True Night
Aug. 9th, 2011 07:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jimmyhkim21Title: True Night, Part II
Author Name:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
frostian
Artist name:thruterryseyes
Genre: RPS
Pairing: JA/JP
Rating: R for language and violence
Word count: ~49k
Warnings: Artistic license taken and abused.
Summary: Jared and Jensen take a road trip to Seattle only to witness what looks like the Apocalypse overwhelm the city. They manage to escape to an island only to discover the situation on Santos to be worse than Seattle. But they cannot leave, as the infected roam freely and the military has set up blockades around the island. Faced with immeasurable horror and growing desperation Jared and Jensen plan an escape, not only to save themselves but the sick who are quickly turning into homicidal psychopaths.
Disclaimer: So much fiction, it could be spotted from an orbiting satellite!
Because their bags were waterlogged, Jensen and Jared were forced to find a clearing to dry out the contents. Mercifully, half the gear was either waterproof or in containers that were.
Jared looked forlornly at the ruined mound of power bars wrapped in recyclable plastic. “I guess those are a loss.”
“Wouldn’t want to know what they taste like soaked in seawater,” Jensen said. “But let’s keep them. We might need provisions.”
“Sounds good,” Jared said, lining them on the grass next to his equally soaked tent gear.
They spread out the few clothes they had to dry and sat back. Jensen pulled out his Blackberry and tried to turn it on. It gave a hearty click then went dark; he couldn’t reboot it no matter what button he pushed.
The two men had no choice but to sit under the muted sun, allowing the heat to massage out the cramps and fear from their battered bodies. After full two hours, everything was dried enough to be packed back into the bags.
Jared looked around and spotted two paths. “Do we want to take those?” he asked, pointing at them.
“No, best to stay away from roads,” Jensen answered, eyeing them.
“Okay.” Jared pointed to high ground to their left. “We really need to get Santo’s layout.”
“Let's do that then.”
They hitched the bags onto their backs and fought their way through the underbrush. The trek was arduous since they didn’t take any roads, so the sun was on its way to bed by the time they got to the crest of the tallest hill they had yet to conquer.
“There’s a town,” Jensen said.
Jared spotted the sparse gathering. “Not much of one.” He looked closer and added, “Doesn’t look like they’re in any trouble. Yet, anyway.”
Jensen looked behind them. “And there’s the beach. The bonfire’s gone. I was hoping it’d still be burning.”
Jared knew what Jensen meant: If the fire still burned, it meant more survivors came after them.
“Do you see any boats? Any patrols?” Jensen asked.
Jared peered around. “No, nothing. Actually, there isn’t anything moving.”
“People have gone to ground,” Jensen said. “That means we should too.”
“Can we light a fire? It’s warm now but the temperature’s going to drop quite a bit at night.”
“As long as we don’t get hypothermia, we can’t,” Jensen said. “Can’t risk being spotted by anyone.”
Or anything, Jared added mentally. He dutifully followed Jensen to a rocky side of a hill that had a shallow cave carved into the base. Taking shelter in the dugout, they made their beds as best they could.
“I’ll take first watch,” Jensen offered.
“Thanks,” Jared said appreciatively. He knew how much Jensen loved his sleep.
He quickly sank into uneasy dream, plagued by visions of burning boats interfaced with images of Mike running after Jackie and Meghan, then Andrea, and finally himself.
Jared woke up to find Jensen vainly tending his right hand in the wane moonlight. “What’s wrong?”
Jensen looked up, startled. “I got a cut earlier, on the beach.”
“You want Neosporin or something?”
Jensen shook his head. “No, I don’t think I need any.” He then took a breath loud enough for Jared to hear. “I can’t remember if I got any of Mike’s blood on it.”
Jared was no longer tired. He sat up straight and began ripping through his bag. “I got some alcohol, I know…”
“If Mike’s blood got on me – it’s already too late.”
Jared snarled, “Fuck you.” He handed over a small bottle. “Pour it over the fucking cut or I’ll do it for you.”
Jensen fumbled in the dark but managed to grab the bottle from him. Jared smelled the stinging scent and sighed in relief. “There, that wasn’t too hard.”
“It hurts, you asshole,” Jensen grumbled reluctantly. “Why alcohol? Everyone uses iodine these days.”
“It came with the kit,” Jared said. “What time is it?”
“A little after four,” Jensen answered.
“Dude, why didn’t you wake me?”
“I tried but you were out cold. Besides, I couldn’t sleep.”
“Get some rest,” Jared said, rubbing his eyes. “I’ll take the shift.”
“Thanks,” Jensen said.
Jared watched his friend settle into his sleeping bag. And it didn’t take long for Jensen to prove himself a liar by falling asleep. Jared sighed and rubbed his face to stay awake.
I wonder what Gen’s doing right now, Jared thought, surprised he didn’t think about his wife earlier. Jesus, what are my parents thinking? We have to reach them somehow. Tell them we’re okay.
Jared wondered if Jensen would allow them to at least make few phone calls to calm their family down and get some information. He spent the rest of the night wondering how he was going to do just that.
He let Jensen sleep until eight before waking him. Mumbling unintelligibly, Jensen sat up and saw the cloudy but bright sky.
“Where’s the fucking sun?” he asked.
“Don’t know,” Jared said. “It’s been like that since we got here. But then this is Seattle so don’t be so surprised.”
“Okay,” Jensen said and stood up. “Let’s get going.”
“Look, we need to call someone – anyone – and tell them what’s happened to us.”
“Yeah, I was thinking about that last night,” Jensen said. “But I couldn’t come up with a way that wouldn’t end up with us being shot or jailed.”
“Find a nice granny. I’ll get us through the door.”
Jensen smiled. “Oh yeah, that famous Padalecki charm.”
“C’mon, let’s get going,” Jared said. “We should do this before there’s regular traffic: if there’s any.”
Jensen made a non-committal noise and finished packing. They marched through a gulley and skirted a paved road. Jared kept an eye on it though and even after a full hour, he saw no traffic whatsoever.
More paved roads appeared and soon thereafter a ramshackled house that was definitely occupied. They didn’t even have to talk to each other to know not to approach it. There were multiple cars out front and they were all pickup trucks or SUVs. Jared could easily imagine the welcome they’d get: hail of bullets and maybe a brew or two aimed at their heads.
The second house was only minutes away, and though it was even more run down than the first, there was only one car out front, and it was an ancient rusty Toyota Supra.
“Grandma?” Jensen said, squinting.
Jared took a peek into the car. “Definitely, I’m seeing a blanket, and an ancient Stephen King novel. There’s a picture of little kids glued to the dashboard. Otherwise, the car’s neat.”
“Okay,” Jensen said. He eyed the small ranch house. “Why don’t you go first? I’ll just hang around here. No need to freak out grandma if we can help it.”
Jared gave a small nod. He took a sniff of his t-shirt to make sure he didn’t smell too bad before tussling his hair a bit. With a boyish grin firmly planted on his face, Jared approached the front door.
He rang the bell twice then stood at the edge of the porch. He heard someone stir inside but no one answered the door.
“Hello?” Jared said softly, his Texan accent front and center. “Hey, do you have a phone? I’ve got to call my mom to tell her I’m okay. My cell’s gone to hell and I don’t know why.”
There was definitely a movement. Then he saw a small figure.
“Oh hi,” Jared said. Stepping down one step to put more distance between himself and the grandmother in order to make her comfortable enough to approach him. “Thanks for answering. You’re the first person who did today!”
The old woman peeked through the screen door. “I’m sorry but…” she spotted Jensen sitting on the ground, sunning himself. With a stunned look on her face, she said, “Oh … you said you have a problem with your cell?”
“No reception,” Jared answered. “And Jensen managed to drop his in a puddle so his is out too.”
“I think my landline still works,” the woman said as she opened the door wider. “Is the call long distance?”
Jared winced. “Yeah, my mom’s in Texas. Is that a problem?”
