The White Death (28 page)

“It’d certainly explain why they never let you keep samples and were so eager to cleanse the area.” He didn’t have any sympathy for the North. They had created all their own problems and had been a major thorn in America’s side for 100 years.

“My thinking exactly.”

“I still don’t understand how that ties into this, though,” he said. He opened another package of cookies. He was insatiable now.

“Let’s think of this methodically,” said Ursula.

Nelson nodded, trying to stay focused. Ursula walked up to the woman in white.

“This woman is in the alien bunker under the demilitarized zone. There is a nuclear explosion in the vicinity.”

“Which the North Koreans caused.”

“Yes,” she said, agreeing. “The explosion destabilizes the alien lab. In the chaos, she escapes and is already infected with the Eugenics Virus.”

“Or let loose,” said Nelson.

“Or let loose,” she agreed. “And she roams the woods.”

“Okay, keep going.”

“If you are an alien super race and you wanted to wipe out a lesser civilization such as ourselves, how would you do it?” she asked him.

“Blow up the planet,” said Nelson, honestly.

“Exactly,” she agreed. “In a typical sci-fi movie, it’s either invasion or destruction. But the Bernay scientists operate under the eye of a Supreme Court, who my boss claims are ruthless and wouldn’t tolerate blatant aggression.”

“So they create a virus to ‘help us’ but design it to kill us?”

“Can you say with 100 percent certainty that it is an impossible theory?” she asked him.

Nelson thought for a moment. “No,” he admitted. “But why would they go with a rabies virus?”

“It’s simple and deadly,” explained Ursula. “The perfect way to spread whatever is in layer three of the Eugenics Virus.”

“Which you think is the SRGAP2-deleting mechanisms?” said Nelson.

“Yes. They’ve created a super virus to wipe out our species.”

“So all this started with her?” he asked, pointing to the woman in white.

“Patient zero,” said Ursula. “All started with her, though I wonder just how much help she had in the beginning.”

“Doctor?”

“Commander Rodgers mentioned dogs running with and around her along the border. If she had been bitten, the dogs would have been infected with the Eugenics Virus. It could explain why the North Korean regiment became infected so quickly. Look at her—she’s a carrier and infects people quite slowly. The ambassador was the same. The dogs were the perfect first infected animals.” Ursula walked over to the woman in white.

“So the dogs bit her, became infected with the Eugenics Virus, and then infected the North Koreans?” said Nelson.

“Who then came running across the border like wild animals towards Rodgers and his men,” said Ursula. “Now we know what happened.”

“What’re you going to do?” asked Nelson.

She activated the electronic arms in the chamber and lifted patient zero’s gown up past her knee.

Nelson gasped.

“Would you care to bet me, Commander, that that bite wound on her left leg would contain the ancient rabies virus?” She stared at it, everything fitting into place in front of her.

“What now?”

“Now that I know what to look for, I can focus on destroying the rabies virus. It’s layer two, after all, and if I neutralize it, I’ll bet this virus will fall apart,” she theorized.

“Big gamble.”

“It is,” she agreed. “But I’m betting the rabies virus is key to how this virus works. Earlier, Peter made an excellent point. He said a neurotropic virus can pass through the blood -brain barrier. The rabies virus can do exactly that. What if this virus is designed to transport whatever is in layer three directly into our brains? What if this virus is designed to not only ensure high levels of infection and cause chaos among our populations, but also transport the gene killers that need to get into our brain to delete the SRGAP2 gene?”

“But who infected the dogs with this ancient form of rabies?” asked Nelson.

“What?”

“Doc, those dogs weren’t just roaming North Korea infected with rabies from 100,000 years ago. They’d have infected everything long before now. Someone infected them, knowing they’d bite her.”

Nelson pointed at the carrier.

“You’re right,” said Ursula. “Someone infected those animals with the rabies virus, then set them loose. Perfect timing. It’s the perfect attack on the human species.”

“Can you stop it?” he asked, quickly.

