Whispers on an Undying World

In or Out

    The room around her felt like it stood still, however for everyone else time was moving normally. Somehow learning that he was the son of someone of importance took away from his character. It almost felt like he got to cheat on a test that she had worked her butt off on but he passed and she failed.

    “Mother?” Micha stared at him with her jaw dropped.

    He grimaced a little and brushed some of his sandy hair out of his face. This hick was actually uncomfortable. “I may have kept a few things from you, like recognizing you from a news article.” He didn’t wait for her to get angry, instead he held up his hands. “Wait, before you get angry I wanted to see if it was in any way close to true. It was an ad about your school and its engineering program. You were featured because of your prototype underwater breather. I wasn’t sure if that was actually you until you pulled out that ridiculous bag.”

    It took her less than a second to read between the lines. “Were you following me?” His toothy smile said everything she needed to know, she was close enough to him to land a blow on his cheek before some of the soldiers were pulling her off. “You JERK, CREEP. How dare you!” She was fighting against her restraints to no avail.

    “Oh really, that’s just absurd. Stop fussing.” The red-head clicked her tongue then motioned for the men holding her to push Micha so she was following the lady. “It smells here, let’s talk in my office.”

    Thomas hung behind long enough for them to be walking side by side. “It’s not like I meant to be creepy, it was only from the café down stairs.” His voice got lower as he tried to explain. “I was on lunch and wanted some coffee but before I headed back I thought I recognized you. But, well it’s weird to walk up to a stranger and ask if you were in an ad.” Now that he was flustered his brown eyes softened and he seemed like less of a brute.

    Micha stared at him like he was stupid. “No, that’s not! I’ve been asked that at least twenty times since the ad went out. It’s creepier to follow a girl through an art museum.”

    As they talked they walked until they were out of the white tents and into something similar to a hotel. They were ushered up a flight of stairs then separated; Micha was taken to a room with a shower and another change of clothes. This time they let her bathe herself. Not that it was much of a consolation.

    The room was a stereotypical hotel room, two full size beds, a table with a TV, fitted red sheets, and drapes of the same color. She used the white towel to dry off, but they gave her time to process what has been happening in the last twenty-four hours. Micha sat on the bed in the towel, the room was oddly void of smells but that didn’t bother her. She sat and breathed easily for the first time in a day.

    Some part of her couldn’t shake the fear that she had in the back of her mind since that first encounter. Now that it was quiet the memories were coming back, somehow it felt like so long ago and yet way too soon.

    Her heartbeat echoed loudly in the quiet room, it felt like she could hear her blood rush through her veins. The rush of it sent her into a trance; it calmed her to know that because her heart was beating she was still alive. She wasn’t infected; she could stop this from getting out of control. If they let her that is.

    The air kicked on, shocking her out of her trance.

    Sighing, she let the moment go. Pulling on the new set of clothes, which were closer to her old pair than the scrubs, she dried her hair as quickly as possible. Not that it was going to be dry anytime soon considering her hair was near her butt. There was a brush sitting in front of the TV, she took it and brushed through her hair until she was able to braid her hair back.

    Reluctantly, Micha opened the door but only Thomas stood outside. “Come on, you should probably listen to what my mother has to say.”

    Sighing, Micha nodded. “Lead the way.”

    They walked in silence for a few minutes; the checkered carpet told Micha that they were in an older hotel that hadn’t been deeply cleaned in a while. Their feet fell silently, the sound muffled enough that she could hear him breathing.

    Micha was the one that broke the silence. “They have a battery life of twenty minutes.”

    Thomas almost missed a step but recovered smoothly; if she hadn’t been listening to his pace she wouldn’t have heard it. “The re-breather?”

    “Yes.”

    “Oh.” He was hesitant about saying more.

    “The article made it sound like it could last a lot longer when realistically the depth and time that you have while using it is significantly shorter than an oxygen tank.” Micha paused; when he didn’t answer she continued talking. “A normal tank can last anywhere from forty- five minutes to sixty. The only real benefit is the six.”

    “Oh yeah?”

    Sighing, Micha stopped walking. “I’m sorry for getting mad.”

