Death and The Divide (15 page)

She scanned the people in the other five cells of this pod. They each looked directly at her. She stumbled back a step, and Linc gripped her arm tighter. She fumbled with the flap of her bag and finally set it on the ground. She had no time for nerves, needing to obtain blood for Manson to test.

“I’ll shoot him while you get the vacu-probe ready.” Linc took the air-syringe from her shaking fingers.

Her throat wouldn’t allow words to escape, and her mouth went dry as she gazed into the crazed, soulless orbs of the man behind the bars. As they approached the cell, the humming took on a higher pitch. At a few feet away, the man lunged against the bars, arms outstretched.

Ria screamed, and they both jumped. She held her vacu-probe against her chest to brace her suddenly weak arms. Linc wasted no more time and lifted the metal syringe and fired the spray into the man’s face. The prisoner opened and closed his mouth a few times before his eyes rolled back in his head and he crumpled.

“Hurry,” Linc said. “We don’t know if this will last as long as it does on an uninfected person.”

One of the soldiers opened the cell door, and she used every ounce of determination in her body to step inside. Linc stayed beside her, thank God. Every prisoner began to scream. The high-pitched, blood-curdling sound cut through her nerves like an ice-cold knife. She tried to keep her eyes fixed on the man’s arm, but the noise went beyond disconcerting. She pressed the metal tube to the skin of the inner elbow and lifted the side switch. A whiff of dried blood on his clothes made her gag. Hurry, hurry. A click and it was done.

“Come on,” Linc yelled against the roar of screams.

He nearly dragged her from the cell. As the guard slid the door closed, the man’s eyes opened. He twisted on the floor, growled and lunged, rattling the bars.

Her heart pounded, and she clamped her hands over her ears. They hurried from the pod as medics arrived and sprayed the people in the cells with tranquilizers. The screams grew fainter. As she glanced over her shoulder, they dropped to their knees, still grasping the bars and staring at her.

“Get me out of here,” she yelled, frantic, her skin crawling with terror as those inhuman screamed reverberated in her head.

A wail of screeching voices came from the right, and five individuals emerged from trees at the side of the small runway. They ran fast, arms outstretched, straight for her and Linc.

“Linc,” she screamed.

He pulled his pistol from his belt and fired while pulling her to him with one arm. Two of the crazed men fell to the zap of the beams.

“Run!” he yelled.

They bolted up the sidewalk next to the airport’s office. The sizzling bang sound of his gun brought soldiers scrambling in their direction. One of the cannibal men pounded close behind, growling and screaming. The sound closed in until she imagined she felt his warm breath on her neck. At the moment she expected him to leap on her, Linc pushed her forward. She lunged to the ground, scraping her hands on the concrete.

He turned and met the once human creature head-on, swinging his right fist into the man’s gut. The guy made an
oof
sound and doubled over, rolling to the pavement from his interrupted momentum. Linc stood over him and fired a hot beam into his head. It exploded like a ripe watermelon, sending blood and brains in a shower of gore.

Her stomach churned as she wiped a wet, purplish glob from her facemask and nearly wretched.

“Miss Moralez, Dr. Butler, this way.” A soldier motioned them to an air-car and whisked them to their copter. The pilots stood beside it, also in clear suits, and came to alert when the car pulled up. Their faces took on masks of horror as Linc’s and she emerged from the car. He’d sustained the worst of the brain explosion and dripped in blood and chunks of matter.

“Over here,” one of them called.

A clear circular tube lowered from the bottom of the craft. One by one, they entered the tube for decontamination and were lifted inside. She went first, followed by one of the pilots, then Linc and the last pilot. The mess showered over their suits disappeared in the process, but it was too late. The image would stay in her mind forever. She stripped out of her suit, filled with revulsion and determined never to touch it again.

“Ready for takeoff, Ma’am?” the last pilot asked after the tube brought him up.

“Yes. Get us to Omaha with all speed.” She went into the main cabin on rubbery legs and almost fell into her seat as she tossed her bags to the floor.

