Burning Skies (Book 2): Fallout

by Druga, Jacqueline

  “There,” Huang said with appoint.

  Liu rode front seat passenger in the jeep and Huang pointed to her just inside the fenced area speaking to soldiers. She wore a uniform and a gasmask over her face. He could still see her eyes and when he pulled up, they widened.

  “Stay here. I wish you not to be part of this confrontation. For your own good.”

  Once the jeep had stopped, Liu stepped out and walked straight to Fen.

  There was no avoiding him.

  “Agent Shu, may I have a word?”

  She nodded and followed him away from the earshot of others.

  “I would request you remove that mask,” he said.

  “I prefer for my safety, that I leave it on.”

  “Then you know about the illness.”

  “I do.”

  “Remove the mask. You are at a detainment camp.”

  “There is illness here. Our experts say it is airborne, highly contagious, remains alive for thirty-six hours in the air and on surfaces, and its current fatality rate without treatment is ninety-percent.”

  “What experts give you this information?” he asked. “I have been searching for it. I need to know what it is.”

  “It is a variation of EV-71. A manmade synthetic form of it.”

  “A biological weapon?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Would this be the same one tested in 1994 that killed over three hundred children in less than ten days?”

  “It would be, yes,” she said.

  “Then this is ours. We did this.”

  Smug, she replied, “We did. I told you that we needed them helpless. This is the way to do so.”

  “Our own men and woman are infected.”

  “They are casualties of war,” she said.

  “Where?” he asked. “Where was it released?”

  “We took a page from American history and tainted blankets. Those blankets were passed out at relief stations and camps close to every area hit by the bombs.”

  General Liu closed his eyes and lowered his head. “It was not needed.”

  “More than you realize, it was.”

  “Then for my sake and information, I want everything you have on it. It is now an enemy and one cannot defeat an enemy without knowing it.” He turned to walk away.

  “It is not an enemy that needs defeated. We can defeat it,” she said.

  General Liu stopped walking and turned back around to face her. “There is a cure.”

  “A treatment but it must be given within a few days.”

  “Why have we not given it out?”

  “In time. It’s our price. They want to save lives, they must pay the price. That price tag is surrender.”

  He felt as if he wanted to scold her like a child. It took everything he had to hold back his hand from waving a finger at her.

  “You say the treatment needs to be given in a few days. What happens if the surrender doesn’t come for a while?”

  “The virus will spread and it will keep on spreading.”

  “You’ll help that along.”

  “I will. General,” she huffed out, “my job was to devise a plan to get, maintain, and keep the United States of America and make it the Unified Territory of China. I am doing so. My plan will succeed.”

  “With biological warfare.”

  Fen shrugged. “Whatever it takes to break the country. Remember, bombs and firepower destroy not only living creatures but things that we need. Disease destroys our biggest threat and something we don’t need.”

  “There is no honor in winning a war this way.”

  “Yes, but, all that will be forgotten in the face of victory.”

  “Who will forget? You? I will not. I must do what I can to help those with this sickness.”

  “General,” she said. “I must remind you that you took an oath. Should you go against this, this is wartime, you will be tried for treason and executed.”

  General Liu listened to her threat, then, filled with anger and shame, turned and walked away.

  Hanlen, WV

  “Cal.” Louise said his name so softly, almost a whisper, her eyes still closed. “Cal,” she called for him, swatting away the cloth as he wiped down her head.

  “What?” he replied compassionately. “What is it?”

  “Stop. You don’t need to do that.”

  “Yes, I do.”

  She whispered his name once more and then she fell back to sleep.

  That was the way she had been, waking, passing out, talking, then quiet. Cal believed she was close to maybe turning that bend of a recovery but thought perhaps Dr. Dan believed otherwise.

  Moments earlier he had come over to check on Louise. He did so quietly, said nothing and walked away.

  He didn’t change her empty IV bag or give her the medication for pain.

  Cal supposed the doctor had a lot on his mind. It had gotten hectic. Twelve people had died the day before in that gym, and Cal helped carry those bodies out. Each day someone passed away or someone got better enough to leave or stand and help. It cleared some space in the gym. Cal took advantage of that. He confiscated a corner and moved Louise there, grabbing a of couple blankets and making a wall of privacy.

  He couldn’t move her far, she needed the constant medical treatment, but he wanted to give her some dignity.

  “Hey,” Jake said softly as he parted the blanket curtain and stepped into the sectioned area. “I’m back if you want to take a break.”

  “Yeah, thanks.” Cal stood with a stretch of his arms. “I want to do my rounds.”

  Jake nodded and claimed the chair next to Louise.

  “She wake up at all?” Jake asked.

  “A little here and there. She bitched at me.”

  “That’s a good sign.”

  “It is. How as it out there?” Cal asked.

  “We went south and east, of course, got some supplies, didn’t go too far.”

  “Did you see anymore of … of them?”

  “The enemy soldiers?” Jake shook his head. “No. Still can’t figure out why there were in that piss-ant town. Parkersburg is not a big metropolis.”

  “On their way to Washington, maybe?” Cal guessed.

