Bats Out Of Hell

Five per cent. But a thousand times more deadly than a bat.'

'And what about mice?' Sir John Stirchley asked.

'Totally erratic,' Newman replied. 'Some followed the same course as the bats. About fifty per-cent fatalities. Definitely not as receptive as bats, but more so than rats. But, overall, there is no pattern. There is only one common denominator, and that is that the disease is deadly and it can be carried by almost any living being, including humans! Seven Treasury clerks died as a result of coming into contact with an infected bat. Within a week three hospital staff and one doctor caught the disease. Yet none of those who attended to earlier victims caught it. Why?' He shrugged his shoulders. 'Maybe we shall never find the answer to that one. It could be that some people are immune for some reason. One thing seems fairly certain, though. The virus is only passed on while the sufferer lives. Once the victim dies, so does the virus. Whilst we are faced with a situation akin to outbreaks of bubonic plague in the Middle Ages, we have the small consolation of knowing that corpses can be handled with impunity.'

'And your experiments to find an antidote?' Sir John Stirchley asked.

'Negative. At the moment I have nothing to report. I am still hopeful, though.'

Haynes took off his glasses and sighed. 'So much for the biological side of this business.' He turned to the. Ministry of Defence official. 'Now, Mr Littler, we have brought you up to date on our side of things, so perhaps you would be kind enough to fill us in on the details of what is happening in the Midlands? One is always dubious of relying solely upon newspaper, radio and television reports.'

'Quite so,' the other spoke in a fiat, expressionless voice. 'Well, as you know a large number of bats have infiltrated the centre of Birmingham. The first reported sighting was in the old Snow Hill Station. The pest authorities were called in; the building was sealed off and pumped full of cymag gas. Later it was discovered that forty-two bats had been killed. All males.'

'All males!' Newman gasped. Then-'

'Precisely. The point I am just about to make,' Littler continued, 'is that it is reasonable to assume that the females are breeding elsewhere. In the city, or in rural areas? It is impossible to say. According to reliable information which I have, the female bats should have given birth to their young already, and so, by the middle of September when these young bats are able to fend for themselves, their numbers could have increased by twenty-five percent. As one infected bat alone is capable of killing an innumerable number of people before it dies, then we have some idea of what we are up against.'

'But apart from Snow Hill Station.' Haynes broke in, 'there must be dozens of other such places harbouring bats.'

'Of course,' Littler replied. 'They have been sighted in scores of derelict slum areas, but it seems that once they are disturbed they leave and seek refuge elsewhere. We had one report of a large flock seen entering a derelict house hi Moseley. We followed the same procedure as with Snow Hill Station, but afterwards, when it was safe to enter, we found not one single dead bat. They had obviously flown before our arrival.'

'It's like the mythical burial ground of the elephants in Africa,' Rickers groaned. 'Somewhere that's never found. We have to find the bats' breeding places if we're to check their spread, and that's only half way towards solving the problem.'

'And what about the public?' Sir John Stirchley lowered his voice. 'The scenes on television and the accounts in the newspapers are pretty awful. Is it really as bad as all that?'

'Worse,' Littler said with a grimace. 'So far twenty-three people have died as a direct result of this virus. Doctors are working night and day, and surgeries and hospitals are besieged by terrified people who claim to have been in contact with bats. The Prime Minister is speaking to the country tonight. The Midlands is to be declared a disease-zone, a circle incorporating Stoke-on-Trent, Leicester, Kidderminster and Wellington. All roads will be closed to and from the Midlands in an attempt to keep everybody and everything in.'

'Impossible!' Sir John snapped. 'We have neither the police nor the armed forces with which to implement this. Just closing the roads and railways won't be sufficient. People will travel on foot.'

'We shall not be relying solely upon the police or armed forces as we know them,' Littler spoke uncertainly, as though he should not be disclosing the information. 'There can be ... shall we say, the formation of an additional force.'

'Like vigilantes?'

'Oh, no, the vigilantes are already making their presence felt. This will be a body of men. Armed. Well, I'll say no more, but it is the only way.'

'A police state,' Stirchley muttered.

'Only temporarily. While the bats continue to spread the disease,'

'All the armies in the world couldn't contain a colony of bats.'

'It isn't just the bats, sir. It's the people. If they begin fleeing the infected area then they are capable of carrying the virus to other parts, the same as the bats do. Likewise, we can't have a breakdown of law and order in the Midlands. Imagine the looting which would take place if everyone left.'

'What are the feelings of the citizens of Birmingham at present?'

'Panic hasn't broken out yet,' the Ministry man replied, 'but it could at any moment. Once people start dying in the streets and there aren't enough hospitals to cope with the sick, then all hell will be let loose. That's why the BVF is being formed.'

'British Volunteer Force.'

The seven people looked at each other in silence. There was no more to be said. No amount of talking could come up with a solution. Not unless Professor Newman discovered an antidote or someone found the main breeding quarters of the bats.

'I'm afraid the whole of the blame seems to have fallen on your head, Professor Newman,' Sir John Stirchley said, smiling wanly. 'Of course we know that it's just one of those things, but it's no good trying to explain that to the public. I am, however, going to try and get it through to Fleet Street that you are the one person capable of saving them from the bats. I'm sorry about the way you and Miss Wylie were treated by those louts, and about your bungalow, too. I take it you have fixed up accommodation elsewhere?'

'Yes, I've another bungalow.' Newman said 'At Chase-town Close to Chasewater.'

'Perhaps we should arrange for a police guard,' Stirchley mused.

'I don't think that will be necessary, sir,' Newman smiled at Susan. 'I am sure that that episode was purely a freak outbreak of hooliganism.'

'Well, if you need anything let me know,' Sir John nodded to Haynes, and the meeting broke up.

Susan followed Brian back into the laboratory.

'It's terrible,' she said, shuddering, and leaned against him. 'D'you ... d'you think there's any chance of finding an antidote now?'

'No,' he told her, 'to be perfectly honest, I don't. I've tried everything, and barring a miracle we'll just have to face up to the fact that there's no antitoxin.'

Then... what'll happen?' she asked.

'If it continues to spread.' he replied as he slipped an arm around her, I guess it'll mean the end of civilisation as we know it in this country. Or even the whole world!'

'We are in the midst of one of the gravest situations since the war,' were the Prime Minister's opening words as he began his televised speech on all channels, 'and as a result it has fallen upon my government to bring in emergency measures. A State of Emergency was formally declared at six o'clock this evening, and the British Volunteer Force, which has been formed only this week, has now gone into full operation. A disease-zone has been drawn up, incorporating most of the Midlands, and there will be no movement of persons either into or out of that designated area. It is our duty to contain the virus within those boundaries, and while every effort will be made to assist the people inside, under no circumstances must the virus spread beyond it. We are hoping that our scientists will discover an antidote within a very short time. In the meantime life elsewhere must continue as near as normally as possible, whilst within the zone it is in the interests of everyone to stay at home, stay indoors, and have as little contact with others as possible. Arrangements for food and other necessities will be made by your local authorities. Be sensible. Stay at home.'