“Well, I’ve never given up yet.” Ursula swung across the room on her chair, arriving at the workstation connected to Section 51.

“Peter, you there?”

“I just analyzed the remains of Ambassador Kilroy,” said Peter. “A tactical team found him in the Empire State Building just before the city was destroyed. There wasn’t much left of him.”

“And?”

“Nothing,” said Peter. He was in his pristine white lab coat, hair perfect as usual. “Nothing at all. He was in perfect health.”

“Maybe that’s it,” said Ursula. She got up, tapping her pen against her teeth. “Maybe that’s why this woman here, then Rodgers, then Kilroy…”

“What?” said Peter.

“CIM says he was in perfect health. Just how perfect?”

She saw he realized where this was going.

“Gimme a second.” He scrolled through the 200-page report by CIM, looking for the genetics section.

“You’re right. He was 100 percent genetic mutation-free. That puts him in the 0.005 percent of the population the Bernay don’t plan to sterilize.”

“So for whatever reason, if you are in perfect genetic health, you’re able to fight the virus,” said Ursula. “It explains the carriers.”

“And means, by the Bernay’s own calculations, there could be 500,000 carriers out there. I’ve already passed the info over to the authorities in Britain.”

“If we had known that before suggesting the European evacuation…”

“But we didn’t,” said Peter. “No one’s to blame. We need to press on. The best thing we can do is get a vaccine.”

She got right up to the briefcase. “Clear your diary. Contact my government and tell the prime minister we need Rabies-XK immediately. It’s a long story, but they’ll know where to get it.”

“Rabies?” he said, looking across the room at Gabriel.

“An ancient strain. It’s deadly.”

“I’ll do as much as I can from this end,” said Peter. “But why rabies?”

“Rabies is what I would call a dominant virus, Peter,” she said. “With it being an ancient strain, they probably thought we’d have no way to study it, let alone combat it. If I hadn’t seen it myself all those years ago, I’d be clueless, as well.”

“What’s their point?”

“Peter, I think the rabies is just the transport vessel. I think the real reason of this virus is…”

The feed cut off.

“Damn!” she shouted.

“You’ve told me why the SRGAP2 gene is important for us, but why is it so important to the aliens?” said Nelson. “I mean, Doc, they’ve designed an entire attack around being able to delete these genes, if that’s what layer three actually is.”

“You know, I never thought of it like that,” she said. “Why are they so interested in them? Once the connection reestablishes, I’ll confer with Peter. We’re running out of time. Every hour that passes brings us closer to total planetary infection.”

“Well, what now?” he asked.

“Now, Commander, I’m going to war!”

Chapter 55

“A mass suicide occurred today in the state of Mississippi. Over 5,000 took their own lives in the deeply religious state. A statement by the Church of Heaven, released shortly beforehand, told of the group’s belief that the end of times is now and the discovery of aliens and a ‘zombie’ virus have proven we live in a godless universe. There are reports of more mass suicides planned across North and South America. The White House was unavailable for comment.”

Thomas, alone in the Oval Office, watched the news report from behind his desk. He considered these few minutes of solace sacred, allowing him to begin to process everything that had happened and plan the next move. He changed the channel.

“…riots today in Buenos Aires with riot police authorized to use lethal force by the Argentinian government as it attempts to quell mass civil disorder across the country. Reports of a military coup are increasing. The democratic government is looking unstable.”

Thomas took a mental note of that, to ask the Secretary of State.

“Mr. President,” said Gail, coming in. “The meeting is due to begin in five minutes.”

“What about those ships heading to the East Coast?”

Gail fixed her glasses, flicking to another report. “Five hundred and sixty-four destroyed so far.”

“We’re picking off unarmed civilian ships like war criminals,” said Thomas. “There’s no honor in that.”

“We have to,” said Gail. “The Washington Police Commissioner…”

“Timothy,” said Thomas.

“Yes,” said Gail. “He wants your permission to introduce martial law now in Washington to protect the government.”

“I don’t really want to do that,” said Thomas. “Not here in the capital.”

