The Emerald Virus (7 page)

    
A.J. opened by telling them exactly what she had told Jack earlier in the day.
She then said, “Meet with your senior staff this afternoon and let them know
they can choose to volunteer. But remember, I don’t want volunteers looking at
this as a means of salvation. First of all you will be underground living in a
bunker. No sunlight, military style meals called “Meals Ready to Eat” or MREs,
that are made to heat on an engine block if need be after mixing them with
water. You’ll probably use chemical toilets and shower infrequently to save
water. The air will be filtered and re-filtered. The lights will be kept as low
as possible to save power and you will have little interaction with anyone
outside of the bunker.

    
Secretary Kemper, Jack and I will make the final selections from the group of
volunteers. There will be no discussion about the final decision. One more
thing, whether you volunteer or not I would like to know if there are any
members you feel must be on the bunker team.”

    
A.J. looked around the room and saw some very mixed emotions. She thought she
saw hope on one or two faces and she knew that was not the emotion that would
lead to the best decisions. She decided to give the team leaders more
information.

    
“I want all of you to think about one last fact before you make your decisions.
These bunkers were built to survive a nuclear explosion. The filtering systems
were built to defend against nuclear winter. There are no promises that these
filtering systems will work against the Emerald Virus. Remember, virus
particles are amazingly small, up to 100 times smaller than bacteria. If the
bunker filters aren’t up to this task, you will be exposed to the virus while
in an isolated location with no hope of getting close to your family before the
end.’

    
“One last note, we will probably be given space in one of the military bunkers.
Since this crisis is not due to war, the military bunkers will not be staffed
to their fullest. We asked for room so that this team could to continue to work
with survivors and the President has agreed. Only the number of spots available
is still open to discussion. Use email to send Jack your answers by tomorrow
morning. He and I will meet at eight o’clock. Use email to send recommendations
on who you think must be on the team to me. Thank you, I know this will be a
tough decision for all of you, and Jack and I will support whatever decision
you make.”

Sunday:
Washington D.C.

    
Jack sat in A.J.’s office at eight o’clock the next morning. He had with him
the emails from his team leads and he was surprised that of the 120 people
working on this project only fourteen had volunteered. From that group he
didn’t think there were ten he could recommend.

    
A.J. looked up and said, “I’ve received emails from all of the team leaders and
there is only one person they all think should be on the team. All of them said
you were the critical piece.”

    
Jack looked surprised and said, “Are you sure that wasn’t Tom? I would think
that his technical expertise is the most important skill of all.”

    
“Jack, you know the importance of leadership. Your folks know the same thing,
and they recognize that you’re the best leader most of them have known.

    
“By the way, I can’t seem to find your email giving me your decision; do you
think it’s lost in the email system?”

    
Jack laughed and said, “No, I don’t think the email system failed. I haven’t
yet sent it. I wanted to talk to my staff first and I just finished those
talks.”

    
A.J. looked at Jack with a questioning look but didn’t say a word. She was
really anxious for Jack to agree to volunteer but she was going to wait for him
to decide.

 
   Jack finally said, “This is against my better judgment but I’m going to
agree to volunteer.”

    
A.J. breathed a sigh of relieve and said, “Jack, what I haven’t told you is
that I’ve received emails from five team leaders saying that either they or a
senior team member would volunteer but only if you led the team. Thankfully we
now have an expanded list to review.”

    
Thirty minutes later they had a tentative list of ten team members with two
alternates. Surprisingly the only real discussion concerned Irene. A.J. wasn’t
sure Irene was seasoned enough to deal with the pressure of this assignment.
Jack explained his reasoning and analysis. After discussing Irene’s skills Vis
a Vis those of the individual she would be replacing A.J. agreed to support
Jack’s choice.

    
Following the meeting with Secretary Kemper, Jack and A.J. walked back to
A.J.’s office. The Secretary had agreed with their list of candidates but had
first gone over the background of everyone on the list in some detail. Jack
thought it was interesting that the Secretary had listened intently to the rationale
for wanting Irene on the team but did not question the choice. A.J. had
explained that one of their criteria was no spouses and no children. Of the
twelve candidates on the list, five were single, three were divorced, two were
separated from their spouses and the remaining two were widowed. Two of the
team had adult children who lived in different regions of the country and would
stay at their own homes during the crisis.

    
A.J. said, “I was surprised that Secretary Kemper so quickly agreed with our
list. I was also surprised that we could have additional people if we thought it
helpful. I’m glad you had an answer in mind.”

