“That’s real good, thank you, major.” She thought for a moment, her finger to her lips. “Well, here’s the deal. H5N1 essentially destroyed the human race. When you add in the impact from the radiation fallout from the unmanned nuclear power plants—the body count climbed. And the number of unburied bodies created unchecked diseases like cholera and a host of others, which created more bodies and poisoned a good bit of the water supply for a few years. Before we knew it, well over ninety-five per cent of the population was gone. Probably closer to ninety-nine percent overall mortality by the second year after the initial virus vector.”
“We’re doing okay though, ma’am,” argued Major McLoy. You and the major and your people are doing okay and we’re doing okay up on the mountain. We’re still here… we beat this Avian flu.”
“Yes, that’s true, captain. On our end, we were lucky enough to regain control of the nuclear facility real close to Mount Storm right away. Certainly helped with electrical supply, water purification and sustainability of the remaining population. We were able to man several other sites in time to keep them contained. And it took a lot of time and work, but we rid the area of all the bodies within fifty miles of Storm.”
“Is there more, ma’am? I mean about the virus?”
“Oh, sorry, yes. Unfortunately, it doesn’t end there. H5N1 and its airborne viral strain mutations had a hidden weapon in its arsenal that’s only come to light in the last few years.”
“What was it, ma’am?”
“It hit men below the belt, literally.”
“What?”
“H5N1 left all human males sterile. My lab confirmed this repeatedly the past few years. We’ve tested well over five thousand men the last three years from all around the country. The virus has rendered all men sterile. The few reports we received from other countries suggest it’s a global event. Further proof is in the absence of children. Have either of you seen any kids under the age of six?”
Dawson and Keenan shook their heads. The four of them looked through the window at Nicole and CJ.
“So, I guess not all men are sterile,” said Keenan. “Mac beat the odds.”
“You don’t seem surprised, major. I don’t know how Colonel MacMillen is different from other men. Do you see that other woman out there?” she asked.
“Of course, colonel, she’s a knockout.”
“Yes, she’s quite beautiful, major. Anyway, her name is Amanda and she was with Colonel MacMillen for several months—they were split up in an altercation in Cleveland. She’s the reason we’ve tracked the colonel to this point.”
“What’s that got to do with anything, colonel?”
“She’s pregnant. A few months along.”
“Terry’s gonna kick his ass,” said Dawson. He looked at Keenan. “Sorry, major.”
“Ahh, I guess it doesn’t matter, captain. The cat’s way outta the bag, I guess.”
“Who’s Terry?” asked Colonel Starkes.
“His wife,” answered Keenan.
“She’s alive?”
“Yeah. Well, at least she was about a month ago.”
Major O’Malley smiled at the news. They were on the right track. It was clear now why Colonel MacMillen braved the travel all the way from Australia. He was coming home to see his wife. He needed to know if she were still alive—he was coming here to find out. “Does Colonel MacMillen have kids?” asked Major O’Malley.
“Yeah, major, they got two kids—Liam and Shannon. He has two brothers, too. Andy and Mad Dog—ahh, Ryan. They’re both ex-military and still alive. His two sisters didn’t make it.”
“What else can you tell us, Keenan?” asked Colonel Starkes.
“Ma’am, I need to let General Harmon know. I should do it now.”
“In a little while, major.”
“No, ma’am, it’s gotta be now. General Harmon knows Mac very well. The general is probably Mac’s closest friend.”
“Major McLoy, you can contact your superiors in a few minutes. Tell me what else you know. I’m guessing he’s trying to make it back to a place he has in the mountains and he suspects or hopes his family is there. Where is his place?”
“It’s on Dinner Bell Road, ma’am, about a mile from Route 40.”
Major O’Malley removed a map from a pocket, opened it, and flattened it out on the desk. “Show us where this camp is,” he said to Keenan.
Keenan laughed gently. “It’s hardly what you’d call a ‘camp’, major. Route 40 runs right through the mountains—in fact, it runs clear across the country. But Mac’s place is right here,” he said, pointing to a spot on the map less than a mile east of Nemacolin Woodlands and over a mile north of Route 40.
“Is it a compound?”
“I’m not sure you’d call it a compound, but it’s well defended. Fifteen years ago, his dad died and left him the place. When his dad owned it, Mac wasn’t ever there unless it was hunting season, but when his dad died, he started spending a lot more time there. He got to know a lot a people up here and they all like him. His place is self-sustainable—even before the Cuckoo Flu. Right now, Terry’s in charge of the place.”
“But it’s his place?”
“Yes, ma’am. Worked hard at setting up a plan in case some shit hit the fan. It was a serious hobby with him. His family ended up following his plan when the Sickness hit, but he wasn’t here to participate.”
“What else can you tell us, major?”
“I guess Mac was active a lot in the military ’cause we didn’t see him very often for the few years before bird shit hit. But, when he was here, people noticed.”
“What’s that mean?” asked the colonel.
“Colonel, I’ll give you a little back story on my end, if you don’t mind.”
“Sure, go ahead.”
“Yes, ma’am. You have to know about the people in the Laurel Highlands. In the mountains, it’s common practice to keep to yourself. It takes years—sometimes decades—for mountain people to warm up to outsiders. But, Mac was well liked from the start.”
“I’m not sure where you’re going with this, Keenan.”
“Yes, ma’am. In the mountains, you’re judged by how well you can stay outta people’s business. Nobody wants you sticking your nose in where it don’t belong. But Mac was trusted from the beginning. I don’t know how he did it, but there aren’t many in the mountains that wouldn’t stand up for him, I guess. Lemme give you an example. Here’s one I recall. Let’s say your well-house pump is broken. You got no water. The well-house pump supplies water to ten houses around you and of those ten houses, maybe you’re the one, like Mac, who gets up earliest.”
“Okay, I’m with you, so far,” said Starkes.
“Since you’re the early riser, you’re the first to discover there’s no water. So you go down the road to the little well house to check out the pump and you meet up with John Tittleman who lives a half mile away. He showed up ’cause he doesn’t have any water either. You nod your hello and shake hands for the first time. Turns out you both know a little something about blown circuits and both realize after checking over the breaker box that a thirty-amp fuse needs replaced. So, you take the fuse assembly and drive the forty miles into Uniontown and you buy a new one for about fifty bucks. You come back two hours later and John’s still waiting there. You put the fuse in, the pump kicks on and starts to work, you shake hands with John, and go on your way. You go back to your business and John goes back to his. During all this, you haven’t spoken more than a half dozen words to John and he hasn’t spoken more than that to you. And that’s it. Unless there’s something else brings you into John’s company again, you leave him alone and he leaves you alone.”