked the location of the do-it-yourself hot dog bar located on the center back counter of the store.
“How about a hot dog and some chips?” Jackson asked Jax as he noted a thin, gray-haired man with a cane in the corner across from them. Though he tried not to stare, Jackson’s eyes were drawn to the wetness around the zipper of the old man’s tan
pants.
The old man moved his hand to hide it and looked to the front counter of the store. Then to the floor, as if he didn’t know where to look. He wouldn’t look at Jackson or Jax.
“Hot dog sounds good. Can we get a couple of those donuts too? For dessert?”
“A donut? Geez. You know my weak spot, don’t you?” Jackson replied, distracted still by that old man. “I haven’t had a donut in at least a year. They don’t have any in Afghanistan.”
“That’s sad.”
“Yeah, it is,” his father agreed. “A crime. What do you want on your hot dog?”
“Mustard and ketchup.”
“Same as your old dad,” Jackson said with a smile as he prepared three hot dogs and shoved one of them in his mouth as if he hadn’t eaten in a week. “God, I’m hungry,” he said aloud with his mouth full as he looked over at the old man. Something was off. “I’m going to pay for that.”
The old man nodded distractedly, seeming not to care.
“Are you okay, sir?” Jackson asked him as he swallowed and slowly stepped closer to the old man with two foil wrapped hot dogs in his hand.
The old man said nothing but looked nervously to the front counter again.
“Chocolate frosted, dad?” Jax asked at the donut case.
“Of course. Is there any other kind?”
Jax celebrated as he put two donuts in a bag.
Jackson looked back to the young attendant at the counter as he moved towards it. He noticed the sweat collecting on the clerk’s forehead.
Jackson turned his head and stared at the young black man that stood in the automotive aisle at the far left side of the store. He looked back at the old man who stood like a statue in the corner, covering himself while he stared at the boy at the counter like it was his job.
“Let’s pay for this,” Jackson urged Jax with a confounded look on his face.
They walked to the front of the store together and placed the hot dogs, a bag of chips, and the bag of donuts on the counter. “
“That be all for ya’ today?” the attendant asked with his voice quivering as his eyes darted quickly to and away from the area below the counter.
“Three hot dogs all together. I ate one already,” Jackson said. “Man, I’m starving all of a sudden.” His stomach was growling loudly.
And We All Fall (Book 1) Page 18
