“I’m just thankful you already did. Every minute we wait it will spread further.”
“We have only one other real anomaly. One of the very first people to come in contact with the virus is still hanging on. We don’t know why exactly, but he is.”
“Who is it?"
"The President of the mining company. A Paul Miller. I doubt he will make it but we are trying to figure out how he has lasted so long. What makes him so different?”
“Keep on it. Let the Deadly Virus Containment Team take over if they want. We need answers not egos getting in the way,” Riser told him.
“I can guarantee no problems from our end,” Conroy answered, “Oh, and one other bit of bad news.”
He pointed to the television screen. The sound was off but the scroll under the reporter was warning people about the possible outbreak of a deadly virus. The name wasn’t mentioned.
Good, he thought. Maybe the President didn’t want it out but there it was. This was one time he was glad for nosy reporters. The sooner people took precautions the more lives that would be saved.
His phone rang and he quickly answered it.
“CDC, Director Riser.”
“Doctor Riser. Hold for the President.”
Uh-oh. He waited what seemed like forever before the President came on the line.
“Doctor Riser. President Thornburg. I want to know who is responsible for this leaking to the news. I certainly hope you had nothing to do with this.”
“Mr. President. I just found out myself. I arrived at the CDC command center not more than ten minutes ago and saw it on the television. Sir, my people did not let this out. We have very strict protocols about alerting the public.”
“Then how did they find out? Someone told them.”
“Sir, I honestly don’t know.”
“Then how do you know it wasn’t one of your people?”
“Mr. President, the same way you know when someone on your staff does something. Respect for the chain of command.”
“I see. Any ideas how it did get to the media?”
“When I arrived I was informed that suspected cases were showing up in Louisville and now Columbus, Indiana. It is spreading out of Kentucky. Our containment plan has gone out the window,” Mark told him.
“What is your next step then?”
“We have activated the DVCT. They will be on site in less than three hours. Once we meet with them, I will update you on what we need to do next.”
“What you think we should do next,” the President corrected.
“Yes sir.”
“Then I’ll wait to hear from you. When you call, give the operator this code: E1-Alpha. That will get you directly to my office.”
“Yes sir, Mr. President. Oh sir, It would be wise if you and your staff, not to mention congress, start thinking about protection.”
“You don’t mean to say it could be here in Washington,” he said shocked at the suggestion.
“Yes sir, that is exactly what I am suggesting. Louisville’s airport is international. A lot of flights take off out of there with Washington as a destination.”
“Well, I guess we should discuss that. I’ll get my people together and talk it over. Thank you for the warning.”
“I’ll keep you posted Mr. President.”
“Alright,” was all he said and hung up.
“What is the President going to do?” Conroy asked when he hung up.
“Call a meeting to discuss if they should be prepared or not. Who voted that man in office? What were those people thinking? What a dolt,” he said as he set the phone on the desk.
“While you were talking to him. The first members of DVCT reported that they are less than an hour out.”
“Thank goodness. That’s the first good news I have had all day,” Mark said.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Jerry Washburn had always been on the very edge of being a flim-flam man. Constantly looking for a way to make a quick buck was a way of life for him. He spent more time cooking up scams than looking for an honest job. He always had some scam going.
Watching the news, he saw this as his big chance to hit the jackpot. He turned up the volume.
“The death toll continues to rise as the deadly virus is leapfrogging across the nation. New cases have been reported as far away as Reno, Nevada and Las Vegas. In an unusual move, the Center for Disease Control referred all questions to the White House. President Thornburg will hold a national televised address at 8:00 p.m. this evening.”
This was it. A chance to make some real money. All he needed was some supplies. Where to get what he needed was only a minor problem. He knew a lot of slippery people that he had dealt with over the years. He started calling them immediately. He wanted to jump on this before someone else did.
I would like to talk to the Doctor who first diagnosed the Ebola virus,” Riser said.
“Then you had better hurry. He is in the final stages. I doubt he will last the night.”
“Then I should do it now. After that I want to talk to the President of the mining company. We have his medical records but something has to be missing. Why is he still alive? Oh, I didn’t mean that like it sounded,” Riser said, realizing how callous it sounded.
“No. I have been asking myself the same question. Only a few of the miners from the company are still alive. Most have already died. Only three are still alive.”
“I need to talk to them as well.”
“Then we should go now. Two of the three won’t last the day,” Conroy told him.
Dressed in their full biomed suites they went to visit Paul first.
“Mr. Miller. I’m Doctor Riser, head of the CDC. I need to ask you some questions if you don’t mind.”
“Why not? I can’t dance and I don’t seem to have much strength to do anything else. Ask away.”
“I’ve reviewed your medical records. What is puzzling us, and I apologize for this in advance, is why you seem to have managed to fight the virus off.”
“Wait. Are you saying everyone else from the company didn’t make it?” he asked.
“I’m sorry Mr. Miller. Only three are still alive.”
“Mac, Ann, Barney. They are all dead?”
“I’m sorry. Yes. One of your foremen, a Mr. Art Stenson is still hanging on. I would be less than honest if I said that he would make it much longer.”
“I had almost a hundred and fifty employees. Are you saying that only the four of us are left?”
“I’m afraid I am.”
“I don’t understand. This is crazy. It was that fog that came out of that shaft wasn’t it?” Paul asked suddenly.
“We are not a hundred percent sure but it is the most likely explanation,” Riser replied.
“A stupid accident caused all of this? Wait..is this limited to the mine employees?”
“No. It is spreading across the country. Over five hundred and ninety people have died. Another two thousand are in the early stages.”
“My God. Can’t it be stopped?”
“We have the best minds in the country working on it but we have nothing that will stop it at this point.”
“How can I help?”
“I want to go over your medical records with you. I want as much information as you can possible remember about each treatment, procedure or anything else you can think of. Even if it doesn’t seem relevant.”
“I’ll do the best I can,” Paul replied.
“That’s all I can ask,”
“Wait. You are telling me that you want me to stop all air, boat, and train traffic. On top of that, you want no one allowed in or out of the country, no matter who they are or where they are from? Am I hearing you correctly,” the President asked.