by Max Lockwood
Elaina’s face fell. “Where do you stand?”
“It’s complicated. People like us know that viruses are transmitted at alarming rates. But we also know that cures exist for these viruses. I firmly believe that we must contain the disease as well as we can, but we need to quickly work on a vaccine as well. I would hate it to get to the point where the military is wiping out healthy people just because they come from an infected area.”
“That’s a possibility?”
“Not now, but it’s something that is being discussed. Time is of the essence, Dr. Morgan.”
Panic filled her brain. She believed that getting across the border and into safety would not be an issue. Even if she had to fight guards, she figured she would have enough people behind her to break through. Hearing Dr. Himmler tell her how difficult it was to get across was seriously discouraging. He wasn’t one to exaggerate.
“What else do you know that I don’t?” she asked. He was her first glimpse into the outside world since the virus broke out. “I haven’t heard much from that side of the country.”
“All flights have been canceled.”
“I knew that. They wouldn’t let anyone fly out of Seattle pretty much immediately.”
“No, I mean there are no flights anywhere,” he said. “I’m in New York and I couldn’t fly to Philadelphia if I wanted to. All airports are closed, and private planes are prohibited to fly under any circumstance. The military has even threatened to shoot planes out of the sky. That’s how serious they are.”
“I had no idea.”
“Things have changed around here. Nobody leaves their homes. Kids take their classes online. Jobs that are not essential to daily life are nonexistent. People order food and water to their homes in bulk. It’s done a lot to prevent the spread of the virus here, but everyone knows that we can’t keep it up. There will be a breach one way or another.”
“That’s bleak,” she commented.
“What’s worse is that every citizen will soon be required to go through weekly virus testing. That means every man, woman, and child will be required to undergo blood tests. Anyone who produces a bad result will be sent to camps. Because there is no cure yet, I fear they will be eliminated.”
“That’s awful,” Elaina gasped. “If only they knew that I could fix it.”
“I hope they soon will.”
“Then how am I going to get out of here?” Elaina asked. “I don’t think the government is going to be too happy to see me. No one will listen to me. People have tried to kill me because of what they think I did.”
“Dr. Morgan, you asked me if I can vouch for your character, and I am willing to do that. I will appeal to the military and see if we can’t do an extraction. Perhaps a military vehicle will be able to bring you to my lab so we can continue with your work. Humanity has no other choice.”
Elaina nearly cried with relief. “Do you really think it’s possible?”
“Possible, yes. Definite, no. I will see what I can do. Are you in a safe place?”
Elaina looked around the dark hospital hallway. It was a difficult question to answer.
“I don’t think I’m ever really safe.”
“Then I shall rephrase my question. Can you stay near this phone for the next day or two?”
“Yes, I can try,” she said.
“Then I will be in touch. Good luck, Dr. Morgan. I hope to see you soon.”
“There’s one more thing,” she added. “I have a few others with me. Can they come too? They’ve been instrumental in my progress.”
He paused. “I’ll see what I can do. There might be an aircraft large enough for a few extras.”
“Some of them aren’t exactly with me at the moment.”
“Again, no promises.”
“Thank you, Dr. Himmler. You won’t regret this.”
She hung up the phone, feeling both excited and terrified. She had learned that it wouldn’t be easy to get to safety, but she had some help.
Elaina took a step toward Alec and nearly collapsed. She had almost forgotten that her ankle was still in bad shape.
“Come with me,” he said, helping her down the hall. “Let me wrap up that ankle before we get to work on the lab. You can tell me everything about that phone call.”
Elaina allowed Alec to tightly splint her ankle while she recounted her conversation, nearly word for word. He studied her lower leg as she spoke, nodding along as she went through the main points.
“Now I know how Thomas and Melissa must feel,” Alec said, handing two pills and a bottle of water over to Elaina. “We’re going to have to wait here, not knowing if someone is going to come for us.”
She nodded. “It’s not ideal, but this is the most promising news we’ve gotten in such a long time. There’s someone on the outside who actually wants to help us get out of here. This is huge. I don’t know how I’m going to wait to hear back from Dr. Himmler.”
“I know,” Alec agreed. “Luckily, you’ll have plenty to do to keep yourself busy. What do you think of the lab?”
She looked around the dimly lit room, limping around to examine her resources.
“No different from the last hospital. I think it’ll work. If I can produce even a hundred milliliters of the serum, that will be enough to use as evidence and treat anyone we encounter along the way.” She suddenly slapped her palm to her forehead.
“What?” Alec asked.
“I should have just dictated my notes to Dr. Himmler. He could make the serum without me.”
“Don’t let him know that’s a possibility,” he said.
“Why not? It would be more efficient for him to recreate my work than to have him run through the chain of command to charter a military vehicle.”
Alec shook his head. “You’re too noble. You have a perfect bargaining chip at your disposal. If they don’t need you in person to use your mind, then they might not go through the trouble to get you out of here. Who knows what would happen to you in the meantime? Make sure that they know how valuable you are to them. It’s your only way out.”