“I think we should,” said Gail. She approached the desk. “We need to protect our government institutions. Washington can’t fall to rioters and looters. He feels strongly about this.”

Thomas sighed. “Fine,” he said. “Whenever he’s ready.”

“Yes, sir,” said Gail.

“Send everyone in when they arrive. That’ll be all.”

He went to the windows behind his desk. Putting Washington under lockdown was sensible, but the public would see it as a further deterioration of the situation. The snow-laden garden he gazed out at was so peaceful, despite the fire that continued to engulf the world. Feeling disconnected from the outside world was an understatement.

“Have a seat, everyone,” he said, hearing the group come in. He didn’t turn around, feeling more comfortable staring out the window. Richards, Vanessa Kramer, and Jacqui Kilmoran each took a seat before his desk.

“General, Section 51?”

“I’m in constant communication with them, but the Council is refusing all messages and looks to be standing by their decision to quarantine the planet.”

“Convenient,” said Thomas. “And our own vaccine?”

“Nothing yet, sir,” said Richards. “Barrington and Roberts are working as fast as they can.”

“Their predictions?” asked Thomas.

Richards shook his head.

“As I thought.”

“That brings me to another matter, sir. I hesitate to bring it up, but it’s something you need to be made aware of.”

“Go on.” He still hadn’t turned around.

“Peter Roberts believes a cure may be possible.”

“Pardon?” said Thomas, turning to stare at the general in shock. “A cure? For those infected?”

“Yes,” said Richards. “He believes one could be developed and that we should hold off on our plans for total extermination. There is a downside.”

“I’m expecting a few,” said Thomas, half-angry, half-stunned.

“The cure wouldn’t return the infected to normal,” said Richards. “Rather, it would remove their infectious properties and quash the violence.”

“But what about their intelligence?” asked Kramer.

“That’s the downside,” said Richards. “There’s no way to reverse the brain damage in the infected.”

Kramer shook her head in disbelief, muttering, “What’s the point then?”

“I agree, that would be intolerable,” said Thomas.

“If I may continue…”

“Would we even be able to educate them again?”

“Possibly, sir,” said Richards. “But never to the level of the average human of today. When cured, they would have an average IQ of around twenty.”

“Which is severe mental retardation,” said Kramer. The Secretary of State eyed Richards up and down, trying to suss his own view out. “Even with intensive education, which would cost a fortune, what would be the absolute best we could hope for?”

“Around the forty IQ mark,” said Richards.

“Which is still woefully inadequate,” said Kramer.

Kilmoran was staying unusually quiet.

“If we beat this virus, we’re going to need an enormous workforce to rebuild most of the world,” said Jacqui Kilmoran. “The Pentagon briefed me on this before coming here.”

“You can’t be serious,” said Kramer.

“Would you care to clarify that statement, Defense Secretary?” said Thomas, sitting down.

“It could be useful to have a large workforce once this is over,” said Kilmoran. “Europe, Asia, and the Middle East burn. From motorways to houses to airports to harbors, we’re going to need to rebuild everything. A workforce that we can … utilize … without overtly worrying about their rights would be…”

“Slavery,” said Kramer. “Mr. President, the United States cannot be seen…”

Thomas held his hand up, silencing his Secretary of State. “Carry on, Jacqui.”

“A workforce of tens of millions, who only need the most basic amenities to survive and stay happy. They won’t have the mental intelligence to know any better. I hate to be cruel, but it’s similar to the way humans used horses for thousands of years to do the heavy lifting.”

“This is barbaric,” said Kramer. “Congress would never approve.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure of that,” said Kilmoran. “Congress is frightened.”

“The whole world is frightened,” said Kramer. “That doesn’t mean we resort to slavery. It’s illegal.”

“I don’t think international laws really apply anymore,” said Kilmoran. “Who’s going to drag the U.S. government to court?”

His Defense Secretary was right. The U.S. was untouchable now by any nation or international body. He’d spent the crisis sure of just one thing—that the infected could never be saved, and they could be viewed as the enemy. It had been critical in helping him keep a clear mind.

