Point Of Transmission: A Post-Apocalyptic Epidemic Survival (The Morgan Strain Series Book 1)

by Max Lockwood

  “Pardon my interruption”, the colonel said, standing up from his seat in the back, “but why do we want to willingly infect our own army? How will this not end in the disaster that we’re currently in? What makes you think that these rage symptoms will be useful to our men and women?”

  “I understand that it’s risky, but if you’re looking for motivation for your soldiers to fight, this is it. Put it in their MREs or even call it an energy shot if they don’t want to take it willingly—for exhausted or unmotivated soldiers who are having a hard time getting into the fighting spirit.”

  “And why can’t we just recruit soldiers to do the jobs we need them to do in the matter we need them to do it?”

  “I think I can answer this one, Colonel,” Agent Stephens said. “If you’re looking at who you’re fighting, it’s not your average soldiers from sovereign nations. These are smaller fringe groups that really feel like they’re fighting for something. They’re pissed as hell, and your soldiers just can’t match that intensity, especially when you’re fighting on behalf of another nation. It’s not their battle to fight, and they’re doing their job, but not with the intensity you need. This virus could make them so much more efficient.”

  The colonel sat down, a frown on his face. He didn’t look convinced about the proposal, but he didn’t look upset about it either.

  “As I was saying,” Bretton continued, “this virus will give them rage and extra athleticism. In rats, the rage period makes them fifty percent faster and stronger than in their natural state. Think of what this could do to your top soldiers who are in peak physical condition already. This would elevate them to new heights. I know that performance-enhancing drugs are usually frowned upon, but these aren’t sports stars. These are our finest military personnel. I predict that one infected soldier could do the work of two uninfected when it comes to combat.”

  The conference room went silent. Enlistment numbers had been down for years. A mistrust in the government and increased international conflicts had not been good for their numbers. If they could increase efficiency without having to deploy more soldiers, then they were in good shape.

  “The good thing about this virus is that it is very temporary. It cannot spread through human contact, and it cannot survive for long in the human body either. Within hours, the effects will go away. We’re seeing a lot of lethargy after the rage has worn off, but that’s something that can be dealt with. It’s perhaps the body’s way of recovering from such a high-energy-consuming state. It’s probably good for the soldiers to take it easy during this time to be safe. But you can always try traditional drugs like caffeine to counteract the lethargy.”

  “What’s next?” the colonel asked.

  Bretton clenched his fists. He felt like he had everybody in the room on board with what he was working on. He took his shot.

  “Human trials.”

  “Do you have reason to believe that your new virus will prove fatal to our soldiers?”

  “I don’t think so. Rats are easier to kill, and we haven’t lost any of those yet. I’d be shocked to see anything more serious than hangover-like symptoms.”

  “Let’s not wait any longer,” Agent Stephens said. “Why don’t we test this right now? We have no shortage of subjects here. Get one of the privates in here and see what happens.”

  Bretton looked at the colonel, expecting—and hoping—that he would deny his request. Instead, the colonel gave an unmistakable head nod.

  Before he could even think about what was going on, a small group of the senior-most members gathered in the laboratory. A steel-faced young private entered and stood at attention.

  “You’re going to need to restrain him if you don’t want anyone to get hurt,” Bretton warned. “Make sure he doesn’t injure himself either.”

  A straightjacket was obtained, and the man’s extremities were bound close to his body. Then, his torso was chained to the wall. When he could no longer move, everyone looked to Bretton.

  “Doctor Vincent, go ahead and administer the virus.”

  Bretton obliged, plunging the syringe into the crook of the soldier’s arm. Minutes passed and nothing happened. Bretton was getting nervous. If this didn’t work, then all of the excitement around his virus would fly out the window.

  Thankfully, after about a half hour, the symptoms started. First, the soldier started to tremor. Then, he snarled and growled like a bear as he fought to break out of the straightjacket. The officers in attendance looked on with interest. Bretton’s virus was just what he had advertised.

  The next few hours were painful for Bretton to watch. The soldier began to scream like a banshee as his eyes glassed over. The jacket stretched and frayed. Bretton was beginning to get nervous that he was going to break free, though it would only help his case if he did.

  By the time the symptoms finally wore off, the jacket was simply pulled off without having to untie him, it was so loose. He lay on the floor, panting and sweating.

  “Congratulations, Doctor Vincent,” Agent Stephens said, shaking his hand. “You’ve created something useful from a rogue virus. I’m impressed, and I’ll be in contact with you tomorrow about compensation agreements.”

  “Thank you,” he said, relieved that everything had worked out for him. He had completed his task, and he only needed to make a few small adjustments to make the virus perfect and marketable. But he had sealed his fate. He would be protected from whatever horrors were present in the outside world. He would be just fine.

  “Keep him in quarantine for the next twenty-four hours, just as a precaution,” Bretton said. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to go to bed now.”

