ARES Virus (Book 2): White Horse

by John O'Brien

  “I was under the impression that no one made it out of the city,” Koenig says.

  “We did,” Brown answers.

  Koenig relates what happened at Pineville, including the response.

  “So, was this girl, Emily, bitten? I’m merely asking out of curiosity,” Koenig queries.

  “Not that I’m aware of,” Brown says. “At least, not while she was with us. And, she never exhibited any symptoms.”

  “She told her aunt that her mom bit her. I know that’s what I heard,” Clarke states. “Say what you want, Hayward, you heard it as well.”

  “Are you saying that this thing may have been caused by a ten-year-old girl who was bitten, but had no symptoms?” Brown questions. “I went through this shit twice because a delivery boy couldn’t read an address?”

  “No, no. It’s way beyond something like that. Unless she was a world traveler…” Koenig pauses, waiting for an answer. “No, I didn’t think so. But, this was caused by carriers.”

  “I knew it had to be more than that. One ten-year-old couldn’t infect the entire world. It just grinds my fucking gears. So, what was, or is, this agent? And, if it wasn’t from the release in Pineville and a subsequent carrier, what was it from?”

  “Here comes the part where you’ll probably shoot me on the spot. But, you deserve to know. It’s classified, but that’s not really a thing anymore either. Keep in mind, some of this is conjecture,” Koenig states, then tells of the Arctic Storm operation and subsequent possibilities about the spread. He includes the incubation periods they witnessed in Springfield, and the subsequent mutation.

  “God almighty,” Brown says, leaning back.

  “The bottom line is that the world is infested with either carriers or raging infected, or perhaps a few like yourselves who may have immunity. The infected were supposed to go dormant, the virus was designed with that as a kind of safety net. But it mutated, and I’m not entirely sure what that means in the long run. They may go dormant at a later point, they may starve, or they may just outright die. Another possibility is that they find ways to sustain themselves, although I don’t see their numbers staying as large as they are. So, if the latter is the case, we merely wait for them all to die of old age…however long that is for someone who is infected,” Koenig says. “So, if you need me to go stand in a convenient place for a firing squad, I won’t resist.”

  “No need for that. At least, not yet. I’m not a fan of what happened, or with you having invented the shit. But, it’s not like you personally loaded it up on a crop duster and started spraying towns. We’re going to have to work together, so I suppose we’ll just put this behind us,” Brown says.

  “So, I’m assuming that we passed and are welcome here?” Koenig queries.

  “I suppose so,” Brown replies.

  “See, James? Neon lights and pointing fingers.”

  “What?” Brown asks.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Atlantic Ocean, Norfolk Virginia

  October 13

  Aboard his flagship, the USS Mount Whitney, Admiral Gettins leans forward on the table, the satellite photographs and information he requested spread out before him. It’s still a few minutes before the video conference with the Sixth and Seventh Fleet commanders and he spends them looking over the data, even though he’s read through them many times. Looking at his watch, he organizes the pictures and stuffs them back into a file. Grabbing another thick folder, he withdraws the outline of their operational plan and arranges it in front of him.

  “Enter,” Gettins says following a single knock on the door.

  A seaman enters and comes to attention.

  “Sir?”

  “Go ahead,” the admiral says, waving his arm and setting the folder over the plans.

  The sailor presses a switch. With a motorized hum, a projection screen is lowered into place. He then seats himself in the middle of the table, his fingers dancing across the keyboard. The screen flares to life, and the faces of the other commanders become visible, their eyes looking up from what they were doing and snapping to Gettins.

  “If you need anything else, sir, I’ll be just outside,” the sailor states, rising.

  Gettins nods and the sailor exits, the click of the door indicating that it’s time to begin the briefing.

  Just an hour ago, the Sixth Fleet, his task force with the Eisenhower having joined with that of the Washington in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, parked itself a few miles off the coast of Virginia. The fleet, with its two carriers, needs a lot of room for flight operations and occupies miles and miles of ocean. Surrounding the fleet are protective screens of ships, submarines, and aircraft.

  Reconnaissance flights over Norfolk and inland verified the data they’ve been receiving from satellites. There’s no indication of any survivors up and down the seaboard. The populated areas are overrun with infected, which have somehow been able to sustain themselves. Gettins isn’t sure how, but the evidence clearly indicates it.

  The flights also confirmed a slow migration away from the major population centers, either in search of additional victims or food sources. If Gettins and his staff can figure out their food source, then perhaps they could eradicate it. So far, nothing has stood out. As far as taking care of the infected, short of a nuclear option there are just too many individuals. If Gettins resorts to that drastic measure, then the current operational plan to shut down the nuclear reactors and find a way to eliminate the fuel rods will be for naught.

  They’ve kept in contact with the missile silo crews and those stationed in remote radar installations. Those sites were designed to sustain themselves for long periods of time and aren’t in any danger of succumbing. They’ll just have to hold out a while longer before any attempts can be made to bring them in. There are just too many things that have a higher priority.

