Contagious (18 page)

Walter had flipped through every channel at least four times. There was nothing new and Joel knew it,

“Are you hoping to hear something?” Joel asked. ‘Looking for something?”

“No.” Walter shook his head. “Well, maybe. News of the other quarantine sites.”

“Why is that?”

“Because if these rumors are true. What’s the need for them?”

“Well, I don’t know about the other sites, but if the rioting gets bad, I feel pretty safe in here.”

“This isn’t gonna stop.” Walter hung his head.

“Are you all right?” Joel asked.

‘Yes. Sorry. Just upset about today.”

“We all are and … we need to do something.” Joel waved his hand and walked from the lounge.

Walter didn’t say anything, he just followed. Until they arrived at the kitchen and then he asked, Joel, “What are we doing in here?”

“Something that needs to be done,” Joel said. “Have you ever lost a family member?”

“Of course.”

“When my dad died, I was at the hospital. I was there with him. After I left, I realized he was gone. That woman and that boy in there, they can’t even begin to process anything staring at the body of their family member.”

“They’re waiting for CDC to take her.”

“It’s been three hours. They aren’t coming for her. If they are, it’ll be a while and we can’t have Cassie in that ballroom. Her mother and brother need to step away and they won’t do that as long as she is there lying on a cot in the ballroom.”

“So what are we doing?” Walter asked.

“Freezer Two. Clean it out. Move everything into the other freezer. Make room. A temporary morgue.”

“Two is the biggest cooler,” Walter said. “Seems we’d be better with the vegetable cooler for one body.”

Joel glanced down and then back up.

Walter exhaled. “You’re not thinking of one body.”

Joel shook his head. “I’m thinking ahead, you know, in case that virus does strike here.”

“We’re in quarantine, they’ll just come for those who pass.”

“Will they?” Joel asked. “Like they came for the girl?”

“Joel, the news is saying it’s a hundred percent fatal. They say over eighty percent of people exposed get it. If that holds true here, and eighty percent of us get sick. There isn’t a cooler big enough in this hotel to hold all the bodies.”

“Yeah. Well, if eighty percent of us die. It really won’t matter much.” Joel exhaled and propped open the freezer door. “Will it?”

It wasn’t exactly the CDC or WHO, but it was the closest facility that had a stable environment in which Randall could work on the virus. They were ready for him. He had called them hours earlier to tell them he was on his way there. He would need to work fast so they had to get everything ready.

With the samples in a safe container, Randall left the Ambassador site, knowing full well he wouldn’t return. It was to him, a dead site. The doctor in charge, Amita, had lost ground and had been exposed to the virus.

With over eighty percent of those in the hotel infected, and most of them with a new strain, it was time to move on. He’d let Amita know that. That was the least he could do.

The short drive to the university hospital was interesting.

A lot of traffic was on the streets and law enforcement officers were out in full force.

The best way Randall could describe it was panic.

People in Cleveland panicked.

There was good reason.

The virus was everywhere, and was moving quickly.

Amita’s idea to defeat one virus with another was outrageous, but it could work.

Rabies was perfect on a lot of levels. Since the recovery rate of BV jumped to one percent, rabies was now more deadly. If left untreated it had a 100% fatality rate.

It was strong. Rabies infected the blood stream, took immediate control, and the best part was, the patient was asymptomatic for weeks. The average incubation period before symptoms was two to twelve weeks. The shortest known was four days. Even then, those infected with BV, once they showed symptoms died in four days. If the rabies took hold, defeated BV, they could treat the rabies in the patient before the symptoms even showed.

Brilliant.

It could be the one saving grace for Amita since she was labeled the reason for the Bangladesh mess.

When Randall arrived, two ambitious lab assistants were on hand, suited up and ready to go. He hadn’t told anyone about the test, because he knew it was so outlandish he possibly would be laughed out of the medical community.

One hour.

One hour and that was all.

Randall arrived, cleaned and suited up, went into the lab and introduced a sample of BV-2 to rabies.

He watched.

It was like an action film.

The rabies virus, came in like storm troopers and ravaged the BV-1 virus.

He looked at his watch, made a notation on the time. Thirty-three minutes.

Before saying anything, he moved on to BV-2, and rabies did the same there, as well, as on what Amita was calling BV-3, the Ambassador strain.

Finally, there was hope.