She nodded. If no one came back for her, then that meant that no one would come back for Alec, Thomas, and Melissa. They relied on her knowledge and skill to find safety.
“I’m worried,” she fretted. “Even with Dr. Himmler validating my good character, I don’t think it’s enough. People have been watching my face on the news for months now. What if he tells the military to pick me up so I can help create the serum, but they arrest me instead? Am I better off teaming up with the military or working on my own in a secret location?”
“I don’t have a good answer for you,” Alec said, shrugging. “We risk getting ourselves into trouble no matter what. I don’t want to tell you the wrong thing. What does your instinct tell you?”
“I don’t know if I’m the right person to use instinct to make decisions.” She frowned. “Common sense and intuition aren’t my strong suits. I prefer to make judgments based on facts and figures. What am I supposed to do?”
“Well, can you trust the professor?”
“Of course. He’s basically my mentor. I’ve known him since I was a teen. He’s given me a lot of help with the Morgan Strain. He should know that I didn’t do anything wrong. Besides, I know he’s not a fan of Bretton Vincent. He doesn’t like the pompous type of scientist. I think that’s why we got along so well.”
“And if we get to New York and things are bad, we can always break out. We’ve done it before,” Alec added.
Elaina smiled. “That’s true. We’re outlaws.”
“Is that why you like me?” he flirted. “You like bad boys? Is being on the run exciting for you?”
She blushed. “I like someone who’s game to see this thing through.”
They smiled at each other. Alec walked over to Elaina and put his hands on her hips.
“So,” Alec said, leaning closer. “Have you made your decision?”
“I don’t know.”
“I think you mig
ht. Think about the arguments you presented for each choice.”
Elaina looked at the ground as she thought it over. Then, she looked back up at Alec, a knowing look in her eyes.
“You’re right. I think we should go with Dr. Himmler. It’s our best chance at getting across the border and getting my work out there. It’s our only chance.”
“Then I say we take that chance. You and me. Well, and Thomas and Melissa. But you know what I mean. We’ll do this together.”
Elaina grabbed Alec by the shoulders and kissed him hard on the lips. He wrapped his arms around her a little tighter and kissed her back. They held each other for a while until they finally broke apart. Elaina blushed and returned to the lab bench, gathering beakers and protective clothing.
“Back to work?” Alec asked, grinning.
“We can’t waste any time.” She smiled bashfully. “Why don’t you start that incubator over there?” she said, pointing to the device on the wall.
“Anything for you,” he said with a wink.
Chapter Twenty-Three
When Thomas woke up from his nap, the truck was sitting still in a parking lot in front of a grocery store. Though the store wasn’t in operation, the driver and two passengers in military garb grabbed a cart from the parking lot as if they were doing their weekend shopping.
Thomas and Bethany remained in the back seat, alone. He looked around, trying to figure out where they were and how much time had passed since they were picked up. He was angry with himself for not remaining completely alert for the ride. He had hoped that he would have seen Alec on his motorcycle somewhere along the way and would have been able to communicate with him.
“What did I miss?” Thomas asked groggily.
“Not much. The soldiers have gone inside to pick up some supplies for the camp. They said they wouldn’t be gone for long.”
He remembered the conversation he had started with Bethany in the woods, but they’d never had the chance to finish it. Now, he had questions.
“You know something about the soldiers, right?”
“Yes. You can’t let them know that we know anything,” she whispered. “They seem fine now, but I’m telling you, they can change at a moment’s notice. One minute, they’re perfectly fine. Friendly, even. The next, they’re foaming at the mouth, ready to attack. It’s terrifying. Then, they’re right back to normal, after they’ve ripped some poor person apart.”
“How does that even work?” Thomas wondered out loud. “I mean, is it possible that they’ve received a cure that doesn’t work very well? I guess it would make sense if it only worked sometimes and not other times, right?”
“I think it’s the opposite,” she whispered. “I think they were given a virus that shows symptoms on a temporary basis. Someone purposefully made them this way.”
Thomas watched as the young soldiers returned to the car. They were smiling, even joking around with one another. They didn’t look infected at all. Where were their other symptoms? Their skin looked normal and their eyes were still bright. They weren’t coughing or achy or tired. It didn’t make sense.
“I understand that they aren’t in the rage-mode yet,” Thomas argued, “but if they were infected, wouldn’t their organs still be under attack? I think we’ve all seen how the virus progresses. People get really sick. Do they look sick to you?”
“I’m telling you, there’s something weird going on. Be quiet and don’t talk about this again when others are around,” she said in a hushed voice.
Mark and the other two soldiers loaded up the vehicle with their spoils and returned to their seats. Mark handed Thomas and Bethany a bottle of water and a sleeve of crackers each.
“Oh, you’re up,” Mark said brightly. “What were you guys talking about?”
“He was just wondering where we were. He’s a little out of it from his nap,” Bethany said quickly before Thomas had the chance to answer.
“We’re not far from base,” Mark said. “I bet you guys are happy we found you. What were you doing walking around the forest, anyway? There were a lot of infected out there.”
“It’s a long story,” Bethany said. “It’s not particularly interesting either.”
