Cough

by Druga, Jacqueline

  “They should double check before they jump to conclusions.”

  “Let’s say I really had some sort of bomb. Would you want them to dismiss a claim, really? Not I,” Aldus said. “I’d rather them put me through the inconvenience if it means they are being watchful.”

  “You are much better than I am,” Sharon said.

  “And for that,” He gave her a business card. “Call my attorney. While I may not angry, that still doesn’t mean we aren’t going to sue for the humiliation, inconvenience and embarrassment.”

  Sharon clutched the card. “Thank you.”

  “At least you look and feel better.”

  “I do.”

  “Tell me, did you know you had asthma?”

  Sharon shook her head. “I didn’t have a clue. It was new to me. The doctor said it could have been something I started to develop late in life.”

  “Hmm. Interesting.” Said Aldus.

  The asthma was puzzling, but at least Sharon knew for future reference what to look for and the warning signs to heed.

  Before Aldus had to depart, they spent a few more minutes together in the hospital. He’d go back to business and she’d be released. The hotel was already paid for and a beautiful room awaited her. Sharon would remain in Vegas to not only get better, but to relax before returning to the crazy life of being a flight attendant.

  <><><><>

  Littlefield, AZ

  June 26

  It was the simple things in life that made Macy so happy. Sleeping in was one of them. She never took extra sleep for granted and when the opportunity arose, she grabbed. Not often, as a single mother did she get a day off. When Rege had the boys, she worked extra at the restaurant. So pretty much, every single day of the school year was spent getting up early.

  She had a Wednesday off and when the boys begged to stay home from camp because they didn’t want to do Charade day, Macy played along. She pretended that they convinced her, when in actuality she saw the chance to sleep in.

  She did.

  No alarm clock was set and she allowed her body to naturally wake when it was ready. Two hours of extra sleep was a gift to her physical being.

  The boys were already awake, eating cereal and playing video games. She had her coffee and relaxed.

  A perfect day.

  She had errands to run, and figured she could get them done, get back and still have plenty of enough to be lazy. A luxury she seldom had.

  “Hey, boys, I’m running down to town to hit the Dollar Barn after I get dressed.”

  Clay looked over his shoulder, only briefly removing his eyes from his game. “Do I have to go? I’m old enough to stay home.”

  “I’d really like for you to go. I’ll grab a pizza. It’s five buck large day at Little Jim’s.”

  Clay groaned. “Why are you bribing me?”

  “I want to go,” Thomas said.

  “Suck up,” Clay snapped.

  “Hey,” Macy scolded. “Okay, let me ask Lila if she keep an ear out for you. It’ll cost us a slice of pizza. If I let you stay, no leaving, lock the doors …”

  “Mom, I’m almost thirteen. Seriously. I’ll be fine.”

  “Can I still go?” asked Thomas.

  “Of course, you can sweetie.”

  “Oh my God,” Clay groaned. “He’s totally your favorite.”

  “He is not. I love you both the same. He’s just …” Macy walked over and kissed Thomas on the forehead. “He’s my Mommy’s boy.”

  Thomas smiled at Clay, and Clay shook his head. While Macy hated leaving Clay alone, he was right. He was old enough.

  Dollar Barn wouldn’t take long, and Macy decided she’d enjoy her time with Thomas.

  It was going to be a good day.

  <><><><>

  Kingman, AZ

  June 26

  Stokes hated to admit it, but the stop was good on many fronts. They were able to rest, get their thoughts in order, and Stokes actually saw that he was able to trust Charles. He was fearful after dozing off in the car, that he’d wake up to find the two scientists gone.

  They weren’t.

  Instead they had gone into the roadside diner and were having breakfast.

  “Morning,” Stokes joined them in the booth.

  “We didn’t want to wake you,” Charles said. “We’re just finishing up. We’ll wait on you, if you’d like.”

