Special Talents (46 page)

"I remember," said Scarborough. "Basically he said one of the tactics of war was to give your spies false information. So that when they were captured by the enemy they'd give that information to the enemy who would take measures based on the false information. But in reality you're actually planning something different and your enemy won't be prepared for it."

"Exactly," said Jeremy. "We've been going under the assumption that Moser was going to use a nuclear device. But he didn't. It was a normal bomb. Outside here where it was detonated it couldn't really do that much damage. And I saw Moser and Chang a few minutes ago over by that grove of trees. If he had planned to use a nuclear device all along, he never would have been here."

"So you think he had something else in mind from the beginning?" Scarborough asked.

"Yes," said Jeremy. "In his speech he talks about war. The war waged by what he called the criminals and murderers of the American government. Moser is very intelligent. I would bet he's read Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War' and would be familiar with this tactic."

"I wouldn't be at all surprised," said Richard. "'The Art of War' is required reading in many military academies."

"So you're saying that this Moser let us learn of his so-called plan to use a nuclear device here today so we'd plan for it," said James. "When he actually had something else planned all along."

"That's exactly what I'm saying," said Jeremy.

"Okay," said Richard. "So if he didn't plan to use a nuclear device, how does he plan to kill everyone in that building? There's no way he could get enough assassins in it to kill all of the hundreds of people inside there."

"He doesn't need an army of assassins," said Jeremy. "He only needs one. In his speech, Moser made references to Egypt. More specifically, the plagues of Egypt. He talks about the power of the American government dying a slow agonizing death. He talks about the people dying in agony.

"The mention of Egypt in that speech is the key. There's no reference in it about anything nuclear. But there is reference to the ten plagues that befell Egypt. There would flies, lice, frogs, unhealable boils, a total of ten that culminated in the first born of every household being struck down."

"I'm not seeing any flies or lice," said James.

"The actual method isn't the important part," said Jeremy. "What they are referred to is. We know that Moser has had contact with Stewart Kranston. Kranston is a genetic biologist. He specializes in genetic engineering to help find cures for diseases. But that genetic engineer could very easily be used for a different purpose. To create what's been called the 'super virus'. An organism so deadly that it can kill everyone it comes into contact with."

"Jeremy, I don't think I like what you're implying," said Scarborough.

"I'm not implying anything, Richard," said Jeremy. "I'm saying it outright. I don't think Moser ever intended to use a nuclear device. It's big and bulky and cumbersome. And he knew there was always a possibility that we'd be able to stop whoever was carrying it."

"So just what are you saying, Dr. Sloan?" James asked.

"Moser had something else in mind," said Jeremy. "Something more insidious than a nuclear device and that could potentially be more deadly. And something that none of your security measures could guard against because a single person could carry it into the Capital Building and you'd never be able to detect it."

He paused for a moment.

"I think Moser plans to release a biological agent into the House of Representatives so potent it will infect everyone in the building. Something so deadly it will be almost guaranteed to kill anyone who gets infected."

"That would be impossible," said James. "The only way he could do that would be to hook a canister of this biological agent to the ventilation system of the building and pump it into the House. I can assure you, doctor, nothing has been hooked up to the ventilation system. And there would be no way for anyone to get a canister of something like that through our security measures."

"They could if they weren't carrying a canister," said Jeremy. "If they were infected with the agent they could walk right into the building and you'd never know they had it."

"Are you saying that someone deliberately let themselves be infected with some kind of deadly virus just so they could infect everyone in the Capital Building?" Scarborough asked.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," said Jeremy. "It's so simple it's brilliant. It's worse than any weapon or bomb Moser could have used. No one knows it's there. Without specific tests – tests your security measures aren't designed to perform – you wouldn't be able to tell someone was infected. By the time it was discovered that he was infecting other people, it would be too late. And in an enclosed area like the House of Representatives – with it packed to capacity – whoever was infected would infect everyone he comes into contact with. They, in turn, would infect everyone they come into contact with. The entire chamber could be infected within a matter of minutes. And by the time we found out they had been infected with something a great many of them would all ready be dead and the rest dying."

"Moser carries through on his threat to bring down the American government without firing a shot or detonating one bomb," said Scarborough. "Everyone infected would leave the chamber after the speech and spread the infection to everyone they came into contact with on the outside. You get a couple of Senators or Representatives who decide to go home to their respective states after the address and it begins to spread all over the country. We could have an epidemic spreading across the country in a matter of days."

"And without knowing what the infection was, it would take time to isolate it and identify it," said Jeremy. "Allowing it to spread even farther. More than likely the entire echelon of the American government would die from the infection within a matter of days. As it spreads, more people would begin to die."

"The America Armageddon that you described to Secretary Napolitano," said Scarborough. "And Moser and his people probably protected by some vaccine that makes them immune to the infection."

"Yes," said Jeremy.

"What can we do?" James asked. "You're right about one thing, doctor. The Secret Service is not equipped to deal with something like this. How do we prevent whoever is infected from infecting everyone else?"

"Well the first thing we have to do is identify whoever's infected," said Jeremy. "That could be a problem. Whatever they were infected with may not show any symptoms. At least not just yet. Someone could be perfectly healthy and still be infecting anyone they come into contact with. It happens in schools and daycares all the time. By the time one child begins to exhibit signs of chicken pox or measles, for instance, they've all ready exposed every other child and the staff to the diseases."

