Viral Evolution (Book 1): Retrovirus

by Winters, Leigh

  Lying there for a few moments, Mike soon forces himself up to begin getting ready for his night shift.

  He then quickly gets dressed ready for work, puts his shoes on, takes a jacket placing it in his bag then carrying with him as he moves through into the living areas.

  Upon reaching the lounge room, looking around where all the furniture and electronics used to be.

  He then looks at the tank with goldfish swimming, as his pride and joy nudges up at the top of the water with a suction like sound popping as the mouth breaches the surface for food with him saying toward them.

  "Glad she left you lot."

  While looking toward his prized male who swims down toward the left, Mike soon noticing in his peripheral vision, and double takes on the ex-fiancées ring which had been thrown at him by her during the previous mornings argument resulting in the separation and her moving out earlier in the day.

  As he focuses in on it while deep in thought soon voices to himself while turning his attention back to his fish.

  "Hm yeah, she’ll be back for it."

  He looks back moving toward the tank and proceeds to get their food before feeding them, while watching as they swim to the top to feed with him then reflecting for a moment on the breakup with pictures of them both still standing on the shelf nearby.

  Looking back down over the goldfish in the tank admiring their individual beauty he looks to one in particular while voicing.

  "You beauty. Right, I’m outta here."

  Mike then turns, moving off toward and into the kitchen. Grabbing his bag and tossing it over shoulder before opening the fridge door then finally taking his bottled water from inside the door.

  Closing upon doing so, he then moves to open the pantry door with which is also near empty and sighs. "Hmm."

  Mike closes the pantry door, then turns scooping up his house key and mp3 player off the counter.

  He heads outside into the hallway of the city apartment block closing the door, locking behind him, then moving off down the hall to the elevator and soon makes it outside the building onto the street.

  He walks toward the direction of the subway and weaving through blocked traffic as he crosses the road looking toward a cab.

  Mike moves in toward the cab as he looks down the street for the distance left with hand to hold the handle firstly before deciding by looking at the traffic ahead he’ll get to the subway quicker traveling on foot voicing through to the driver.

  "Sorry, don’t mind me, I’ll walk it."

  The Taxi driver waves through acknowledging, as Mike then continues on looking further ahead and sighs as he picks up his pace to meet a train on time.

  Mike appearing puffed from walking some distance soon moves in toward a hot dog stand to satisfy his hunger, seeing Tommy from afar behind the stand changing the CD in the player.

  Tommy in his late mid thirties of olive complexion, dark hair while showing tattoos of strong build with relaxed disposition and a CD featuring metal music in hand.

  He places the favorite album into the player, and upon closing pressing play.

  Mike continues toward him then voices on approach "Hey Tommy, how’s it going?" with Tommy soon making eye contact upon hearing.

  "Mikey! Doing great, business is thriving this week!"

  Mike chuckles from the comment and with the music now playing. "Even with this playing?!"

  Tommy smirks over his friends comment.

  "They’ll listen to anything when they’re hungry and besides you know you love it."

  "Hell yeah, great album!"

  Both look at each other to agree before Tommy goes on to say.

  "It is, and you can see why I’m busy, the traffic, it’s mental."

  Mike sighs while looking further toward the subway and seeing the congestion is far worse in that direction too.

  "Great, just what I need."

  Tommy looks up and out shaking his head as he voices.

  "Yeah nah, maybe not."

  Mike looking at the menu briefly, then looks back to Tommy who somewhat sees something else is on Mike’s mind.

  "I’ll get the works thanks."

  "Coming up! and in a caring tone asks "You doing okay Mike?"

  "Doing alright, the Mrs she left."

  "Oh bugger, sorry to hear that my friend." as Tommy continues to get together the American hot dog.

  "Thanks, although I could see it building and things will go back to normal when I get the bike back."

  "True, and good on you that’s the spirit things will come right."

  Mike nods his head to agree, then looks toward the direction of the subway.

  "I must be unfit, forgot how far the subway is?!"

  Tommy chuckles a little from his friends comment as he continues adding fillings to the hot dog.

  "But hey, at least it’s not as far as the bus, not that they’re going anywhere fast at the moment."

  Mike upon hearing Tommy smiles looking out to the traffic congestion and in the process shaking his head a little over it.

  Tommy looks out to it slightly before moving back to ask.

  "How’s it been going at the lab?"

  Mike's attention turns immediately to Tommy on the question with it’s location in mind.

  "Ha, the underground bunker!

  Then shrugging his shoulder with a slight nod on as he thinks about working in the lab and with John.

  "I’m just heading there now, but it’s going okay?! The boss is a good sort, an ex-contractor for the government, I think. Something like that, he don’t really talk about it much, but he looks out for me and I know he’s got my back."

