by David Spell
“Good to see you, Josh. What a nice surprise. I had no idea who was going to show up.”
Matthews chuckled. “I don’t know who your boss is, but he certainly has some pull. The department is almost back up to half strength. Officers are slowly trickling back in as this thing seems to be winding down. There don’t appear to be as many fresh Zs. Assistant Chief Hughes is in charge after Chief Anderson got infected.”
“Oh, I hadn’t heard that. That’s too bad,” Chuck said.
“He was a good guy, but he should’ve left when he had the chance. His wife wouldn’t leave without him and when some zombies got loose in their neighborhood, it got ugly fast. The chief and his entire family, gone. One of our rookies actually had to put a bullet into Anderson’s head after he got infected.”
McCain shook his head. “What about Lisa and your kids?”
Josh shrugged and looked away, the pain evident on his face. “I’ve got no idea where they’re at. Since the divorce, she’s done everything she can to keep me from seeing them. She changes her phone number every few months and I’m not even sure what state they’re in. The last I heard, she was in Alabama, near some of her family. She’s in violation of pretty much every point on our divorce paperwork, but with the zombie apocalypse, there aren’t many courts in session to get a hearing.”
Chuck put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Sorry, man. That sucks, but if she’s in Alabama, the kids are probably fine. They didn’t get hit nearly as bad over there.”
Wanting to change the subject, McCain nodded at the other officers. “Who do you have with you?”
“Remember the three SWAT guys who went into the school with us? I’ve got them and two other solid officers you can count on. The chief said this Admiral Williams told him that there are also a few civvy security types here, as well?”
Chuck nodded. “And another cop. That girl standing over there with the shotgun was with Athens Campus Police. Grace Cunningham. She was inside Sanford Stadium when the university got infected. I’ve seen her in action, and she’s tough as nails. The older black guy over there is Darrell Parker. He’s a retired City of Baltimore PD sergeant and the young guy with him is Marcel. He was Air Force Security Forces. We’ve got a few others that will fill in as needed, including my wife. Come on, I’ll show…”
“Your wife?” Josh repeated. “Since when do you have a wife? I remember your first one and hearing you swear off ever getting married again after your divorce.”
“I did, didn’t I?” McCain laughed. “Well, that was a long time ago. Beth and I just got married last week. We haven’t even had a honeymoon yet. Come on, let me show you around.”
Centers for Disease Control Compound, East of Atlanta, Wednesday, 1230 hours
The gray Air Force Pave Hawk helicopter circled and then landed near the front entrance. The pilot shut the engines down and Marcel opened the gates. The admiral’s assistant, Shaun, was the first one off of the helicopter, cautiously carrying a small red plastic box.
Several of the CDC agents and police officers ducked under the still turning rotors and grabbed the cardboard boxes one of the crewmen pushed towards the open door. The last time Chuck had spoken to the admiral, he asked if he would check with Major Singleton to see if they had any food to spare. The CDC facility was running low on groceries and with the enforcement agents leaving for a couple of weeks, there was no one to go looking for supplies. The major had sent two week’s worth of food and the boxes were quickly carried inside.
Admiral Williams’ assistant, Shaun Taylor, located McCain in the CDC office, sitting at the table talking with Fleming, Trang, and Walker, satellite maps scattered in front of them. “Hey, Shaun,” Jay greeted him. “You got our ride outside?”
“They should be about done unloading some food that the Air Force sent over, so let’s try to be airborne in the next thirty minutes? Chuck, can you take this to whichever scientist should get it?”
He handed McCain the container, glad to be rid of it. The federal police officer carefully opened it and peered inside at the two glass vials, wrapped tightly in bubble wrap and then double-bagged.
“Is this what the SEALs found on those dead cartel members?”
“That’s it. The admiral was hoping we could get a confirmation that it really is the virus before we leave. Even if we have to head out a little later, let’s see what we can find out.”