  “No, I’ll get coffee to go. “ Just as Stokes said that, the waitress arrived. She acknowledged that she heard him and walked from the booth. “Did you guys sleep at all?” Stokes asked.

  “Not really,” Emir answered. “I did try.”

  “Me, too, but my mind was a million miles an hour,” Charles added.

  “Understandable.” Stokes nodded a thanks to the waitress for the take out coffee, and after Charles left some cash on the table, the three of them left the diner.

  “Conrad,” Charles said. “Would you mind driving my car and following us.”

  “Why?” Stokes asked.

  “We just want to talk. You’ll be right behind us. We know what’s waiting for us at the Nevada facility.”

  Stokes was in debate about it. He walked to the cars with them. He noticed Emir opening the hatch of his SUV. “Whoa. What is he doing?”

  Emir answered as he removed the small case. “I’m taking it out of the hatch. It’s too hot in there.”

  “Be careful with that,” Stokes said. “That case doesn’t look too sturdy.”

  “It’s not,” Emir replied.

  “Swell.” Stokes grumbled.

  “So can we?” Charles asked. “Even if only a couple hours. With the Aldus thing being a bust and the feds taking us as soon as we get there. We just want to get our stories tight.”

  Stokes exhaled. “I’m sorry about it all. I really am. I wish the video footage would have shown the hand off to Aldus. Instead it only made Emir look guilty.”

  “We appreciate you trying.”

  “Yeah, well, I didn’t do much except vouch for your character. Don’t think that will mean squat when Homeland takes … ow!” Stokes’ hand immediately slapped to the back of his neck. He thought at first he was bit by something. “Son of a bitch.” And then he saw Emir with an air injector. “What the hell did you do?”

  “Showing our appreciation,” Emir stated.

  “You gave me the virus.” Stokes said,

  “No, I gave you the antidote slash vaccine,” Emir stated. “Just in case the reason they didn’t find the virus on Aldus is because he already dropped it.”

  “High and mighty over Las Vegas,” Stokes said. “Fortunately, the feds aren’t totally dismissing that scenario. Without any virus on him or indication that he had one, it’s tough to prove.”

  “Oh, I beg to differ,” Charles said. “Unfortunately or fortunately, however you want to view it. We’ll know for sure in seventy-two hours.”

  <><><><>

  Littlefield, AZ

  June 26

  The Dollar Barn was hopping, then again it always was busy on Wednesday. It was senior citizen day. Macy didn’t get why they did that. While it was nice to give ten percent off, it was an ‘everything is a buck’ store, things were already pretty cheap.

  Macy knew better than to only grab one of those carry baskets. After it got too heavy, she had to go back and grab a push cart. Thomas was pretty good about being in the store for as long as they were and how crowded it was. He clung to that dollar action figure, like it was a grand prize.

  Macy didn’t mind grabbing him a toy, after all, she looked it as a freebie. That and that cute patriotic bag she got herself. The one with the cartoon Uncle Sam’s. That was a freebie too. She was getting that discount. Not that she was a senior citizen, but when she asked Lila to keep an ear out for Clay, Lila said she would, then asked if Macy could take her older sister Clementine with her.

  Clementine was eighty and pretty sassy. She’d add a little time to Macy’s trip with getting in and out of the car and browsing the Dollar
Barn at the insanely slow pace, but Macy didn’t mind. Especially since it meant that discount.

  The wait in line made her second guess the value of the discount. The line was backed up and they barely moved in ten minutes.

  “Do you want those?” Clementine asked Thomas as he eyed the candy bar pack. “Put them in my cart.”

  “Thank you!” Thomas was excited, then shifted his eyes to Macy. “But no thank you. I don’t need them.”

  “You’re a growing boy,” Clementine argued. “Of course you need them. Here.” She grabbed the candy. “I’ll get them because you’re so good.”

  Again, Thomas glanced at Macy. “No, really, I don’t need them.” He took them from the cart.