“No. Come in. Does your friend want to come in too?”
“No,” Jared said. “He needs all the sun he can get. Do you see how pale he is?”
“Yes, he is a bit pale. But my oh my, he is one fine looking boy.”
Jared rolled his eyes and blew out a breath of mock outrage. “Can I tell you how tired I am of hearing that?”
The woman threw back her head and laughed. Jared watched, grinning. It felt good to hear something so pure and sweet.
“My name’s Eddy by the way,” she said as Jared stepped into her house. She pointed an old-fashioned rotary phone. “There it is.”
Jared dove eagerly for it. He dialed his mother’s number and to his relief, she answered on the second ring.
“Hello?” she said, anxiously.
“Mom, it’s me.”
“Oh my God, are you okay? Where are you?”
“Santos Island,” Jared said. “We were on a hiking trip here when we came into some cell troubles.”
“Santos? I thought you guys were in Seattle!”
“Nope,” Jared said, popping his lips on the ‘pe’. “Santos. It’s beautiful here by the way.”
“Jared, can you talk freely?”
“Nope, by the way Jensen’s okay. His cell got soaked so he can’t call home. Can you tell them he’s fine?”
“Of course. So … Santos. I’ll tell Gen and we’ll figure something out.”
“Okay, cool,” Jared gave Eddy a thumbs up signal. “Love you, mom. So don’t worry, okay? I’ll try calling you later!”
“Love you too! Oh God, Jared, take care!”
“Don’t I always?” With that Jared hung up. He dared not take any more time on the phone. Not with Eddy watching. He didn’t want her to get suspicious. As far as the woman was concerned, she met up with two nice boys, one of who needed to make a single phone call to his mother.
Jared stuck his head out the door and shouted, “Mom’s fine! She’s going to call yours and tell her we’re okay.”
Jensen raised his arms in a motion of triumph. Then, he went back to tanning despite the fact that the sun was only a hazy tease.
Eddy smiled. “Your friend must not get much sunshine.”
“No, our jobs make that impossible.”
“How long do you work?”
“We clock in at five in the morning and keep on going until they need us. Sometimes well into the night.”
Eddy looked shocked by Jared’s explanation. “What’s your job? And isn’t that illegal?”
“You’d think,” Jared said. “We work up in Vancouver, in the television industry.”
“Oh, you do lighting and stuff like that?” Eddy asked. “That must be exciting!”
Jared shook his head. “No, the excitement dies after a while. And the work can be brutal, especially during the cold months and the shoots are outdoors.”
“That sounds harsh.”
“It is, but it’s a paying job,” Jared said. He glanced at the phone and asked, “Do you know of any stores that sells cell phones? Or maybe prepaid ones?”
Eddy’s smile vanished and her eyes turned wary. “Well, I … there is a store but…”
“Eddy? What’s wrong?” Jared asked softly.
“It’s that … Mr. Johnson who owns the store? He’s well - he’s awfully upset about what’s been happening with the flu?” Eddy took a deep sigh. “A lot of people are scared and some of them – like Johnson – have become completely paranoid. If what I heard is true, Johnson and some others have locked up their homes and businesses and have taken to the waters.”
Jared paused at that. “The waters?”
“They’ve got boats, so they stocked them with provisions and went out to sea.”
“Really?” Jared said, not at all surprised by the gossip. “That sounds … bad.”
Eddy leaned over and grasped Jared’s forearm, surprising him with her strength. “The truth is a lot of us live here because we like being alone, and this flu thing … well, it has a lot of us spooked and spooked people make unfriendly neighbors. So, it’s best if you stay away from Valley – it’s our main town.”
“Okay, that’s good advice,” Jared said. “Is there anyone else who can help us? Maybe get us off the island later on?”
Eddy chewed on her bottom lip for a while. “There’s McMahon. He’s a bit crazy but he’s not going to listen to what others say.”
“Where is he?”
“Probably sitting on a barstool somewhere,” Eddy said. “But if he’s sober, you can find him on the east docks. He’s usually baking himself bone-dry by his boat, Adele.”
“Thanks,” Jared said. “We should get going.”
“Wait a second,” Eddy said before darting to the back of the house. She returned with a plastic shopping bag loaded with food. “Here, take this.”
Jared fought back sudden tears and managed to choke out, “We can’t take that.”
“I’ve been hoarding for years,” Eddy explained. “Santos get wind storms, ice storms, or just plain ol’ storms that cut us off from the mainland. So, I’ve got a pantry stocked with foodstuff going back decades.”
Jared reluctantly took the bag from Eddy. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, sweetie,” Eddy said. “Now remember, stay away from Valley. You’ll have better reception at the docks anyway. The people who work there might be short-tempered but they’ve been through so much crap, this flu thing isn’t going to shake their trees very much.”
Jared kissed her on the forehead before leaving. He felt more than happy: he was buoyant. His faith in humanity had been restored by Eddy’s compassion. Fully expecting suspicion if not outright hostility, Jared was rewarded with not only food but also unsolicited kindness.
“Man, you and your charm,” Jensen said when he spotted Jared. “You’re a tribble, you know that?”
Jared shrugged and smiled. “What can I say?”
Jensen stuffed his backpack with Eddy’s gift. “Did you get to talk for long?”
“No,” Jared shook his head. “Thought it’d be wise if I didn’t hog the phone too much. Anyway, mom knows about where we are. That’s all I managed to get out.”
“Let’s get going,” Jensen said, his gaze never leaving Jared. “She’s watching us.”
“Okay.”
The two men didn’t hurry as they left the property. Jared was tempted to turn back and see if Eddy was still watching, but decided it’d be wise not to. They strolled back into the woods, looking like hikers they pretended to be.
“Did she say anything else?” Jensen asked.
“She gave us some good advice,” Jared answered. “Told us to stay away from the main town – Valley - she called it. She also told me that we’d have better chance of getting help if we stick to the docks.”
“Docks?” Jensen frowned. “Why the hell…”
“People might be more dodgy there but they tend to make up their own minds,” Jared said. “They’re also less likely to freak out.”
“Probably because they’re drunk off their asses,” Jensen surmised drily. “But she does make a good point.
“Anything about getting phones?”
“There seems to be only one store and the owner’s probably gone nutso by now,” Jared said.
“O-k-a-y. So, let’s take her advice and avoid the town.”
“We’re going to have to find a way around the island though,” Jared said.
“She gave us a map.”
“She did?”
“Yeah, it was in the bag.” Jensen pulled out a tourist-friendly map of Santos Island proclaiming its annual lavender festival to be the ‘Best and Prettiest in the Northwest’. He pointed at a red spot. “I’m guessing this is where her house is.”
“Man, Valley is on the other side of the island.”
“So are the docks.”
“Why did the ferry try to land on this side then?” Jared looked at the gaily-painted area on the map that witnessed the horrific chaos only a day earlier.
“Because the captain knew,” Jensen guessed. “He must have had warnings to turn back and realized there wasn’t a chance in hell he’d make it to the landing. So … so he got as close to Santos as possible. Maybe even crash the ferry onto the rocks, giving us the best chance possible to make it.”
Jared paled greatly as he digested what Jensen was saying. “That’s … I don’t know what that is, actually.”
“Pure bravery,” Jensen whispered. “He must have steered the boat even as it was being shot at.”
“He couldn’t have left the wheel then,” Jared added. “Jesus Christ. What could he have known that was so horrible that he’d do all that?”
“Whatever it is, we have to be careful.” Jensen stared at the map. “Avoid Valley, go to the docks. Sounds like a plan.”
“Damn good plan,” Jared agreed fervently.
By unspoken agreement, they trekked deeper into the woods, avoiding any semblance of manmade roads altogether. They found an abandoned barn and took shelter there from the midday heat. Though the sun was nowhere to be seen, the clouds were thin enough for the two to navigate in the cool darkness.
A can of Vienna sausages with a loaf of Wonder Bread filled out for lunch. They drank water miserly because they weren’t sure when they would get drinkable water again.
