Contagious (13 page)

“JJ Wylde.”

“That doesn’t count. How did this happen?” She placed her hand on his head tilting it back.

“I was looking for you. I opened the wrong van. They nailed me.”

Ava paused. “You were looking for me?”

“Yeah. Guess I'm not very... uh... experienced in heroics, as you can see.”

“Thank you,” She tilted his head back. “Did you get the clot out?”

“Yeah. I didn’t save it.”

She smiled and brought the cloth to his face. “This may hurt.”

“Are you a nurse?”

“No, I’m just a mom.”

“Even better.

She wiped off his nose and the area around it. “We should see if we can get some ice.”

Rayne reached up and grabbed her wrist. “Where are the kids? You said you guys were taken.”

Ava slowly lowered her arm and sat next to Rayne. “They’re upstairs and it’s breaking my heart. They separated us. I just want to hold them and let them know it will be okay. Even if I’m not sure, I need to see them and tell them.”

Rayne stood. “Then let’s go. Let’s go see the kids.”

“No.” Ava stopped him and sadly shook her head. “We can’t. I love them too much. Whatever Semora had is bad, and you and I were near her. If there’s a chance we’re gonna get sick, that’s a chance I can’t take with them.... as much as I want to see them and hold them,” She sighed out. “Their lives are more important than me being near them.”

Rayne reached over and squeezed her hand, staring at her with compassionate eyes.

After her depressed moment, she took a deep breath, stood and returned to working on Rayne’s broken nose. It would take her mind off of things, if only for a little bit.

<><><><>

Amita never really gave her eyes too much of a break. They were either on her work or on the television. The security footage from the hotel was piped into the mobile as well. Not that she was watching the quarantined people, more so she was watching her staff.

She supposed they would say they were being mistreated, and in a sense they were. But it wasn’t intentional. It was only until they had everything organized. It wasn’t just a matter of walking in, shutting down and that was it.

According to the news, JJ Wylde was being held prisoner. That made her laugh because he sort of was. After all, he shouldn’t have left the hotel to play hero with the big man.

She also knew that Randall was probably waiting until he was finished with blood samples before letting JJ and the big man out of the small ballroom.

Randall was almost done. He had brought in most of the collected samples and Amita and her team had started breaking them down. Soon, she would know how many of the 282 people in the hotel carried the virus.

Amita stepped back from the computer and looked at the news. It wasn’t good, although for the first time in days the virus wasn’t headline news, but a repercussion of the virus.

A ripple effect that could cause more devastation than the virus itself. The Euronex Stock Exchange had collapsed, it was followed by the London Stock Exchange.

With JFK airport shut down, Amita imagined that the next day would be a repeat of history.

Once the United States stock market collapsed, there would be a run on banks, panic, chaos....all things that could take life as easily as BV-1 and BV-2. It would ripple through the world. But her mind had to be on the virus and finding its weakness. So far those attempts were futile.

She heard the ‘hiss’ of the decontamination chamber, and within ten minutes Randall entered her work area.

“How’s it going?” he asked.

“Stock market is dropping.”

“It’ll crash tomorrow if something doesn’t happen.”

“Nothing short of a cure can stop it,” Amita said.

“Maybe that’s not a bad idea,” Randall stated. “Tell the public there’s a cure.”

“There isn’t. That would be lying.”

“It would stop the collapse of civilization and that is exactly where this will head. First the Stock Exchange and we know we need only a thirty percent infection across the board and that’s all she wrote. People don’t go to work, things  will
just stop. This bug will have more than a thirty percent infection rate if we don’t contain this side of the country.”

“That’s if it didn’t get out.”

“You know it did.”

Amita lowered her head. “I just think in a few days we are gonna know how far this spread.”

“I agree. But for now, let’s concentrate on the people in the hotel and in quarantine. I just dropped off the last batch of blood. That’s two hundred and eighty-one tubes of blood.”

“Two eighty-two.”