  “Hmm,” Clementine stared at the boy then gave a cross look to Macy. “Is it because your mom thinks you’re fat.”

  Macy immediately blurted out a shocked. “Oh my God! No!”

  “Mom?” Thomas peeped out her named with a cracked voice. “Do you think I’m fat?”

  “No! You said you didn’t need them,” Macy argued.

  “Because you were giving me the look.”

  “I was giving the look because I didn’t want you to take advantage of Clementine. Oh my God. Here.” She grabbed the candy and tossed it in the cart. “Take advantage. Wait.” She grabbed another. “Really take advantage.” She gave a ‘take that’ look to Clementine, then remembered she had forgotten something. “Oh, shoot, I didn’t get paper towels and foil.”

  “All this time in the store and you didn’t see them?” Clementine asked.

  Macy was speechless. She didn’t know how to respond. She looked at the line and hated to ask. “Clementine, can you watch my cart. I’ll be right back. Come on, Thomas.” She reached for his hand.

  “I’m good enough to watch your cart but not your kid?”

  “This discount totally isn’t worth this abuse,” Macy said. “I’ll be right back.” Leaving Thomas, darted though the massive line to retrieve the items she missed.

  <><><><>

  “Four hours and counting,” Charles said. “We’ll pull over after this town." He glanced down to the map. “What is this again?”

  “We have GPS.”

  “Yes, well, always know how to read a map.” He ran his finger over the folded map. “Littlefield. We’ll pull over after this town. We’ll be in Nevada and you can ride with Stokes.”

  “Me?” Emir asked as he drove. “This is my car. Why should I ride with him?”

  “Because he is not a very good conversationalist. He talks way too much about nothing.”

  “It makes the time pass.”

  “Not when you have a lot on your mind,” Charles said. “I have a lot on my mind.”

  “I’m not going to do well in prison,” Emir stated.

  “You have experience.”

  Emir gasped. “It was kid jail. That is hardly the same thing. And the facility that I attended was very low risk.”

  “I don’t think it will matter. I think they’ll need us before the jury can say guilty.”

  “This brings me to a very scary thought.”

  “What is that?” Charles asked.

  “Can you imagine being arrested, being detained, being locked up until trial and everyone gets sick and dies.”

  Charles sat back. “They’d have to release us.”

  “Apparently you never read the book, The Stand.”

  “No, I haven’t.”

  “How did you never read it? You’re a virologist.”

  “Exactly,” Charles said. “I can see myself just getting annoyed. Like this town. Why is there a stop light in this town?”

  “Because the cross over road is a main one.” Just as Emir lifted his foot from the brake, he jolted to a stop. “And this.” he pointed.

  A young woman crossed the street. She not only pushed a stroller, she held the hand of a toddler. They moved slowly, she obviously knew she started crossing when she shouldn’t have. She paused at the hood of Emir’s car and gave an apologetic look to him.

  He lifted his hand in a wave as if to say that it was all right.

  “Only in a small town,” said Charles.

  “It wouldn’t be bad to live in a place like this.”

  “No not at all.”

  The young woman cleared the crosswalk and Emir lifted his foot from the brake and placed it on the gas to go.

  “Emir!” Charles cried out. “The light!”

  SLAM!

  “Oh my God.” Stokes panicked. He saw it happen as if in slow motion. He was behind Emir’s car and nearly hit him when he stopped on green to let the woman cross the road. He thought Emir was watching the light. It had turned red and Emir hadn’t notice.

  The second he pulled through the red light, Stokes saw it.

  The tractor trailer rolled down the four lane road through the intersection. It didn’t slow down, nor stop because it had the light.

  By the time the truck realized Emir was in the intersection, it was too late.

  Stokes hadn’t moved. He never planned on it. So he was witness to it all and it horrified him.

