by RM Hamrick
Audra tried to change the subject.
“You’re probably a good fit if you know Vesna. How do you know her?”
“Her husband was a scientist here, but he went home to his family. I hoped he had made it.”
This was news to Audra. Ziv wasn’t their only connection to this lab. Audra recalled that Vesna had yet to visit the outpost.
“He left to care for his family. We weren’t even trying to find a cure. I figured lots of facilities were working on it. We were trying to determine if the work Lysent paid us to do had played a role in the epidemic.”
“What do you mean? What work were you doing here?” Satomi asked.
She glanced around at the equipment already in place and tried to imagine what could have been done.
“We had our own independent work through grants, but often we did Lysent contracts to keep the place afloat. The contracts would only be small pieces of a broader project. That way individual private labs could not figure out what the end product was.”
“Standards of compartmentalization,” piped in Ryder, familiar with the concept.
“We had handled RNA sequences a couple of times for Lysent. They always had viral applications, but not for any of the viruses we had. We figured out how to add a little tail of information to the RNA that was nonfunctional but served as an identification marker. It became protocol, but we didn’t mention it to anyone and only used it on Lysent projects.”
“Damn, you thought you’d find your work somewhere you didn’t want it to be? Like… in the virus?”
Audra had never heard Satomi curse. Tagging RNA must have been an extreme measure, the procedure likely flying over Audra’s head, but the implication did not. Could there be proof that Lysent caused the world’s downfall?
Ziv’s voice was cold.
“And that’s why you brought an infected person in here and killed everyone. I told you it was a bad idea,” he announced.
“Yes, we were trying to retrieve a sample of the viral infection, isolate it, and then find out if our tag was in the RNA material of the virus.”
Despite the heaviness of the room, Audra hid a giggle. She remembered the words Satomi had shared with her at lunch. She joked that Ziv had not been eager to bring an infected person into the laboratory, “especially if it would be smarter and more useful than himself.”
“What does it matter if it is there? Their plan succeeded,” said Ziv, his snark back.
“Not everyone believes that Lysent is behind this, in fact, few believe it. They trust the corporation will get us out of this mess with rationing and governance. If we have evidence they were behind all of it, we would have a lot of leverage against them,” spoke Ryder.
“Leverage to do what?” asked Satomi.
“To know and be with our loved ones. To get fair food rations and shelter. To not have the corporation hands all over everything.”
“Do you guys have a cell line going?”
“No phones,” said Dwyn, happy to know more than someone in the room.
“No, no… a cell culture line we can use to isolate the virus.”
Dwyn’s body seemed to retreat into itself in embarrassment.
“I’ve been trying to immortalize a cell line,” said Satomi.
Turning to Dwyn she explained, “Cells don’t replicate indefinitely. But you need them to in order to do experiments like isolate a virus.”
Satomi gave a sweet smile and Dwyn pulled his chest back out and nodded in understanding. Audra was not sure what to make of the interaction.
Gordon agreed to help Satomi in creating a medium to grow and isolate the virus. When they were ready, they would need a saliva sample from another infected subject.
Gordon’s eyes hung heavy. He had been able to converse, maintain body posture, and be a real person, but it seemed to take a great energy expenditure. He was still recovering, no matter if he could think of and say words like ‘disconcerting.’ Dwyn offered to share his room as it would be comfier than the conference table that Gordon had slept on the night before in his half-zombie state.
Audra’s eyes squinted a little at the offer. A surprising amount of envy and anger washed over her. She took a moment to place it. Then, she recognized Gordon’s charmed life. Here, he had played around with a zombie at the start and gotten bit. Perhaps the laboratory was a gory scene, but it was a single scene he’d endured. He did not see his family get ripped apart or spend months in the woods hiding and hoping that the world would not end. He would not be unable to sleep because the office ceiling was too high. Audra fought hard and he waited in a lab.
“How are you feeling?” asked the ever medical-assessing Satomi before Gordon left the room.
“At first, I didn’t know. But now I can place it. It’s not pain. I’ve just spent the last… how many years again, did you say?… in pain. My joints and muscles - they were on fire. I felt like I was on fire,” whispered Gordon.
Audra ran from the room.
Belinda could feel. And all she could feel was fire, a burning pain. Audra’s mind rushed to the cabin in the woods. Belinda had had night terrors from that day on. And all of Audra now sank into the thought that Belinda was living it. She had been living it all these years.
Did Lysent know? Of course, Lysent knew! If they had awoken anyone, they knew. Lysent hid this from its people and continued to treat loved ones like currency despite their pain and suffering.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The group worked long hours on the three projects, isolating the virus to identify the marker, replicating the antidote, and aerosolizing it for an effective delivery system. Audra and Dwyn felt useless in most regards in the laboratory, but they supported and protected the scientists on all other fronts. They foraged for food, kept morale up, settled minor disputes (always involving Ziv), and retrieved supplies. Audra and Dwyn also took turns tagging zoms far from the laboratory, never circling it. As expected, no one had put down a deposit on a six-month rent. It didn’t matter. Herders could come corral her tags for all she cared. Audra just wanted Lysent to believe this was her only choice.