  Bretton slept better that night than he had in a long time. The relief he felt was more soothing and relaxing than any sleeping pill he could take.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  “How long do you think this virus can keep up?” Will asked as he circled the block for the second time. “Like, there’s gotta be more people out there like us who have survived this long.”

  Alec was tired of the boy’s constant questions. Companionship was nice from time to time, but this was a little much for Alec. He was tired, in pain, and worried about Elaina and Natalia. Small talk, or even worse, deep discussions, were not a top priority.

  “I don’t know,” Alec sighed, looking out the window. “If they are really holding everyone in Seattle hostage, then I’m sure the rest of the world is safe.”

  “Were you not listening to the radio? They said that there are reports of the virus on every continent except for Antarctica now. This doesn’t look good for anyone right now. Think about all of the flights that went out of here before the airport was closed—hundreds of people caught the virus in their seats and it spread exponentially. Give it a few days, and I’m sure what’s happening here will start happening all over the world.”

  Alec couldn’t even imagine that happening somewhere else. Seattle was a big city, but it had nothing on the populations of other major cities across the globe. In New York City or Beijing, the death toll would be in the millions. Unless everyone in the entire world knew how to prevent the spread of viruses and was committed to staying healthy, there was no way it wouldn’t turn into a disaster, especially since there was no surviving it once infected.

  “Once we find the girls,” Will said, “we should get some of those inflatable plastic bubbles. We could make our own little bunker if we found a building and sealed it up tight. We’d need a ton of food and water, but I’m pretty good at finding resources now. We can all just hang out together and wait it out until the military comes back to clean up the dead. They’ll find us, and we’ll probably get to go on all of the talk shows as the four who survived the virus from inside the city. That would be a nice way to cash some checks.”

  Alec rolled his eyes. He couldn’t think of anything worse than surviving and becoming a minor celebrity except for not surviving at all. If Will’s fantasy came true, then he would let the kid take his airtime. Alec just
wanted to start life over again without the baggage of his past hanging over his head.

  Will slammed on the brakes. Alec lurched forward, almost hitting his head on the dashboard. A second concussion would have left him down for the count.

  “What the hell are you doing?” he chided.

  Will’s face turned pale, his eyes locked on the rearview mirror. Alec craned his neck around to see what was so startling.

  An armored car was stopped behind them. People in army uniforms and black protective masks and gloves exited the vehicle and were walking toward Alec’s truck.

  “What’s going on? What do I do?” Will asked frantically, not knowing if he should keep still or step on the gas.

  “I think we’d better see what they want,” Alec said with little confidence. He was hardwired to believe that government agencies were to be trusted and respected, but they had also been locked in a city that was crumbling. He really didn’t know whom to trust.

  He felt for his gun in his pocket. If these were foes and not friends, then he’d do his best to defend himself. Still, he knew that there was little chance of getting out of that fight alive.

  Alec rolled down the windows as the masked military men approached. Unsurprisingly, they led with their guns.

  “We’re not infected,” Alec said, holding his hands up. “Don’t shoot. I’m a police officer with the Seattle Police Department. I’m trying to help, but there’s not much I can do by myself.”

  “What’s your name?” a masked man asked.

  “Alec Lawrence.”

  “And I’m Will Domenica,” Will chimed in from the driver’s seat.

  “Stay where you are. We’re going to run your names in the database.”

  The military personnel left, and Alec quickly rolled up the windows.

  “I think this is good,” Alec said, looking over his shoulder.

  “Do you think they can help us find the girls?”

  “Maybe. At the very least, they have some sort of system to keep track of those who have been killed, displaced, or have survived so far. I wonder what their search is going to bring up for us?”

  “I don’t think we need to worry,” Will said. “We haven’t done anything wrong.”

  Alec hoped he was right.

  Eventually, the men returned with a small tablet in hand. “Do you know Sharon and Pablo Domenica?” the man asked Will.

  “Yes,” he sighed. “They’re my parents. Both recently deceased.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” the man said in a monotone voice. “How long ago was that?”

  “Almost two weeks, I believe.”

  “Have you had any symptoms?”

  Will shook his head.

  “And you?”

  “No, sir,” Alec responded.

  “Please come with us. Since there has been a travel ban for entering or exiting the city, we have been advised to round up all of the healthy survivors and place them in protective custody.”

  “Where are we going?” Will asked, his eyes wide.

  “We will take you to a camp set up near one of our bases. There, you will have access to clean water and food, along with shelter in a safe environment. However, if you enter, you must stay there until you can be relocated.”

  “How long do we have to stay there?” Alec asked, suspicious of what they were about to agree to.

  “You must remain until our doctors can clear you. I’d say you can expect to wait a week. Then, military personnel will escort you to a different location that has not experienced a breakout.”

  “Do I have to give consent to this?”

  The man shrugged. “Frankly, I don’t see why you wouldn’t. We’re offering protection to the handful of people we can find. Besides, if you don’t come with us, we’ve been ordered to use reasonable force to persuade otherwise. In the end, it’s for your own good. It’s a chance to get out of here. If I could take that deal, I would.”