Upon seeing the initial results, Randall picked up the phone to call it in. He was excited. He expected to be questioned and then praised. He didn’t expect the reply that he received from the director of WHO.

“We know.” the director said, “About two hours ago, the idea was phoned in to us. We ran with it. We saw the results, it’s amazing. We already started to move on it.”

“You can’t move on it,” Randall stated. “We don’t know how it plays out.”

“Initial findings show the rabies consumes the system. We can defeat rabies, we cannot defeat this virus.”

“Who called it in to you?”

“One of our outside facilities in Ohio.”

Randall wanted to say ‘really’ with a hint of sarcastic disbelief. He knew where it had come from. Someone at the university took credit for Amita’s brilliant idea.

He wanted to scream at the notion that they were moving on it. What did that entail? Were they giving rabies to BV victims in New York? If so, it was irresponsible because they didn’t know what the outcome would be. Twenty-four hours would change any virus.

The situation in New York was dire. The numbers increased by the minute. Randall understood the desperation that authorities had, but he wished they’d wait.

He himself wouldn’t stop. He would watch to see what the outcome of the rabies versus BV actually was. Hopefully it was positive.  He imagined the person that ‘stole’ Amita’s idea was probably basking and bragging in the find. Randall wondered if that person would also take the fall if things failed.

Which very well could happen.

<><><><>

It was time.

Bianca won the compassionate coin toss.

Walter said he’d do it, but it wouldn’t come out right. Joel offered, but, like Walter was fearful of how he’d sound. Melissa offered as well, but Bianca knew that Melissa didn’t really bother with anyone other than the remaining hotel staff.

That left Bianca and JJ. It wasn’t right to have a boy do a woman’s job.

Bianca was the one. Aside from the fact that it was the right thing to do for Cassie, it was right for Ava and Calvin. Not to mention poor Landon who was bounced from the ballroom to Bianca. He didn’t know what he was supposed to do or feel or act. Bianca told him, there was no wrong way to feel or act. If he wanted to play, he should play.

Joel took Landon to the lost and found box behind the front desk. He called it treasure hunting and was certain there were a couple toys in there.

Bianca took a deep heaving breath before stepping into the grand
ballroom.

Ava was seated on one side of Cassie’s covered body, Calvin still held his sister’s hand. A hand that had turned black from settling blood.

Rayne was in the same position he had been for three hours. Elbows on his knees, looking at his hands, looking as if at any moment he was going to break.

Quietly, Bianca approached and stood behind Ava, placing her hand on her shoulder. “I am so sorry for what you guys are going through.”

Calvin nodded.

“You need to eat.”

Softly, Calvin replied. “I’m not hungry.”

“I don’t care if you’re hungry,” Bianca stated. “You need to eat and be strong. We have a virus headed our way and all of us are susceptible. We’ll be more susceptible if we are weak. You eat and take a double dose of Vitamin C.”

Ava spoke up. “She’s right Calvin. I know you’re hurting.”

“It’s my sister. My best friend. I can’t leave her, not even for a moment, not even to eat. She wouldn’t leave me. It’s my sister.”

Bianca felt his words and her throat swelled. “Calvin, she wouldn’t want you to chance getting sick. She wouldn’t. Please and …” Her words were hard to say, heavy and thick they moved about her head and chest before she spoke them. “We need to move Cassie.”

Ava turned around. “Where? Is the CDC taking her?”

“No.” Bianca replied. “Joel made space in a cooler …”

“No!” Calvin blasted. “You can’t put her in a cooler.”

“Then you tell me,” Bianca said, softly. “You tell me what we’re supposed to do. There are no police to call. No one will come here. What works? You want to bury her, we can. Whatever you want. But she cannot stay here in this ballroom. It’s not good for Landon, it’s not good for you, and it isn’t good for her body. It’s warm in here. Look at her hand Calvin. It’ll only get worse until you can’t hold her hand any longer. I know you don’t want to leave her. You can go see her in the cooler if that’s what you want. But we need to move her from here.”

Calvin lowered his head to Cassie’s hand, then reached up to the sheet. “I’m sorry, Cass. I am.”

Ava stood. “We’ll take her.”

“No. You and Calvin come with me, Joel and Walter will take the cot with Cassie. Ok? Just step out of here. Both of you go be with Landon.”

Ava stepped into Bianca and embraced her, then reached her hand out to Calvin.

He was reluctant in taking it. “Why hasn’t my dad called or come by? I know you tried Ava.”