More than a month passed before they sequenced the virus’s genetic material, but the truth came out. Gordon’s RNA marker was found in the virus’s genetic material. With some paperwork and data, it was possible to show that Lysent had employed people and contracted out work to develop the virus. Breakthroughs usually led to rejoicing, but this one didn’t.
For the scientists, one question remained. Why? Why would a successful company worth billions of dollars effectively destroy their customer base?
Audra would deliver their findings to Vesna. They gave her a full briefing and verbal tests afterward to make sure she knew and understood their case, front to back. Audra had learned more about RNA than she ever cared to know. She learned more about virus life cycles than she knew existed. Despite the microbiology, the premise of the proof was simple and undeniable. While the scientists wondered why, Audra wondered how. How could their group use this information for their benefit? With documents in her pack and Dwyn by her side, she ran to Vesna in hopes she would act. Was Vesna made of guts or talk?
“How did you and Vesna meet?” Audra asked Dwyn during their run.
“Vesna was my first stop when I became a tagger. She saw I was kinda lost and offered to let me stay and work for her until I was ready to set out on my own. When she saw how much I hated the system, she explained her role in the resistance network.”
“Is there a leader?”
“Over Vesna? I don’t think they’re that organized yet, despite what Vesna would tell you. She puts on a show to protect. If we’re small, we’re easy to wipe out. A pervasive and large network is better. She may share this information with other towns. She may not. I hope she does.”
Tears streamed down Vesna’s face when she realized the gift Audra and the scientists handed to her.
“Ziv was right. Gary was right,” she muttered to herself.
Gary. Gary must be
her husband’s name.
“Explain it again,” she said to Audra.
Audra disseminated the information to Vesna in lay terms then with science to support it. She was proud of herself and her elementary school education. Sure, she might not be perfect in her explanation, but if she could understand it, others could, too.
Vesna stopped muttering to herself to give orders.
“Dwyn, you go back and help the others with the antiviral. Audra and I will take this to the corporation to get more food rations for the villagers and get the six-month hold taken off.”
This is what Audra was waiting for. She could hardly believe her ears that Vesna was including the ban without her prodding.
“Why those things?” Audra dared to ask.
“It’s a good starting point. We will also ask them to release the prisoners of the indentured taggers. Let the indentured decide if they want to continue their contracts. We will get concessions. In return, they can stay in charge. Then, we topple them with the antidote.”
Audra’s jaw dropped.
“Thank you,” was all Audra could muster.
She had tried to take off with the antidote. And yet, Vesna was ignoring the betrayal and even rewarding her. But, the fire in Vesna’s eyes told Audra that she had little to do with it. Vesna was after Lysent. Even she had grown impatient. She was ready to strike.
“Dwyn, please head back to the lab and help the scientists. That is the next part of the plan,” requested Vesna.
Dwyn’s face wrinkled. Doubt shadowed his face, but no one sought his opinion.
“OK, but at least let me help you plan out the negotiation before I go.”
* * *
Vesna threw up her hands after stumbling again through the explanation.
“School was never my strong suit. Gary was the smart one,” she admitted.
They both felt it was important that Vesna present the science during the negotiation. Audra tried again to trace the connections in the material for Vesna, the same as Satomi had for her. At the end, Audra glanced to Vesna, who met her with deep set worry. Eyes that did not show concern when she sent scientists out into the wilderness or predicted that Audra would join their ranks, showed a past life of under-confidence resurfacing. Audra gave her a small squeeze around the shoulders to reassure. She set aside the paper and made her own illustrations as she talked it over once more in simpler words and fewer presumptions.
Vesna’s eyes brightened up three-fourths through this new presentation and Audra could see the ideas click together in her brain. Vesna then explained it back to her, even connecting ideas mentioned in previous lectures. With a second round, she was ready to explain this to a layperson like Larange, because she herself learned it that way. It was time.
Audra wrapped a light fabric scarf around her head and face and tucked it in tight. It would not be unusual and would disguise her identity from all but the most familiar of faces. Vesna may be willing to show her hand to Lysent, but Audra was not.
Audra and Vesna walked through the plaza and up the steps to the large building. Inside Rosie sat in front as always.
“We would like an audience with Larange Greenly, please,” Vesna requested.
Rosie gave a questioning look to first Vesna then Audra.
“No, that won’t be possible.”
“We have something of the corporation’s interest. Give us the highest person you can and we will start from there,” said Vesna undeterred.
“Actually,” said Audra, “give us a scientist.”
With some amusement, Rosie picked up the phone and pushed buttons.
“Dr. Lambert, do you have time to see a couple walk-ins?”
“Your names?” she directed toward the women.
“Ashley Williams and Veronica Peters.”
Rosie recited the names through the phone, staring at Audra pointedly. Rosie had helped Audra every time she’d visited, and had seen her grow in the past 3 years like she was her own child coming back from play. She recognized her but kept her secret for now.
Rosie nodded, even though Dr. Lambert could not see, and hung up the phone.