    
“Fortunately, I had thought about the merits of including John Needle just to
add redundancy in the high-tech communications area but that would have meant
one less scientist and I couldn’t make that trade. John also has experience in
low-tech communications and in the back of my mind I think that might be
critical to the survivors in the long run. John was a radio operator in the
Navy, and he is currently licensed as a ham radio operator. I’m glad we could
add him to the team.” 

    
“Why do you think low-tech communications will be so important?”

    
“First, because of the electrical power requirements; it takes a lot less power
to operate a ham radio than it does to keep a computer network active.
Secondly, cell phone networks will all fail over time due to lack of
maintenance. Ham radios can be used indefinitely, especially with the amount of
inventory currently available in stores today. They don’t use any kind of a
network that has to be maintained. You just need a radio on each end of the
conversation.”

    
A.J. laughed lightly as she said, “Jack, will you continue to think of
everything?”

    
Jack smiled at the compliment and responded, “My team and I, with the help of a
lot of others, will think of all of the big things, and we will be able to help
survivors prepare for them. My fear is that we will miss one small but
important thing that will cost lives. That one little thing is what we’ll
continue to search for as survivors share early experiences with us.”

    
“Jack, you are the best I’ve ever known at visualizing the unintended
consequences of current actions. I’m very confident that you’re the best person
for this job. But, you’re human and you’ll make mistakes. Your most important
job will be to deal with those mistakes quickly and get back to the business of
saving lives.”

    
“Thanks Doc. I just hope I’m nearly as good as you think I am.”

    
“There is one last thing, Jack. Let your folks know that the bunker we will be
assigned to will be in the southwest, but the name and location will remain
classified until the team arrives at the bunker. Everyone needs to be prepared
to fly as early as Tuesday morning. The military will provide us with large backpacks
for everyone to use. We should have those tomorrow. Gear for each team member
will be restricted to what they can fit in that backpack and one small carry-on
for personal gear like laptops, cell phones, electronic storage devices, etc.
The military will also provide the carry-on bag. Redundant equipment will be
available at the bunker so no one will need to take duplicate equipment. I let
our military contact know that we will need both PCs and Macs. Additionally, if
need be, we will have access to the military system in the bunker.”

    
“Our military liaison will also give us a list of recommended items to pack.
Our folks aren’t restricted to that list, but they will do well to pay
attention to the military on this one. The environment of the bunker should
drive the list of things to bring. Everyone will be issued lightweight
coveralls to wear. No other outside clothing will be needed. No food or beverages
can be packed. Anyone on prescription medicine needs to provide the
prescription information to the military docs, who will ensure adequate
supplies will be available in the bunker. And don’t ask me what ‘adequate’
means. I have no idea. Sometimes you just have to trust the experts.” 

    
Jack agreed to pass the word and added, “If you don’t mind I’ll have Irene pass
her logistics project to Nancy so she can focus on preparation. Our volunteers
won’t have much time for goodbyes. While none of them have spouses some of them
have family in the area. I think this will be hardest on them.”

    
Wilhelm
Klein and his wife Johanna left Cuxhaven, Germany, in the late winter of 1861
bound for America. While the late winter passage through the North Sea and
across the Atlantic was harsh, the young couple wanted to be in New York before
summer. Will, as he came to be known in his new country, carried with him all
of the money his father and his father-in-law had saved during their lives.
Both their parents had also sold everything they could to raise money for the
trip. Will’s job was to find a place to live, with work for himself, and
prospects suitable for the younger members of both families. Others would join Will
and Johanna as soon as that was feasible. Both Will’s parents and Johanna’s
parents were willing to consider immigrating to the new world, but first and
foremost they wanted a more promising life for their children; even if this
meant a lengthy separation.

    
Will worked the docks of his North Sea town as a young teenager. He then
apprenticed as a blacksmith where he learned how to work with metals and livestock.
While he loved his home region of Lower Saxony, he made just enough money to
survive and had at best a bleak future. More importantly, he wanted to marry
Johanna but did not see how he could ever afford to support a wife and children.

    
Will and Johanna were never sure which of their fathers had first come up with
the idea, but both men together talked to them about marrying and moving to
America in order to provide a better life for their families. Will and Johanna
talked about the good and bad and decided that they owed it to both themselves
and their families to make this work. They knew how hard this would be, but
they had both grown up in working class families and hard work was a part of
their lives. The prospect of a great adventure was amazing to both of them, but
this amazement was balanced by fear.

    
They were married in February and sailed for New York in late March aboard the
German Snow Brig ‘Elbe’ sailing under the flag of Hamburg. The Elbe was a
sailing ship built in Kiel by Hilbert in 1850 and was past its prime when Will
and Johanna boarded the ship. They arrived in New York harbor in late May.  

