Virus-72 Hours to Live (8 page)

Captain Mann, snapped to attention and, even
though, his eyes were big he said, "Yes, sir." He rushed to the
comm panel and transmitted to the entire task force, "Task Force
50, Task Force 50. This is an immediate change in operational
tasking. Execute Biohazard attack procedures immediately. I repeat
Execute Biohazard procedures immediately." Alarms throughout the
fleet sounded and lock-down began.

All crewmembers hurried to their bio lockers
and were issued protective clothing after the announcements were
spread among the task force. From then on they would conduct their
daily duties wearing protective suits. Hatches remained closed and
air filters would be serviced more often and tested for
contaminates.

"Commander Mann, check with our home base at
Manama and pass word to the other task forces. I want to know the
status of the 5th. Also, send a flash message up the command. Tell
them we may be under attack."

"Yes, sir."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"Sir, I just spoke with Manama and there is
a problem."

"What's their status?"

"Sir, they're having similar problems. A
large percentage of their staff hasn't reported for duty. They're
calling them as fast as possible and many aren't answering their
phones. The duty staff is getting sick and doing their best to keep
the base operating."

"Direct all ships that are able to get to
full power and leave the port. I want the navy on the water, not in
dock."

"Yes, sir."

"Have we heard anything from Central
Command?"

"Sir, there has been sporadic information
coming down. I'm not sure how much of what we've sent is going up
the chain. It appears that all levels of command are having similar
problems."

Great, I might be under biological attack
and command, is out to lunch, the Admiral thought. "Commander Mann,
maintain fleet ops and monitor the crewmen in the dispensary. I
don't want this to get out of hand. Give me a summary of sick and
how many we have at their duty stations. We've still got a fleet to
sail."

"Yes, sir," said Lt. Commander Peal as he
gave a quick salute and went to work.

Friday 7/7/51

Date – 2051.51265 (6:46
AM)

“Good morning Termen,” SIMPOC said politely as the
engineer walked into the room.

“Good morning SIMPOC,” Termen responded and
continued, “What did you find last night?”

“I found out much about how the regions of
the planet communicate. Throughout all of the information, some
fundamental controlling forces emerged. Depending on the area, one
or more of economic, political, technical, religious or ethnic
drivers dominate each. Apparently the more drivers that were
present and their diversity drive the number of human
conflicts.”

"SIMPOC, those are all examples of one group
of people trying to influence or control another group."

"Termen why is it that humans wait for
others to solve their problems. There is little effort to identify
a problem before it becomes significant."

"Excellent question SIMPOC. People assume
that no action will allow the problem to go away or solve itself.
If a person says, a problem exists then they are responsible for
the solution. If their actions are successful, they're a hero, but
in most cases the result isn't clear and they'll be blamed."

"Human interactions are complex."

"Yes, that appears to be a good
summary."

"Most of the conflicts have no logical or
historical reason to continue, yet they do. It appears that people
plan tomorrow based on what is happening today. To them, tomorrow
is based on how they perceive events that happened yesterday. They
appear to be locked in endless cycles of repeating the same
problems, and progress to solve them is very slow."

"Yes, SIMPOC your analysis appears to be
accurate. In many cases, allowing the conflict from yesterday to
continue is easier than making the difficult choices to solve it.
Continue monitoring your information sources. I have other things
to work on. If you find anything interesting just let me know."

"Yes, Termen."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Life on the Machelhany wasn't pleasant.
Performing all the necessary duties in full HAZMAT gear was a pain
in the butt. However, the personnel did their jobs. Admiral Monson
wasn't comfortable. He was used to leading the action, not reacting
to it. The viral outbreak put the entire 5th fleet on the defensive
and he didn't like being in that position. He was getting little
information from the command structure and that concerned him less
than the effects the virus had on his fleet's operation. Command
staff had their job and he had his. He could still lead his fleet
whether the command staff was there or not.

The last six hours were a nightmare. Many of
his crewmen had fallen to the virus. Across the fleet, the losses
were staggering. In total, estimates were the 5th had lost 67% of
the personnel. The spread of the virus happened so fast there was
little that anyone could do. Putting the entire fleet on Biohazard
Alert was the best he could do, and it appeared that the action
saved the remaining 33%.

His only option was to find a way to keep
the fleet afloat and protect the remaining crews.

The 5th had been on the water for 24 days
prior to the virus outbreak. According to his med staff that was
longer than any incubation period that made sense. Someone they
were in contact with prior to departure couldn't have spread
anything, the crew caught. The virus broke out on all the ships at
once and none of the crew had moved from ship to ship. None of the
onboard air filters showed any contaminants and they were too far
at sea for a spread from land or aircraft.

Leaving the remaining crew in hazmat gear
seemed counterproductive so he called Commander Pearl into his
office.

"Doc, this virus isn't making any sense.
From what you've told me, there is no way my people caught it from
shore. We haven't had any fly-bys to spray us and we're too far out
to sea for something airborne. Besides that, it has popped up at
the same time on all of the ships. What the fuck is going on?

"Sir, I can't explain it. I don't think it's
airborne and I don't think we got it from land. If there were an
incubation period, then it would have popped up on shore before
now."

"Doc do you have any problem with storing
the hazmat gear?"

"Admiral I don't think it will make any
difference. I'm isolating the sick and leaving the med people in
hazmat gear. Following that procedure seems to reduce the rate of
spread. I think that is our only defense."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The door to the Oval Office opened.
President Patterson was shaking the World Trade Fund President's
hand. "It was good to see you again Pierre. I hope we can find a
way to increase trade to that area."

"Yes Mr. President that may be possible, but
we have to deal with those other issues first."

"I agree, I think we'll be able to solve
those."