“No, I collected two eighty-one.” Randall picked up the phone and pressed a button. “Susan, what’s the count on the tubes?” He paused. “Thanks.”

“What is it?”

“I turned in two eighty-one.”

“Did you miss someone?” Amita asked.

“No, we didn’t. I don’t think,” replied Randall. “Did we make a mistake on how many people are there?”

Amita shook her head. “No. Oh, God, you don’t think someone got out, do you?”

“No. No. Don’t be absurd. We made a mistake somewhere that’s all,” Randall said, then mumbled. “I hope.”

Larry Shepinsky or Shep as everyone called him, was a man of average height. He bulked up some to give the appearance of mean, but he wasn’t a big man.

That worked in his favor.

He was fast and agile. Smart, too. Nine years in the Special Forces made him an invaluable asset to any security team. He hated that the best paying job he could get was for some whiny kid who put on a punk front, yet cried for his mother more than a toddler.

The gig paid well, and had benefits.

But  all that ended the second Shep saw those white suits and the military with gas masks roll into the hotel.

Every man for himself.

Because of his background, Shep had checked out every inch of that hotel, every exit and possible way psychotic fans could sneak in. He knew there was no way every aspect was covered, no matter how diligent the quarantine people were.

The property left a lot of vulnerability.

So the second they came in, Shep knew he had to go.

He quickly packed a small back pack, grabbed his wallet, a wad of cash from JJ’s safe, waited until
a commotion broke out in the courtyard and made his way to the west stairwell.

He took that to the second floor, where he took the employee stairs. They led to the basement. The exit from there was across the basement.

The door opened up to the back side of the building. That side of the building faced the wooded area.

Shep slipped through, unnoticed, ran quickly to the woods and didn’t stop running until he made his way clear.

The sun was just starting to rise when he made it to a road. It was a round about way, but it was a main road and he could see traffic stopped and onlookers growing at the quarantine post.

No one saw him.

Down the road from the hotel was a convenience store.

Shep lucked out. A cab driver was there getting a coffee, and Shep offered him a hundred dollars to take him the twelve miles to the airport.

“What terminal?”

Shep tossed out an airline, even though he didn’t have
a ticket. The driver agreed and Shep hopped in the cab.

During the short trip to the airport, Shep checked airlines. He had enough cash in his pocket and saw there was a flight to Seattle, leaving in two hours. He had enough credit on his card to pay for the only available high priced seat. It wasn't like Seattle was home or he even knew anyone in Seattle. But with the quarantine at JFK and now in Cleveland, Shep figured he’d get as far west as possible.

Once he got into the airport and checked in, he had another idea.

He was able to get a ticket from Seattle that would take him to Hawaii.

That was safe. It was the best place to go.

It was far away from whatever was causing
the quarantines.

Unlike, Semora Love and Employee 1162, no one really knew Shep was missing. They attributed him to a counting error as if he never existed.

It was an error that would cost everyone involved.

Fourteen hours after the initial quarantine, FEMA finally delivered the boxes of rations. Amita was irritated by that and it was explained to her that they had done the best that they could do. It wasn’t deemed an ‘emergency’ to get food there because the location had resources.

From what Amita witnessed through surveillance footage, the hotel didn’t tap too much into their resources, only enough to make sure people were fed.

There were only a few people passing out food.

Now, those same few people opened boxes and the MREs. Amita figured they were breaking them down to distribute. She wondered if the others quarantined in the hotel were aware how hard those select few were working.

The media hype over the market crashes had calmed down and were replaced with news of three more quarantine sites, all in the east....all in Pennsylvania.

The next morning when the stock market opened in the United States, would tell...
if
they opened.

There was a chance nothing would open in the morning in New York. Amita waited to hear from Randall if the thirty cases of ill in New York General were indeed their BV Virus

If they were, and Amita suspected they were, then extreme measures had to be taken. She didn’t want to think about that. Shutting down New York or any part of it would be a nightmare.

The night was going to be a long one. She had her own news to give him.