“Sure, I’ll take care of it,” Chuck answered.
He considered asking one of the other agents to handle the task, but instead, stood and picked up the plastic box.
“Guys, grab your gear and let’s be ready to go ASAP. I’ll get this over to Dr. Edwards and see what she can tell us.”
The two laboratories where the researchers worked were spartan compared with their labs at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. Hopefully, they could be back there in a few months. For now, however, they were making do in the much smaller facility. Dr. Bae-yong oversaw a team of epidemiologists in one of the labs and Dr. Edwards supervised a second team in the other.
McCain saw Edwards on the other side of the room, peering into a microscope. She was wearing elbow length rubber gloves, protective glasses, and a protective mask for her nose and mouth. There was no room for error when dealing with the deadly bio-terror virus. Eight other white-coated researchers were working at different stations around the lab.
He saw her eyes get big as he approached, surprise etched on her pretty face. She stepped back from the microscope, removed her gloves and goggles, and pulled her mask down.
“Hey, Nicole. Sorry to bother you, but I’ve got something that you’ll be interested in.”
The scientist forced a smile and Chuck saw it: the hurt in her eyes that she tried to cover up. How could I have missed that? he wondered.
“No bother at all, Chuck. I haven’t gotten a chance to congratulate you on getting married. She seems like a very nice girl,” she said, a slight emphasis on ‘girl.’
“Thank you and you’re right. She’s a wonderful person and I was blessed to find her.”
There was a moment of awkward silence but Edwards spoke first. “So, what’s that?” she asked, nodding at the red container.
“Two vials of the virus,” he answered, handing the box to her. “Some Mexican cartel members were transporting it back to Tijuana. There’s a big group of the gang that have taken up residence down in your neck of the woods, Buckhead, and they’re supposed to have some more of this. Can you please check and verify what’s in these test tubes?”
Nicole put her protective equipment back on and removed the double plastic bag, laying it on her table. She picked up an xacto knife and carefully sliced the two bags open, gently removing the bubble wrapped test tubes. Another cut with the razor-sharp knife and the writing on the glass vials became visible.
She gasped and stepped backwards, startling the police officer. “Chuck, these are mine. These are from the ones that I lost. That’s my writing on the tubes.”
“What? How did you lose them?” he asked, confused.
“Remember when you came and rescued Darrell and I? I told you that I’d lost two bags when he had tried to escort me out to my car, hours after the bombs went off in Atlanta. When we walked out onto the parking deck there were a group of infected out there. He was helping me carry my stuff because I knew I wouldn’t be back in the lab anytime soon.
“When the zombies rushed us, Darrell had to drop everything and start shooting. Then my keycard wouldn’t work because the power had gone out. Thankfully, he had a real key but we just barely made it back inside. My laptop satchel and a padded bag containing ten vials of the virus and experimental vaccines got left outside.
“When you and your guys got there, I asked you to check the parking deck for my bags but they were gone. Somehow, that cartel has gotten their hands on them.”
Chuck digested the information. “I do remember that. Did all ten contain the same thing? I know you were experimenting and trying d
ifferent things.”
The scientist nodded. “We still are. Those ten vials are deadly and they all contain some form of the virus. The only difference is that in probably half of them, the person will take longer before they turn. My assistant, Kumar, and I had been able to alter the molecular structure of the virus slightly and had been testing it on the lab mice. That was how Kumar got infected. One of the mice got loose and bit him on the ankle.”
“Can you confirm that’s what’s still in the test tubes?”
“Sure, give me half an hour.” She paused, looking down. “I’ve felt so guilty about losing those test tubes, not knowing who had picked up them up. If you could recover the rest, that would be incredible.”
“That’s the plan. We’re leaving today for Dobbins Air Force base on the other side of town. We’ll stage there and go in next week sometime. It’s good to know the source of these vials and that there shouldn’t be any more floating around. I’ll feel a lot better knowing that all ten are back in your capable hands.”