It wasn’t until five and after a good nap that the two started moving once more. They remained cautious and avoided any houses. They also skirted couple of parks even though they weren’t occupied.
They crested yet another steep hill but came to a halt at the top.
“Well, there’s Valley,” Jensen said.
“It looks like a ghost town,” Jared added.
His observation was right. None of the stores were open; all the parking spaces in front of them were empty. Even the movie theater was unlit. And there was no one walking the streets.
No police car was visible.
“Ghost town’s right,” Jensen agreed. “But it’s Saturday night, so that’s the last thing Valley should be.”
“What are the odds they know about the ferry?”
“I have no idea,” Jensen answered, “but I can’t imagine the military telling the public that they just blew up a ferry loaded with people. That’s going to cause mass panic in Seattle.”
“And more people will die that way,” Jared concluded. “So, okay, but maybe somebody saw?”
“Could be,” Jensen said. “But you’d think someone would’ve come forward to help.”
“Unless they’re scared out of their minds,” Jared said. “And they’ve got families to protect.”
Jensen pointed to the right. “There, we can take that trail and avoid Valley altogether.”
“I hope so,” Jared said. “I mean, I understand why people are acting the way they are, but I have no desire to meet up with them right now.”
“Amen.”
The two climbed down the hill and veered away before they reached town. Not for the first time, Jared was glad they were fit. Santos wasn’t anywhere as big as Bainbridge, but hiking through the woods at their speed, it would’ve been impossible had neither of them kept up their training during filming.
Jared took a peek at his friend and wondered what Jensen did exactly to keep in shape. They talked about it quite a bit, but Jensen never really revealed his workout regiment. Jared knew he changed it frequently. Jensen wasn’t type to try out fads, but he got bored easily, so his trainer had to continuously find new routines to keep Jensen occupied and motivated.
Without warning Jensen veered off to the left, hauling Jared with him. They were barely behind some blackberry bushes when a truck drove by, slowly. The driver wasn’t looking around, but the two men in the bed of the truck were. And they were armed.
Hunting rifles. With scopes. And they look like they know how to use them, Jared thought, his legs weak and his hands trembling. Jesus, that’s either a posse or some half-assed militia group.
He didn’t move, even took shallow breaths until the truck and its occupants were completely out of earshot.
“Okay, I’m betting they know about us,” Jensen said.
“So that’s our greeting committee?” Jared closed his eyes, remembering the survivors’ faces including Andrea. “We shouldn’t have split up.”
“Yeah, I’m getting that feeling too,” Jensen said. “But if there are more of us: there are more targets for them to take down.”
“Jesus, what’s going on here?”
“I’m guessing everyone’s taking more than their fair share of the paranoia kool-aid.”
Jared turned to Jensen when he didn’t continue speaking. He saw the thoughtful, slightly dazed look on his friend’s face and asked, “What are you thinking about?”
“When we get to the docks, let’s see if any of the others made it,” Jensen said. “But even if we get there…”
Jared realized the problem Jensen was thinking. “What then? Where in hell are we going to go?”
“The woods,” Jensen said. “Then … maybe off the island. Bainbridge? That’s close by.”
“But there are more people there,” Jared countered. “Wouldn’t that be more dangerous?”
“Not necessarily, easier for us to disappear in Bainbridge than here where everyone knows everybody.”
Jared paused for a moment then asked, “It’s summertime, right? So where are the summer people?”
“Could be that this flu thing scared them off,” Jensen said.
“But would that make sense? I mean people would want to get out of the city if there’s an epidemic.”
“That’s true.” Jensen pulled out the map and studied it. “If I were summer people, I’d want to…”
“Live near the water, close to the ferry and the main town for convenience,” Jared finished Jensen’s sentence.
“Here and here,” Jensen said, pointing to two areas. “Odds are their houses are unoccupied, so we could squat there for a while, at least take a break.”
They moved cautiously, fully aware that armed men were hunting any outsiders. As they passed by houses, they noticed there were no lights, no sounds. Not even pets.
Where are the dogs? Jared thought as they passed by a newly renovated craftsman. I’ve seen toys, water, and food bowls, even a dog house but there are no dogs.
This spookiness upset him the most, even more than the thought of armed hunters. Then he remembered the golden retriever that committed suicide right in front of him.
“Do you think they know?” he asked.
“Know what?” Jensen answered.
“The dogs, do you think they know? That’s why they kill themselves or run away?”
“Jesus, I didn’t even think about that,” Jensen said. “So, you think the dogs are dead?”
“Or infected, which means we have to find shelter soon.”
“Why’s that?”
“Predatory and feral dogs – they tend to hunt at night,” Jared answered. “They can also become scavengers if push come to shove. And we’re carrying a lot of food.”
“And I thought things couldn’t get worse. Okay, let’s haul ass.”
They didn’t bother to study any more houses as they made their way. They didn’t want to know any more than they already they did: it was already too much to process.
Jared spotted the summer homes immediately. They were bigger, newer, and every one of them had a satellite dish. They scoured the community until they found one without any cars parked in front.
“The one with the red shingle roof,” Jensen said. “It’s the farthest, and as long as we’re careful we won’t be seen.
“Speaking of careful, let’s make sure the area’s not being scouted.”
Jared winced. “Didn’t think of that.”
“C’mon, all I want right now is a shower. And maybe drink a gallon of water.”
“Let’s go.”
The house was deserted with dustsheets covering the big furniture. To make good news better, the pantry wasn’t emptied. There were non-perishable goods, and the gas was still running along with water. Jared and Jensen were careful though: they never stood near a window and didn’t turn on any lights.
Jared found the answer to why an empty house was in working order: it was resting on the kitchen counter.
After taking long showers, they ate canned ravioli and washed the meal down with cold water, which Jared thought tasted like liquid manna.
“How long should we wait?” Jared asked as they watched the sun go down.
“Maybe three or four days,” Jensen said. “We have to gauge what’s going on and how other people are acting. For all we know there might be a cure to the flu or a vaccine at least. Which means all this could blow over in a matter of days.
“If not, we have to make other plans.”
“Do you think those hunters killed someone?”
“I don’t know,” Jensen answered truthfully. “The pack mentality is a scary thing. All you need is an alpha male who’s charismatic enough and without an ounce of remorse and … well, things can go to hell pretty damn fast.”
Jared remembered watching couple of documentaries focused on such men. “Jim Jones and company.”
Jensen nodded. “Exactly. So as good an idea it was to get out of Seattle, we can’t stay here either.”
“We need to keep moving, then?”
“Yeah.” Jensen checked his watch. “Do you think it’s safe to call home now?”
“Let’s wait until it’s dark,” Jared said. “I know it’s stupid to think that we can be somehow tracked down because we’re using phones, but … if the landlines have any hub on Santos then the last thing we need to do is light up someone’s board.”
“You mean a switchboard?” Jensen shook his head. “Don’t think those exist anymore.”
“But there might be a more sophisticated version of it on Santos,” Jared countered.
“Okay, then, we’ll wait until nine. Hopefully it’ll be safe for us then.”
“I don’t think anyone is going to be sleeping, anyway.”
Jared waited impatiently for the chance to call home, but when nine came around they discovered the landline was dead. And remained so for the rest of the night.
San Antonio, Texas
“Are you sure that’s what Jared said?” Jeff asked. “Mom, I have to be sure.”
“He said they were at Santos,” Sharon replied firmly, with no hesitation.
“Okay, so they’re away from Seattle, which is great. Because from what I know, the epidemic has exploded there.”
“What did you find out?” Gerald asked, the veneer of paternal calm long gone.
“Not much, just that the military had taken over,” Jeff answered. “And they’ve come down like a ton of bricks. The city is in complete lockdown. Anyone trying to get out was arrested or worse.”
“They’ve shot someone?” Sharon asked, horrified.