  Alec tried to look through the man’s dark sunglasses. He felt some empathy for him. He had also been called into work at a time where he would have rather stayed at home. But, there were some jobs that were non-negotiable.

  “One last thing before we go with you,” Alec said. “I was traveling with two girls before we got separated. Have you been able to find anyone named Natalia or Lainey?”

  The man typed into the tablet. “Do you have any more information about them? A last name, perhaps?”

  “No, I only knew them by their first names.”

  “We’ve picked up a Natalia Vincent. She’s eighteen years old.”

  “That’s her,” Alec said with a smile, relieved that they were rescued.

  “Yes, my records show that she’s been transported to the quarantine unit. I can’t find anything about anyone named Lainey, though. If they were together, it’s possible that it hasn’t registered with the system yet. We’ve been having trouble with Internet connection. You’ll have to talk to her friend about that when you see her.”

  “Thank you,” Alec said, excited to see the girls again. “Am I allowed to bring my personal belongings?”

  “Yes, but be advised that they’ll be subject to sterilization upon entry to the camp. Now, please come with us and find a seat in the vehicle. We’ll arrive at the camp in about an hour as long as we don’t have to make any more stops.”

  Will and Alec eagerly got in the vehicle. Now, they would just have to sit around for a week to prove that they were healthy, but then they would be free to do as they pleased. No longer would they have to worry about hiding out in a bunker as the city fell. They could start over in a new city somewhere safe. Alec hoped for a small rural location. After all of the disease and destruction, he wanted to be somewhere wide open and sparsely populated.

  Once they arrived at the camp, they were guided to a blindingly white tent to undergo medical evaluation. Alec was poked and prodded, asked questions about his mental state, and had several glass vials of blood taken from him. His vitals were all within the normal range, and he even had someone examine and take care of his injuries. Finally, he was given an IV with fluids, nutrients, and a painkiller for his head. Once he was cleared, he was sent to the decontamination center.

  This tent was a large room with one large shower, like the ones he used to shower in during his high school gym years. Steaming hot water blasted him as he was instructed to cover his entire body with a soap that made his skin sting. When he got out, he was handed a towel and a pair of cotton pants and shirt. His bag was returned to him and he checked the contents. Everything was intact and smelling of disinfectant, but his gun was missing. He’d inquire about it later, but for now, he just wanted to rest.

  He found Will in the quarantine tent, talking to some girl wearing a matching outfit and couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of their situation. Here they were, after being rescued, scrubbed within an inch of their life and placed in a holding tank, and Will was already flirting with some girl who probably wanted nothing to do with him.

  Alec went to rescue the poor girl from Will’s overeager conversation and realized that he girl he was talking to was Natalia.

  “Alec,” she gasped when she recognized him. “I never thought we’d find you again.”

  “Same,” he replied, letting the girl wrap her slender arms around his waist in a tight embrace. “I’m glad you got picked up. You’ll have to fill me in on everything that happened when we got separated. By the way, where’s Lainey?”

  Her face fell. In fact, she looked like she wanted to cry.

  “Oh, my God,” Alec said. “She’s okay, right?”

  “She was picked up with me, but they’ve kept her.”

  “What?”

  “Is that your other friend?” Will asked. “Why don’t you introduce me to this one right here?”

  Alec ignored him. “Why would they keep her?”

  Natalia shrugged.

  “Is she infected?” Will whispered.

  “No,” Natalia said firmly. “I don’
t know what they’re doing. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”

  “I’m going to talk to someone,” Alec said, getting angry. “They have no right and no reason to hold her against her will. She should be out here with us.”

  “Don’t,” Natalia said, clutching his arm. “Just leave it. I’m sure she’s fine and she’ll be in here with us soon. Please don’t bring it up to anyone.”

  “I’m sure it doesn’t hurt to ask,” Will said. “There’s guards all over the place. We can see when she’s being released.”

  “Stay out of it,” Natalia shouted at him. “Can we all just go to the cafeteria? I think we’d all feel better if we had something to eat and drink.”

  Alec wasn’t particularly hungry, but he followed the girl. Will followed close behind, extremely interested in Natalia.

  It was nearly two in the afternoon, and the few other residents of the quarantine had already had their lunch. Natalia grabbed a plate and loaded it with leftover sandwiches and chips. Alec grabbed a few handfuls of dry carrots and floppy celery. Will grabbed everything he could get his hands on.

  “If there’s something you know and you’re not telling me, I want you to know that I won’t let anything bad happen to you guys. You can trust me.”

  Natalia looked at her plate and frowned, not touching her food.

  “What happened to Lainey?”

  “You need to understand that it’s not her fault,” Natalia whispered. “She’s completely innocent and is being falsely accused of doing something she hasn’t done.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I can’t say. It’s too bad.”

  “It can’t possibly be that bad. You’re talking like she’s being accused of killing someone.”

  Natalia bit her lip. “When we said we had never met before this, that was not entirely true.”