The copter lifted before Linc had a chance to buckle in, but he managed to slip into the harness despite the sway as they rose.

“That was seriously messed up shit back there,” he said, his brow furrowed and a glint of panic remaining in his eyes. “We’ll have to alert the military to this behavior.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and forced her breaths to slow so her heart would calm down. “I can’t thank you enough for being in that, that, cage with me and stopping the creature from attacking us. I thought I was going to lose it. I’ve never felt so close to death. I’m beginning to rethink the need to carry a gun.”

He rubbed the back of his neck, breathing hard. “Yeah, they come in handy now and then. Why did the victims hum? Do you think they’re trying to communicate? It’s like the escaped ones came when the others called to them.”

A tremor shook her, and she closed her eyes for a second. After a deep breath, her heart slowed its racing pace. That sound they’d made had unnerved her. She’d wanted to run as far from the disaster as possible and hide where no one could find her. Walking into that cell had been the bravest thing she’d ever done.

“Linc, I don’t think they’re trying. I think they are already communicating. This just got a whole lot worse.”

Chapter Fifteen

Dr. Manson moved his finger along the screen of the micro-viewer. Ria and Linc stood behind him with other members of the North’s team. A video link broadcasted to the rest of the South’s team. She hoped the samples they’d delivered yesterday would prove valuable. Louis had worked through the night, studying them.

“This is the same parasite and virus as the ones found in the South,” he said. Then he frowned. “With some subtle differences. I’ve detected minute changes in the DNA strands with advances over time. The virus is altering its replication in a sentient manner that also changes the parasite’s DNA. I’ve never seen anything like it. This discovery is momentous.”

“What a way to finally get that Nobel Prize you’ve always wanted,” Ria muttered.

Manson shot her a quelling look then turned to the screen, advancing the view. “You can see the sequences in this shot. The differences are here and here.”

“Why is it reconfiguring the DNA?” Dr. Peters asked.

“The reason viruses always do it. To survive,” Manson said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Did he actually have an appreciative gleam in his eyes? Of course the tiny beast was amazing, but still, it killed people and animals. She couldn’t be too proud of its abilities. If it wasn’t such a bright little virus, they might stand a better chance of defeating it.

Linc spoke up. “As we said in our report from the incident in Deltaville, there’s reason to suspect they’re also learning to communicate and cooperate. That’s the likely result of the DNA changes.”

Their epidemiologist, Dr. Quentin asked, “Have you had any luck with developing a vaccine or an anti-parasite agent? We haven’t.”

“No,” Dr. K said, strain giving his tanned skin a yellowish tint that made him appear ill. He massaged his temple. “And with the rapid mutations, it will be nearly impossible.”

  A beep sounded behind her. The emergency announcement alert. A second later, a buzzer went off on the Southern vid-feed.

“Hold on,” Louis said. “There’s news coming through.”

They gathered around his desk as the comm-screen lit. An image of two women and a man appeared. The North’s triumvirate. Apparently the injured member, T.M. Rominoff, had recovered from the bomb injuries and left the hospital. This picture came from the capital compound.

“Greetings fellow citizens,” the member named Isabella Suarte said, her face grim and drawn. “It is with grave concern that I must report an outbreak of the cannibal disease in India. There are at least a hundred casualties. The source has not yet been determined, but it cannot be ruled out that a tanker from the ROA that docked there a few days ago didn’t carry the problem to their shores.”

“Damn it,” Link muttered under his breath.

She slipped a hand through the crook of his arm for support.

Tukante Merabinata spoke next, her dark brown face more creased than her sixty years had contributed. “We also have reports of more outbreaks on the Atlantic coast of both the DOA and the ROA in the last few hours with death tolls in the thousands and countless escaped victims.” She pressed her lips in a firm line for a few seconds then continued. “Due to this spread, we are forced to make difficult and challenging decisions that will affect our entire populace.

