“Let me start by saying the prospect of your revival is fascinating. There were rumors about the president being in stasis, tucked away. We knew the virus was deliberately released. What we need to know if what a handful of you were…”
“Handful?” Malcolm shook his head. “No. In our unit, our complex, there were a hundred. But it failed. Nearly everyone died.”
“Do you know…?”
“What is the president saying? He knows more than us. Obviously.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because he’s here,” Malcolm said. “He came here on his own. Didn’t say squat to any of us. Actually, we thought he was dead. He disappeared. How did he find this place?”
“Apparently, when construction began, someone left him directions to find when he woke up. Someone left him a large folder with all that happened since he was put in stasis. That’s all he told us, he’s being very obstinate. He expected to be welcomed with open arms.”
“Not with a lynch mob.”
“Exactly. But you have to understand our concern. You emerged into a world we protect from a dormant virus. A virus nearly wiped us out. They apparently saved you just in case.”
“That’s what we figured. Look.” Malcolm folded his hands on the table. “I’ll give it to you in a nutshell. If I can help you in any way I will. But none of us knew. None. One moment we hear an explosion, the next we’re waking up in this thick goo. The only one who knew was the president. Hell, we didn’t even know how much time had passed. All we knew is we were the only unit. One of the recordings stated there were twenty four.”
“Twenty four?”
Malcolm nodded.
“What recordings?”
“The ones that played in the unit or lab.”
“This was a man made virus. Do you know if they gave you a cure or vaccine?’
“The recordings said they did,” Malcolm stated. “They also said they inoculated our families. Now either that was a lie or it didn’t work.”
“It wasn’t a lie. I just believe the vaccine was faulty. It worked on some, not on all. And on some… It… Well….” She paused. “Worked differently. Malcolm, do you know where the other twenty four places are.”
“No.” Malcolm shook his head.
“So you recall where your lab was? If we got a team could we go there?”
“Yeah, but the lab itself was extinguished. Burned out.”
“So any possibility of a vaccine is gone.”
“They could have it elsewhere. Only the underground lab burned out.”
“We need that vaccine.” She said. “We need to perfect it. We have been missing the mark for decades. See we know it works in a capacity. You. For example. You are immune. We have never been able to make someone immune. We need to locate it and perfect it as soon as possible.”
“Why? Isn’t everyone here immune?”
“Most are, but at least thirty percent are not. They were born here or were special circumstance. We applied herd immunity factors.”
“You mentioned we were in trouble. Is this what you’re talking about?”
Maggie nodded. “The vaccine worked three ways. Either it didn’t work, such is the case with your family. It worked, such is the case with you, or like the president, it created a walking, talking time bomb.”
“I’m confused.”
“The president is a symptomatic carrier. Meaning he will never get sick, but he can pass it on from one person to the next.”
“Like Typhoid Mary.”
“I don’t know who that is. But I know one thing. That virus we have been so diligently working to keep out?” Maggie said “Invaded Salvation when the president walked through the gates.”
“This is insane, you know that, right?” Jason spoke while grunting through his struggles of pulling bushes and weeds.
“I would have taken the back door,” Nora said. “But saw the roof there.”
“And that didn’t convince you to not go in this building?”
Nora paused, wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. “We just need to clear a little, then we can get in.”
“You realize not only have we been walking for hours, but we have been pulling weeds and branches just as long.”
“I know.”
“The buggy is right there.” Jason pointed. “If we go right now, we can make it to Kentucky by dark. Barely. But we have to leave right now.”
“And then what?” Nora asked.
“Nora, that neighborhood. My old neighborhood was used as a survival base for some time after the virus. We really need to look around and see if we can make it livable for us. For our group. Or at the very least, take what we can.”
“So am I right in assuming you don’t think Salvation is for us.”
“I don’t think it will be an option. If it is still there, that was a lot of years ago.”
“So you think we’re gonna have to end up starting things up ourselves.”
“I don’t know about starting things…” Jason said. “Maybe able to get things survivable. You realize we haven’t seen a single person.”
“Maybe the others have.”
“Maybe.” Jason exhaled. “We’re gonna have to spend the night here.”
“It’ll be fine.” Nora looked at the building. “Maybe.”
“Nora.” Jason stepped to her. “I know you have this weird thing about Malcolm…”
Nora laughed. “What?”
“Never mind. Forget I said that. But why? Why is this so important?”
“Because this was Malcolm’s business. I was hoping to grab something for him. Anything. Maybe his business cards or something to remind him of his old life. Which, by the way wasn’t that long ago. You have pictures at your house. Your rock star CD. I have nothing, and I don’t want that for Malcolm. Hell, I have been looking for bookstores for John’s work.”
“Um, bookstores were relics already when we went into stasis.”
“True. So let’s do this. Let’s find something here for him.”
Jason, hands on his hips, nodded once. “Let’s do it. But if this place sucks to sleep in we find somewhere else before it gets dark.”
“Deal.” They shook hands and both continued clearing branches that blocked the front glass doors. “You’re such a baby.”
“Me? Why?”
“So fussy about where we spend the night. Really, does it matter? Although I’d like to take a bath or a shower.”
“How about when we get back to my house, I’ll rig something up. It may not be drinkable water, but you’ll be able to get clean.”
“Really?’
“Yeah. And…” Jason tossed the last branch exposing the broken front door. “I think we’re in. Watch out.” He grabbed a lone branch and cleared the already broken glass. He removed his flashlight from his belt and aimed it into the dark building. “This is gonna be interesting.” He took a step through. “Be careful of the glass.”
“I will.”
Once inside, Nora lit her flashlight as well. Very little daylight even made it into the building. Maybe the higher floors would have light. But below, it was dark.
Because of its location, the building was protected from flooding and didn’t suffer the harsh mold from the moisture. Not as much as other places.
The lobby was small, eight chairs off to the right of the four foot reception counter.
To the left and right of the reception area were doors, possibly leading to hallways. Behind the desk was a set of stairs.
Nora walked to the reception desk, while Jason moved to the seating area. The simple chairs reminded Jason of a doctor’s office. “Bet they have an employee lunch room. Maybe even a safe room because this is a security place.”
“Why does that matter?” Nora asked.
“Just thinking about bunking down. I don’t…” He stopped. “Oh sweet.”