“We are talking billions here,” said Thomas.

“We’re not proposing to cure every infected human, just as many millions as we need to get civilization back on track,” said Kilmoran.

“So which lucky few million get saved for a life of slavery while the rest get blown or poisoned to bits?” said Kramer.

“Secretary…” said Thomas.

“I’m sorry, Mr. President, but we shouldn’t even be considering this,” said Kramer. “We’re no better than the Alien Council now.”

“How so?” said Richards, annoyed.

“They thought they could do whatever they wanted to us, and now we’re proposing to do the same. Take advantage of the weak. You’re proposing we destroy probably the most hard-fought, fundamental right of human society. People are not property and never should be. Our history is dark enough, Mr. President. Don’t add more dark chapters.”

“But we would still be saving a few million,” said Kilmoran.

“I’d rather die,” said Kramer. “Would you rather die or live a life of slavery with a deteriorated mental state, Mr. President?”

All eyes looked to him, surprised the Secretary of State had asked such a direct question.

“I would rather die,” said Thomas.

“And I’m sure that applies to everyone in this room,” said Kramer. “From what I’ve read, the United States granted the Alien Council authority to remain here in the early 1900s. People have suffered because we granted that authority.”

“A vaccine has to be our top priority,” said Thomas. “General, instruct Section 51 to focus all efforts on that until they hear otherwise.”

“Yes, Mr. President.” Richards left to make the call.

“If we move ahead with this, I will have to submit my resignation,” said Kramer. “I in no way am trying to draw battle lines here, sir, but I could not morally remain in the government.”

“I respect that,” said Thomas. He would not ask her to stay either way. If cabinet secretaries thought they could change his decisions with the threat of resignation, he’d have no authority left.

“I’m sorry for the rude interruption, Mr. President, but I have urgent news,” said Houston, entering from Gail’s office. “The Japanese government is close to collapse.”

“How close?” said Thomas, rising from his chair, feeling the hairs on his neck stand up.

“Imminent,” said Houston. “The Japanese public is going crazy with worry. With their close proximity to China and their government’s refusal to let anyone leave that overpopulated island, it’s a boiling pot of water about to overspill.”

Thomas didn’t speak. Even with the thick bulletproof windows of his office, he could still hear the hundreds of protestors outside, with their banners and cards reading a litany of horrifying crimes they believed he had committed.

“This creates a dangerous situation for us,” said Houston.

“Japan’s military is smaller now than it was at the beginning of the century, but it’s still technologically sophisticated,” said Richards.

“Worst-case scenario?”

“Japan becomes infected. Their government falls apart, followed by anarchy and then a mass exodus, all in very short order,” said Houston.

“A mass exodus to the United States,” said Thomas. “What options have we got to prop them up?”

“Sir,” said Richards, “if a mass evacuation did happen, we wouldn’t be able to stop everyone reaching our own shores.”

“Which means they have now become an imminent threat to the safety of the United States,” said Kilmoran.

“I agree,” said Richards. “And it’s not often the Secretary of State and I agree on anything at all.”

“How much danger are we in?”

“Our military assets in the Pacific Ocean are formidable, I grant,” said Richards, standing up to pace.

Thomas put on his reading glasses, lifting a memo.

“We have seven carrier groups, thousands of fighters, and over 100 warships standing between us and Japan. How the hell can you and Jacqui believe Japan is now an imminent threat to our safety?” said Thomas. “Explain that to me, now.”

He threw the memo back down on his desk.

“Because Japan is not North Korea,” said Richards, in contrasting calm. “We’re not dealing with a country fifty years behind the times. It won’t be a shooting spree across the Pacific. They have twelve advanced destroyers and three cruisers that could pose a threat to our carrier fleets. If you’re looking for my assurance that I will not allow one Japanese citizen to step on our soil, I can’t give you that.”

“And if one is a carrier?” said Kilmoran.

