Frontier Justice - 01 (11 page)

“Killed with military weapons?”

“No, sir. Three were killed with a shotgun. One was beaten to death.”

“That sounds more like a street fight, probably involving some of the miscreants that the president felt compelled to release from our penal institutions.”

“It would seem so.”

“You know, whoever grabbed her might just solve this problem for us.”

“I prefer to clean up my own messes.”

The vice president nodded.

“I assume you’re actively looking for her.”

“Yes, sir. We have two helicopters in the area. A small ground contingent is also en route, but they won’t arrive for some time.”

“Do you think she’ll try to make contact with friendly forces?”

“Assuming that she’s able, that would be a logical course of action.”

“Find her before that happens.”

“Yes, sir.”

“The man I have leading this effort can be trusted implicitly. He will do exactly as we instruct. You should also use only your most trusted people. There can be no leaks on this, General.”

“While I would trust the soldiers with my life in combat, this mission is unconventional. Some may have to be expunged when the operation is complete.”

“Expunged?”

“Yes, sir.”

The vice president nodded again.

“We do what we must to save this struggling nation.”

“Indeed,” said General Hood. “I do wonder, however, if it might be prudent to inform the president of the girl’s possible survival.”

“Why?” The vice president’s eyes narrowed with suspicion.

“If we get to the girl first, then the plan remains unchanged. However, if she turns up elsewhere, such a report might help to deflect suspicion.”

“Ah, yes, I see your point. The problem is that, if the president even suspects that the girl is alive, she will use every possible resource to find her. We can’t have that. Certainly not now when we’re so close.”

“Understood.”

“For now, let’s allow her to assume the worst. It helps to keep her weak and ineffective, and that’s the only way we can save this nation from the coming evil.”

The tray of food looked like something from a hospital cafeteria. President Glass picked at a blob of green gelatin as if it was an alien life form. As a child, she had always liked Jell-O. In her current state, however, she saw it as a food perversion that was hard to look at, let alone eat. A knock sounded on her office door.

“Enter,” she said with as much authority as she could muster.

Vice President Pike entered. He nodded and offered a smile.

“Madam President.”

She looked down at the food before finally pushing it aside.

“Lincoln.”

“Thank you for agreeing to see me. I know you must be very busy.”

She squinted at him. Was he digging at her? Of course he was.

“Yes, I am. So, let’s make it quick.”

“Yes, of course,” he said, sliding out a chair. “Right to the point, then. Madam President, we have a very important decision to make.”

“And that is?”

“As you know, the virus claimed about ninety-five percent of our population. Of the roughly twenty million people remaining, it’s estimated that nearly five million were exposed to the virus, but subsequently survived.”

She closed her eyes, wondering how her own family could be counted in the dead.

“I’m familiar with the numbers. What are you getting at?”

“Madam President, it may be even worse than we thought.”

She fought back tears.

“Nothing could be worse.”

He slid his chair a little closer.

“Ma’am, I’ve been told by several CDC scientists that they are seeing an unexpected side effect of the virus. One that could threaten the remaining population.”

“What kind of side effect?”

“They describe it as acute delusional paranoia.”

“Paranoia? Like believing people are out to get them?”

“Yes, but it’s very specific. Those affected seem to target their paranoia toward people who were not exposed to the virus.”

“They probably just feel like outcasts, that’s all. Have you seen what the virus has done to these poor souls? Besides, how could a virus cause paranoia?”

“It appears that Superpox-99 introduces chemical changes in the brain. Those changes cause the person to feel overwhelming paranoia. It continues to deepen over time, until they eventually lose touch with reality.”

She shook her head. “Even if that’s true, it doesn’t necessarily threaten the population. You’re reaching here, Lincoln.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am. I’m not making myself clear. In time, the paranoia leads to horrible violent tendencies. Those who are most strongly affected become consumed with an overwhelming desire to kill.”

“Let me get this straight. You’re saying that the people who survived the virus are going to try to murder the people who weren’t infected?”

“Yes ma’am, it appears so. Not all at once, of course. Each person reacts differently, but on the whole, it’s … well, it’s quite serious. Before long, we’ll have a nation that is heavily infested with
crazies,
for lack of a better term.”

President Glass closed her eyes and sighed.

“Can’t we administer some form of cure for this madness?”

“No, ma’am. There aren’t enough resources left to develop such a medicine, assuming that it could even be made.”

“So, what then? We just let what’s left of our country be overrun by millions of violent, mentally deranged … whatever the hell they are?”

The vice president moved even closer, hoping to circumvent any microphones that might be in the room.

“We will need to take action to prevent this.”

“And what do you propose?” She didn’t see where he was going but was certain she wasn’t going to like it.

“I think we need to sort our population into those who were infected and those who were not. That way, we can keep them apart from one another, at least until we can develop a treatment for this disorder.”

President Glass looked at him as if he had just grown antenna.

“You’re proposing we set up internment camps?”

“I wasn’t planning on using that term. But to be blunt, yes, ma’am, that’s exactly what I’m proposing.”

“To what end? What if we don’t find a cure to the paranoia? What then? Do we keep millions of Americans in camps until they die? What about their children? Are they suspect, too? Where does this end, Lincoln?”

He sat back in his chair, considering her words.

“I see your point, Madam President.”

She smiled, finally feeling that she had gotten the better of a man she despised, if for no other reason than for his unshaken confidence.

“Yes, yes, you’re absolutely right,” he continued. “I see it now. The internment camps would never work.”

“Thank you,” she said. “I’m glad that—”

“There really is only one solution.”