She knew it when she saw Randall’s face.

His shoulders slumped. “Confirmed. All thirty.”

“Oh, God.”

“We knew this was going to happen,” Randall said. “We lost sixteen people this afternoon at JFK.”

“That fast?”

“Yeah. BV-2, for lack of better wording, is a killer in every sense of the word.”

Amita was seated at her work counter. Her eyes shifted to her computer screen and then to Randall. “We ran initial results on all 281 samples.”

“And?” Randall asked. “Judging by the look on your face, this isn’t good.”

Amita shook her head. “Some levels are strong, some are weak, but the virus is present in eighty-three percent of the samples we have.”

Randall grabbed for a chair, but didn’t sit. His hands gripped the edges. ‘That’s what? Two hundred and thirty people in that hotel that are going to get sick?”

Amita nodded. “Sadly.”

“We set up the floors by contact. Are the majority close contact?”

“It’s evenly distributed.”

“Then we need to take down the interior quarantine,” Randall said. “We separated a lot of families. We need to let them be together. Especially now. Separating the floors is useless.”

“Yes, it is. Because in a few days … it’s all gonna start.”

“I’ll get things moving on the
ballroom. Get it ready for that many people.” Randall closed his eyes, paused as if praying then stepped back. “Every hour we hear more and more. Different places, things we missed. It’s moving. It’s spreading. I know it’s too early to tell, but in your opinion, did we lose control?”

“In my opinion, we lost control the moment Bella Lorenz got sick.”

“I think so, too.” Randall exhaled, nodded sadly, turned and walked out.

When he did, Amita slid her phone forward, lifted it, and simply sent a text to her husband that read, “Uncle Bruno’s Birthday.”

The drapery was open on the window to the second floor suite. All windows faced the courtyard and Landon stood at the window. His little hands pressed against the glass as he just stared out.

Ava could see him. She felt horrible, because Landon just looked so lost and sad. She moved into his line of sight even though it meant standing by the center courtyard waterfall.

She felt a little better. The brandy helped her fall asleep the night before. She continuously talked on the phone to the kids. Rayne slept in one room of the suite. Ava sensed he felt the need to watch her or protect her, sort of like the lion and the mouse when the mouse took the thorn from the Lion’s paw. But Ava was a big girl, she could handle herself, and just didn’t say anything to him to be nice.

Around the waterfall was the place to be. To keep busy while she peered up to her son, Ava helped open the rations that had been brought in. Rayne helped as well, as did the security guy, Walter. Everyone else seemed to just sit around watching the news repeating the same thing over and over.

Ava wanted to stay busy.

Joel was arguing with his wife about taking granola from the hotel supplies and making bags for the people in quarantine.

Bianca had an obvious aversion to the MRE’s and the other rations FEMA had dropped off.

“People will not feel better emotionally if they are eating food they don’t like,” Bianca argued.

“We need everything we have in this hotel,” Joel argued.

“I am sure corporate will understand. You’re being the company man,” she said.

“No, Bianca, I’m being my father.”

Bianca just stared at him, Ava had no idea what Joel’s parental comment meant.

“Your father was an extremist, Joel.” Bianca stated.

“He was prepared. I’m being prepared. We have a lot of stockpile in this hotel, no one outside knows about. I want it that way. While we are priority in this quarantine, they’ll bring us supplies. Once things get bad, if they get bad, their supplies will cease to arrive.”

Bianca stated seriously, “That won’t happen. This will be over in a week.”

“Let’s hope. But look at the news. Look at  all the places popping up with this thing. This could be the big one.”

“You sound like your father.”

Joel shrugged. “Better safe than sorry. I know how long my supplies will last, how fresh they are now. These …” He tossed a package. “These are first usage and we use only what we have in the kitchen, not storage.”

“Fine.” She sighed out then said. “Look at JJ.”

That prompted Ava to look over her shoulder, even though Bianca wasn’t talking directly to her.

“What about him?” Joel asked.