  “Washington’s gone, so I can’t figure out why they were there. But I haven’t seen any more and this was the third time I went out in two days.”

  “I saw some new faces working out there this morning. Did you meet them?” Cal asked.

  “Yeah, but I heard they were here from the beginning. Locals. They’re the ones that brought all these people here. But … since they aren’t finding any more to bring in and with no reports of the new thing.”

  “What new thing?”

  “Guys on the truck were talking about some new bug that’s spreading through the camps and towns. They’re saying that’s why we haven’t gotten any of the Chinese doctors because they’re busy out west.”

  “You’re kidding me? Nuclear weapons, an invasion, and now this?” Cal shook his head. “What’s the rest of the world like?”

  “You know as much as I do.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. I’m going to go talk to Dr. Dan before my rounds. He was pretty quiet the last time he came in here. Louise is overdue to change her IV and medication. I’ll be back.” Cal drew back the blanket and stepped out.

  He spotted the doctor across the gym standing at a table, his hands moving about the air and head going back and forth scanning the table as if searching. Cal felt bad for him. He knew he was busy, he was the only doctor and he looked worn out, tired. He also looked about twenty years older than his age of thirty-five.

  Cal cleared his throat when he approached him. “Excuse me, Dr. Dan.”

  Dan turned around. “Oh, hey there, Cal.” He turned away again and looked at the items on the table.

  “Everything alright?” Cal asked. “Can I help you find something?”

  “No. No, thanks. I’m trying to assess what we have and it’s not much.”
<
br />   “Jake said they got some stuff.”

  “They did. Not enough. Our best bet is Charleston, but you and I know that town is probably sieged. There’s a few more volunteer fire stations and emergency garages, we may find some medicine but we need IVs, probably have to make them ourselves.”

  “Let me know, I’ll help.”

  “I know you will. Thank you.”

  “Speaking of help … you checked on Louise. You didn’t change her bag. Give her the meds. I didn’t wanna just grab one, but I can if you’re busy. I can change it.”

  Dan didn’t reply.

  “Dan?”

  Heavily, he sighed and turned around. “Cal, supplies are low.”

  “You said that.”

  “They’re also a commodity. Louise … she isn’t good, Cal. She… she isn’t going to get anymore medication.”

  “What?”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “If you don’t give her the meds, she will die.”

  “She probably will die anyhow. She isn’t good. She didn’t respond to the Prussian Blue. We’ll give her saline to keep her hydrated, but that’s it. I can’t justify using the medication on her, I can’t.”

  “So, we give up.”

  “I have to give up. If you want to try to take her up to Parkersburg or maybe Charleston. Our illustrious invaders have hospitals set up there.”

  “You think it’s worth a shot?”

  “You can try. But you have to be careful. There are new cases of that virus going around. There might be up there.”

  Cal nodded. He saw a woman and two men moving around the gym. They were the workers he noticed the day before. “Since you have help, I think I’ll talk to Jake about going there.”

  “You do that, but Cal …” Dan called out stopping Cal as he started to walk away. “I know this is painful and hard. But if … if she survives it will be a long recovery and even then, she faces long-term debilitating effects. Allowing her to pass peacefully may be the humane thing to do.”

  Cal didn’t reply, he only made eye contact with Dan and then walked back to the section where Louise rested.

  “What’s going on?” Jake asked.

  Cal whispered, “He isn’t giving her any more meds. He says he can’t justify it.”

  Jake nodded. “There are several others they stopped giving meds to as well.”

  “It’s not fair,” Cal said. “How can they do that?”

  “Don’t take this wrong,” Jake said, “but put yourself in the other position. Say Louise had a good shot of getting better but needed more medication. Medication that was going to people who were going to die anyhow.”

  “We don’t know that Louise is going to be one of those people.”

  “We know what her chances are.”

  Cal closed his eyes and shook his head in disgust.

  “I’m not being a dick here, Cal. I’m just being honest.”

  “Cal,” Louise called him weakly.

  “Yes, I’m here.” Cal rushed to her side.

  Her eyes were open. “I’m in this room.”

  “What?” Cal asked.

  “You’re talking about me like … like I ain’t here. I am. I hear you.”

  “I’m sorry.” Cal grabbed her hand. “I am so sorry. Look, we aren’t staying. We aren’t. We’re leaving.”

  “Good,” she said. “Good.”

  “I’m gonna take you out of here. Jake … Jake if he will, can drive us.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “We’re gonna shoot for Parkersburg or maybe even Charleston,” Cal said. “Get you some medical attention there, see if they can—”

  “No.” Louise cut him off. “No. They’re right. You can’t waste medicine on me.”

  “We have to fight,” Cal said. “We do. You said it was good we’re leaving.”

  “Yes. Leaving this place. I want to leave. I … want to go home. Ripley. We can’t be far. I don’t want to die here. I want to die at my home.”

  “You’re not dying.”

  Louise closed her eyes tightly. “I wanna go home, Cal, please.” She opened her eyes, looked at him, and squeezed his hand. “Please say you’ll take me home.”