“Go ahead,” Mark said. “We have a way to go.”
“I got in a car wreck,” she said. “That’s how I lost contact with you. I don’t know what happened to my radio.”
“How did you get into a wreck? There are hardly any cars on the road.”
“Don’t ask me,” she mumbled. “Maybe I was tired and fell asleep at the wheel. I had been driving for a long time. Thomas’s car and my car crashed into each other. He was the only survivor in his vehicle.”
“Damn,” Mark said under his breath. “Did you know the other passengers well?”
“Not really,” Thomas responded. “It was just safer to travel in a pack, you know?”
“Of course,” Mark responded. “What did you know about them?”
Bethany looked tense. Her fists were balled up by her sides and she bit her lip nervously. Thomas could tell that she wanted him to reveal as little information as possible. He thought she was being a little paranoid. But it seemed really important to her that he kept her cover, so he lied.
“I had only been with them for a day when it happened,” he said. “I was with two other guys. They were older—maybe in their forties or fifties. I don’t even know if I learned their names. They picked me off the side of the road. We were headed east. I fell asleep in the car and the next thing I know, we’re getting slammed into. I started walking down the trail because I didn’t know what else to do. That’s when I met up with Bethany. We spotted each other about ten minutes before you guys found us.”
Thomas looked to Bethany to see how she responded to his tale. She seemed satisfied.
“That’s a crazy coincidence,” Mark said. “I’m glad we found the two of you. Our army could always use new, enthusiastic members.
“Oh, I don’t know about joining,” Thomas said hesitantly. “I’m not a big fan of controlling other people.”
“How are you with a gun?”
Thomas shrugged. “Not bad.”
Mark smiled. “I bet you’re being modest. It’s always nice to have a sharp shooter on board. You wouldn’t believe how bad some of these guys are at shooting. If you joined us, you wouldn’t have to be involved in the heavy action. You could potentially sit at a watchtower and shoot dangerous intruders. You’d have a cushy job and would be treated like a king.”
“I don’t know,” Thomas said. “I’m not really interested in joining the army.”
The job description sounded too familiar to Thomas. He had experienced shooting infected as a means to keep the healthy population safe. Then, it quickly turned into holding innocent people hostage. He felt like this army could be a similar situation.
“Well, if you ever change your mind, you’re more than welcome to join us. I think you’d find that we’re more like a close-knit community than an army. Our mission is to protect the healthy by any means possible and eliminate any dangerous targets. We’re always happy to get more new recruits. I know I’ve asked Bethany to join us, but she claims to be a pacifist.”
Bethany grimaced. “I don’t want to discuss the matter any further,” she said through clenched teeth.
“Lighten up, little sister,” Mark said, playfully shaking her by the shoulder. “We’re safe now. We’re on the winning side. We’re going to defeat the infected and all who protect them. We’re not the bad guys.”
“Sister?” Thomas sputtered. “You didn’t say you were related.”
He was on a whole new level of confusion. Bethany said that she knew Mark and that she didn’t trust him, but she’d never made mention that they were siblings. When Thomas thought about it, he was annoyed that he hadn’t realized it himself. They were practically identical. Mark was taller and a little more muscular than his sister, but they shared the same almond-shaped eyes and sleek hair.
“You didn
’t mention that?” Mark laughed. “I swear, Bethany. Sometimes, I wonder where your head is. You’re getting into car crashes and failing to mention important details to people. Is something on your mind?”
“No. Nothing besides staying alive, I guess.”
Mark ruffled her hair. Bethany quickly finger combed it back into place.
“We’re nearly there,” Mark said, a big smile on his face. “You’re going to love it here. It has everything you could ever need.”
She looked down at the floor of the vehicle, not buying his claims of absolute happiness.
A few minutes later, they arrived at a building, much like the courthouse where Thomas had helped put Elaina and Alec on trial. This made Thomas feel even more nervous. It was like he was going back in time. He instantly regretted ever following Bethany. He didn’t know where he would be if he wasn’t given transportation, but he figured he would at least have his independence.
The driver opened the door and escorted the newcomers inside. They weren’t necessarily being forced around, but Thomas got the feeling that he would be stopped if he suddenly ran off.
“Once we go inside, the two of you will have to go to decontamination and medical testing. It’s a pretty simple and painless process, so don’t worry about that. They’re just going to make sure that you don’t have the virus before they let you mingle with the rest of the healthy population. Then, you’re pretty much free to roam about the camp as you please.”
He led them inside and down a hallway that had been hastily painted red. A crooked red line ran along the floor in front of them.
“The whole place is color-coded to make it easier to find where you’re going. You two will have to stay in the red area until you’re cleared. I’ll try to meet up with you guys once you’re out. Have fun.”
Mark led them to the red door, then turned around and retreated down the tile hallway. The door opened, and masked workers grabbed Thomas and Bethany by their forearms and brought them inside.
The decontamination chamber was uncomfortably sterile. White walls met the white floors and the strong smell of chemicals filled the air. It looked like a gym locker room if only blindingly white building materials were available at the time of its construction.