“First, all coastal cities will be immediately evacuated. Inland cities will set up refugee centers for coastal citizens to relocate. Second, there is a moratorium on seafood products until further notice. And third, designated minimum security prisons will be emptied for use in detaining live victims. Also, until further notice, each city will form blockades and police all citizens coming and going. Unfortunately, the capital of Omaha will deploy its shield barrier and restrict unauthorized travel from its boundaries until further notice.”

Manson stared at the screen, transfixed. Everyone appeared in shock, although they had discussed the possibility of such actions prior to today.

T.M. Rominoff, one side of his face still red from a skin transplant after his burns, said, “Although the situation is dire, we have the best minds on both sides of The Divide working on a solution. Do not panic. Remain calm and follow your government’s orders to maintain safety. Those of you in coastal cities will receive specific instructions for evacuation from your local law enforcement. Proceeding in an orderly manner will save time and lives.

“If anyone spots a person or animal who appears infected, contact the hotline listed on the bottom of this screen. Do not approach them under any circumstance. Find a secure place and report the location at once. These individuals are extremely dangerous. We will make more announcements when news is available. Until then, may the deity of your choice bless the Democracy of America.”

“Now what?” Dr. Berman asked, twisting her hands together. “We’re going to be cut off from the rest of the country. How will we obtain samples from new victims?”

Louis pursed his lips and rubbed his chin for a moment, a speculative gleam in his eyes. “I have to meet with the triumvirate. Quite a few questions are left unanswered. We’ll need live specimens to ever reach the point of testing an antidote. And Dr. Butler here is trapped in this country.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Linc said. “I’d rather be here working on a solution. And if we’re able to leave and obtain samples, I can help with that. Ria and I know what to expect now.”

She shuddered, fully willing to let someone else take over the sample collection. Linc didn’t have to volunteer them to do it. But he was right. Their experience would be beneficial. She pointed to the screen, which now showed a map of the world with red dots where outbreaks had occurred. She sucked in a sharp breath at the number. An explosion had happened overnight.

“What the hell? There must be over fifty sites now,” Linc said incredulously, running his fingers through his short blond hair.

She clapped a hand over her mouth at the shock of this massive change. Dr. Berman let out a small cry and did the same.

“I’m going to the capital compound,” Louis said. “Everyone else, continue working. We’re racing time.”

***

Linc automatically put a comforting arm around Ria’s shoulders against the desperate tension of reality, and she leaned her head against him. The world was falling apart, its citizens eating each other. The impact would devastate the economy as well as the people. This crisis would drive both countries into a serious depression with food shortages, lack of jobs and a lack of housing for the displaced persons. Hospitals and the military would be overwhelmed. The list was endless.

“Let’s get back to work,” Ria said in a low voice, moving from the circle of his arm. She gave him a grateful smile, however. “Thanks, I needed that.”

“I feel helpless. It was the best I could offer.” He shrugged. The comfort of human contact gave him a boost of hope as well. There was no denying the despairing nature of their situation. However, as long as they were alive there was a chance they could overcome the invading parasite. Closeness to Ria made him want to go on and be strong, to protect her and those around her. He supposed it was some primeval male urge he didn’t control, but his mind said she was a good person and deserved his loyalty and support. That it could be more than that…attraction…he had no time to explore. Maybe when this was over.

The team returned to their respective offices to work on their parts of the dilemma. He and Ria continued the comparison of the DNA from the different mutations to log the levels of the changes. It was painstaking work, even with the North’s advanced sequencer. Genetics wasn’t his field, but he could press the correct buttons and monitor the output as Ria guided him through the procedures.

“I have to say, the advanced level of equipment here is impressive,” he said, marveling at the rapid process. In a way it shamed him that the South had not put as much emphasis on science over the years. It gave him a better understanding of why the North would assume a superior attitude. They had the best scientists, they’d developed better diagnostic equipment and they hadn’t trashed their space program as the South had. But if it ever came to a war, the South’s beefed up military would trounce anyone.

Ria glanced up from her screen. She tilted her head to one side and smiled. “Thanks. Maybe we’ll be able to share some technology after this.”

