impact of the revelation began to register.
“Are you being serious? This is a disease that was intentionally created for release in America?” I asked incredulously. “It doesn’t make sense that the Chinese would want to release a disease like this in our country. We obviously don’t agree on a lot of things, but without America, who would buy their stuff? Whether or not they like us, they need us. Their economy is tied to our continued prosperity,” I stated as the possible ramifications of the current situation ran though my head.
“Unfortunately, I am being completely serious. That brings us to an important question. Was the release of the disease intentional or accidental? Right now, you are the most likely candidate to start that investigation. The FBI and a dozen other agencies will be swarming all over town in a few hours. In the mean time, you are here and if you still have some conscious victims, you have limited time access to first hand witnesses as to how this started. The implications of what you may discover are enormous. We’re talking about a possible act of war.”
I paused. The initial investigation was up to me. By the time the feds arrived, there wouldn’t be any original exposures still alive. I had been pacing back and forth in a subconscious attempt to release the tension that was building from the story Doc Baker had been relaying to me. I suddenly stopped pacing as a new train of thought burst into the forefront of my mind.
“Before I get started with the interviews, fill me in on how the disease is passed from person to person.” I said, still reeling from what I had heard.
“Unfortunately, it is an airborne virus. It thrives in moist environments such as the inside of the nose and throat. If an infected person coughs or sneezes, the saliva and mucous that come out are full of viruses. The virus is very small and can remain airborne in the atomized discharge for a long time. If a person were to touch a surface contaminated with the virus and then rub his eye, scratch the inside of his nose or touch his mouth with his hand, he would become infected. Breathing the atomized saliva from a cough or sneeze would also result in infection. The good news is that it can’t live on a dry surface. Once the moisture in which the virus was dispersed evaporates, the virus becomes harmless within about two hours…”
As he continued to explain how the disease was transmitted, I stopped hearing what he was saying. The realization that we were all exposed attacked my mind and emotions relentlessly. We would share their fate.
“Be straight with me, Doc. How long do we have?” I interrupted.
“Well, the first symptoms are manifested four or five hours after the initial contact with the virus. The coma results about an hour later. Roughly thirty minutes later, the individual comes out of the coma and the damage is done. I’m sorry, but you don’t have long.”
I’m sure he was genuine in his condolence, but somehow it seemed trite. My life was six hours from ending and he was “sorry.” I understood. I had been in his shoes many times when I had been required to make death notifications. I genuinely felt badly for the person receiving news that destroyed her life. Then I went to lunch. You can’t fully empathize with people when it comes to their personal tragedies. I didn’t fault Doc Baker for his callous condolence. I understood that he couldn’t possibly feel the same emotions I was feeling right now.
“What are the chances of survival once infected?” I asked, still digesting the fatal diagnosis I had just received.
“According to Dr. Chen, there have been no cases of an infected person recovering,” he said. “The Chinese developed a vaccine and have begun administering it to their citizens, but it is a preventative. It keeps a person from being infected with the original virus. If you
“Are you being serious? This is a disease that was intentionally created for release in America?” I asked incredulously. “It doesn’t make sense that the Chinese would want to release a disease like this in our country. We obviously don’t agree on a lot of things, but without America, who would buy their stuff? Whether or not they like us, they need us. Their economy is tied to our continued prosperity,” I stated as the possible ramifications of the current situation ran though my head.
“Unfortunately, I am being completely serious. That brings us to an important question. Was the release of the disease intentional or accidental? Right now, you are the most likely candidate to start that investigation. The FBI and a dozen other agencies will be swarming all over town in a few hours. In the mean time, you are here and if you still have some conscious victims, you have limited time access to first hand witnesses as to how this started. The implications of what you may discover are enormous. We’re talking about a possible act of war.”
I paused. The initial investigation was up to me. By the time the feds arrived, there wouldn’t be any original exposures still alive. I had been pacing back and forth in a subconscious attempt to release the tension that was building from the story Doc Baker had been relaying to me. I suddenly stopped pacing as a new train of thought burst into the forefront of my mind.
“Before I get started with the interviews, fill me in on how the disease is passed from person to person.” I said, still reeling from what I had heard.
“Unfortunately, it is an airborne virus. It thrives in moist environments such as the inside of the nose and throat. If an infected person coughs or sneezes, the saliva and mucous that come out are full of viruses. The virus is very small and can remain airborne in the atomized discharge for a long time. If a person were to touch a surface contaminated with the virus and then rub his eye, scratch the inside of his nose or touch his mouth with his hand, he would become infected. Breathing the atomized saliva from a cough or sneeze would also result in infection. The good news is that it can’t live on a dry surface. Once the moisture in which the virus was dispersed evaporates, the virus becomes harmless within about two hours…”
As he continued to explain how the disease was transmitted, I stopped hearing what he was saying. The realization that we were all exposed attacked my mind and emotions relentlessly. We would share their fate.
“Be straight with me, Doc. How long do we have?” I interrupted.
“Well, the first symptoms are manifested four or five hours after the initial contact with the virus. The coma results about an hour later. Roughly thirty minutes later, the individual comes out of the coma and the damage is done. I’m sorry, but you don’t have long.”
I’m sure he was genuine in his condolence, but somehow it seemed trite. My life was six hours from ending and he was “sorry.” I understood. I had been in his shoes many times when I had been required to make death notifications. I genuinely felt badly for the person receiving news that destroyed her life. Then I went to lunch. You can’t fully empathize with people when it comes to their personal tragedies. I didn’t fault Doc Baker for his callous condolence. I understood that he couldn’t possibly feel the same emotions I was feeling right now.
“What are the chances of survival once infected?” I asked, still digesting the fatal diagnosis I had just received.
“According to Dr. Chen, there have been no cases of an infected person recovering,” he said. “The Chinese developed a vaccine and have begun administering it to their citizens, but it is a preventative. It keeps a person from being infected with the original virus. If you
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