After the WTF President had left, Judy stuck
her head in and said, "Mr. President I moved the meeting with the
Minority Whip until later so we could fit the CDC in. The Director
has called in from Atlanta, would you like to speak with him
now?"

"Get Eddy in here; then plug him in."

"Roberto, I want you to stay and hear this.
Also, have your office follow-up up with the WTF and make sure they
go through on what we just discussed."

"Will, do."

After a moment, Eddy was able to rush up the
hallway and enter just as Judy was connecting the director of the
CDC.

"Good afternoon Mr. President."

"Paul, how are you, Joy and the kids
doing?"

"Excellent Mr. President."

"Well, what is happening?"

"Mr. President, I wish I had a complete
answer for you. The CDC got involved about 10 hours ago and we are
throwing all necessary resources at it until we understand what is
happening. I've sent our top epidemiologist to the area and we are
waiting for her to call in and give us an update."

"The preliminary reports suggest a very high
mortality rate, a very short incubation period as well as being
airborne and highly contagious and infectious. Any of those pieces
of information is alarming. I suspect it isn't as virulent as these
early reports suggest, but we are moving as fast as possible."

"Paul, we heard it is breaking out in
multiple areas spontaneously, is that correct?"

"Again Mr. President we are far from having
all of the information, sometimes reporting is skewed. The reports
all surface at once making it appear that it is occurring
simultaneously in multiple areas. Again let's hope it is a
reporting anomaly. A virus doesn't spread like that, so I'm very
suspicious of the information we're getting. Virus' spread and go
from one person to another. They don't start in multiple places all
at once."

"Ok, Paul please stay on top of this and if
anything changes call Eddy immediately."

"Yes, Mr. President."

"Good-by, Paul."

"Eddy stay on top of this, there is
something about this virus that worries me. Please keep Roberto and
me current."

"Yes sir."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Dmitry Kovalenko was a perfect baby, he was
a perfect toddler and he was a perfect pre-teen and teenager.
Dmitry was also a perfect young adult and mature adult. He knew he
was perfect and he wasn't interested in what other people thought.
They didn't understand him, they were dirty, they didn't listen,
and they didn't care about what he cared about. They were wrong and
irrelevant to him.

Dmitry was 6 ft. 2 inches tall and had dark
wavy brown hair. To everyone who looked at him, he was attractive
and had a killer smile. He learned early, a smile, a laugh, and
even a tear occasionally would get him what he wanted. If it
didn't, then the dark of the night would be his ally and when he
struck, it was violent and he left no doubt, as to whom it was
from. He was smart enough not to leave evidence, just fear and
pain, which he could use to his benefit another time.

Dmitry cared about others for only one
reason, because he could get them to do what he wanted. They did
what he asked and if they were afraid of him, that was their
weakness not his problem. He only hurt them when they didn't do
what was important what he wanted to be done.

There were 14 men who were within his sphere
of influence. They were weak but regardless of what he wanted, they
complied. Petty theft, prostitution, drugs all helped move money
from people who didn't deserve it to Dmitry. Running pimps only
gave dirty people, disgusting satisfaction; why shouldn't Dmitry
help them destroy themselves. Drugs accomplished the same thing.
Selling drugs to dirty people only helped to move their money from
them to him; after all they didn't deserve the money, he did.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Abby woke up at 5:30 AM and intended to do
some more prep work. It seemed like a good time to get some
exercise done before breakfast, but her body said no. She did
something she rarely did and she punched the snooze button to get
another 15 minutes, then she pulled her blankets up over her
head.

After the alarm had intruded into her sleep
once again, she got up and putting on her robe took a lot of
effort. She walked through the living room towards Beth's room and
when she entered, Beth hadn't gotten out of bed. "Hey, kiddo how
are you doing. It's about time to get up, don't you think?"

Her little girl rolled over and said, "Mommy
I don't feel well."

"What's the matter," the worried mother
asked forgetting about her own bad feelings.

"When I take a deep breath, I make
noise."

Perhaps it was an allergy or reaction to the
smog in Paris.

"Ok, you can stay home today. Let me tuck
you in then I'm going to check on Dave."

"Ok, Mommy."

After a couple of hugs and kisses, it seemed
like Beth went back to sleep, so Abby moved out of her room
quietly. When she entered Dave's room, it was a mess. He had thrown
his clothes all over the place. In a way, it made her feel like
home.

"Dave, how do you feel this morning? Beth
doesn't feel very well."

Dave wasn't moving in the bed, which wasn't
much different from a normal morning wake-up.

"Honey, wake-up," she said in a gentle
voice.

Finally, she saw some movement under the
blankets and she wasn't sure which end was his head. She got a
muffled, "Whaaat?"

"How do you feel, Beth doesn't feel well?
I'm letting her stay home today."

Dave didn't answer immediately, but she did
hear a muffled cough, which sounded like something, was going
on.

"Ok, it sounds like you've got the same
thing. You're staying home also."

She didn't get a response and didn't expect
one. Abby left the room and noticed it was getting close to 6:00
and she had better get dressed for the breakfast meeting with
Evette. Getting dressed seemed slow and indecisive. Abby felt dizzy
a couple of times and noticed she had trouble taking deep breaths.
I wish this trip wasn't so important or I'd grab the kids and head
home. But I've got to make it through.

The doorbell rang and there was a waiter
with a cart with two breakfasts on top. The two secret service
guards were standing next to him and they had likely already
checked the cart and food.

Abby tried to speak and had trouble getting
the first word out. "Thanks, you're bringing up the other two
breakfasts at 8:00 for the kids?" she asked with a definite gurgle
in her throat.

"Yes, mam. The other breakfasts will be
delivered at 8:00AM. I'll make sure although they are a little
short on the kitchen staff this morning."

"Thanks and pass thanks to the kitchen
staff."