  “If he don’t,” a woman spoke up as she entered, “I will.” A middle-aged woman with a hardened face, and a twang to her rough voice, stepped closer. “I’ll take you home. I’m headed there. Ripley. I’ll take ya.”

  “Excuse me,” Cal said. “Who are you?”

  “We met.” She shook his hand. “You may not remember. I’m Helen. Helen Watson. Me, my son, and my husband tugged you off that boat.”

  “Oh, wow.” Jake walked up to her and shook her hand. “Thank you very much.”

  Helen nodded. “I was coming back to check on her. I was speaking to that other fella, Rick?” She said his name as if she were guessing it. “He just got back from a run. I spoke to him. He’s gonna stay back and help out here with my son. I’m headed down to Ripley, steal some of their volunteers for up here. The ones that can’t help out … elsewhere.”

  Cal shook his head like a confused cat. “I … I’m lost. Ripley, her hometown, it has medical help?”

  “About as much as here,” Helen said. “Like here, it’s secluded, hasn’t been touched or visited by the invasion. Right now, it’s also a temporary hub. We have a better place, we’ll go there. We’re pulling resources and I am talking to every able-bodied person I can find. While you two aren’t all that able bodied … yet. You will be. And your state right now, might work to our advantage. Especially you. You don’t sound like you’re from around here,” she spoke to Cal.

  “I’m not. I was on vacation.”

  “Oh, good,” Helen said. “I spoke to the other guy. He doesn’t look American, but he is. He’s so damned Americanized he wouldn’t pass for anything else. But you, Cal, you may be able to help.”

  Jake held up his hands. “I’m confused, and I am missing something. We volunteer here at this medical camp. I mean, I am happy to get Louise home, but they need us here.”

  “I’ll get people for up here,” she said. “People that can’t do what we need them to do.”

  “And that is?” Jake asked.

  “Fight,” Helen answered, then glanced at Cal. “Infiltrate as an innocent bystander, not from this country. I can’t get into details, mainly because I’ll probably get them all wrong. We have a man in Ripley who can explain it all. We can get her home, comfortable, and get you to set up.”

  “So, you’re starting a resistance?” Jake asked.

  “Starting? Honey we have one. We’re making it bigger,” she said. “Don’t know if you know this, but this country was attacked and invaded. We have a few hundred thousand Chinamen soldiers, screaming, ‘we’re here to save you,’ when we know they’re not. They not only came to our backyard and picked a fight, they took our country. And we”—she winked—“we’re gonna take it back.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Swall, CA – San Joaquin Valley

  They weren’t kidding around.

  At the crack of dawn the next day, just when Joe was having his breakfast, his workers showed up. The workers that were promised to him by the Asian man in a suit that came with the mayor.

  All of the workers were young and fit, and they didn’t say much. In fact, Joe swore they looked at him like he was some sort of prison warden.

  They tossed out, “Yes sir” and “No sir” like Joe was some kind of big shot.

  He wasn’t.

  He never presented himself that way and his own workers treated him like a pal.

  Where were his workers?

  In fact, Joe didn’t know a single person that showed up at his farm. They all arrived in the back of a truck, filed out, and waited.

  Saul said he had the same experience. Only he called his workers, ‘Grown up Children of the Corn’ people.

  Joe explained what they had to do and only a few times did he have to stop and show them again. They were spot on, worked fast and moved
toward the quota. A quota Joe thought was ridiculous.

  He had to deliver six cartons of product a day. Six days a week. They gave him three days to get his first delivery in.

  The workers produced well that first day, two cartons and Joe was impressed with that because they had not done so before.

  When they were done for the day, they stood quietly, waiting on for the truck which arrived promptly at six o’clock.

  Joe had a plan and he’d share it with the workers after they trusted him. He’d have them produce seven cartons a day, reaching their quota on Friday and when they came to work on Saturday they could just relax.

  But like they didn’t trust him, Joe was uncertain about them.

  When the day arrived to deliver that first quota, they had already produced enough for the next day, but Joe didn’t bring it. He figured if he showed up with more they’d raise that quota.

  He wasn’t even sure how he was supposed to turn it over. All he was told was take the daily quota to the distribution center.

  Where the heck is the distribution center? Joe wondered. He figured worst came to worst he would head to the mayor’s office.

  Joe didn’t like him.

  The mayor was on his short list of people he was going to have a word with after the war was over and done.

  On the morning the quota was due, Joe left the workers, loaded his truck, and headed into town.

  The second he pulled into town, he felt as if it were surreal and his mind went immediately to the actor William H. Macy.

  There was something about Macy that Joe just loved. He always judged celebrities on who he’d sit down and have a beer with, and Macy was one of them. The type of guy who would hang back on the porch, sipping a cold one, and enjoying Fat Joe’s tomato salad.

  He hadn’t thought about Macy until he arrived into town.

  Swall was a pretty little town, one of those places that could be on a postcard and a tourist attraction, had it not been so deep in the state of California. It was a town of farmers and Joe was one of them.

  They knew him at the post office when he dropped off his crates and at the Print and Go where there was a UPS counter.

  But it wasn’t freaky.