  "That’s good. So you’re on nights then?"

  "Yep, almost finished the first week too, takes it out of me though including the social life, but the body clock eventually catches up on the second so I guess that’s a bonus."

  "I hear ya there, and do it all over again on next changeover. That’s why I now have my own business with the hours I choose to suit me!"

  Mike appears to yawn a little as he nods listening which Tommy notices then winks at his friend while voicing.

  "You could do with a power nap."

  Mike clearly sees Tommy wink, then smiles agreeing feeling he could do with a few minutes rest as the exchange of purchase is made.

  "You take care, and we’ll have to catch up."

  As Mike looks to respond to Tommy a man comes by standing close ready to purchase a hot dog himself.

  "I’d like that!"

  Tommy acknowledges the next customer then turns back to Mike.

  "Come by on Saturday if you’re off, the door’s always open."

  "Sounds good! I’ll send you a text."

  "Sweet bro, see you then!"

  Mike raises his eyebrows while raising hot dog in hand as he departs, with Tommy acknowledging before moving on to serve the awaiting customer while Mike moves on then taking a bite.

  Mike soon crosses the street heading off toward the subway between the stationary vehicles and past the bustling people on the sidewalk.

  CHAPTER 4

  The Blood Sample

  Early evening in the laboratory as John takes a slide for the sample, as one drop of blood soon comes from the syringe down onto the glass, he then slides it under the microscope with William close at his side. John looks through into the sample analyzing the cells within then turns to William.

  "Get a load of this!"

  William looks to John, now eager to see for himself.

  "What?"

  William moments later takes John’s place then begins to look through the microscope with John asking.

  "Do you notice anything different?"

  "Um."

  John motions to have another look as William looks to him.

  "Her blood, what is it?"

  William steps back allowing John to take his place.

  "I don’t know, but we need to look int
o it!"

  William looks to John as he’s looking through, before looking out toward the location of CJ.

  "Did C.J come from the same source as the others?"

  John moves backward a little, and turning up to William pausing slightly at each thought before responding.

  "I assume so, surely they’d let me know if that wasn’t the case."

  William more than ready for another look, although waits for John who continues to peer through the microscope.

  Meanwhile, Mike enter's the subway station, then soon finds himself becoming stuck behind people at the stalls of the subway with his train quickly coming into view, stopping with doors opening as passengers vacate or board.

  Becoming frustrated, he ends up shouting out to the people ahead.

  "Come on people!"

  Some turn around toward him, causing a further delay as he impatiently with slightly raised eyebrows looks in their direction with him looking to the train as people board.

  "Come on. No, wait!"

  The train moments later, with the doors beginning to close for departure leaving Mike behind as he comes free through the stalls voicing to himself.

  "Oh no, late again?!"

  Leaving him amongst a crowded platform appearing fed up although breaks a brief smile as he shakes his head putting it down to one of those days as he sighs.

  Back at the laboratory, with John who eventually stands back from the microscope voices "She appears healthy", then

  turns to ask William.

  "But did anyone test C.J’s blood when she arrived?"

  "Don’t they look at that before they’re sent down?"

  "Well yeah, for the most common diseases they do, but I thought they’d spot this even I can see it!"

  "Do you want to introduce the agent?"

  "I do, lets have a look!"

  William moves to the cabinet, removes the latest strain, hands it to John who proceeds to add one drop to the blood sample.

  John looks through at the transformation happening under microscope then pulls back toward William.

  "The cell wall increases as the strain takes hold, but it does not attack the cells as in the others, they modify."

  "Like a Retrovirus?!"

  John looks to William while slightly shrugging his shoulders although appearing open minded with William who cuts in asking on the later.

  "Retrovirus?! Um.."

  "Do you think she has come into contact with one?"

  John appearing unsure, although begs the question stands there in his own thoughts for a moment turns to William.

  "Maybe, but she’s carrying something in her DNA, and that might explain why she came to quicker than expected."

  William looks at John with them both thinking on it, with William looking to the slide before turning back toward John.

  "This is dangerous John. Are we going to let them have these results?"

  John pausing momentarily before sighing, looking around slightly thinking on Williams comment and taking a deep breath looks back to William.

  "I’ll go ring Alex, I’m not comfortable with where it’s at either and we need to find out exactly what it is that makes her different.

  "Okay, I’ll finish up here."

  The two men again stand in silence, as John acknowledges the thought with William before taking the classified manila folder from the bench and moving off toward his office to ring Alex the C.E.O.

  William turns back to clean up for the day as John continues and enters into his office.

  John upon entering, gets to his desk placing the folder on the end, stands above the phone picking it up and pushing the direct dial button to reach Alex before sitting down in his chair.

  With the phone to his ear ringing for his boss upstairs it continues on with no reply however leaves a message on voice mail to call him back as soon as possible.