  The sound of air brakes was the terrifying forewarning. The truck careened into the driver’s side of the mini SUV. Emir’s vehicle was a billiard ball. The impact caused it to fly up into the air, and upon landing it rolled three times. The vehicle ended up on its roof and the momentum of the crash caused it to spin out of control down the road. It finally stopped spinning when it hit into a telephone pole. The force of that hit, stopped the spinning and sailed the vehicle on an angle down the road.

  It happened quickly, but Stokes saw that it wasn’t over. The SUV wasn’t stopping. It was on a full force sliding collision path with a building.

  Stokes jerked the wheel, pulled over and jumped out.

  Macy had grabbed the paper towels and aluminum foil. She had just realized she needed parchment paper when she heard the squeal of airbrakes. No sooner did her fingers grab the roll, she heard a series of bangs, and the lights flickered and then went out.

  For certain, not only was there an accident outside, it was a bad one. Arms full in the back of the store, she turned to hurry upfront to see. She wanted to know what was going on. A few steps into her journey, she heard the horrified screams of those in the front of the store a split second before the sound of breaking glass. The entire structure shook and Macy lost her balance. But not before she saw the out of control SUV smash through the front windows of the store.

  FOURTEEN – Debris and desperation

  Littlefield, AZ

  June 26

  Order of importance. What to worry about most? No matter what hit his list as top priority in way of concern, Stokes was horrified. His heart beat out of control, he screamed internally and panicked. Something he rarely did.

  He saw the accident and knew it wasn’t good. Was Emir alive? Charles? The people on the street or those in the store? His mind raced faster than his legs, but with each pounding step he couldn’t help but think of the world’s deadliest biological weapon that was in the SUV packed in a case no sturdier than a six pack beer carrier.

  The small, no name, one stop light town was instantly transformed into a war zone.

  While Emir’s SUV didn’t hit any other cars, he did hit pedestrians. The bodies of four people were strewn across the road. The fallen telephone pole landed on the car. And the store front of the Dollar something or other was completely demolished. What of the people inside. The unaware shoppers?

  Stokes could see the blinking lights of Emir’s SUV inside the store. The tail lights glowed brightly through the dust of the wreckage. People raced to help. But who would Stokes help first?

  He had to focus on the store. On Emir and Charles. Just as he crossed the street, Stokes learned what become of Charles. He was thrown from the vehicle. His body lay on its side a half a block from the smashed store. Was it Charles? Was it really him? He couldn’t be sure, and changing his direction, Stokes ran to him.

  A group had
gathered around him.

  “Is he alive?” some asked, standing over Charles.

  “Yeah. He is. Barely. Someone call 911.”

  There was blood, lots of it and Charles didn’t look good. The request to call for emergency services seemed ridiculous to Stokes. At that point, the local police probably heard the crash.

  After seeing that Charles was tended to, Stokes raced toward the store.

  More than finding out the fate of Emir, he had to find out what happened to the virus he was carrying.

  The force of the impact shook the store. It felt like an earthquake causing Macy to lose her footing. Left foot behind right, she stumbled back and fell backwards to the tile floor. For the few seconds that felt like an hour, items toppled on her, ceiling tiles fell. She felt the hit of every items that banged against her. When it stopped, legs weakened, she stood.

  Macy was in the fog for a moment. Confused and scared. Her face felt wet and she wondered if the sprinkler system dripped on her. Wiping her face, she glance down to her fingers.

  Blood.

  She was bleeding. Just as she saw the blood, she saw the bright sunlight that burst through the dark store. Lifting her eyes, she saw the destroyed store front and the SUV that flew inside and landed in the front register area.

  Her heart plunged to her stomach and she ran forward.

  “Oh, God. Thomas!”

  Stokes hesitated in shock when he stepped through the crumbled store front.

  “Anyone.” A man shouted. “If you are able to help. Please! Lend a hand. We need help.”

  People cried and screamed. The front end registers were smashed. Items were strewn across the store and there was blood. Lots of blood.

  “Thomas!” he heard a woman call. “Thomas please.”