  Gettins looks up from the documents spread on the table before him. All of the faces on the screen are looking attentively at him. They know what to expect from the briefing, having for the most part participated in the planning process. This meeting is to ensure that everyone is operating from the same playbook, and to officially begin operations. The Seventh Fleet, commanded by Admiral Sulley, is still steaming across the Pacific, two days from the northwestern seaboard.

  Gathering his thoughts for a moment longer, Gettins stares at the plan set forth in front of him. Aside from a few pockets of survivors and the small navies of other nations, he and the Seventh Fleet represent the largest contingent of survivors. As far as he knows, there isn’t any way those infected will return to their original state. The world’s population has dwindled to a very few, of which they are the largest group. The operation they are about to undertake will jeopardize these remaining few.

  Gettins understands that they won’t be able to cruise on the world’s oceans indefinitely and will need land-based resources if they’re to survive in the long-term. Many ideas were brought to the table, included turning the flight decks of the carriers into greenhouses. While the idea has merit, a single storm could destroy that effort with the “farm” being swept over the side in the ferocious sea winds. Settling on islands was also discussed, but the satellite footage didn’t reveal a single one of the size they would need without having population centers too large to handle or being within the path of a deadly radiation cloud that could form from the meltdown of nuclear reactors.

  After days of planning, the plan sitting in front of him is the best solution—Operation White Horse. It wasn’t so much the idea of them being the shining knight riding in on a white horse that fostered the name, more the first horse of the apocalypse—the one identified as conquest and victory. Many names were tossed around, White Horse being the one that stuck. And, being the military, the plan had to have an operational designation.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, you all have copies of Operation White Horse. I’m sure that you’re well-versed in the details, having all had a part in its planning. However, I want to go over it again to make
sure that we’re all on the same page.

  “Beginning tomorrow morning, Sixth Fleet will commence with the first stage. The overall priority will be to effectively shut down the sixty nuclear sites containing one hundred reactors operating in the continental United States. There are six plants that will fall on the Seventh Fleet to secure: the three comprising the Palo Verde generating stations in Arizona, the two Diablo Canyon plants in California, and the single Columbia generating station in Washington State. Ships have been dispatched from the Seventh Fleet to deal with California and Arizona. That leaves ninety-four power plants in the central and eastern part of the country that are the Sixth Fleet’s responsibility.

  “Many of those are far out of our range, so we have located two active Air Force bases from which to establish forward deployment. Our requirements for selection were that they be somewhat centralized to the power plants, be active and therefore contain fuel and armament, and be away from any population centers. Grissom Joint Air Reserve Base in Indiana and Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri have been selected as our two main forward bases. Grissom will be responsible for the plants in the north and northeast while Whiteman will handle the ones south and southeast.

  “Securing the bases will not be easy, and there are a few hurdles we have to clear before then. First, those two bases are outside of our operational range. Therefore, we will have to establish interim staging bases from which to conduct our strikes. There are several remote civilian airfields in West Virginia that will suit our needs. The first day of operations will be spent securing those fields and transporting personnel, aircraft, fuel, and armament to those locations.

  “Once everything is in place, air strikes will commence against Grissom from those locations. In order that we don’t destroy the resources we need, meaning housing, fuel depots, and the ramps and runway, helicopters will be used to draw the infected away from the main areas and F-18s brought in. The town north of the base will be leveled, and all infected in the outlying areas will be erased. Helicopters will continue with cleanup operations. I want to reiterate that it’s imperative that we preserve the base infrastructure, to include the perimeter security fencing, which will provide a barrier against further infected wandering into the area at a later time.

  “Following the air strikes, the Marines will deploy and secure the base. We’ll then consolidate the base for operations against Whiteman Air Force Base. While we consolidate, teams will be dispatched to rescue the missile crews. With the exception of fuel, all supplies will be relocated to Grissom from the interim fields. The fuel will be left in place in case we need to withdraw.

  “The Eisenhower will have the responsibility for the strikes against both bases, the Washington providing for fleet defense. While aircraft begin operating against Whiteman, crews will begin deployment for the northern nuclear plant operations. At the moment, we’re discussing sending in our two SEAL teams in advance, along with gunship support, to begin clearing some of the smaller plants. This will give us a leg up on our operations. Keep in mind that this is still in the discussion phase.

  “The timetable calls for both eastern bases to be operational by the end of the seventh day, with a couple of forward bases set up to assist with operations that are out of range of our two main bases. This is an ambitious plan that calls for one hundred percent effort, but we are operating under the gun here. The grids supplying power for the plants could go out any day, and those generator stations only have the capability to supply their own power for four hours, eight in some cases. It’s imperative that we get those plants under control before that happens. If we fail and those plants lose their power, the cooling ponds will boil off and pressure will build. Although the cores will scrub immediately, those spent fuel rods are what we need to worry about. Within a day, radiation will begin to leak and only get worse as time goes on. However, we won’t compromise our safety if events prove that we need to take an extra day or two.