“That would be a great outcome from a horrible situation.” He entered the next batch. He’d bet his brother had enjoyed his opportunities here, unhampered by prejudices and discrimination. That hadn’t occurred to him until now. He’d only focused on the pain of their separation. A part of him wanted to peek at the possibility of staying here, explore the possibilities of life in this progressive environment. However, that went against his loyal nature so he set such ponderings aside.

The worked silently for a while, the only sound the whir and click of machinery. Occasionally he stopped to view the screen for an update on the outbreaks.

A siren sounded, and Ria pointed to the window. “They’re raising the shield around the city. You’re officially locked in now.”

“Hmm, safe and sound in the North. Never thought I’d say that.” He laughed.

She chuckled. “I bet. It’s not so bad, though, is it?”

He grew serious. “No. It’s not bad at all. I’m glad I had the opportunity to be here. I see so much that we need to focus on in the South.”

“I’m glad you’re here, too.” Her cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink and she averted her eyes.

He smiled and reset the machine for the next sequence. “Annaria. I wanted to ask you about your name. It’s unusual. Is it a combination?”

“Yes.” Her eyes brightened as she glanced at him. “Astute of you to notice. My grandmothers were Anna and Maria. My parents wanted to honor them both, so they came up with Annaria. What about your name. It’s rather old-fashioned, isn’t it?”

“Ah. Yes, it is, I suppose. My dad was a history teacher. He had a thing for the early leaders of the United States. His favorite was Abraham Lincoln. I think he was fascinated by how that president kept the country together during the old civil war. He used to quote him all the time. I remember when I was young and asked him why the United States had to be divided, he quoted Lincoln.
This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or exercise their revolutionary right to overthrow it.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know much about him, but that is amazing to have said such a thing so long ago.”

“I doubt he thought it would come to dividing into two separate countries, though.” That president fought hard to keep the country together, and yet it inevitably split anyway. So many deaths from those two wars, so much destruction. The waste pained him. Why was it hard for people to agree on government? Meeting Ria made him feel there was hope for better understanding in the future. If such a thing came from this crisis, then they’d have something to be thankful for amid all the deaths.

“It does seem a harsh outcome. People must have really hated each other back then.” She set up a new sample and turned on the sequencer. “Do you think much has changed?”

“Well, here I am locked in the North and it’s not that bad,” he said with a half grin. In fact he enjoyed working with her. He couldn’t imagine a better partner. “And there’s at least one Northerner I’ve come to like and respect a great deal.”

Her cheeks grew pink again, and she smiled. “That’s nice. I like and respect you, too. Now if we could only make our countrymen be so open, we might make some progress.”

“One of your leaders, Mr. Rominoff, wants to ease the boundaries. It could happen.” A hopeful glow warmed him as he projected a better future.

“You forget he was attacked right after the election,” she said. “Some factions are dead set against any form of reconciliations.”

His warmth waned. “How does that work anyway, this triumvirate?”

“They are the guides and final lawmakers for the country. The founders wanted to do away with the old state system with two parties, and create a true democracy where everyone’s vote counts. So, they set up a National committee of people from the different sectors of the country to make recommendations, with the Triumvirate over them.”

The South had stuck with the old style U.S. government. He’d long seen the problem with a strict two party system. It had allowed his country to skew toward favoring the wealthy. The North’s system interested him greatly. “How are they elected?”

“By popular vote. There is one from the military, one from the judicial sector, and the other is a scientist who’s won at least one Hawking Award.”

“Didn’t Manson win a Hawking Award?”

“Yes, but he’s not interested in being a T.M. He loves research too much. Although he does relish winning awards and the accolades that accompany them.” She offered a wry grin. “He was nearly unbearable after the Hawking win. I think his head swelled three sizes. I had to start calling him Dr. Manson again after years of calling him Louis. I dispensed with that requirement after this mess started, though.”

“At least he’s clear what he wants to do.”

She turned from the sequencer screen to look at him. “Does that mean you aren’t?”