The Generation at the End, page 20
“Have you guys been reading about all the deaths on the West Coast? It seems to be some kind of flu epidemic. Over a hundred fatalities, as of last night, in just L.A..”
“I saw a story on TV night before last. There wasn’t anything about a number of deaths, however,” Celia added.
Cyrus and Ari exchanged a wary look.
“Can we talk about something else,” Cyrus voiced, rather gruffly.
“Do you know how long the biopsy will take, Dad?” Ryan asked.
“I don’t recall Doctor Norcross mentioning that, son. I would think it wouldn’t take more than an hour.”
The small talk was mercifully interrupted by Dr. Norcross entering the room. After introductions and pleasantries were exchanged the doctor addressed Cyrus.
“How are you doing this morning, Cyrus?”
“A little tired and a little apprehensive I guess.”
“That’s to be expected. The anesthesiologist will be in to speak with you in a few minutes. The nurse will be putting the IV in your arm after that. Do you have any questions, Cyrus?”
“Just one I guess.
“About how long will it take to perform the biopsy ?”
“My estimate would be about an hour and a half to two hours. We don’t rush biopsies of the brain. I’ll see you in the OR in about half an hour, Cyrus.”
“See you there Doctor Norcross.”
When the preparations were completed Cyrus was transported to the surgical suites. Celia walked by his gurney as far as she could. She took Cyrus’s hand and said a short prayer. Cyrus squeezed her hand and disappeared into a sea of white walls and glass.
The two and a half hour wait in the surgery waiting area was difficult to say the least. The surgical nurse came into the waiting area and informed the family Cyrus would be back in his room in about fifteen minutes. Celia, Reggie, Ryan, Laura and Ari were anxiously waiting when he was rolled in. Dr. Norcross followed close behind. Just seeing the doctor’s face brought tears to Celia and Laura’s eyes. The tumor was malignant and inoperable.
Chapter forty three
Senator Michael Bergen was on the phone with Dr. Phillip Stone, the Surgeon General of the United States.
“The two drums that were discovered in Oregon are in the hands of DHS. A police detective and a private investigator in Portland were responsible for recovering the drums. A jogger reported seeing the two drums near the main water supply for the city of Portland,” the Senator continued. “According to the jogger, the drums were still smoking when he discovered them. The detective phoned a fellow police officer in the L.A. area in an attempt to ascertain if any such drums had been discovered in the L. A. area. I’m not sure if he was successful in his request. Is there any further information I might obtain for you, Doctor Stone?”
“You’ve done a great service for your country Senator Bergen. If you wouldn’t mind, would you type up a memo with all the information you have just related and e-mail or fax it to me. Please do the same for any information you might obtain in the future. I’m sending a representative from my office to Atlanta to assist the CDC. I’ve spoken to a Doctor Mellendor there at the CDC. He is seriously considering a nationwide quarantine. I have begun processing the necessary and quite lengthy paperwork to enact this unprecedented request. More than two thousand deaths have been reported on the West Coast. There are hundreds of reported cases from New York. Doctor Mellendor wasn’t aware of any deaths reported from those cities as of yet. I needn’t remind you how vital it has now become to maintain the highest degree of secrecy in this matter. Please feel free to contact me with any further information you may obtain,” Doctor Stone concluded.
“Indeed I will, Doctor Stone. If I might ask, are there any clues as to who might be responsible for this apparent act of terrorism?”
“There are over two hundred agents from three different agencies working twenty four, seven as we speak. To my knowledge, they have obtained a few leads but no positive identification so far. It might be prudent to, “watch your back”, from now on, Senator.”
“Thank you, sir. I shall proceed in a most surreptitious manner. Please feel free to contact me with any further requests,” the Senator concluded.
Chapter forty four
Dr. Mellendor had just gotten off the phone with The Surgeon General of the United States. His manner was one of grave concern and resolve. The doctor had dealt with serious epidemics before. He had no doubt those would pale in comparison to the one he was about to declare. Mel mustered his seriously depleted staff to participate in the authorization and declaration of a nationwide epidemic. The need to declare the epidemic was painfully obvious but protocol was still in order.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I need not tarry on the reason for this meeting. Five of the major cities in this great nation have reported the telltale signs of this all too familiar virus. There have already been more than two thousand, four hundred fatalities and the reports of new cases are coming in by the thousands. Unless we can identify this killer and provide an effective inoculate, very soon, the fatalities will reach inconceivable numbers. The folks in communications are being swamped by thousands of new reports every hour.”
Dr. Mellendor paused to allow his words to be absorbed.
“All that’s left is a motion to declare and the signatures of myself and another supervisor to make the declaration complete .”
The motion passed and the necessary paperwork was implemented.
“In addition to declaring an epidemic, I have in mind to begin the process of initiating a national quarantine. This contamination is appearing in locations to far removed to be spreading by means of natural contagion. The virus is most assuredly being introduced in several different locations. We must now consider the possibility this contamination is the direct result of an act of terrorism. This entire facility will soon be under the control and watchful eye of the National Guard. Until then, I ask each of you to be on the alert for any unauthorized entry to this center. My sincere gratitude to each of you. I pray for God to be with us.”