    
Will had no trouble finding work as a blacksmith since many of the skilled
craftsmen were in the armies of the Union gearing up for the war with the South
which had recently started. Blacksmiths were in high demand in the city, as
were factory workers who would work in these boon times created by war. Johanna
found work as a seamstress in one of many new factories making uniforms for the
Union Army.

    
Accordingly, they could afford to rent their own very small flat but both of
them hated tenement living. They had never lived in or actually seen a big city
in their lives, and living with so much filth in such crowded conditions was a
high price to pay.

    
Will had listened to talk of the Western Territories since he had arrived in
America. It was exciting, it was wild, it was dangerous, and land was cheap, but
only for those courageous enough or desperate enough make the move. He and
Johanna talked about finding something better almost every evening. Twelve-hour
days’ working in dank, hot conditions was not their goal. While they felt good
about finding work and actually saving money, they knew New York would be a
temporary home.     

    
Cheap land in the West seemed like a dream. But what an incentive the land had
become for tens of thousands of European immigrants.  Under the Preemption Act
of 1841 a person could purchase a plot of 160 acres for as little as two
hundred dollars. This far exceeded anything possible if they stayed in the
existing United States, but it came with a price, such as traveling through the
Indian territories.

    
In December of 1861 Johanna had a miscarriage with their first child. She was
shattered, and Will blamed the miscarriage on the terrible working and living
conditions. The thought of losing Johanna during another difficult pregnancy scared
Will to the point where he decided they were better off taking their chances in
the west than in New York city. They decided to use their time to prepare for
the trip west. They would be ready to leave by the end of winter.

    
Abraham Lincoln was now the President and he had promised to pass the Homestead
Act if elected. The bill was now making its way through congress and Will hoped
it would pass soon. The Act would allow him to claim 160 acres of public land
simply by filing a claim with a local Land Office and then living on and
improving the land for five years. The other requirement was that you must want
to be a U.S. citizen.

    
Will and Johanna were studying hard and hoped they could attain citizenship
before they started their western journey. They left New York in February of
1862, the day after they had been sworn in as U.S. citizens. They were jubilant
as they traveled by train to St. Louis and then by the steamboat ‘Radnor’ to
Independence, Missouri. They purchased a wagon, mules, one horse, supplies, and
tools for their new home. They carried a few personal belongings but had no
furniture other than two chairs and a table they thought would be useful on the
trip. Will was fortunate to find a wagon train to the Western Territories that
was in need of a blacksmith. The wagon master allowed Will and Johanna to join
his group without payment and Will agreed to provide his skills where needed.
This would prove to be mostly in the area of repairs to wagons and wagon wheels,
and of course shoeing mules and horses.

    
Their goal was to settle in the newly established Washington Territory. This
new territory had been broken out from the original Oregon Territory and was
made up of the northern and eastern parts of the original territory. Will and
Johanna knew northern weather, and wanted to stay with what they knew.

    
By the time they left Independence they knew the Homestead Act of 1862 had
passed. This was important not only for the free land but because it meant other
family members could join them and lay claim to adjacent land. They only had to
find a place with a lot of unoccupied land. They knew this meant living away
from current settlements.

    
In the ensuing months of the trip they had ample opportunity to talk about what
to expect with other pioneers making the trip, as well as with the trail boss
and scouts who led the way for them. By the time they reached Fort Laramie in
what was to become the Wyoming Territory, they were concerned with the stories
of tens of thousands of pioneers who had preceded them to the Oregon and
Washington Territories, and they were concerned if there would be any land left.
Large groups of pioneers had been following the Oregon Trail west since 1843,
and smaller groups before that.  

    
During their brief layover at Fort Laramie Will visited a local blacksmith to
buy additional supplies for his work. While there he listened to a discussion
between three rough looking men and the shop owner about the trip back to a
cattle ranch north of Fort Laramie in the eastern part of the Washington
Territory. Will joined the conversation as they talked about skills needed in
what was to become first in 1864 the Montana Territory, and then in 1889 the
state of Montana. It seemed that the ranch the cowboys worked was in need of a
good blacksmith since the last one had died of cholera.

    
Will and Johanna decided that this land of mountains, rivers, valleys and
rangeland would be ideal. By the end of the week they left the wagon train and
headed north with the cowboys to the Judith River. The river was named by
William Clark, of Lewis and Clark, for Julia ‘Judith’ Hancock, whom Clark would
later marry.