  “In light of that, the plan for shutting them all down is ambitious. On the eighth day, we’ll begin operations outward, beginning with the western plants and working our way east. At each location, Marines will go in and clear any infected from within the plant. This will be the slowest part of the process, as we are going to take great care. I don’t want anyone lost due to foolishness. As our observations have noted, the infected don’t seem to have the capability of using weapons, so the primary concern is within the buildings.

  “Expect the air to be contaminated with the virus. The reports we received from the president’s bunker before it went silent indicated that the agent can remain active for up to forty-eight hours. That means anywhere an infected has been within a period of two days will remain contaminated. So, we’ll be operating at MOPP level 4 at the forward bases once they’re cleared, transitioning to MOPP 3 after forty-eight hours.

  “MOPP level 4 will be required on all plant operations. There will be no exception to this. Anyone caught not conforming to these requirements will be immediately court-martialed and the penalty left to the on-scene commander. As we’ll likely encounter survivors, quarantines will be established off site. Everyone coming in will be tested for the virus, and if they prove uncontaminated, they’ll be released on a timetable established by our medical professionals stationed there. At no time, ever, will anyone who becomes a risk or anyone from the outside be allowed within our perimeter. We cannot afford to have the virus running rampant in our forces. If necessary, drastic measures are authorized to maintain the integrity of our units. Any situation will be left to the discretion of field command. I want everyone here to be very clear about this. There will be no court martial for any commander who determines that eliminating a member of their unit is in the best interest of that unit. The field commanders must be made aware of the importance of keeping the virus away from our personnel.”

  Gettins pauses, looking at each and every one of the men and women in attendance. The commanders nod, some wearing distinctly distasteful expressions. After all, this isn’t how American forces operate. Everything is done to save every soldier and sailor, but this isn’t an ordinary battlefield. Extreme measures have to be taken in extreme circumstances. Even though they may not like the order, they realize that nothing is more critical than avoiding the potential annihilation of the human race.

  “Okay,” Gettins continues. “We have roughly calculated an average of four hours for each plant. That includes the flight time, refueling, and the time on station to clear out the plant and shut it down. There are enough Marines and transports that we could shut down all of the plants within a couple of days. However, we are restricted by the number of specialists trained to do that and reroute the power for the plants. There are enough to man six teams, three each for the northern and southern sections. With the constraint of only operating during daylight hours, that means we can effectively shut down twelve stations per day. That number will vary depending on the distance required to travel, but that’s the average we’re working with. So, eight days for setup operations and eight days for shutdown operations. Sixteen days…we need sixteen days from tomorrow. Afterward, we’ll come up with a plan for the fuel rod disposal.”

  Having disseminated a lot of information, Gettins looks to the commanders. There’s not a single lost or confused look. They’ve read the orders and know their parts in it. The timetable is ambitious and there are many things that could go wrong. The most important thing, and the one that he has stressed over and over again during their meetings, is that the contamination of the air that will be found around any of the infected must not be allowed to infect their forces.

  “Safety, safety, safety. We must have no breach of protocol. If one person gets infected, they could potentially infect every man and woman, and we wouldn’t know about it until it was too late,” he had preached.

  “We need those plants shut down, then we establish ourselves. As mentioned previously, the infected may be able to sustain themselves, so there may not be a quick solution t
o bring the end of this. Winter is our friend; the freezing temperatures will help to eradicate the infected in the northern latitudes. We will have to see what happens before we establish any longer-term solution. For the short-term, we’ll have to keep personnel at the forward bases and keep checking on the plants until the fuel rods can effectively be disposed of. That’s the extent of Sixth Fleet operations for the foreseeable future. Admiral Sulley will now take us through the Seventh Fleet operations,” Gettins says, finishing his brief.

  “I’ll try not be as wordy,” Sulley begins, smiling.

  Good-natured chuckles ensue, Gettins having established a professional but relaxed atmosphere in all of their meetings.

  “While the Sixth Fleet is concentrating on the power plants to ensure that we don’t lose half of the continent, our main task is to get operational control of the satellites. Crews will be dispatched to the Columbia generating station and to the Hanford storage facility. Several assault ships are on their way south to handle the power stations at Diablo Canyon and Palo Verde. Those will only take a day or two.

  “The Sixth Fleet’s main obstacle is distance. Ours on the west side is contamination. Even if we clear out the naval air station on Whidbey Island, the sub base at Bangor, and the port at Bremerton, the waters around those facilities are surrounded by large populated areas. That means the air will continue to be contaminated at these locations. Any units stationed inside the strait will all remain at MOPP 4 levels. And, until we figure out how to remove the infected population in its entirety from Olympia to well north of Seattle—from the islands, from Victoria, and from every little tourist town—we won’t be able to sustain a land-based presence. At the moment, we just don’t have the firepower to eliminate millions of infected on very long shorelines. That’s why it’s vital to shut down those power plants. That will buy us time to figure out where to carve out a land-based sanctuary.