    Thomas stopped a few feet away. “You don’t need to apologize.”

    “Then why are you being so short?”

    He stared at her for a moment, and then shifted his weight so that he was directly facing her. “I made it so you have no choice in what happens next because I know that you are a valuable asset. I say the wrong thing and you leave.” He paused before holding out his had to her. “I know more about you than that article; we used to go to school together. You can stop this.”

    Taking his hand, the made an unsaid deal. She chuckled. “I might not be able to stop it but I’m going to try and at least figure out what can be done.”

    Shrugging, Thomas continued walking. “Close enough.”

    Two more doors and they ended in what looked like a conference room. There were the three men from the plane in the room and Dr. Rosenberg. She had a bunch of papers in front of her along with a tablet. The others were wrapped up in their computer screens.

    “Sit down.”

    Sighing, Micha went to one of the empty seats by the head of the table. When she did, a tablet was moved in front of her. “A silence agreement?”

    “No, I am not under any disillusions. We are under a steep deadline and I don’t have time to convince you to sign one right now. It’s information about this agency. You have two hours to make up your mind on whether or not you are going to assist in this.” Without saying another word, Dr. Rosenberg turned back to her computer.

    “That’s it?”

    Only her eyes moved, disinterest clearly written on her face. “Do I need to hold your hand?”

    Micha chose not to respond.

    If Micha thought her last day was insane, it paled in comparison to what she was thrown into. Somehow she convinced the head of Dangerous Bio-Infections control, Thomas’ mother Dr. Samantha Rosenberg, to let her in on a government secret. From the moment Dr. Rosenberg set a computer in front of her, Micha was thrown into a world of secrets.

    A program was created in 1957 to study the effects of different blood types and how infections are different for each. It started from a basement at an under recognized university in the south, after a huge epidemic it was referred to for antibiotics when nothing else would work. Ten years after that the program was “disbanded” and disappeared into the history books, however it had just gone underground and worked in undocumented settlements. Over the years they would get reports from all of the colleges around the country, regardless of prestige, offering internships to the brilliant youth. Most of the time they would get the best minds to has permanent jobs but if they chose to have a career somewhere else then they were held to silence contract.

    The basics of their organization were to analyze and address threats of the biological nature. On the first twenty documents were just some of the initial events that cause the organization to be needed. It was very dry paperwork but it gave more information than it intended.

    There were several more documents that lead up until today, each of them was written as if it was the event and the actions taken. How it was portrayed wasn’t bias to either side. When their organization did something wrong, or made the wrong choice, it was written down exactly how it happened.

    Within forty-five minutes Micha knew these were original documents meant to show that mistakes are made sometimes but the right thing needs to be done.

    While reading Micha came across a few documents that showed that experts not aligned with their cause but were contracted out for events. It was common for them to find people like Micha but all of them were backed by credentials. That didn’t explain her.

    Somehow the only explanation Micha could come up with was that Dr. Rosenberg was intrigued with Micha. 

    Five years ago one of those interns discovered a virus that attacked hormones, after a year of studying he found that he could change it from not just attacking hormones but to regulating them. After another three years they were to make a safer version and went on to the human trials for bi-polar disorder. It was highly successful for the first six months, however after the next version was distributed there were minor complications. Some of the recipients began showing signs of aggression, when these signs showed up they were immediately taken off the drug.

    What was next caused a recall for all of the medication across the country. There were more and more cases until three weeks ago there was an entire family that died; the father was on the drug. He had been angry more than he was stable so he was taken off of theirs and put back on what he was before. Three days later he killed his wife and kids then himself. That was alarming enough for a recall and a watch was put on all of the participants.

    Three more reports were sent before Thomas was dispatched, he was involved with the program in ways that they didn’t explain that lead up to yesterday. The police would bring any of the cases to the apartment building two streets down from the art building, it was there that things got out of hand quickly.

     As soon as so many of the sick were brought under one roof they seemed to feed off each other’s aggressiveness until they had to be separated from each other. They got less humane the longer they were quarantined, until two days ago when they started attacking anyone that hadn’t been on the drug.