    
While the trip north was difficult, the only problem they encountered on this
part of the journey was passing up so much beautiful land along the way.
Johanna cried when they crossed the Yellowstone River and decided to continue
north. When they arrived at the ranch they asked detailed questions about the
area, and more importantly, about the best place to claim. While Will was
willing to work as a blacksmith to help get started, he had every intention of
starting his own farm and ranch. The ranch was glad to get a blacksmith at
least temporarily, and had already sent for a new blacksmith from back east.
They were hoping he would arrive late the next year.

    
Will laid claim to a plot of land on the Judith River northwest of Lake Ackley.
He liked the land because from the river the land rose quickly to a meadow
suitable for building a home and then widened quickly to the forests on either
side. On the south end of the land the valley narrowed into a box canyon. From
the north wall of the canyon you could look over most of the land and see the
river in the distance.

    
Will measured what he guessed to be 160 acres and described the boundaries
using the old metes and bounds system, which required describing geographical
or topographical features to mark the edges. While the township system was much
more accurate, the central part of the Montana Territory would not be surveyed
until 1867 & 1868 by Civil War General Solomon Meredith.  

  
  Starting the next year, members of both of their families joined them, although
neither set of parents ever made the trip to Montana.  Five brothers of Will
and Johanna would claim land adjacent to his, and the families would establish
themselves on almost 800 acres of prime farmland and rangeland. The beauty of
Montana and the richness of the land more than made up for the difficult
winters.

 Sunday:
On the Judith River     
 

    
It was near sundown and Will Klein sat on his horse and looked out over the
valley from the south wall. On the south end it was more of a canyon than a
valley but it opened up quickly as you moved north. Will had used this location
many times in the past to look at the ranch that had belonged to his family for
generations. He had always planned to pass the land to Sam when the time was
right. He thought briefly of his great- great- grandparents Will and Johanna
Klein and the hardships they had endured so long ago, and the legacy they had
left for their descendants. Will had read the family diary of the trip west,
and of establishing the Blue Wolf Ranch.

    
As he had for most of his sixty-two years, he came here whenever he wanted to
think things through. This was also the spot where his great- great- grandfather,
his namesake, had first seen the blue wolf.

    
While there had always been talk in the area about whether or not the blue wolf
actually existed, Will knew it had.  He had seen the wolf himself. The first
time was in 1972 after his second tour in Vietnam. When he was discharged from
the Marine Corps he had come home to the ranch. All he wanted was to work and
work hard. He had just completed two combat tours and he was tired of being
miserable most of the time; tired of seeing friends killed and wounded; tired
of being both shot at and shot; and tired of being tired. He had done his duty
and he was done with war.

    
He worked hard that first spring. Although he loved to be on horseback, he
spent more time in the Jeep than he would have liked. He realized that if he
was going to survive in the future running a working ranch he needed to be
efficient, and while horses were a critical part of ranching, they were not
always the most efficient answer.  

    
After working through the spring and summer he enrolled in Montana State
University in Bozeman for the fall term. Both his folks supported this,
although neither of them had attended college. They were not yet ready to turn
the ranch over to Will, and he was not yet ready to take it. Learning as much
as possible about modern ranching and farming seemed to be a smart thing to do.

    
While he was less than fully confident about getting through college, he also
knew that most of the college educated officers he met while in the Marine
Corps didn’t seem smarter than he was, just more knowledgeable. He wanted to
try college, and he wanted to take advantage of the G.I. Bill.  He felt after
two combat tours and three purple hearts that he had earned that right. Mostly
though, he wanted to better manage the ranch in the future, and both he and his
folks believed that the Agricultural Business program at MSU would help insure
the ranch would stay profitable in the future.

    
He would become the first person in his family to graduate from college and
although he rarely mentioned it, he always felt good about the accomplishment.
He also knew that that he would provide his kids the opportunity to attend college,
no matter what. He had learned a lot at MSU and not all of it came from books.

    
As the shadows lengthened and day turned to dusk Will stepped down off his
horse, removed his bedroll to sit on, a thermos of coffee, and his Winchester
30.06 rifle. Will had long since given up hunting, but he had a great deal of
respect for the wildlife found in central Montana. Whether he traveled the high
country by horse or by Jeep he was always armed. You never knew when you might
stumble upon an animal like a bear, a snake or a cougar. Although wild animals
shied away from people, you just didn’t know what would happen if you surprised
one of them.

    
And he was looking for a wolf this evening, as he did a handful of evenings
each year during the late summer. He often wondered when he would see the blue
wolf again. It had been more than thirty years since his only encounter and he
wanted to see the animal one more time. He realized that that this was now a
very unlikely event since if the news reports of the Emerald Virus were true, time
was running out, but he had to try at least one or two more times.