“Yeah, at least that’s the rumor.” Jeff glanced at the black television screen. His mother had turned it off after hearing hours of bad news grow steadily more desperate. “And from what I understand, there are more than few casualties.”
“They shot more than one person?” Gerald looked taken back by the thought.
“Five,” Jeff answered. “And there was some airstrike but that one’s unconfirmed.”
“Airstrike? On what?”
Jeff shrugged, raising his hands palms up in a sign of hopelessness. “There isn’t anything on the official news channels. I’ve been reading up on the internet and those are being taken down every second. Which tells me that they’ve been reporting the truth.”
“So we can’t trust CNN? My God.”
“How much did we trust CBS or ABC during Vietnam?” Gerald said. “Remember the Tet Offensive? Everything changed then.”
“And after this it’s going to change again,” Jeff commented dourly.
“Do you have any medical information?” Sharon asked.
Jeff shook his head. “I’m an internist, Mom. This stuff involves CDC and they’re about as classified as the Pentagon and twice as paranoid when it comes to information. I just don’t have the connections to get anything from that corner.”
Gerald stood up. “Maybe I can get something.”
“You’re an accountant,” Sharon said reasonably.
“Maybe one of my clients knows something. I’m going to make a few phone calls.”
Jeff watched his father dash out of the room and stood up to leave.
“You may be able to fool your father but you can’t fool me,” Sharon said sharply. “Tell me what you know.”
Jeff cringed. He’d planned to leave as soon as he could without raising any suspicion from his parents.
“Jeff, answer me.”
“Remember Linda? My ex?”
“Yes, a lovely if also slightly neurotic girl.”
“Yeah, well, her neurosis had gotten worse since she started working for Sloan-Kettering, but from what she said, her pay grade more than makes up for it.
“The CDC appropriated her lab two days ago. Her specialty was in the field of viral pathology. The stuff she studies is too complicated for me to fully understand, but whatever she does – it has to be important to them.”
“Does the CDC have that kind of pull?”
“No, but the executive branch of the Pentagon can. And they did it to nineteen other labs.”
“All involving viral pathology?” Sharon asked.
“No, but at least half were focused on viral research,” Jeff answered.
“So, that means they’ve got the best working for them, right?” Sharon paused. “Wait a minute … oh no.”
Jeff watched her mouth open in dismay. “I know. It also means they haven’t got a goddamn clue what they’re dealing with. If they did, they wouldn’t have taken so many labs.”
“Is it like the Spanish Flu? Like SARS?”
Jeff shook his head. “No, and that’s the weird part. I only got to read few of the initial reports, and though the thing presents itself as flu initially, it spirals into something else entirely for some of the patients.”
“As what?”
Jeff had to drag out his answer. “Well, the closest thing I could think of is something crossed between rabies and ‘roid rage.”
“Roll rage?”
“Sorry, steroid rage.”
“Wait a minute,” Sharon shook her head as if to clear her mind from confusion. “That behavior … isn’t it aggressive?”
“Pretty much. That’s what scares me the most, and probably why the military has become so violent in their responses. It’s one thing if the patient’s sedated and in a hospital bed. It’s completely different when they’re running around, violent, homicidal, and willing to infect anyone or anything that comes across their path.”
“Anything? Does the virus infect animals, too?”
“I have no idea and what’s so worrisome is the CDC probably doesn’t know either. But if this thing jumps species, then quarantining Seattle is a moot exercise because it’s a seaport. It’s got hundreds of pleasure boats, ferries, freighters, and cruise ships docking there every day. Containment in that scenario is fucking impossible.”
Sharon saw Jeff’s gaze drop to his hands resting on his knees. “What else aren’t you telling me?”
“Remember Uncle Beattie’s place down at Eagle Pass? The one dad and I worked on few years back?”
“Yes, I remember.”
“Its source of water is an underground well on the property, and we finished installing a gas generator before we had to quit. I want you, dad, and Meghan to go down there tomorrow. I already sent Diane ahead. She should have supplies ready by the time you get there.
“I called Gen. Her family’s got a place in Vinalhaven up in Maine. She’s left for it earlier today.”
“My God, is it really that bad?”
“Yes, mom, it’s that bad.”
“What about you? What are you going to do?”
“Mom, I’m a doctor. They need me here.”
“Jeff, what aren’t you telling me?”
“We’ve been … called in,” Jeff explained gently. “We’re on call 24/7 now. So, if I suddenly go missing, people are going to get suspicious.”
“I’m not going to leave you behind,” Sharon said. “No way I’m going to leave my son…”
“Your son’s a grown man, and his job is to take care of the sick,” Jeff interrupted in a hard voice. “Don’t think that I don’t know what I’m doing, Mom.”
Sharon reared back as if struck.
“I’m sorry,” Jeff said in a much gentler voice, “but it’s the truth. Besides you can’t do anything here, and it’ll make me feel a lot better if I knew you guys were safe, or at least far away from here as possible.”
“What’s going to happen then?”
“The way this thing’s rolling – it won’t take long for them to either get hold of it.”
“Or not,” Sharon finished her son’s sentence.
“Yeah, there’s that.”
“What about Jared?”
“If he’s on Santos Island, then he’s pretty safe,” Jeff said. “It’s got a small population for its size, and though it’s next to Seattle, since the city’s shut down – nobody can get there.”
“But what happens if he needs to get out?”
Jeff couldn’t answer, but his silence was enough. Gerald returned to the deadened room.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“It’s just something Jeff told me, sweetheart,” Sharon said. “We need to talk. Jeff needs us to do something.”
Jeff took a deep breath and this time obeyed the little voice inside his head and left. His drive to the hospital was short since there was almost no one on the streets.
Paranoia can’t be contained. Fear’s spreading and it’s only matter of time before something gives.
He arrived at the hospital just as his cell went off. He read the text and frowned. When the elevator opened to the third floor, he was greeted by a hive of activity.
“Melissa!” he shouted when he saw a familiar face.
Dr. Atkins turned around and spotted Jeff waving his hand. “Hey, your dose is waiting. Better get it quick!”
Jeff caught up with his compatriot. “My dose? What dose?”
“Cipro,” Melissa answered. “It was flown in from Fort Edwards just over an hour ago.”
Jeff grabbed her by the shoulder and dragged her into an empty room. “Wait a minute – Cipro? What the fuck? Are we dealing with Anthrax?”
Melissa shook her head. “We’re not sure. And to tell you the truth, I don’t think it is. But the fact that they’ve released their entire cache of the meds tells you something.
“And none of it’s good.”
“Where is my dose?” Jeff asked, his voice shaking even worse than his hands.
“D314,” Melissa answered.
“Thanks.”
Jeff rushed up another floor using the staircase. He didn’t want to wait for the elevator. By the time he reached D314, he was covered in sweat.
“Here,” a nurse brusquely greeted him with a tiny paper cup. “Dr. Padalecki, take it right away.”
He took the pills and tossed them down. “Thanks, Natalie.”
Natalie gave a horrid grimace of a smile, jarring Jeff from his panic. “What’s wrong?”
Natalie looked down at his empty cup. “They’re giving the Cipro only to the doctors. No one else is getting a dose.”
“What?”
“Nobody else is getting the medicine but the doctors.” Natalie showed him the printout she was holding.
Jeff took it and read it. Then flipped to the second, third, and fourth page. “Oh my God.”
“It’s like that at Metropolitan too,” Natalie said in a tremulous tone. “They don’t have enough for all of us.”
Jeff hugged her. “I know this isn’t exactly good news but I don’t think it’s Anthrax.”
Natalie gave a hiccupping laugh. “Yeah, that’s what Dr. Roth and Dr. Boone told me. But it isn’t exactly making me feel better.”
“Me too, if you want the truth.”
Natalie laughed in his embrace for a long time.
Part I * Part III
Author Name:
frostianArtist name:
thruterryseyesGenre: RPS
Pairing: JA/JP
Rating: R for language and violence
Word count: ~49k
Warnings: Artistic license taken and abused.