Chapter forty five
10/17
Dr. Soshyant called the university to tell them he wouldn’t be back on campus until the following Monday. Laura phoned the high school and told them she didn’t know when she would be back. Celia spent the night at the hospital, right beside Cyrus. Ryan and Reggie decided to rent a motel rather than make the round trip to St. Mary’s City.
Ari and Laura returned to Union Memorial just a few minutes after Reggie and Ryan arrived. Celia had slept very little. She looked as terrible as she felt. Dr. Norcross was just finishing his examination as Laura and Ari were entering Cyrus’s room. He addressed everyone in the somewhat crowded room.
“ There’s no reason Cyrus can’t go home tomorrow. He should rest a lot and not engage in any strenuous activity for the next few days. His symptoms should become more prominent in about two or three weeks. The affect of the tumor on the cerebellum will become more and more pronounced in the next few weeks.”
“About how long do I have, Doctor, Cyrus asked? Please be painfully honest.”
“To be painfully honest, I would say about sixty or seventy days, Cyrus. Do you have any other questions?”
“No. But I do have a statement. I want to thank you, Doctor Norcross, for your integrity, your dedication and your compassion. I want to thank everyone else for their strength, which I am sure I will need in the coming days. I want to thank you for the love you’ve shown me. Forgive me for taking it for granted at times. Thank each of you for being a true and gracious friend. I shall sorely miss you.”
The silence in the room was a tribute to the eloquent declaration Cyrus had just made. Celia hugged Cyrus first and then everyone else in the room. Dr. Norcross bid everyone good day and left.
“Even though I love you all dearly, there really isn’t any reason for you guys to hang around. I’m probably going to be nodding off any minute anyway,” Cyrus stated.
“If it’s alright I would like to stay with you, sweetheart, Celia asked?”
“You know I can’t turn you down, lover.”
Reggie had to attend a practice with the Boston Pops and Ryan decided to go with him. They agreed to meet back at the hospital in the morning. Dr. Soshyant and Laura went to a movie to try to lighten their mood. They sat and talked at Laura’s until after midnight and fell asleep on the couch.
10/18
Reggie and Ryan had driven back home after Reggie’s practice. Ari felt a little uncomfortable driving the Vaughn Lexus so Laura drove Cyrus and Celia back to St. Marys City. Celia knew it would be hard to keep Cyrus from trying to carry on business as usual. After lunch Cyrus wanted to go for a short walk, since it was such a beautiful fall afternoon. Ari agreed to be his chaperone. They walked down to the dock.
“I’m hoping all this huffing and puffing is from the stress of our nearly completed mission, Ari. Perhaps I better call for a meeting of the group to finish the paper work and get you paid. I can’t imagine anyone doubting our success.”
“Just rest for now, my friend. As you already know, I am not hurting for funds. I have purchased the property and have hired a survey crew. Excavation could begin as early as next week. I saw on TV the CDC would be declaring an epidemic within hours rather than days, Cyrus. Your timing was perfect.”
“Do you fear the death toll will be much higher than we planned originally, Ari?”
“Logic dictates the toll will be what it will be, my friend. It is now out of our hands.”
“You may have guessed by now that I consider this death sentence I’ve been given as perfectly timed retribution.”
“Surely you must know the tumor would have formed in your brain regardless of your actions, Cyrus. Your brave deed will accomplish exactly what it was intended to. I am proud to have been a part of this brilliant and compassionate endeavor. My only regret is you may never receive the accolades you so richly deserve for saving this country from sure chaos and collapse.”
“Kind words from a kind heart, Ari. Thank you. I’m so glad you and Laura are happy together. Could you two possibly get married soon enough for me to attend the ceremony?”
“That may be entirely up to your lovely sister. Have I thanked you lately for having introduced me to the love of my life? I cannot imagine my life without her.”
Back at the house, the two comrades enjoyed a glass of champagne from Cyrus’s somewhat impressive stock. They spoke of good times and bad they had experienced together. Cyrus toasted Ari’s first child and made him promise to name him Cyrus.
10/19
The next day Cyrus called and convened the eight members of the committee to meet at four o’clock. He then called for the helicopter to pick he and Ari up at the helipad. The members were in good spirits as they all celebrated the success of the mission. After the meeting was adjourned, Cyrus and Dr. Soshyant shook hands with all the other members and each man vowed to never again speak of their conspiracy.
During the flight back to St. Marys the two friends were absorbed with their own thoughts. Neither mentioned the fact that the city of Phoenix was under siege from a deadly virus even as they flew. Ari felt pangs of regret as he tried to find the courage to ask Cyrus to make his dear Celia aware of what havoc they had wrought in past two weeks. Dr. Soshyant could have found more courage if he could have known those same thoughts were occupying Cyrus Vaughn’s mind.
Chapter forty six
Detective Frank Salazar flipped his cell phone closed and flipped it open again.
“Paul, I just spoke to my friend in L. A.. He tells me there were several partially melted drums found near the main water supply in L. A.. He didn’t have all the details but they were definitely fifty five gallons drums.”
