Sector C (37 page)

CARTWRIGHT WAS A QUIET, SLEEPY town on most days, coming awake mainly on the weekends when families came to check out the vegetable stands, buy feed for their stock, enjoy a parade or picnic on the town square.

Today, there were no picnics, no parades and little activity beyond the runabout — pushed to its speed limit, its engine groaning in protest — careening up to the building that doubled as both police and fire departments.

Donna swung open the driver’s door only to stumble on the cracked asphalt in the deserted street as her left leg momentarily gave under her when she stepped out. Mike rushed to her side, offering support. She gave him a weak smile of thanks as the leg steadied and she could bear her own weight again.

When they entered the office, the clatter of a cow bell rigged to ring when the door opened startled them both. The two men conferring at one of the pair of desks in the room frowned at the interruption. Their frowns deepened on seeing the disheveled and frantic state of their visitors.

“Something we can do for you?” one of the men wearing a rumpled uniform with an expression to match asked. It was a polite enough question, but the tone told Mike the officer sincerely hoped not.

“Yeah,” Mike said. “Not just for us, but for the whole damn country. Where’s a phone?”

“HOT DAMN.”
THE BRIGADIER COLONEL sitting at the table that had been hastily set up in the training center at the National Guard Armory in Williston pretty much expressed everyone’s sentiments. The handful of agents from the CDC and CIA that had been called to the briefing all wore the same shell-shocked expressions. First the announcement about a pandemic that could topple every economic-politic construct around the globe followed by panic and chaos in the streets — and now this. Ice Age animals brought back to life and a possible cure offered up to Sino-Pakistani interests at a time that could alter whatever would be left of the world as the Western Hemisphere knew it.

Not quite two days had passed since Mike and Donna had spilled their story to the CDC and the dominoes had fallen fast. Most of the men and women at the table were hoping the rollercoaster would stop long enough for them to get back on firm ground for at least a few days, devise a plan and execute to it. That’s what they did best.

Rounding up the Triple E geneticists had been the preamble. Preventing the research from going offshore by confiscating personal assets from employees’ homes and taking what few assets remained intact at the company headquarters was a prerogative of the government during a national crisis — and they’d acted swiftly.   

Even during non-crisis periods, free enterprise wasn’t so free anymore. Homeland Security frowned on companies participating in what the media had dubbed Supply Chain UnAmerican Acts, consorting with foreign interests that had only foreign interest at heart. While such practices weren’t strictly illegal, they had been increasingly subject to excessive scrutiny and long delays in getting necessary approvals, certifications and other legal documents. Depending on the activity, transactions could wait on desks or in queues for months or years in a passive-aggressive political play meant to squelch the life out of potential “UnAmerican” deals. Executives of companies that found ways to circumvent Homeland Security’s watchful eye often found themselves brought up on any number of charges: some fabricated but most of them simply minor, annoying and time consuming, like unpaid parking tickets or a few dollars discrepancy in tax returns.

Whether it was imposing it, confusing it or sidestepping it, bureaucracy was something the folk at the table understood intrinsically. For that reason, maneuvering Zia Khan out of the picture to avoid a prolonged scenario that could potentially end with the Americas third-worlders to a Sino-Pakistani regime was a lot easier to dance to than the Pleistocene Hustle.

But the Ice Age animals were as much a part of this as Zia Khan was and needed just as even a hand in figuring out how to disposition the players. For that reason, the CDC doctor tried to ignore the grandstanding of the cloning work and stay focused on the reason she’d been called in.

“I’ve briefly reviewed the animal trials and conclusions your team has reached, Dr. Volkov.” Dominique Waal peered over the top of the report in her hands at the Russian geneticist sitting across from her, flanked by Mike and Donna. “My expert opinion is that the human trials should normally still be at least a year out. But these are far from normal times right now. The research is promising, the crisis real and escalating. Even a short-term reversal of VTSE by your
Vf
prion is preferable to the millions of deaths otherwise predicted over the next few months. We don’t have the luxury of time to test proactively. We must take a reactive stance and buy ourselves time to confirm the benign nature of this new protein or to develop an acceptable alternative. That is the recommendation I’ve sent to my superiors in Atlanta.”

Dr. Volkov bowed his head and slowly exhaled. “That is good news, Dr. Waal. Thank you.” He looked back up. “What about my team? Surely they can be of service.”

CIA agent Jean-Paul Unger took up
the debrief
in a clipped voice that contained so many influences it was impossible to tell where the man was originally from. “Your genetics
team, Dr. Volkov, including you, are
mainly here in the U.S. on work visas. Deportation is not currently an option with the quarantine in effect, but it is within our jurisdiction to detain any suspect individuals during a national crisis. However, it is the determination of this crisis committee that your team acted solely on the advice of Triple E’s board of directors. They will be absolved and granted contract positions within the CDC to continue development and testing of the
Vf
prion or any alternative that may come out of the research. The CDC has set up temporary facilities in the labs at the University
of
North Dakota. Your team will report there for work assignments.

“This committee has also reviewed your involvement, Dr. Volkov, and come to the following determinations. As a board member of Triple E Enterprises, you can be held culpable for any and all decisions made by that board. Your actions regarding Dr. Bailey and Mr. Shafer, however, beg clemency on your behalf, as does your cooperation in turning over research documents to the CDC and offering statements to the CIA against your fellow board members. In addition, the country can ill afford to refuse the medical collaboration you’ve offered. Therefore, you will be allowed to join your team and continue your research under the supervision of the CDC.