Summary: Jared and Jensen take a road trip to Seattle only to witness what looks like the Apocalypse overwhelm the city. They manage to escape to an island only to discover the situation on Santos to be worse than Seattle. But they cannot leave, as the infected roam freely and the military has set up blockades around the island. Faced with immeasurable horror and growing desperation Jared and Jensen plan an escape, not only to save themselves but the sick who are quickly turning into homicidal psychopaths.
Disclaimer: So much fiction, it could be spotted from an orbiting satellite!
Because their bags were waterlogged, Jensen and Jared were forced to find a clearing to dry out the contents. Mercifully, half the gear was either waterproof or in containers that were.
Jared looked forlornly at the ruined mound of power bars wrapped in recyclable plastic. “I guess those are a loss.”
“Wouldn’t want to know what they taste like soaked in seawater,” Jensen said. “But let’s keep them. We might need provisions.”
“Sounds good,” Jared said, lining them on the grass next to his equally soaked tent gear.
They spread out the few clothes they had to dry and sat back. Jensen pulled out his Blackberry and tried to turn it on. It gave a hearty click then went dark; he couldn’t reboot it no matter what button he pushed.
The two men had no choice but to sit under the muted sun, allowing the heat to massage out the cramps and fear from their battered bodies. After full two hours, everything was dried enough to be packed back into the bags.
Jared looked around and spotted two paths. “Do we want to take those?” he asked, pointing at them.
“No, best to stay away from roads,” Jensen answered, eyeing them.
“Okay.” Jared pointed to high ground to their left. “We really need to get Santo’s layout.”
“Let's do that then.”
They hitched the bags onto their backs and fought their way through the underbrush. The trek was arduous since they didn’t take any roads, so the sun was on its way to bed by the time they got to the crest of the tallest hill they had yet to conquer.
“There’s a town,” Jensen said.
Jared spotted the sparse gathering. “Not much of one.” He looked closer and added, “Doesn’t look like they’re in any trouble. Yet, anyway.”
Jensen looked behind them. “And there’s the beach. The bonfire’s gone. I was hoping it’d still be burning.”
Jared knew what Jensen meant: If the fire still burned, it meant more survivors came after them.
“Do you see any boats? Any patrols?” Jensen asked.
Jared peered around. “No, nothing. Actually, there isn’t anything moving.”
“People have gone to ground,” Jensen said. “That means we should too.”
“Can we light a fire? It’s warm now but the temperature’s going to drop quite a bit at night.”
“As long as we don’t get hypothermia, we can’t,” Jensen said. “Can’t risk being spotted by anyone.”
Or anything, Jared added mentally. He dutifully followed Jensen to a rocky side of a hill that had a shallow cave carved into the base. Taking shelter in the dugout, they made their beds as best they could.
“I’ll take first watch,” Jensen offered.
“Thanks,” Jared said appreciatively. He knew how much Jensen loved his sleep.
He quickly sank into uneasy dream, plagued by visions of burning boats interfaced with images of Mike running after Jackie and Meghan, then Andrea, and finally himself.
Jared woke up to find Jensen vainly tending his right hand in the wane moonlight. “What’s wrong?”
Jensen looked up, startled. “I got a cut earlier, on the beach.”
“You want Neosporin or something?”
Jensen shook his head. “No, I don’t think I need any.” He then took a breath loud enough for Jared to hear. “I can’t remember if I got any of Mike’s blood on it.”
Jared was no longer tired. He sat up straight and began ripping through his bag. “I got some alcohol, I know…”
“If Mike’s blood got on me – it’s already too late.”
Jared snarled, “Fuck you.” He handed over a small bottle. “Pour it over the fucking cut or I’ll do it for you.”
Jensen fumbled in the dark but managed to grab the bottle from him. Jared smelled the stinging scent and sighed in relief. “There, that wasn’t too hard.”
“It hurts, you asshole,” Jensen grumbled reluctantly. “Why alcohol? Everyone uses iodine these days.”
“It came with the kit,” Jared said. “What time is it?”
“A little after four,” Jensen answered.
“Dude, why didn’t you wake me?”
“I tried but you were out cold. Besides, I couldn’t sleep.”
“Get some rest,” Jared said, rubbing his eyes. “I’ll take the shift.”
“Thanks,” Jensen said.
Jared watched his friend settle into his sleeping bag. And it didn’t take long for Jensen to prove himself a liar by falling asleep. Jared sighed and rubbed his face to stay awake.
I wonder what Gen’s doing right now, Jared thought, surprised he didn’t think about his wife earlier. Jesus, what are my parents thinking? We have to reach them somehow. Tell them we’re okay.
Jared wondered if Jensen would allow them to at least make few phone calls to calm their family down and get some information. He spent the rest of the night wondering how he was going to do just that.
He let Jensen sleep until eight before waking him. Mumbling unintelligibly, Jensen sat up and saw the cloudy but bright sky.
“Where’s the fucking sun?” he asked.
“Don’t know,” Jared said. “It’s been like that since we got here. But then this is Seattle so don’t be so surprised.”
“Okay,” Jensen said and stood up. “Let’s get going.”
“Look, we need to call someone – anyone – and tell them what’s happened to us.”
“Yeah, I was thinking about that last night,” Jensen said. “But I couldn’t come up with a way that wouldn’t end up with us being shot or jailed.”
“Find a nice granny. I’ll get us through the door.”
Jensen smiled. “Oh yeah, that famous Padalecki charm.”
“C’mon, let’s get going,” Jared said. “We should do this before there’s regular traffic: if there’s any.”
Jensen made a non-committal noise and finished packing. They marched through a gulley and skirted a paved road. Jared kept an eye on it though and even after a full hour, he saw no traffic whatsoever.
More paved roads appeared and soon thereafter a ramshackled house that was definitely occupied. They didn’t even have to talk to each other to know not to approach it. There were multiple cars out front and they were all pickup trucks or SUVs. Jared could easily imagine the welcome they’d get: hail of bullets and maybe a brew or two aimed at their heads.
The second house was only minutes away, and though it was even more run down than the first, there was only one car out front, and it was an ancient rusty Toyota Supra.
“Grandma?” Jensen said, squinting.
Jared took a peek into the car. “Definitely, I’m seeing a blanket, and an ancient Stephen King novel. There’s a picture of little kids glued to the dashboard. Otherwise, the car’s neat.”
“Okay,” Jensen said. He eyed the small ranch house. “Why don’t you go first? I’ll just hang around here. No need to freak out grandma if we can help it.”
Jared gave a small nod. He took a sniff of his t-shirt to make sure he didn’t smell too bad before tussling his hair a bit. With a boyish grin firmly planted on his face, Jared approached the front door.
He rang the bell twice then stood at the edge of the porch. He heard someone stir inside but no one answered the door.
“Hello?” Jared said softly, his Texan accent front and center. “Hey, do you have a phone? I’ve got to call my mom to tell her I’m okay. My cell’s gone to hell and I don’t know why.”
There was definitely a movement. Then he saw a small figure.
“Oh hi,” Jared said. Stepping down one step to put more distance between himself and the grandmother in order to make her comfortable enough to approach him. “Thanks for answering. You’re the first person who did today!”
The old woman peeked through the screen door. “I’m sorry but…” she spotted Jensen sitting on the ground, sunning himself. With a stunned look on her face, she said, “Oh … you said you have a problem with your cell?”
“No reception,” Jared answered. “And Jensen managed to drop his in a puddle so his is out too.”
“I think my landline still works,” the woman said as she opened the door wider. “Is the call long distance?”
Jared winced. “Yeah, my mom’s in Texas. Is that a problem?”
“No. Come in. Does your friend want to come in too?”
“No,” Jared said. “He needs all the sun he can get. Do you see how pale he is?”
“Yes, he is a bit pale. But my oh my, he is one fine looking boy.”
Jared rolled his eyes and blew out a breath of mock outrage. “Can I tell you how tired I am of hearing that?”