“He looks so sad, Joel.”

Ava agreed. The young kid didn’t look like the punk superstar. He sat catty corner from the courtyard in a chair against the wall staring down to his hands.

“If you’re so concerned, go check on him.”

“I think I will. These chocolate pieces may cheer him up,” she stated. “I’ll be back.”

“No flirting.”

“Oh, Joel, please. That is highly inappropriate to say in a situation like this. I’m going to be motherly.” Bianca headed over toward JJ.

Walter inched over taking Bianca’s spot at the supplies. “Why did you tell her not to flirt?”

“Because she’s loves him and it’s on her bucket list.” Joel ripped open a carton.

Finally Ava spoke up. “Joel, not that I was eavesdropping, but I was. What did she mean about your father?”

“My dad was one of those closet preppers.  No one knew but he was always stocked up for any national emergency. Wish I would have paid more attention all those times he rambled.”

“I think you paid more attention than you know,” Ava said. She glanced up to Landon, then to the pile of candy. “I’m gonna take one of these to send up to my son, is that ok?”

“Candy is fine,” Joel said. “Kids get it first.”

“What did you mean by the big one?” Ava asked.

Joel bobbed his head in thought. “Lot of people theorize that one big plague or virus will wipe man nearly to extinction. More think it will be a virus, because they're tricky. This could be the one. Because when in history has this ever been done?”

Walter guessed. “Spanish flu. They hung signs everywhere. Killed a lot of people. Bet they thought it was the big one.”

“They say …” Rayne spoke up. “That had the flu continued on its current course, it would have been man’s extinction, but it burned out.”

Ava said. “Maybe this one will. That’s why they have all the quarantines.”

“Maybe,” Joel replied. “If this is it, it’s sad to think this is the way man will go out.”

Rayne let out a scoffing chuckle. “Well, you got to admit it’s better than a super volcano or ice age, or polar shifts, nuclear war and stuff like that.”

Everyone turned and looked at Rayne.

“You know …” He sang out the words in a nonchalant manner.

“Stop,” Joel held out his hand “if you
’re about to spew forth something that is so impressive it will surprise us all into thinking, 'my God, did something that intelligent just come from that Neanderthal?’”

Rayne shook his head. “No, it’s common knowledge.”

“Proceed,” Joel said. “Sorry.”

“That’s okay. I was just gonna say this really isn’t the first time humanity faced extinction or came close. It’ll never happen. Man will survive, just not
with as many. Kind of like starting over. There are several points in history that this happened. The Tobe event which was a super volcano, and before that they pinpointed the great flood associated with Noah. Then you know, you had the Black Plague. It wiped out seventy-five percent of the population, and in some areas nearly a hundred percent. Population bottlenecks proved that.”

Walter looked at him. “Population bottlenecks?”

“Yeah, you know, periods of time when the gene pool shrank,” Rayne replied. “They limited the DNA until mutations could make more variations. Sort of like if you have a farm with ten different things and it gets wiped out leaving you only tomatoes and corn. That’s all you’ll have until the seedlings start to grow. Bad analogy I know.” Rayne looked. “Maybe I’m using the wrong term. I’m pretty sure it’s called Population bottleneck.”

With a snap to his tone, Joe said, “Population bottleneck.”

“Yeah.”

“I thought you said it was common knowledge that you were gonna spew forth.”

“It is.”

“No, asshole it’s not. My God, go hang out with the CDC people and teach them something.” Joe shook his head and handed him a box. “Why the hell are you wrestling when you are this damn intelligent?”

“I’m not intelligent, it’s a hobby,” Rayne explained.

“
He’s gifted,” Ava said. “He’s a brilliant wrestler and that is an amazing thing.”

“Oh, yeah.” Joel gave an upward motion of his head “If I recall, you said he was on the cusp of greatness.”

“He is. He can be the number one wrestler in the world one day,” Ava replied.