“Jacqui, I don’t need to be continually reminded about that,” said Thomas. “According to Section 51, there could be half a million carriers out there.”

“Put simply, Mr. President, preventative measures may have to be taken if Japanese infection occurs. We can no longer afford to react to events,” said Richards.

“Exactly,” agreed Jacqui. She’d have put it more diplomatically, but Richards was certainly no politician. “If we don’t take action, we’ll face that exodus.”

“The United States, sir,” said Kramer, “is seen as the last beacon of salvation across the world, except for Britain, but the Japanese aren’t going to travel that far. Besides that, we can’t evacuate the island anyway. We have nowhere to put 100 million people.”

“We don’t even have the resources to isolate Japan,” said Jacqui. “Our military is fully utilized.”

“It’s actually at breaking point,” added Richards. “I need that point stressed. We have no surplus forces anywhere in the world. There is nothing to spare.”

Thomas knew that. Every military asset at their disposal had been called into action.

“What are you proposing?” he asked his staff.

“Sorry to interrupt again, sir,” said Gail, “but I have the British prime minister on the line. He says it’s urgent.”

“Wait outside, please,” said Thomas to Richards and the others. He lifted the receiver, wondering what had William in such a flurry.

“William,” said Thomas. “What’s wrong?”

“Japan,” said William.

The British prime minister sounded old and tired. If it were anyone else, Thomas would fear for the survivability of the British government. With William, though, he knew the country had its best chance.

“We’re just discussing that now. We haven’t decided on anything yet.”

“You might want to, and quick,” said William. “MI6 reports a disturbance in the Akita region of Japan.”

“Why is that region significant?” asked Thomas. He poured some tea.

“Akita holds one of the Japanese decontamination centers for people rescued from China. We’re expecting him to report in any minute now with more intel, but with all this carrier business, it could all be about to go to shit down there. That region has over two million people.”

“You’re thinking infection?” said Thomas. “Really? We’ve intel saying the Japanese government is starting to fracture. Could just be a local uprising.”

“Or it could be infection.”

“And both or neither,” said Thomas. “ETA on the intel?”

“Any minute now. How’s things over there?”

Thomas listened as the British leader discussed economic woes with him, but in truth he didn’t pay much attention. His thoughts ventured to much darker, more serious matters of state. He knew infection was all but certain now. If Japan fell, at least one carrier would make it to mainland America. That would then be game over, and the Council, in his mind, would have won. Thomas ended the call abruptly, calling the team back in.

“The Brits think Japan has an infection outbreak. They’re sending us over a video.”

“I’ll have it brought in,” said George.

“What’s our contingency plan for an infection outbreak in Japan?” said Thomas as everyone surrounded his desk.

“We don’t have one,” said Kilmoran abruptly. “We didn’t have one for the Japanese government falling apart. Having one for infection is laughable.”

“Then what the fuck do we have?” roared Thomas, hitting the desk. Everything rattled.

“Nothing,” shouted Richards. He began his usual pace, trying to regain some composure. “We have nothing. That island is overpopulated—it’s a hotbed for infection. This is not another New York. It can’t be contained.”

“And 100 million people are about to go crazy,” said Kramer.

“Scrambling off that island,” said Kilmoran.

“General, have our Navy and Air Force prepare to intercept and destroy anything that leaves Japan,” said Thomas.

“That is an act of war,” said Kramer.

Thomas ignored her, ordering Richards to carry out his orders.

“I have it,” said George, coming in. He uploaded the video to the main screen.

They all watched in silence. There was no sound with the video, but it wasn’t needed. Taken from a rooftop view, the unsteady footage showed dozens of humans climbing and jumping over a military fence that protected an installation.

“They’re escaping,” said Kramer.

“They’re infected workers from that quarantine installation,” said Houston. “We have it confirmed, Mr. President. Japan has suffered a viral outbreak. Eugenics Virus.”

“How long before we need to act?” said Thomas.

“Now,” said Richards.

“Right now,” agreed Kramer and Houston.