“How big is this cartel? You just said a big group.”
McCain sighed. “As best we can figure, probably around two hundred.”
“That many? In Atlanta? Is it just you and the CDC teams that are taking them on?”
“We’ll have some other people helping us. I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t share any of this yet. It’s not classified, but people have enough to worry about right now. This is really more of an invasion. These scumbags have captured at least a six-block radius around Peachtree and Piedmont Road. And they have over forty women that they’re keeping as sex slaves.”
“Oh, my God!” Edwards exclaimed. “That’s terrible and I live very close to there. I know you’re going after the virus, but what about those women?”
Chuck nodded. “They’re part of our mission. Eliminate the cartel, recover the virus, and rescue the prisoners.”
“Please be careful,” she said, the concern evident in her voice. After a pause, she took a deep breath and continued, “And I really meant it. Congratulations, Chuck. I hope you and your wife are very happy together.”
He saw the sincerity in her eyes and somehow understood she was letting go. “Thanks, Nicole. This mission just got even more important if I’m going to liberate your neighborhood,” he said, with a grin.
She smiled and turned back to her microscope. “I’ll come find you when I know something for sure.”
Forty minutes later, the CDC agents carried their weapons and packs to the guard hut. They would wait there until McCain gave them the order to board the helicopter. Eddie and Candice stood with Jimmy, Grace, Scotty, and Emily. Candice’s morning sickness wasn’t as bad now and she was able to laugh at something Scotty said.
Andy, Amy, and Tyler chatted quietly with Hollywood and LeMarcus. Tu, Jay, Shaun, and Terry were engrossed in their own conversation. Chuck and Beth had taken a few steps to the side so they could say their goodbyes, as well. They were just waiting for the lab results before they left.
A few minutes later, Dr. Edwards exited the lab building and strode towards the entrance. When she saw Chuck and Beth together, she slowed her stride. Forcing a smile onto her face, however, she stopped in front of the couple and made eye contact with Elizabeth.
“Congratulations on getting married, Elizabeth. I hope you and Chuck are very happy together.”
Beth gave her sweetest smile. “Thank you, Dr. Edwards.”
The scientist looked at McCain and her tone became serious. “The results are confirmed. Both of those vials contain the virus. I ran both compounds through the computer and confirmed that, without a doubt, they were part of the ones that I lost.”
Chuck nodded. “That’s what I needed to know. Thanks for putting a rush on that, Nicole. Now, we get to go recover the other eight vials.”
The big man turned towards the rest of his agents and raised his voice. “Okay, guys, say your goodbyes and let’s load up.”
Nicole was still standing there as McCain reached to embrace his wife. The scientist turned to go to give them a moment of privacy. “Good luck, Chuck. Be careful.”
Chuck grinned at her. “Will do. Hopefully, when you see me again, your neighborhood will be free of invaders.”
Edwards nodded and headed back towards her building, not wanting to see Chuck and Elizabeth kissing. She was trying to turn the page, but it would take her a little time. Footsteps sounded behind her.
“Nicole?”
She looked over her shoulder to see Agent Walker approaching.
“Hi, Jay. You ready for this?” she asked, forcing another smile onto her face.
“Oh, yeah,” he answered enthusiastically. “This is going to be great, but I wanted to say ‘goodbye,’ and ask you for something.”
“Oh?” she answered, surprise in her voice. “What do you want to ask me?”
The Navy-SEAL-turned-CDC-agent looked into her eyes. “I’d like to have dinner with you when we finish this mission. What I’d really like to do is take you out to a fancy restaurant, but the dining hall here will have to do for the time being.”
That’s so sweet, she thought. He seems like a really nice man and he’s obviously interested in me. Why not? After a moment, she realized that he was waiting for an answer.
“Yes. I’d like that,” she nodded. “Are you going to be staying on here after the mission or will you have to go back to D.C.?”
