Chapter 2

[Virginia]

It took us an hour and a half to get there but we pulled in as directed and an army Major met us with a salute. "I'm to take you directly to the Secretary, sir." He even saluted me. I tried to be invisible as I followed them.

We entered a conference room and the Secretary said, "Frank, I have five minutes before the Chiefs and I meet with the President. What have you got?"

Our CEO looked at me and said, "George, tell it to him just like you told me."

I did and the Secretary went white. He looked at my boss, "You're sure of this?"

"Yes, sir. George is a good man and he's giving us the information directly from our sensors along with everything we know at this time. I have a team working to develop more data. However, they can't change facts just tell us more about what happened and, maybe, why. I understand that the virus is difficult to detect under any conditions, is transmitted through the air, and is a killer.

"We lost a lot of good people today and Florida's losses are already in the millions. However, if the SL47 is loose, the death toll will be in the billions."

The Secretary said, "What about vaccines?"

My boss looked at me so I said, "Mr. Secretary, it's a virus. There are no antidotes. The team in Polk City were working on a vaccine that might work if you take it soon enough. From their tests, if SL47 is out, all of Florida is gone. If we gave it out here, about one in ten will catch the virus from the vaccine and die with about half the rest being saved. Those aren't good odds. It's not a nice bug. It's very strong. To our knowledge, there are two, now three, reported instances. So far, no one has ever survived."

The Secretary looked at me. He wasn't happy. There was a knock on the door and the Major said, "It's time, Sir."

"Gentlemen," he said, "you are coming with me. Let's go."

The chiefs looked up to see four entering when they had expected two. The Secretary said, "They're with me. You'll learn in a moment. Get the President on the screen."

The face of the President came on. He said, "Mitchell, are you sure about these people with you?"

"Yes, Mr. President. They have information vital to our coming discussion."

"We'll see. Gentlemen and Lady, the Vice President is in Texas heading for a connection and the Secretary of State is in France heading for the embassy. We will bring them into the loop later."

"Mitchell, what can your people tell us?"

"Mr. President, I would like to introduce Frank Jones, a friend of mine, and one of his people, George Andrews. Frank is CEO of the company that owns the facility that exploded. George has first hand knowledge. I would let them report what they know first." The President nodded.

"Mr. President, I am Frank Jones, CEO of Amberlite. We contract with, among others, the Department of Defense. Two of our contracts were being worked at that facility. George is the Project Facilitator for one of those projects and has access to information from the projects and the reactor. George, tell them."

I did as I was told including details about the vaccine. While we had the formula, we had no samples. I included that information.

"So, you don't know what happened?"

I replied, "Mr. President, we know most of what happened. We don't know why or how. Mr. Jones appointed a team to cover that aspect but, if the SL47 is on the loose, that won't be very important."

"We will have to hold someone responsible. It's the American way."

"Mr. President, hold me responsible." My boss said to shocked eyes all around. Then, he continued, "If George's worse case scenario is correct. We are all dead unless we take immediate precautions.

"It's time to figure out what to do and not who to blame. I have told our public relations guy to answer all press inquiries completely and truthfully. 'No comment' is not to be used."

The Army Chief said, "What if you don't know?"

"Then, that's what he will tell them."

The news channels were on but muted. I saw a banner with "Late Breaking News" on it. I pointed at the screens. Our P R guy, Bill, was on the screen. The President said, "Turn one up. Let's hear him."

A reporter was saying, " ... at your facility in Polk City, Florida, this morning. What can you tell us?"

Bill responded, "I will tell you everything we know. First, we don't know why or how it happened. It's being investigated but, by comparison, that isn't important." There was a rumble and Bill held up his hand for silence. "What we know is that we received three warnings from sensors at the facility. The first was that a dangerous virus had escaped within a containment room. Very quickly thereafter, a roof breach to that containment room was reported. Our indications are that the virus escaped into the atmosphere. Within three minutes, we had a warning of trouble with the reactor. About thirty seconds later, there was an explosion.

"The entire facility was destroyed with no survivors. Our tracking of events was due to the sensors we use and the transmission of that information to our headquarters here. When the explosion occurred, that information flow stopped. Every person at our facility is believed dead. Many, many people in Florida and in the Gulf and the Atlantic have been killed from the catastrophic events following the explosion. Our company mourns the loss of life."

A reporter said, "Do you have any other information?"

"Not at this time. We will call a conference when we know more."

Another reporter asked, "Does Amberlite understand the risks of nuclear power?"

"Uh-oh," I thought.

"We are quite well-versed in nuclear power, theory and plant operation. Amberlite has operated plants for the NRC and even for other, friendly countries. What occurred is theoretically impossible. Like I said, we know what, not how or why. We are investigating it trying to figure those things out."

"Will the government be involved?"

"The government is welcome to watch the investigation, join our investigation or take over and conduct the investigation. Our CEO has gone into Washington to present what we know and offer to provide any information we might have and help in any way desired."

"What can you tell us about the virus?"

"That is the worry we have. If the virus escaped the explosion, it can multiply in the air and infect people. It spreads through the air."

"What happens if you get it?"

"You die." That effectively ended the press conference. One person asked if there was a vaccine and was told that was what the project had been about. It became very quiet and Bill left and went back toward his office as the talking heads began to tell us what we had just heard.

The conference room was very quiet. We could hear that people were talking in the President's conference room. After a moment, the President said, "We will be in order." He looked into the screen at us and said, "Bill, do you want to lead an investigation or should Homeland do it?"

The Secretary of Defense said, "Mr. President, what is the purpose of the investigation?"

I heard Homeland speak up, "Of course, someone caused this."

The Secretary of Defense looked up, "Major, do you have a sidearm with you?"

The Major stammered, "Yes, Sir."

The Secretary of Defense then said, "Very well. Mr. President, if the purpose of the investigation is to affix blame, then I will instruct Major Anderson, by your authority, to shoot Mr. Jones thereby resolving that issue. Is that your call, Mr. President?

The President looked up, shocked, "No. That won't accomplish anything."

The Secretary of State went on relentlessly, "Then do you empower me to arrest every employee of Amberlite having any connection with the project in question? That means that the people who can most help do something about the situation will feel threatened. Rome will then burn while we affix blame. If Frank's man is correct, we will all be dead within, what, a week?" He pointed at me.

I was shocked but nodded. I gulped and said, "If we assume no human intervention, either helpful or otherwise, I would estimate the virus will spread over the entire world within a month and die out for lack of victims another week or two after that. The world will be dead but your bones can blame someone. If they can see in a mirror!" I figured if I was going to be shot or imprisoned, I didn't owe anyone courtesy. The anger in my voice was obvious.

The Secretary said, "Thank you, George. You have proven my point very graphically. Mr. President, what are we going to do? By that, I mean something constructive."

The President looked back for a moment. He then said, "First, and this will be policy, we will not embark upon a witch hunt. I happen to know that Frank's P. R. guy was correct. Amberlite is very experienced in nuclear plant operation. Second, the experts who may be able to recommend anything useful are the survivors from the project along with the CDC and other like agencies. Last, we need to warn the American people to take whatever precautions can be taken. This will be the policy of the United States."