The woman threw back her head and laughed. Jared watched, grinning. It felt good to hear something so pure and sweet.
“My name’s Eddy by the way,” she said as Jared stepped into her house. She pointed an old-fashioned rotary phone. “There it is.”
Jared dove eagerly for it. He dialed his mother’s number and to his relief, she answered on the second ring.
“Hello?” she said, anxiously.
“Mom, it’s me.”
“Oh my God, are you okay? Where are you?”
“Santos Island,” Jared said. “We were on a hiking trip here when we came into some cell troubles.”
“Santos? I thought you guys were in Seattle!”
“Nope,” Jared said, popping his lips on the ‘pe’. “Santos. It’s beautiful here by the way.”
“Jared, can you talk freely?”
“Nope, by the way Jensen’s okay. His cell got soaked so he can’t call home. Can you tell them he’s fine?”
“Of course. So … Santos. I’ll tell Gen and we’ll figure something out.”
“Okay, cool,” Jared gave Eddy a thumbs up signal. “Love you, mom. So don’t worry, okay? I’ll try calling you later!”
“Love you too! Oh God, Jared, take care!”
“Don’t I always?” With that Jared hung up. He dared not take any more time on the phone. Not with Eddy watching. He didn’t want her to get suspicious. As far as the woman was concerned, she met up with two nice boys, one of who needed to make a single phone call to his mother.
Jared stuck his head out the door and shouted, “Mom’s fine! She’s going to call yours and tell her we’re okay.”
Jensen raised his arms in a motion of triumph. Then, he went back to tanning despite the fact that the sun was only a hazy tease.
Eddy smiled. “Your friend must not get much sunshine.”
“No, our jobs make that impossible.”
“How long do you work?”
“We clock in at five in the morning and keep on going until they need us. Sometimes well into the night.”
Eddy looked shocked by Jared’s explanation. “What’s your job? And isn’t that illegal?”
“You’d think,” Jared said. “We work up in Vancouver, in the television industry.”
“Oh, you do lighting and stuff like that?” Eddy asked. “That must be exciting!”
Jared shook his head. “No, the excitement dies after a while. And the work can be brutal, especially during the cold months and the shoots are outdoors.”
“That sounds harsh.”
“It is, but it’s a paying job,” Jared said. He glanced at the phone and asked, “Do you know of any stores that sells cell phones? Or maybe prepaid ones?”
Eddy’s smile vanished and her eyes turned wary. “Well, I … there is a store but…”
“Eddy? What’s wrong?” Jared asked softly.
“It’s that … Mr. Johnson who owns the store? He’s well - he’s awfully upset about what’s been happening with the flu?” Eddy took a deep sigh. “A lot of people are scared and some of them – like Johnson – have become completely paranoid. If what I heard is true, Johnson and some others have locked up their homes and businesses and have taken to the waters.”
Jared paused at that. “The waters?”
“They’ve got boats, so they stocked them with provisions and went out to sea.”
“Really?” Jared said, not at all surprised by the gossip. “That sounds … bad.”
Eddy leaned over and grasped Jared’s forearm, surprising him with her strength. “The truth is a lot of us live here because we like being alone, and this flu thing … well, it has a lot of us spooked and spooked people make unfriendly neighbors. So, it’s best if you stay away from Valley – it’s our main town.”
“Okay, that’s good advice,” Jared said. “Is there anyone else who can help us? Maybe get us off the island later on?”
Eddy chewed on her bottom lip for a while. “There’s McMahon. He’s a bit crazy but he’s not going to listen to what others say.”
“Where is he?”
“Probably sitting on a barstool somewhere,” Eddy said. “But if he’s sober, you can find him on the east docks. He’s usually baking himself bone-dry by his boat, Adele.”
“Thanks,” Jared said. “We should get going.”
“Wait a second,” Eddy said before darting to the back of the house. She returned with a plastic shopping bag loaded with food. “Here, take this.”
Jared fought back sudden tears and managed to choke out, “We can’t take that.”
“I’ve been hoarding for years,” Eddy explained. “Santos get wind storms, ice storms, or just plain ol’ storms that cut us off from the mainland. So, I’ve got a pantry stocked with foodstuff going back decades.”
Jared reluctantly took the bag from Eddy. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, sweetie,” Eddy said. “Now remember, stay away from Valley. You’ll have better reception at the docks anyway. The people who work there might be short-tempered but they’ve been through so much crap, this flu thing isn’t going to shake their trees very much.”
Jared kissed her on the forehead before leaving. He felt more than happy: he was buoyant. His faith in humanity had been restored by Eddy’s compassion. Fully expecting suspicion if not outright hostility, Jared was rewarded with not only food but also unsolicited kindness.
“Man, you and your charm,” Jensen said when he spotted Jared. “You’re a tribble, you know that?”
Jared shrugged and smiled. “What can I say?”
Jensen stuffed his backpack with Eddy’s gift. “Did you get to talk for long?”
“No,” Jared shook his head. “Thought it’d be wise if I didn’t hog the phone too much. Anyway, mom knows about where we are. That’s all I managed to get out.”
“Let’s get going,” Jensen said, his gaze never leaving Jared. “She’s watching us.”
“Okay.”
The two men didn’t hurry as they left the property. Jared was tempted to turn back and see if Eddy was still watching, but decided it’d be wise not to. They strolled back into the woods, looking like hikers they pretended to be.
“Did she say anything else?” Jensen asked.
“She gave us some good advice,” Jared answered. “Told us to stay away from the main town – Valley - she called it. She also told me that we’d have better chance of getting help if we stick to the docks.”
“Docks?” Jensen frowned. “Why the hell…”
“People might be more dodgy there but they tend to make up their own minds,” Jared said. “They’re also less likely to freak out.”
“Probably because they’re drunk off their asses,” Jensen surmised drily. “But she does make a good point.
“Anything about getting phones?”
“There seems to be only one store and the owner’s probably gone nutso by now,” Jared said.
“O-k-a-y. So, let’s take her advice and avoid the town.”
“We’re going to have to find a way around the island though,” Jared said.
“She gave us a map.”
“She did?”
“Yeah, it was in the bag.” Jensen pulled out a tourist-friendly map of Santos Island proclaiming its annual lavender festival to be the ‘Best and Prettiest in the Northwest’. He pointed at a red spot. “I’m guessing this is where her house is.”
“Man, Valley is on the other side of the island.”
“So are the docks.”
“Why did the ferry try to land on this side then?” Jared looked at the gaily-painted area on the map that witnessed the horrific chaos only a day earlier.
“Because the captain knew,” Jensen guessed. “He must have had warnings to turn back and realized there wasn’t a chance in hell he’d make it to the landing. So … so he got as close to Santos as possible. Maybe even crash the ferry onto the rocks, giving us the best chance possible to make it.”
Jared paled greatly as he digested what Jensen was saying. “That’s … I don’t know what that is, actually.”
“Pure bravery,” Jensen whispered. “He must have steered the boat even as it was being shot at.”
“He couldn’t have left the wheel then,” Jared added. “Jesus Christ. What could he have known that was so horrible that he’d do all that?”
“Whatever it is, we have to be careful.” Jensen stared at the map. “Avoid Valley, go to the docks. Sounds like a plan.”
“Damn good plan,” Jared agreed fervently.
By unspoken agreement, they trekked deeper into the woods, avoiding any semblance of manmade roads altogether. They found an abandoned barn and took shelter there from the midday heat. Though the sun was nowhere to be seen, the clouds were thin enough for the two to navigate in the cool darkness.
A can of Vienna sausages with a loaf of Wonder Bread filled out for lunch. They drank water miserly because they weren’t sure when they would get drinkable water again.
It wasn’t until five and after a good nap that the two started moving once more. They remained cautious and avoided any houses. They also skirted couple of parks even though they weren’t occupied.
They crested yet another steep hill but came to a halt at the top.