“Yes he can,” Joel nodded. “Especially if this virus pushes us to extinction. If he survives it, he sure as shit will be number one.” He grabbed another box and handed it to Rayne. “Thank you for informing us about the population bottleneck.”

Ava found Joel amusing. It was a diversion she needed but it wasn’t long enough, soon she was back at the window constantly staring at Landon.

<><><><>

When Bianca made her approach to JJ, she thought about how she would speak to him and what she would say. After all, he was young and probably scared. His head was down, staring intently to his folded hands. The back of his chair pressed hard against the wall. Surely he was trying to cover how he was feeling.

The ‘I brought you chocolate’ made him smile when he looked up at her.

Bianca handed him the chocolate pieces. “Honey, I know this is a lot for you to take in. Do you need to talk?”

“No, I’m fine, thank you.”

“It’s just that you’re staring down and not moving. Are you praying?”

“I’m taking to my mom,” he said.

“Oh, she passed away.”

“No. I'm texting. I don’t want the cameras to see.”

“You .
.. you have a phone?”

“I had several, this is the one they didn’t get. I just don’t want them to have it. It’s our only means to talk the outside world right now.”

Bianca sighed out. “How is your mother?”

“Worried about me. But she says this thing is already in Canada. It’s bad and in more places than they’re letting on. I’m just glad I can text her.”

“It’s important. Imagine if you didn’t have that, how lost you’d feel.”

“Yeah, true.”

“JJ are you a nice person.”

“Sometimes. Not always.”

“Can you be a nice person right now?” Bianca asked.

“Why?”

“There’s someone that needs to use that phone. I’ll be back.” Bianca walked back over to the courtyard and approached Ava.

Ava was surprised when Bianca walked up to her, stating, “I need to take you with me. It’s important. Really. You want to do this.”

Ava saw the look of ‘what are you up to’, her husband gave Bianca, then after setting down the packages, followed Bianca to the corner where JJ was seated.

“What’s going on?” Ava asked.

“You said a little bit ago, you felt abandoned because you couldn’t get a hold of your husband.”

“I did. But what can I do?”

JJ stood and walked in his room without saying anything.

Bianca whispered. “Go in.”

Ava walked by Bianca into the room with JJ. She watched Bianca peek out, shut the door and then close the drapes.

<><><><>

David, one half of the dynamic duo paparazzi, belly crawled to the balcony and stayed low. The one thing they didn’t take was his ‘Go cam’ for his game system. Admittedly, he and Sean didn’t think of it either. But it was a means to communicate with the outside world.

They didn’t shut down the internet in the hotel.

Get the pictures, type a short story in the description and upload.

David got the shots. He knew something was up when he saw the manager’s wife sashay to the young pop star. He got the shots, one right after another and hurried back to the room before being spotted.

“Did you get them?” Sean asked excitedly.

“Oh, yeah.” David shut the door. “Who needs your body guard? A picture is worth a thousand words.”

“Better be, because we can’t fit a thousand words on the upload.”

“These are good,” David said. “Seriously, in quarantine this kid does not stop. Now he takes on not one but two older woman. Unbelievable!”

“Almost disgusting.” Sean added. “I mean, this proves for sure he set up this whole quarantine as a ruse.”

“Yeah, all for the attention. At the very least he’s eating this up.” David held up the camera. “But we got pictures. The world is gonna be so glad we are in here. They may not know our names right now, but they’ll know them soon.”

“And they’ll be rooting for us,” added Sean. “
If this virus ends up being real, they’ll want us to emerge because we’ll have the JJ scoop.”

David walked to the door. “I’m gonna head back out to get exit pictures. Just in case they do things fast.” He paused. “You don’t think people are gonna think we’re idiots for worrying about this stuff when there is  supposedly
a killer virus, do you?”

Sean laughed at that. “No, we’re gonna be heroes in all this. The eyes inside. The journalistic soldiers on the germ filled battleground.”

“Oh, that’s good. Remember that line.”

“Absolutely.”

David sneakily opened the door and crept out.

<><><><>