"So it could be anyone," said James. "Even someone who appears to be completely healthy."

"Exactly," said Jeremy. "But it would have to be someone Moser has had access to in the past few days. Any longer than that and symptoms would begin to appear. And it would have to be someone who has access to the House of Representatives chamber. They'd have to be able to get inside to infect other people."

"Unless they were able to infect someone else who had access to the chamber," said Scarborough. "They wouldn't have to necessarily enter the chamber themselves. Just infect someone else who would then enter the chamber and begin the chain reaction."

"I don't think so," said Jeremy. "It would take days, maybe, to spread the infection that way. And there's no guarantee whoever carried it into the chamber would be able to effectively infect everyone inside. No, he'd want someone who was all ready infected enough to insure they'd pass it on to whomever they came into contact with. So whoever it is would had to have been all ready infected and the disease in full incubation.

"Moser was very thorough. He must have been able to learn about my ability somehow. He knew that not even I could check everyone and see if they were infected. And without knowing who the infected person is there might be no way to stop them before they start spreading the infection."

"Ability?" questioned James.

"I'll explain it later," said Scarborough. "Right now we have to figure out a way to identify who the infected person is and stop them from going into the House of Representatives."

"Jeremy," said Conrad. "What is Septicemic? Is it the scientific name for the flu?"

"No, it's not," said Jeremy. "Septicemic plague is a very deadly blood infection. It was one of the three main forms of plague that struck Europe in 1300s. The other forms of plague back then were bubonic and pneumonic plague. They effectively wiped out three-quarters of Europe and are usually referred to as the Black Death. Why do you ask?"

"It was in Agent Conroy's mind," said Conrad. "I only caught a glimpse of it and when he said his doctor told him it was the flu I just figured that was some fancy scientific name for it."

"Conroy," said Jeremy thoughtfully. "He was coughing. And he was sweating some. That could be signs of a fever."

"Conroy said a couple of minutes ago that he was going to inform the security detail in the chamber that the bomb threat had been contained," said Scarborough.

"You must be mistaken," said James. "I've known Jamison Conroy for more than 20 years. He's an excellent agent. Totally dedicated to protecting the President. He'd never do anything that might hurt the President or anyone else in that chamber."

"What if you're wrong?" Scarborough asked. "What if Moser was able to get to him somehow? Maybe convince him to help? Or blackmail him into helping? Can you really take the chance that we're wrong about this?"

"Agent James," said Jeremy, "I can't explain right now. But take my word on it. Moser has a way of getting people to do what he wants. Even if they would normally not do it. Conroy might not be acting under his own volition. If he is being controlled by Moser then he's a very real threat to everyone in that chamber. Does Conroy have access to the House of Representatives chamber?"

"Yes," said James. "He'd report to the head of security inside the chamber."

"James, you have to stop Conroy from entering that chamber," said Jeremy. "If he's the one infected with the plague he'll infect everyone in there. No matter what it takes you have to keep him from entering that chamber. If we're wrong I will personally apologize to him later. But for now just stop him. There's too much at risk to take any chances."

James immediately got on his radio.

"This is James. Special Agent Conroy is not to be allowed access to the House of Representatives chamber for any reason. Detain and subdue if necessary. This is a priority one alert. All force is authorized to detain and subdue the subject. I repeat. All force is authorized to detain and subdue the subject. He is to be considered armed and extremely dangerous."

"Tell them not to touch him," said Jeremy. "Risk of infection goes up dramatically with physical contact."

"A priority one alert means he's considered a deadly threat," Scarborough explained as James relayed the orders. "All force means they are authorized to shoot and kill him if necessary to stop him."

"He's your second-in-command," said Jeremy. "Are you sure your agents will stop him?"

"The agents report to me," said James. "They'll follow my orders to the letter. And every one of them has sworn to give their lives before allowing any harm to come to anyone in that building. They'll stop him if they have to shoot him to do it."

"Richard, we need to get a medical team here fast," said Jeremy. "If it is Septicemic plague everyone Conroy has had contact with will have to be treated immediately. If they aren't treated within 24 hours death is inevitable."

"I'll contact the CDC," said Scarborough. "With any luck they'll have whatever we need to treat this thing. We should have a team here within an hour."

"They've got him," said James, listening to his earpiece. "He's about to enter the east entrance to the building."

"Come on," said Jeremy. "We have to get there and stop him. And remember. No one touches him."

They all rushed to the east entrance and found Conroy standing outside the entrance with his hands raised. The two Secret Service agents on duty at that entrance stood facing Conroy with their weapons drawn, pointing them at him.

"Walker, what's going on here?" Conroy asked. "I was on my way to inform Agent Harris that the bomb threat was passed when these two suddenly drew their weapons on me."

"Just take it easy, Jamison," said James. "I need you to remove your service weapon and place it on the ground. No sudden moves."

"Walker, this is crazy," said Conroy. "You know me. I'd give my life before I hurt the President or anyone else in there."

"I know, Jamison," said James. "But you know I can't take any chances on something like this. We need to sort this all out. For now, just put your weapon on the ground and come along quietly. I'm sure we'll find it's all been a big misunderstanding and it will all be cleared up soon."