“Well, there’s Valley,” Jensen said.
“It looks like a ghost town,” Jared added.
His observation was right. None of the stores were open; all the parking spaces in front of them were empty. Even the movie theater was unlit. And there was no one walking the streets.
No police car was visible.
“Ghost town’s right,” Jensen agreed. “But it’s Saturday night, so that’s the last thing Valley should be.”
“What are the odds they know about the ferry?”
“I have no idea,” Jensen answered, “but I can’t imagine the military telling the public that they just blew up a ferry loaded with people. That’s going to cause mass panic in Seattle.”
“And more people will die that way,” Jared concluded. “So, okay, but maybe somebody saw?”
“Could be,” Jensen said. “But you’d think someone would’ve come forward to help.”
“Unless they’re scared out of their minds,” Jared said. “And they’ve got families to protect.”
Jensen pointed to the right. “There, we can take that trail and avoid Valley altogether.”
“I hope so,” Jared said. “I mean, I understand why people are acting the way they are, but I have no desire to meet up with them right now.”
“Amen.”
The two climbed down the hill and veered away before they reached town. Not for the first time, Jared was glad they were fit. Santos wasn’t anywhere as big as Bainbridge, but hiking through the woods at their speed, it would’ve been impossible had neither of them kept up their training during filming.
Jared took a peek at his friend and wondered what Jensen did exactly to keep in shape. They talked about it quite a bit, but Jensen never really revealed his workout regiment. Jared knew he changed it frequently. Jensen wasn’t type to try out fads, but he got bored easily, so his trainer had to continuously find new routines to keep Jensen occupied and motivated.
Without warning Jensen veered off to the left, hauling Jared with him. They were barely behind some blackberry bushes when a truck drove by, slowly. The driver wasn’t looking around, but the two men in the bed of the truck were. And they were armed.
Hunting rifles. With scopes. And they look like they know how to use them, Jared thought, his legs weak and his hands trembling. Jesus, that’s either a posse or some half-assed militia group.
He didn’t move, even took shallow breaths until the truck and its occupants were completely out of earshot.
“Okay, I’m betting they know about us,” Jensen said.
“So that’s our greeting committee?” Jared closed his eyes, remembering the survivors’ faces including Andrea. “We shouldn’t have split up.”
“Yeah, I’m getting that feeling too,” Jensen said. “But if there are more of us: there are more targets for them to take down.”
“Jesus, what’s going on here?”
“I’m guessing everyone’s taking more than their fair share of the paranoia kool-aid.”
Jared turned to Jensen when he didn’t continue speaking. He saw the thoughtful, slightly dazed look on his friend’s face and asked, “What are you thinking about?”
“When we get to the docks, let’s see if any of the others made it,” Jensen said. “But even if we get there…”
Jared realized the problem Jensen was thinking. “What then? Where in hell are we going to go?”
“The woods,” Jensen said. “Then … maybe off the island. Bainbridge? That’s close by.”
“But there are more people there,” Jared countered. “Wouldn’t that be more dangerous?”
“Not necessarily, easier for us to disappear in Bainbridge than here where everyone knows everybody.”
Jared paused for a moment then asked, “It’s summertime, right? So where are the summer people?”
“Could be that this flu thing scared them off,” Jensen said.
“But would that make sense? I mean people would want to get out of the city if there’s an epidemic.”
“That’s true.” Jensen pulled out the map and studied it. “If I were summer people, I’d want to…”
“Live near the water, close to the ferry and the main town for convenience,” Jared finished Jensen’s sentence.
“Here and here,” Jensen said, pointing to two areas. “Odds are their houses are unoccupied, so we could squat there for a while, at least take a break.”
They moved cautiously, fully aware that armed men were hunting any outsiders. As they passed by houses, they noticed there were no lights, no sounds. Not even pets.
Where are the dogs? Jared thought as they passed by a newly renovated craftsman. I’ve seen toys, water, and food bowls, even a dog house but there are no dogs.
This spookiness upset him the most, even more than the thought of armed hunters. Then he remembered the golden retriever that committed suicide right in front of him.
“Do you think they know?” he asked.
“Know what?” Jensen answered.
“The dogs, do you think they know? That’s why they kill themselves or run away?”
“Jesus, I didn’t even think about that,” Jensen said. “So, you think the dogs are dead?”
“Or infected, which means we have to find shelter soon.”
“Why’s that?”
“Predatory and feral dogs – they tend to hunt at night,” Jared answered. “They can also become scavengers if push come to shove. And we’re carrying a lot of food.”
“And I thought things couldn’t get worse. Okay, let’s haul ass.”
They didn’t bother to study any more houses as they made their way. They didn’t want to know any more than they already they did: it was already too much to process.
Jared spotted the summer homes immediately. They were bigger, newer, and every one of them had a satellite dish. They scoured the community until they found one without any cars parked in front.
“The one with the red shingle roof,” Jensen said. “It’s the farthest, and as long as we’re careful we won’t be seen.
“Speaking of careful, let’s make sure the area’s not being scouted.”
Jared winced. “Didn’t think of that.”
“C’mon, all I want right now is a shower. And maybe drink a gallon of water.”
“Let’s go.”
The house was deserted with dustsheets covering the big furniture. To make good news better, the pantry wasn’t emptied. There were non-perishable goods, and the gas was still running along with water. Jared and Jensen were careful though: they never stood near a window and didn’t turn on any lights.
Jared found the answer to why an empty house was in working order: it was resting on the kitchen counter.
Dear Mr. Taylor,
The pantry’s stocked and everything should be running smoothly by the time you and your family arrive. I found the wasp nest and got rid of them. Hopefully that will be the last time your little ones gets stung!
Thanks for the bonus. The Missus sure does appreciate it, especially since Henry is old enough to start hankering for his own car.
Sincerely,
Mike
PS: If you need anything else, you can call me anytime. You’ll be able to reach me on my cell after five.
After taking long showers, they ate canned ravioli and washed the meal down with cold water, which Jared thought tasted like liquid manna.
“How long should we wait?” Jared asked as they watched the sun go down.
“Maybe three or four days,” Jensen said. “We have to gauge what’s going on and how other people are acting. For all we know there might be a cure to the flu or a vaccine at least. Which means all this could blow over in a matter of days.
“If not, we have to make other plans.”
“Do you think those hunters killed someone?”
“I don’t know,” Jensen answered truthfully. “The pack mentality is a scary thing. All you need is an alpha male who’s charismatic enough and without an ounce of remorse and … well, things can go to hell pretty damn fast.”
Jared remembered watching couple of documentaries focused on such men. “Jim Jones and company.”
Jensen nodded. “Exactly. So as good an idea it was to get out of Seattle, we can’t stay here either.”
“We need to keep moving, then?”
“Yeah.” Jensen checked his watch. “Do you think it’s safe to call home now?”
“Let’s wait until it’s dark,” Jared said. “I know it’s stupid to think that we can be somehow tracked down because we’re using phones, but … if the landlines have any hub on Santos then the last thing we need to do is light up someone’s board.”
“You mean a switchboard?” Jensen shook his head. “Don’t think those exist anymore.”
“But there might be a more sophisticated version of it on Santos,” Jared countered.
“Okay, then, we’ll wait until nine. Hopefully it’ll be safe for us then.”
“I don’t think anyone is going to be sleeping, anyway.”
Jared waited impatiently for the chance to call home, but when nine came around they discovered the landline was dead. And remained so for the rest of the night.
San Antonio, Texas
“Are you sure that’s what Jared said?” Jeff asked. “Mom, I have to be sure.”
“He said they were at Santos,” Sharon replied firmly, with no hesitation.
“Okay, so they’re away from Seattle, which is great. Because from what I know, the epidemic has exploded there.”
“What did you find out?” Gerald asked, the veneer of paternal calm long gone.
“Not much, just that the military had taken over,” Jeff answered. “And they’ve come down like a ton of bricks. The city is in complete lockdown. Anyone trying to get out was arrested or worse.”