Ava shook her head. “I don’t know. But let’s go sit with Landon.”

Finally, the quiet giant stood from his sad corner. “I’ll take her. I want to take her.”

Bianca pursed her lips, “I know you do, Rayne. But you’re injured. I’ll get Joel to help you.”

Rayne walked up to the cot with Cassie.

Ava stepped to him. “Thank you, Rayne.”

“Yeah,” Calvin said. “Thank you for going after Cass.”

“I didn’t do anything. I didn’t do …anything.” Rayne reached out and laid his hand on the cot.

“You tried.” Calvin told him. “That’s means a lot.”

Ava touched him as well. “We are forever grateful that you put your life on the line for her. I’m sorry you’re hurting too.”

Rayne lowered his head.

Calvin asked. “Did she say anything? Did she any words at all, Rayne? Anything?”

“She said she was sorry.”

His head lowered and Calvin sighed out. “My sister died feeling guilty.”

“No.” Rayne stated. “She was strong,
it was a message. I don’t think it was for guilt, I think it was because she was leaving and she knew.”

There was a silent moment there in the
ballroom, one that was broken by the opening of the doors.

Joel rushed in. “The President is coming on. I think we all need to see this.”

The televisions were on in the courtyard. There were four of them. Joel had shouted out across the courtyard for people inside to turn on the television. Like most, they were staying indoors, sealed in their own rooms.

It reminded Joel of the scenes from Paris, India, the UK, but it wasn’t. They were scenes from New York.

The reporter told about the spread of illness along with violence and they could only believe the address to the nation dealt with a strict arm of justice to keep things in order.

The younger President looked worn as if he had aged ten years in just a few days. Though he wore a button down shirt, he didn’t wear a tie, nor did he present a presidential, professional appearance.

The report on violence and suspected infection areas was cut short by the President speaking to his nation from what looked like a living room.

“Good evening,” the President said.  His voice was rough and tired. “It is with a heavy heart that I address you as a nation. At 2:45 PM Eastern Standard time, I signed an executive order quarantining the borough of New York. All access bridges in and out of the city have been sealed. It is my attempt to contain the virus which has spread rapidly throughout the county of New York. While other cities and states have now showed signs of infection, New York, remains a high infection area. We ask that residents of New York remain in their homes. I also signed an order to institute martial law. I ask that you cooperate.  The only way to control the violence is if we take a strong arm with it. I also placed a voluntary quarantine on the states of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, Wisconsin, Nevada and Washington. I ask that the residents of these states remain in their homes. Do not leave. We face two foes right now. The virus and the violence. For your safety against both enemies it is imperative that you stay inside, stay away from people. I will not sugar coat this virus. It has swept across Europe and Asia. It is fast, it is vicious, and it is deadly. It is a threat to us as a race because what it does not take from us as far as life itself, it appears to be taking from us every shred of civility. It is heartbreaking to watch this devastating parasite of nature unleashed on the innocence of this world. But we are not out of options, we are not out of hope. This morning a radical answer was presented, a test procedure of this has proven effective in combating the virus. So much so, that we immediately moved to advance this procedure into live subjects and over three hundred patients infected with the virus at New York County General have received this miracle antidote. I’ve been told, three hours after first injections, our virus victims are already showing signs of improvement. If this cure continues on its current path, we will no longer have this virus to fear and God willing, we will have defeated the thing that so realistically threatens our existence.”

The President continued with other details of the plan, words that somehow slipped into the background like elevator music as those in the courtyard discussed what he had to say.

“Why are we still quarantined?” Melissa asked. ‘If this is happening so fast, sweeping the globe, why do they care about locking us in this hotel?”

“Maybe it has something to do with this cure
,” Walter said. “Those in quarantine probably get the antidote first.”

Joel wondered that himself. Why they were still locked up under armed guard? Why did the phones go to the CDC mobiles? The only deduction he could come up with was that the CDC and WHO couldn’t be at the site of every outbreak, so they were a research site or a ground zero. There was also the chance, even though Semora Love had died, that those in the hotel were locked in before they could get infected.

Inside the hotel they were safe from the violence and safe from a virus that moved through the air with very gust of wind.

Only something airborne could move that fast. Joel didn’t have to be a ‘Rayne’ to know that. And Walter brought up the point, the CDC was right outside the door. If the cure worked, they were there to get it if they got sick, not to mention medical help others would wait in line for.