“Good work, Frank. It looks like we’ve found the method of dispersing the virus. I’d be willing to bet there will be fifty five gallon drums found on the east coast as well. I’m hearing there are several thousand deaths on the west coast already. It shouldn’t be long until we start seeing fatalities on the east coast.”
“You should probably try to contact the senator, Paul. I doubt if he knows about drums being found in L. A.. Has Mike given you a clue as to who might be responsible for the nationwide contamination?”
“I haven’t spoken to him since we showed him the drums. I’m going to call Karen right away.”
“Let me know if you learn something new, Paul”
“I will, Frank. Thanks for calling.”
“Hey, Sis. What’s the good word?”
“Hi Paul. I’m afraid I don’t have any good words. I just talked to Mike. He heard there are fatalities in New York and Philadelphia. He also told me the NSA discovered some trucks being loaded on to a ship in New York. They had no indentifying marks at all. There was no license plate, registration or even a VIN. The destination was listed as the UAE (United Arab Emirates). Back tracking is proving to be very difficult. Mike says someone with connections very high up is in on this. I’ve never seen Mike this worried.”
“Has mike mentioned anything about cases being reported in other countries?”
“One minute he tells me things he says he shouldn’t and the next he says there are things he just can’t tell me. One thing for sure, this is far bigger than any of us imagined, Paul.”
“Please call me when you have something new, Karen.”
“I will Paul. We ought to do dinner again soon. Say hi to Sharon .”
“Thanks, sis. Talk to you soon.”
Chapter forty seven
It was October 30th and Dr. Cameron Mellendor was utterly convinced the United States was fully involved in a terrorist invasion. It had been more than a week since he contacted the World Health Organization (WHO). The quarantine was fully implemented. A state of emergency had been declared and all forms of travel were severely curtailed in the U.S.. The President was just hours away from invoking Martial Law. Four cities and the District of Columbia were reporting massive death tolls every day. Several other major cities were reporting thousands of fatalities. As of five p.m. yesterday there had been two million, seven hundred forty one thousand ,two hundred and twenty two deaths reported to CDC. The doctor was sure the true number was closer to three million nationwide. Canada and Mexico had reported several hundred additional fatalities. All but a few of the doctors at CDC had given up trying to diagnose the pathogen in order to create a vaccine.
A definite pattern had evolved. Ninety five percent of the fatalities were patients fifty five years of age and older. The basis of the pattern was easily ascertained. The auto-immune system had been severely compromised by some pathogen in each patient the staff had autopsied. Another somewhat remarkable pattern seemed to be forming. Patients with the AIDS virus were recovering more rapidly; both old and young. Dr. Mellendor would have thought those patients with a previous immune deficiency would be more adversely affected by the virus.
Since the declaration of the epidemic and the order to boil any water that might come in contact with any citizen had gone out, the number of daily reports had begun to show a marked decrease. There was still a staggering amount of new cases daily but the number had definitely ceased to rise. The west coast had shown the greatest decline in the number of reported fatalities.
Whatever diabolical terrorist organization planned the contamination of the water supplies had done so brilliantly. Strike first at a location far from the CDC. When all the attention was focused on the west coast, strike again three thousand miles away. But why concentrate so acutely on the older generation? In order to compromise the ability of a nation to retaliate one would more likely dispose of the younger generation.
And why contaminate L. A. and Portland and not San Francisco and Seattle?
The doctor hadn’t heard or read anything that might lead him to believe any federal agencies were closing in on the perpetrators. If terrorists were behind these mass murders how many deaths would set phase two in motion? And what might phase two possibly be?
Dr. Mellendor turned over and looked at the clock. It was 12:45 a.m.. The doctor had been tossing and turning for over two hours. Tomorrow would only bring more trauma, more death and more questions.
Chapter forty eight
10/29
Dr. Soshyant closed his cell phone and felt he should be overwhelmed with joy. He had just finished speaking with Bob Medley, the construction foreman of the company that was going to begin the first phase of the research center. Ari’s dream was soon to become a reality. Mr. Medley had informed the doctor that in just a hundred and fifty days, more or less, he could start moving into the facility. Even with the news his dream of twenty years was about to come true, Ari was heartbroken. Though he called her every day he had not seen Laura in more than a week.
Travel restrictions were becoming more and more strict each day. Ari had spoken with Cyrus forty eight hours ago about arranging a flight for Laura to come to Palo Alto. Cyrus had promised to do all he could to make it happen.
The front page of the morning paper was almost entirely filled with news of the epidemic and the resulting death toll, which had surpassed four and half million in just the U. S.. CDC was reporting nearly five million fatalities worldwide. The quarantine was being tenaciously enforced but had taken a few days too long to be implemented. Deaths were being reported in Europe and Asia, especially the Middle East.
Ari read an article written by a Dr. Cameron Mellendor of the CDC. It was an epic and very descriptive account of the epidemic. One paragraph was especially interesting to Dr. Soshyant. Dr. Mellendor referred to an unusual pattern he had discovered, concerning patients with AIDS, who had contacted the flu virus. Even the older patients with AIDS recouped faster and seemed none the worse for wear. A number of patients appeared to have gone into remission after recovering from the flu symptoms.