“They’ve shot someone?” Sharon asked, horrified.
“Yeah, at least that’s the rumor.” Jeff glanced at the black television screen. His mother had turned it off after hearing hours of bad news grow steadily more desperate. “And from what I understand, there are more than few casualties.”
“They shot more than one person?” Gerald looked taken back by the thought.
“Five,” Jeff answered. “And there was some airstrike but that one’s unconfirmed.”
“Airstrike? On what?”
Jeff shrugged, raising his hands palms up in a sign of hopelessness. “There isn’t anything on the official news channels. I’ve been reading up on the internet and those are being taken down every second. Which tells me that they’ve been reporting the truth.”
“So we can’t trust CNN? My God.”
“How much did we trust CBS or ABC during Vietnam?” Gerald said. “Remember the Tet Offensive? Everything changed then.”
“And after this it’s going to change again,” Jeff commented dourly.
“Do you have any medical information?” Sharon asked.
Jeff shook his head. “I’m an internist, Mom. This stuff involves CDC and they’re about as classified as the Pentagon and twice as paranoid when it comes to information. I just don’t have the connections to get anything from that corner.”
Gerald stood up. “Maybe I can get something.”
“You’re an accountant,” Sharon said reasonably.
“Maybe one of my clients knows something. I’m going to make a few phone calls.”
Jeff watched his father dash out of the room and stood up to leave.
“You may be able to fool your father but you can’t fool me,” Sharon said sharply. “Tell me what you know.”
Jeff cringed. He’d planned to leave as soon as he could without raising any suspicion from his parents.
“Jeff, answer me.”
“Remember Linda? My ex?”
“Yes, a lovely if also slightly neurotic girl.”
“Yeah, well, her neurosis had gotten worse since she started working for Sloan-Kettering, but from what she said, her pay grade more than makes up for it.
“The CDC appropriated her lab two days ago. Her specialty was in the field of viral pathology. The stuff she studies is too complicated for me to fully understand, but whatever she does – it has to be important to them.”
“Does the CDC have that kind of pull?”
“No, but the executive branch of the Pentagon can. And they did it to nineteen other labs.”
“All involving viral pathology?” Sharon asked.
“No, but at least half were focused on viral research,” Jeff answered.
“So, that means they’ve got the best working for them, right?” Sharon paused. “Wait a minute … oh no.”
Jeff watched her mouth open in dismay. “I know. It also means they haven’t got a goddamn clue what they’re dealing with. If they did, they wouldn’t have taken so many labs.”
“Is it like the Spanish Flu? Like SARS?”
Jeff shook his head. “No, and that’s the weird part. I only got to read few of the initial reports, and though the thing presents itself as flu initially, it spirals into something else entirely for some of the patients.”
“As what?”
Jeff had to drag out his answer. “Well, the closest thing I could think of is something crossed between rabies and ‘roid rage.”
“Roll rage?”
“Sorry, steroid rage.”
“Wait a minute,” Sharon shook her head as if to clear her mind from confusion. “That behavior … isn’t it aggressive?”
“Pretty much. That’s what scares me the most, and probably why the military has become so violent in their responses. It’s one thing if the patient’s sedated and in a hospital bed. It’s completely different when they’re running around, violent, homicidal, and willing to infect anyone or anything that comes across their path.”
“Anything? Does the virus infect animals, too?”
“I have no idea and what’s so worrisome is the CDC probably doesn’t know either. But if this thing jumps species, then quarantining Seattle is a moot exercise because it’s a seaport. It’s got hundreds of pleasure boats, ferries, freighters, and cruise ships docking there every day. Containment in that scenario is fucking impossible.”
Sharon saw Jeff’s gaze drop to his hands resting on his knees. “What else aren’t you telling me?”
“Remember Uncle Beattie’s place down at Eagle Pass? The one dad and I worked on few years back?”
“Yes, I remember.”
“Its source of water is an underground well on the property, and we finished installing a gas generator before we had to quit. I want you, dad, and Meghan to go down there tomorrow. I already sent Diane ahead. She should have supplies ready by the time you get there.
“I called Gen. Her family’s got a place in Vinalhaven up in Maine. She’s left for it earlier today.”
“My God, is it really that bad?”
“Yes, mom, it’s that bad.”
“What about you? What are you going to do?”
“Mom, I’m a doctor. They need me here.”
“Jeff, what aren’t you telling me?”
“We’ve been … called in,” Jeff explained gently. “We’re on call 24/7 now. So, if I suddenly go missing, people are going to get suspicious.”
“I’m not going to leave you behind,” Sharon said. “No way I’m going to leave my son…”
“Your son’s a grown man, and his job is to take care of the sick,” Jeff interrupted in a hard voice. “Don’t think that I don’t know what I’m doing, Mom.”
Sharon reared back as if struck.
“I’m sorry,” Jeff said in a much gentler voice, “but it’s the truth. Besides you can’t do anything here, and it’ll make me feel a lot better if I knew you guys were safe, or at least far away from here as possible.”
“What’s going to happen then?”
“The way this thing’s rolling – it won’t take long for them to either get hold of it.”
“Or not,” Sharon finished her son’s sentence.
“Yeah, there’s that.”
“What about Jared?”
“If he’s on Santos Island, then he’s pretty safe,” Jeff said. “It’s got a small population for its size, and though it’s next to Seattle, since the city’s shut down – nobody can get there.”
“But what happens if he needs to get out?”
Jeff couldn’t answer, but his silence was enough. Gerald returned to the deadened room.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“It’s just something Jeff told me, sweetheart,” Sharon said. “We need to talk. Jeff needs us to do something.”
Jeff took a deep breath and this time obeyed the little voice inside his head and left. His drive to the hospital was short since there was almost no one on the streets.
Paranoia can’t be contained. Fear’s spreading and it’s only matter of time before something gives.
He arrived at the hospital just as his cell went off. He read the text and frowned. When the elevator opened to the third floor, he was greeted by a hive of activity.
“Melissa!” he shouted when he saw a familiar face.
Dr. Atkins turned around and spotted Jeff waving his hand. “Hey, your dose is waiting. Better get it quick!”
Jeff caught up with his compatriot. “My dose? What dose?”
“Cipro,” Melissa answered. “It was flown in from Fort Edwards just over an hour ago.”
Jeff grabbed her by the shoulder and dragged her into an empty room. “Wait a minute – Cipro? What the fuck? Are we dealing with Anthrax?”
Melissa shook her head. “We’re not sure. And to tell you the truth, I don’t think it is. But the fact that they’ve released their entire cache of the meds tells you something.
“And none of it’s good.”
“Where is my dose?” Jeff asked, his voice shaking even worse than his hands.
“D314,” Melissa answered.
“Thanks.”
Jeff rushed up another floor using the staircase. He didn’t want to wait for the elevator. By the time he reached D314, he was covered in sweat.
“Here,” a nurse brusquely greeted him with a tiny paper cup. “Dr. Padalecki, take it right away.”
He took the pills and tossed them down. “Thanks, Natalie.”
Natalie gave a horrid grimace of a smile, jarring Jeff from his panic. “What’s wrong?”
Natalie looked down at his empty cup. “They’re giving the Cipro only to the doctors. No one else is getting a dose.”
“What?”
“Nobody else is getting the medicine but the doctors.” Natalie showed him the printout she was holding.
Jeff took it and read it. Then flipped to the second, third, and fourth page. “Oh my God.”
“It’s like that at Metropolitan too,” Natalie said in a tremulous tone. “They don’t have enough for all of us.”
Jeff hugged her. “I know this isn’t exactly good news but I don’t think it’s Anthrax.”
Natalie gave a hiccupping laugh. “Yeah, that’s what Dr. Roth and Dr. Boone told me. But it isn’t exactly making me feel better.”
“Me too, if you want the truth.”
Natalie laughed in his embrace for a long time.
Part I * Part III