“And what’s that?”

“We have to finish what the virus couldn’t.”

CHAPTER

11

M
ason spent the entire next day at his cabin. Not only did it give Bowie time to rehydrate and regain his strength, it also gave Mason time to connect with others on the ham radio. He talked at length with several people around the country. It seemed that things were essentially the same everywhere—people were dead, and structured society had all but disintegrated. The hardest hit areas were urban centers, where people lived in close proximity. By all reports, big cities were places of pure horror, the likes of which even the most gruesome zombie movies couldn’t portray.

By mid-afternoon, he began picking up an official government radio broadcast. The message was transmitted on numerous shortwave frequencies and repeated every few hours. It started with the familiar Emergency Alert System tone, followed by a robotic voice issuing a simple announcement:

Due the outbreak, of the Superpox-99 virus, the nation’s utilities have been disrupted. Citizens are encouraged to shelter in place for thirty days, or until, the virus has subsided in their area. The nation’s government remains committed to safeguarding the public. Distribution of critical supplies, including food, water, and medicine will, begin soon. Until that time, survivors are urged to band together to ensure their survival.

In one sense, it was good news. It meant that some portion of the government was still functioning. On the other hand, it was as grave an announcement as the federal government would ever issue. It also seemed highly unlikely that they would be distributing supplies anytime soon, given the unprecedented loss of life. It was much more likely that the government currently had little, if any, control of the country.

He assumed that the recommendation to shelter in place for thirty days was meant to give the virus time to kill off those who had already been infected. The problem was that most people had less than a week’s worth of food on hand and no stockpile of clean water. Broadcast or not, necessity would drive people to seek out essential supplies.

Later in the day, Kate and Jack also signed on as had been previously agreed.

“It’s good to hear your voices,” said Jack.

“For me, too,” agreed Kate.

“Does anyone have a pressing announcement?”

“I’m assuming that you’ve both heard the government’s broadcast advising people to shelter in place,” said Jack.

“Good advice but a bit late,” said Mason.

“Do either of you believe what they said about food and water being distributed soon?” Kate sounded much better than when they had previously spoken.

“Not a chance,” said Jack.

“It seems like a stretch to me as well,” said Mason.

“That’s what I figured.”

“I have been picking up rumors that the government is re-establishing at the outskirts of several large cities,” said Jack. “I heard Denver mentioned in particular.”

“That’s good, right?” asked Kate. “If the government gets up and going, they’ll eventually provide some relief to those of us who survived. They have to; it’s their responsibility.”

Mason wasn’t so sure. The nation was passing through uncharted waters. What would happen next was anyone’s guess.

“Kate, my advice is not to depend on the government or anyone else coming to your aid. Given the size of the devastation, help is going to be very slow in coming, if it comes at all. Do either of you have an idea of the number of dead?”

Jack was quick to answer.

“I’ve been asking around, but no one knows for sure. Based on my small survey, and it’s definitely not scientific, I’d say that maybe one person out of every twenty or thirty is still alive. Some contracted and survived the virus. As you can imagine, they’re pretty messed up. Others of us just stayed away from it. And, finally, it seems that a few, including Kate and her son, were just flat out immune.”

“My God,” said Kate. “Can that be right? Could there really be hundreds of millions of Americans dead?”

“If you push those numbers to a global scale,” said Mason, “we’re talking about many billions.”

“Take my estimates for what they’re worth. All I know for sure is what I see around me. The streets are littered with cars. Homes are quiet because no one is alive inside. Bodies are everywhere. That’s my reality. Are you two seeing something different?”

“I haven’t been into any towns or cities yet, but I can confirm that the streets are as you say. Very few people alive here,” Mason said, thinking briefly of the encounters he had during his last outing.

“I try not to go out much,” said Kate. “But, yes, you’re right. Almost everyone is dead around me. I do occasionally see a car go by on the road behind my house, but not more than once or twice a day. I haven’t had the courage to approach anyone.”

Mason said, “Kate, you’re sheltering in place just as you should be. When things right themselves and it’s time to seek help, you’ll know it. For now, keep yourself and your boy safe.”

“I’m not sure that I can continue to do that.”

“Why’s that?” asked Jack.

“My big need now is gasoline. I took the gas cans from my neighbors’ garages, but I’m almost out. Without gas, I won’t be able to run the generator, and, without the generator, I won’t be able to use the radio or anything else requiring electricity.”

“Cars are all around you with fuel in their tanks. You just need to pump it out.”

“How do I do that?” she asked. “With a siphon?”

“As long as the gas can is lower than the gas tank, the siphon will work fine,” replied Jack. “The problem is that most cars have anti-siphon blocks. That makes it a bit tricky to get the hose down into the tank. Are you good with your hands?”

“Uh, no. It took me nearly half a day to figure out how to drain my water heater.”

Jack was slow in answering.

“Marshal, you got any ideas?”

“Kate, you should be able to retrieve fuel just like you did the water.”

“Tell me.” Her voice sounded hopeful.

“You’ll need to drain the fuel tanks of the cars in your neighborhood. If you look underneath a vehicle, you’ll see a large container located toward the rear. If you see hoses running out of it, you can disconnect or cut the lowest hose and drain the tank that way. If you can’t access the hoses, look for a flat drain plug on the very bottom of the tank. The drain cock can be pried out with a flathead screwdriver. If all else fails, use a sharp screwdriver and a hammer to puncture the tank at the lowest point. You’ll obviously need to be ready with a container that can be slid beneath the car and still hold a lot of liquid.”