    Now that they had time to review the last few hours before the first of the infected got out onto the streets, they found that it was a mistake on their end. They were left in rooms that weren’t equipping for super human strength. They could only theorize that while they were in the beginning stages of quarantine there was a mutation that made for a rapid increase in testosterone and cortisol, which would explain why there were more men than women that were admitted for violence.

    While reading, Micha would occasionally ask a question about something that was not quiet explains correctly or omitted information.

    Dr. Rosenberg explained everything in a calm voice, almost uninterested, though she never said how they could fix it. “If they were overdosing on testosterone then why didn’t you try decreasing the amount their body was creating?”

    “We tried, in response to lower testosterone their body ramped up the body temperature to make stress hormones. After icing them, it made even them more aggressive. Nothing worked to bring them back to normal hormone production.” After sitting and explaining, she looked tired and almost expecting every question that Micha had to offer. “Their strength was unexpected, that started after the icing. We’ve tried capturing some of the non-medicated aggressive but every time if they don’t harm half the troop and we manage to get them into a secure chamber they die before we can get any useful information out of them. If their heart doesn’t stop then the rest of their organs do, if organ failure takes too long then they rip their own throats out and die from that. For whatever reason, the virus seems to know we are trying to study it and destroys the host before we can find out anything new.”

    “Why was the city being bombed then? That seems counter intuitive to getting information from the virus.” Micha drank from the water bottle she was offered.

    “We were trying to contain the mutation. It spread through the non-medicated citizens in half the city in less than an hour. It had been contained to those who were medicated but mutated to bodily fluid exchange. That is a rapid mutation rate.” Dr. Rosenberg threw some file folders in front of her. “It was only after it was clear that the aggressive were going to kill more than the bombing. You’re lucky that my son thought you valuable or else you would be quarantined in Sacramento right now, if you survived. However it’s unclear if the virus got out yet or if any other mutations have occurred in the other participants.”

    Micha sat back in the uncomfortable doctor chair, crossing her arms. “In other words your little program put out a pill that makes people hyper-aggressive then mutated beyond help from modern medicine and now the only way to contain your mistake is to kill anyone involved?”

    “In its crudest form, yes.”

    “Why is Sacramento so effected?”

    “The only difference is that we tried to contain the affected.”

    “Why didn’t you try in other locations?”

    “I told them to focus on one location. At the time it was the correct choice.”

    “Then why am I being honored with knowing your mistake?”

    Sighing, Dr. Rosenberg took off her glasses and stared her down. “My son is under the impression that you will be some how useful in our endeavors.” Roughly setting down her glasses she looked over at Thomas who was resting against a desk full of papers. “Though, I doubt that you will be useful for anything besides building anything.”

    Snorting Micha stood up. “Fine, I want to go home. Now.”

    Nodding, she pressed a button on a phone. “Sanders, get a copter ready to return Miss Anderson home.”

    “Yes, Ma’am.”

    “Thank you.” Walking toward the door, Micha turned around. Her temper got the better of her. “You know, it’s too bad that I’m of no use because if I was then I would tell you that I am able to get you a device on any of the infected to monitor their vitals. But hey, it’s not like that would be helpful.” Before Micha could open the door, Dr. Rosenberg rose to the bait. Part of Micha knew that it was childish to bait her like that but the satisfaction of seeing her face when she realized she was wrong was too big of a temptation.

    “Ok Miss Anderson, it’s clear that I hurt your pride. Let’s get pass the pissing test and get to the part when you explain how you can get a live patient’s vitals, or even to get them to survive capture.” She didn’t look amused by her game, so Micha dropped her bomb.

    “A few years ago my uncle was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, they removed it but after that he got diabetes and after that he got sicker so he was in and out of the hospital because he wasn’t paying close enough attention to his health.”

    The lady interrupted her, “The point Miss Anderson.”

    Sighing, Micha crossed her arms. “I was getting to that.” After stopping for a response but got none, Micha continued. “Anyway, for one of my finals I spent a few months making a device that monitors and alerts the hospital if any vitals were outside of the norm. It was then up to the hospital to determine if they need assistance. The prototype was a little bulky so my teacher didn’t like it, after that I spent the rest of the year shrinking it. I can modify it to send information about hormones along with white blood cell count, blood pressure, temperature, and whatever else you want. It would have a limited distance, probably around half a mile but you’ll get your data.”