“This decision, however, does not indemnify you. Nor does it preclude Homeland Security from entering your name as a suspect individual. Assuming this crisis passes, you will be prohibited from leaving the U.S. mainland and your travel within the continental U.S. along with any online activities will be documented and periodically reviewed until this matter is fully and legally resolved. Is that clear?”

Dr. Volkov, visibly relieved, nodded. “As long as it does not interfere with my research and testing of the
Vf
prion, it is indeed quite clear and acceptable.”

“How about Walt Thurman?”
Mike asked. “What happens to him? Not just for selling out his country, but, you know, for kidnapping and attempted manslaughter.”

The
edges of the CIA agent’s lips lifted in what Mike swore was
an attempt at a smile. “I can assure you there won’t be much left of Mr. Thurman’s personal assets once the CIA is done with him. After that, he’ll be turned over to local law enforcement to face whatever charges you care to bring against him. As for the company,” he leaned forward, “get your grievances in early. I see a landslide of lawsuits heading Triple E’s way.”

“How about the animals?”
Donna asked.

“Hell, a friggin’ mammoth hunt?” The colonel was enjoying the proceedings. “You couldn’t keep the Guardsmen away. We’re missing two wolves and some kind of big bear still, according to Dr. Volkov there. Otherwise, they’ve all been tracked down and taken care of. I’ve asked the troops to keep it quiet for a bit longer, but all the pictures they took are bound to surface soon. It’ll be
a media
frenzy. Can’t imagine what kind of uproar it would cause if it weren’t competing with this VTSE thing.”

Donna slid a finger thoughtfully along the edge of the table. “Can I go back there?
To Triple E?”

“Why would you want to?” The colonel asked. “Everything but the museum is burned to the ground. The animals are all dead. There’s nothing there.”

“I’d just like to see it all one more time. The animals in the museum are going to be put into cold storage, aren’t they?
Until they can be studied.”

 
“Yeah.
Along with the fresh kills.
There’s Guard there now in hazmat suits 24/7 until we can get the trophies moved. But you’re already infected, or were or — hell, I don’t know where you stand on that. If Volkov there says it’s okay from a medical standpoint, then sure. I can let my men know.”

Dr. Volkov shrugged. “We have yet to do extensive studies on re-exposures to VTSE. But as Dr. Bailey has so far proved less than a perfect study subject, I see no reason she shouldn’t be allowed back on the campus. While the prions appear highly infectious, we are, luckily, dealing with a very well-defined route for transmission. Much like AIDS, now that we know it exists, it
can
be contained at the individual level through prudent practices. After all, many of the Triple E employees remain disease free despite being at Ground Zero for many years.”

He looked around the table, making contact, making it personal as he drove his next point home. “Note I do not say it can be contained wholesale. The vectors are too numerous, their paths both uncontrollable and unpredictable. Even if the
Vf
prion proves a satisfactory cure, the way we live our lives must change and change radically if we as a race are to survive. The future, my friends, does not look too terribly bright.”

ONCE SHE’D LEARNED WHAT THE VECTORS were for VTSE, Donna had known where it would inevitably lead. And while she’d refused to openly acknowledge yesterday what Dr. Volkov meant by radical changes and race survival, deep down she knew what the next step had to be.

What she hadn’t comprehended was just how very vast the chasm between knowing and accepting would prove.

Nor did she realize just how fast it would come.

She couldn’t remember most of what the president had to say this morning. Miraculously, the news of the megabeasts hadn’t been leaked yet. Doubtless President Del Campo would be standing in the Gardens delivering that news in the next day or two. Today, he had another directive for the citizens of what had recently become known as the quad-state area: the Dakotas, Montana and now Wyoming.

What stayed with Donna were the words: “For the safety of your children, your parents and yourselves, I regret that a great sacrifice must now be made. As with most sacrifices, this one will be hard; it will carry with it much grief and, in some cases, much anger. I urge you all to put aside your personal emotions and to understand this sacrifice is not being asked lightly of you, but is required for the continued health and safety of your communities.

“There is no way to phrase it so that the shock is minimized or the hurt lessened. I will simply come out and say it: All dogs and cats and any other mammals, whether pets or strays, are to be destroyed.

“Any mammal you find outside your home — squirrels, rabbits, skunks, deer, raccoons, gophers, rats, mice, the list goes on — can and should be destroyed.

“The only exceptions are service animals that are necessary to the independence of an individual.  

“If you live outside the quad-state area, I urge you to remain calm and take no action at this time.

“Medical professionals and animal care centers are asked to donate any excess euthanasia drugs. The Red Cross is being enlisted to gather these drugs across the nation and special military units will distribute them in the quad-state area.

“Owners may surrender their animals for free humane euthanasia at any National Guard Armory or government-run animal shelter. Drug supplies will be limited so check with your personal veterinarian before you take an animal to him or her.

“Of utmost importance is that you take your animals to an approved center and do not abandon them at a care center that is not adequately staffed. In addition, no animal is to be released onto the streets or into the wild. Law enforcement and militia now have orders to shoot on sight any stray mammal they find. I assure you, humane euthanasia is far preferable for the animal and mandatory for the health of your community.