“He will be with you shortly.”
Dr. Lambert was a tall, skinny man with glasses and graying wavy hair. He smiled when he arrived at the front lobby. Without greeting, Vesna shoved the papers into his chest. His eyes squinted in confusion. He looked through the stack of papers, reading each title page and scanning its contents. After he finished his first scan, he offered nothing to Vesna or Audra. He walked over to the front desk and spoke in hushed words to Rosie.
“It’s probably a good time to tell you that this is not the only copy and we have people waiting for us,” Vesna said.
She spoke disproportionately smoother and cooler than Audra’s rapid heartbeat suggested.
Rosie ushered them into a conference room. Audra sat down and Vesna paced back and forth. Dr. Lambert had not followed them.
“Just sit down, V. They will make us wait uncomfortably long. You might as well settle,” she said motioning to a chair next to her.
Truthfully, Vesna’s pacing was making her nervous. Audra did not know how the corporation would handle this. They were probably somewhere on the other side of the door trying to figure it out as well.
Vesna agreed and just as her bottom was about to reach the chair, she jumped back up as the conference doors swung open and there stood Larange Greenly, her small petite frame dwarfed by the large entrance. It was difficult to picture her plotting the end of the world. Audra looked at her graying hair and weak frame. She could not help but wonder if they were wrong. Larange sharply turned her face and Audra saw a spark of both fire and darkness in her eyes. Her heart dropped into her stomach.
Two guards were behind Greenly, the same size and shape of the two when she’d announced the cure to the crowds. Dr. Lambert and a few others followed behind them. Audra assumed them to be officials for Greenly. Two of them were rather portly, an unusual sight considering.
Vesna did not want to give away that she jumped in fright, so she reached over the table to shake Greenly’s hand. Audra was not about to stand up and offer her hand to this evil woman. She gave a small nod, instead.
“Why are we here?” asked Greenly, her voice noncommittal, proper, and with an accent Audra couldn’t place.
“These two have an interesting theory. It’s a new stab of propaganda. Their theory is that the corporation started the virus. That is… what this concludes, correct?” He looked at Vesna.
“It’s proof.”
“And where did you get such ‘proof’?” asked Greenly.
She spat the last word as if it tasted foul. Her lips cringed upward on a sour face.
“It only matters that we have it,” answered Vesna weakly.
Neither Greenly nor her cohorts had sat down, as if they were uninterested in staying. They pretended they had the upper hand, even if that was not the case, and Vesna was already floundering. Vesna did not sit down either but seemed undecided about both that decision and the conversation’s direction.
“We will figure out where you cobbled together this incorrect information. A nearby lab, no doubt,” reported Dr. Lambert.
Audra’s mind went to Dwyn and the others. If her eyes flashed fear, she reeled it back in. They needed to change the direction of this meeting now. Being the only one sitting, Audra stood up with the others.
“Look. You can do that, but it’s too late. We’ve already got the documentation and sent it to others. You can’t cover this up. Everyone will know.
“However, we are willing to work with you,” Audra said.
Greenly’s stance did not change. Her expression did not change. But she did not leave or open her mouth, so Audra continued.
“We think it’s great you’re in power. No one can do a better job. To be honest, we know the people are better off not knowing the truth about this epidemic. We just want a few changes for them.”
Vesna seemed to collect herself
by this point. She stood with her arms crossed, mirroring Greenly.
“We want to even out the food rations between those in the corporation and those doing meaningful jobs in the village. And everyone has a meaningful job in the village,” Vesna noted.
She continued.
“We also want you to remove the six-month awakening ban and give the indentured taggers an opportunity to find different accommodations for their loved ones outside the villages. They will still owe you, but they will be able to stop the insurmountable growth of their debt.
“We think this would be best for you, too. It’s better for long term stability if the worker ants are happy and busy.”
“You do not want control?” she asked, her eyes shifting back and forth between the two. She even seemed to almost imperceptibly exhale.
“No, you would stay in control.”
Greenly motioned with her hand and the papers were delivered upon them. She scanned through the documents, her eyebrows almost coming together, perhaps due to concentration but maybe emotion. Greenly knew something. Audra had always assumed that Greenly was an opportunistic manager of a Georgia Lysent branch, but was that all of her story? She didn’t seem surprised by their accusations.
After scanning the papers, she looked up and assessed her confronters. Audra felt that same discerning gaze that had given her a reader and a contract years ago. Then, in a flash of anger, Greenly closed the distance between them. Her guards followed with a delay, taken aback.
“If I hear any rumor of this,” shaking the papers in their faces, “then I’ll cut rations in half and shut down the awakening project altogether. You don’t realize how difficult it is to keep balance in this village. You think you are suffering, but you don’t know the half of it. Without my determination to do what’s right to keep things going around here, we’d all be hurting. Take your stupid zombies, but you won’t get rations until the debt is paid. Wake up whoever has cash. What do I care? I’m just trying to hold this HELL HOLE together.”
“We appreciate your um, cooperation, considering. How do we know you will keep your word?” Vesna asked.