    After a few minutes of contemplation the Doctor met her eyes again. “Then how do you suggest we get it attached without killing the host?”

    Smiling, Micha walked to her desk and picked up the stapler and shot one at her. “Shoot it.”

    “Excuse me?”

    “It’s the safest route for both sides. I can get my bug to fit in the tip of a rifle, get a long range shooter to aim for its back so it can’t tear it out. Most of the mechanics work on the inside of the skin anyway so it should be easy enough for it to be forgotten quickly.” Micha rearranged her desk, much to Dr. Rosenberg’s distaste. “For what you’ve been saying they are still social despite being aggressive, if you leave some bait out then you can lead them to anywhere in the city to do that, fire on the whole group to reduce any suspicion on their part. Then you get you data. Easy.”

    “What’s the catch?”

    Sighing, Micha chewed her lip. “You’ll have a limited supply. I need two days and for sure I can make six.” Setting down the stapler Micha nodded. “You’ll just have to choose wisely.”

    Pursing her lips, Dr. Rosenberg thought about it. “Fine. What do you need to start?”

    “All of my data is in my apartment. If I can get my prototype then fix it up, I can get help to make more.”

    “I’ll send some locals to get them; you start up with the lab here.”

    Micha smiled awkwardly. “You won’t be able to get to it without me there in person.”

    “Excuse me?”

    “I put bio-monitors all over my work. If anyone tries to break into it, all the data will be destroyed there and sent to an offsite location which is a lot harder to get into.” Her entire work station was guarded just in case someone tried to steal her work, her previous experience making her paranoid. Dr. Rosenberg’s look made Micha think that she doubted it was that effective. “Plus you won’t be able to even find it without me showing you.”

    Nodding, she waved Micha out the door. “Go before I change my mind. The chopper should be ready by now, Thomas go with her.” Micha didn’t want to chance it so she didn’t argue.

    Micha always prided herself on her mad-scientist role.

    Thomas followed her at first then guided her through the hotel until they got outside. It was then that it was blatantly clear that they were not in Portland but somewhere very secluded. “Where are we? Didn’t they say we were going to Portland?”

    “You didn’t actually think that they would take people to a highly populated city?”

    “Point taken.” She followed him closely; soon she saw the signs of a landing area. “Thomas why didn’t you tell me that your mom had something to do with all this?”

    Men in military uniforms ran up to the duo, pulling them along to get into the helicopter Thomas shouted at her over the noise. “My mother only approved the virus for human trials, she didn’t create it.” They were boarded and strapped in before he put on the headset and finished his sentence when she had one on too. “It was mine. I found the virus.”

    Before Micha could react McCoy hit Micha on the knee to get her attention; she was surprised that she had the same escort as before. Next to him was the blue eyed man from before, this time he wasn’t wearing a mask and was surprisingly handsome. He didn’t have his hair cut really short like most people in the military did; he was slightly tanned with a chiseled jaw but with a slight frown. “We’re taking the copter until we get to a major road, after that we go in a jeep. When we get there you have to go fast, this thing is getting out of hand. The more time you take the more people die. Got it?”

    Nodding, Micha held onto her restraints tightly. She wasn’t too fond of heights. She flagged the virus conversation for later. “Do you know where I live?”

    “Do you have to ask that question?”

    Laughing nervously, Micha tried to not show her nerves when the helicopter takes off. It lurched from side to side occasionally. “Stupid question right? I won’t have a lot to grab so it should be fast.”

    After nodding, he turned off his head set so Micha was able to talk to Thomas directly. “This isn’t your fault; there was no way you could have guessed that it would mutate like that.” Thomas’ confused look made her understand that he wasn’t expecting her to get straight to the point. “Thomas we have to make sure we get this controlled before it mutates again, if this gets air-borne the west coast will be down in a matter of hours. In a month the country is gone.” He nodded. “I may hate working with outsiders but this time I’ll make an exception ok?”