  He leans over hanging up, then looking up at the wall for a moment before moving to ring Alex’s personal assistant which also ends up going to voice mail although this time hangs up upon hearing.

  John looks up to the clock on the wall while it hits 18:03, as he sits there in his chair.

  "He’s late!"

  Moments later William knocks on John's door from the other side signaling he’s heading off home which John responds with a waving gesture of the hand toward the glass panel making eye contact with William before he turns away.

  John returns to look at his desk, then proceeds to take a USB drive from the draw placing into the computer. Thinking to himself in the process, John then saves a file to the external drive before getting up and walking through toward the lab.

  John looking at his watch wondering where Mike is who is already late and voicing to himself on approach as he pulls his access card out while peering through the glass panel.

  "For crying out loud where is he!"

  Johns left hand moves in to slide the key card with the right hand to open his office door when he hears the access beep from the lab door then seeing Mike enter.

  John sighs shaking his head as Mike looks toward him as he comes through.

  "Sorry boss, got held up in the subway."

  With John looking in some form of disbelief from the continual excuses coming from Mike.

  "Mike, what’s it going to take to get you here on time and you know I can only cover you so much."

  Pausing slightly as Mike moves toward his station without a helmet in hand, John moves on to ask.

  "Did you not ride your bike?"

  Mike looking back at John while placing his bag away responds.

  "Remember I took it in, I had to get it fixed because the car was in her name."

  While standing in the doorway holding the door John remembers.

  "Oh that’s right, yeah you did tell me. I guess we’ve both got a lot on our minds at the moment."

  "You more than me, and I’ll be sorted when the apartment is sold so I don’t have to communicate with her again. A couple of years and she near takes everything I’ve worked for!"

  John looks to Mike on the thought of his current situation.

  "I know, it’s not right, some laws definitely need to be rewritten to suit the world we live in. It’s far too easy for some who like to use the system."

  "Hell yeah! Say that again!"

  "So do you think you’ll move to the suburbs?"

  Mike ponders briefly on the question before replying.

  "I don’t know really. I quite like the city, and besides everything I need is there."

  John nods his head then turns to walk into his office when Mike asks. "Is Hamish in?"

  John turns back to Mike upon the question.

  "No, just you again tonight I’m afraid, he's called in sick too?!"

  "Again! Who else called in, was William off?"

  "Nah, Kev and Sam, getting around isn’t it! One of the reasons I bring my own food in and don’t go up to the canteen."

  "Good idea too, who knows what gets served up at times."

  John raise's his eyebrows on the thought.

  "Their unwashed hands, I reckon will be the death of someone if they don’t get it sorted."

  Mike somewhat screws his face up upon the thought.

  "Yuk, filthy bastards!"

  John agrees with a nod of the head as Mike pauses slightly before asking again, as John who listens still nodding his head from Mike's comment.

  "So are the chiefs still coming through in the morning then? You could say something to them about it, and we might see a pay increase soon too if they’re pleased with our results?!"

  With John cracking a small grin to a chuckle as he goes on to reply.

  "Yeah good luck with that, you and me both! I’ve not heard or been able to get in touch with Alex this afternoon so I guess we’re on for the big show and tell. I’ll pack up in here before I head off home. Can’t wait, family time is always good for the soul."

 
"Music soothes mine!"

  "The metal you listen to Mike? I mean yeah the drumming is good with the double kickers and that. But man some of those guys you listen to, I’m surprised they don’t pop an artery or bust a lung for their screaming down the Mic. Sue asks me to turn off anything she considers too heavy."

  Mike laughs at his bosses final words.

  "That’s what the ex use to say, she hated it and in the last days I played it every chance I could get just to piss her off!"

  Upon hearing this, John smile's back toward Mike and shaking his head slightly. "Sheez, no wonder she left."

  Mike and John laugh a little at the comment, with Mike then putting on his head set with John exiting the room into his office.

  John closes the door which secures behind him, moving in to clear up his desk in preparation for the visit expected in the morning by the board, C.E.O and corporate sponsors.

  While doing so he looks over the days work on the recent trials under consideration for further funding and testing before turning to reach for the phone.

  Meanwhile in the lab Mike sings the last few words of the track, finishes listening to the song on the mp3 player and removes his headphones before taking a clipboard with paper attached.

  He scoops up a pen of the bench, then goes through to check on the test subjects and their behaviors.

  On arriving while looking over, noticing some which have deteriorated from previous days as he had expected and soon comes up toward the cage housing C.J who is sitting at the back in the left corner of her confined quarters.

  Mike looks down at the clipboard and almost feels a presence before glancing out to the right side then looking back noticing the name which had been given to the monkey and reading while saying to himself.

  "Ha, that’s Will for ya!"