“We’ll probably get a few days of down time here after we wrap this up and then I’ll have to leave. Maybe you might even have a few meals with me?” he said, with a grin.
Nicole found herself nodding at him, a genuine smile forming on her face. “We could probably arrange that.”
Tu’s voice rang out from the front gate. “Come on, Jay, we’re loading up.”
The sound of the Blackhawk’s rotors starting to turn echoed around the compound and Walker started to go, but stopped to look into Edward’s eyes again. “As you can see, Dr. Edwards, I’d really like to get to know you, and I’m looking forward to spending some time with you.”
Nicole’s eyes got big. He’s certainly not afraid to speak his mind, she thought. “Thanks, Jay, that’s very sweet,” she said, softly. “Please be careful and I’ll talk to you when you get back.”
Five minutes later the helicopter had disappeared, heading west. The scientist continued to stare into the sky, trying to process the emotions that were flowing through her when someone bumped into her shoulder.
“I’m so sorry, Dr. Edwards. I wasn’t watching where I was going. I…”
Elizabeth McCain had waited until her husband left before she had started crying. Her eyes were filled with tears and she’d walked blindly into Nicole. The scientist instinctively put her arms around the young woman and let her cry. I could probably use a good cry myself, Edwards thought.
After a moment, Beth wiped her eyes and regained her composure, apologizing again. “Sorry about that and thanks for the hug,” she said, with a sad smile. “I haven’t had to send him off to battle before.”
Nicole understood. “No problem at all. He’s very good at what he does and he has a great team.”
The young woman nodded and took a deep breath. “I know and I’ll be OK.”
“Can I ask you something? Dr. Martin told me that you were going to be doing some of our admin work,” Nicole said, steering the conversation to less stressful subjects. “Aren’t you a police officer?”
Elizabeth gave a slight laugh. “No. I was a career counselor at a technical college, but I also served as the administrative aide to the president of the school. I’d never had any experience with guns to speak of until I met Chuck and he saved my life.”
Edwards stared at her, surprised to hear that Beth wasn’t a cop and at the revelation McCain had rescued her from something life-threatening. The young woman carried herself like a police officer and certainly looked like she knew what she was doing when holding a weapon. Nicole’s curiosity was now fully aroused. After a moment, the
epidemiologist slid an arm around her shoulder and guided Beth into the lab building. “Well, since we’re going to be working together, I look forward to hearing all about how you two met.”
Nicole wanted to dislike Elizabeth. She wanted to be able to find some character flaw in the young woman as an excuse to keep her at arms length. As they started working together, however, Edwards found herself really enjoying Beth’s company.
Chuck’s wife was unpretentious, humble, and treated everyone with kindness and respect. Instead of disliking Elizabeth McCain, Dr. Edwards found that Chuck was right. His wife really was a special person.
CHAPTER TEN
Prepping for Judgment
Dobbins Air Force Base, Marietta, Georgia, Wednesday, 1630 hours
The camo-pattern C-130 Hercules flew low over the main runway and the buildings surrounding it. The pilot had been given clearance to land and assured that the base was secure. With so many zombies still roaming the east coast, however, this west coast aviator wasn’t taking any chances. The four powerful engines roared as the big aircraft leveled off, circling to make a final approach.
The pieces are coming together, McCain thought. He and the other eight CDC agents had gotten settled into their quarters, Major Singleton giving him a room of his own. Lieutenant Colonel Clark, eight of his troops, and three of their heavily armed hummers had arrived earlier in the day. The fifteen Marines and Gunnery Sergeant Gray were already on-site.
Just as he had hoped, Andy, Jay, and Tu had created the operational plan that they would be using. McCain had made a few minor tweaks, but he was pleased with what they had developed on such short notice. With the arrival of the SEALS, training would commence at hyper-speed so that they could execute the mission as soon as possible. Chuck still wished he had some more shooters, but at least they would have solid air support.
