Chapter 16: A Legal Quandary

"You know this guy?" Earl demanded, studying Alice rather than her attacker.

"His name is Ralph. He's from Fort Lee. He tried to scare me away from crossing into Manhattan earlier."

The news hit Peter especially hard. He hesitated for a moment, then his lip curled and his eyes narrowed. Alice released her captive and grasped Peter's pistol before he could shoot the man.

"What the hell is going on with all of you?" Alice demanded before shaking her head. "Never mind. We've got time to deal with it later. Earl, hand me a dressing." She tossed him her backpack to keep him busy. "I've got some Purell in there as well. Peter, ensure the other men are gone."

"You have my gun," he protested.

She shot him a glare. "You won't need it. They're long gone, but I don't need you scaring Ralph."

Peter grumbled, staring at the two of them, but did as she requested.

Seeing he and Earl were taken care of, she turned to Ralph, still groaning on the ground. "OK, I'm tired of being lied to. If you want to be treated, or even released, you'd best level with me."

Ralph sighed, moaned a bit as he shifted to face her, and began. "We were afraid once you crossed into Manhattan, we'd never have access to your cure."

"But I'm offering it to anyone who's interested, not parceling it out to whoever wins a popularity contest."

"That approach might work in small towns in West Virginia, but it won't here." Ralph winced, but continued. "Without incoming deliveries of food, water and antiseptics, twenty million people exhausted the limited supply quickly. Once supplies ran out, everyone turned on each other. They're protecting what they have. If you can only treat two people before moving on, then those people will only treat their own groups. If they do offer to treat anyone else, they'll demand some form of payment to benefit themselves. We never intended to hurt you. We only wanted to take you back so you could treat someone on our side of the Hudson before you moved on."

Alice held her head as if his revelation threatened to tear it apart. "Man, I can't believe how screwed up that is. How the hell do you expect anyone to survive if no one ever works together? This whole cure only functions if we treat everyone! The only reason we don't is because the treatment is so difficult. We hate inflicting it on anyone, and we can only manage two people at a time. Any more increases the odds of failure."

"I'm sorry, but there are too many conflicts in this region. We needed alcohol, disinfectants or even some wipes. Could we get any? No way. A few people asked to pick up some supplies. The next thing we know, they're siphoning fuel out of one of our last remaining gasoline repositories. When we demanded they return it, they opened fire on us."

"I'm not about to treat anyone who won't help whoever needs help. There's no point to doing so. The more people untreated mean more who will die. We're already in serious danger of not having enough survivors to prevent future inbreeding."

Earl handed Alice the medical supplies. "He's got a point. Even if you pick people who agree with you, how the hell are they supposed to travel the entire city to find whoever's ill? How can sick people walk across the island when the local communities won't let them enter?"

"No, not this one," Alice said, laying the bandage aside. The pad."

Earl raised a skeptical eye, but Alice was insistent. Digging back into her bag, he extracted a sanitary napkin and handed it to her.

"Thanks. It's better at absorbing blood and reducing the chances of disease transfer. Once we get the bleeding under control, we'll wrap the pad with gauze to hold it in place while the skin can breathe." She handed it back to him and held the bottle of disinfectant over Ralph's leg. "OK, I'm going to pull the knife out. Earl, when I do, press this pad on his thigh to stem the bleeding. Since we're both wearing gloves you should be protected, either from him or me. I'm going to sew it up, so wipe up the blood for me." When Earl nodded, she poured hydrogen peroxide over the blade protruding from his thigh. Ralph bit his lip but didn't react when the blood turned white as the peroxide bubbled around it. Alice grabbed the blade and slid it out. Earl pressed the dressing against the wound to control the bleeding. She dropped the knife and prepared her surgical needle. When she nodded to Earl, he removed the gauze and she started sewing the wound shut. Ralph grasped his shirt, grinding his teeth, but didn't yell or jerk away. Alice had to stop a couple times while Earl cleaned the area. When she finished, she doused the wound with hydrogen peroxide again. When it stopped bubbling, she wrapped a gauze bandage around Ralph's leg, wrapping it several times.

"It's clean, but I'll give you some antibiotics. Don't take them until you're showing symptoms. If you save them, you can use them in the future when someone really needs them."

Ralph pressed the wrapped bandage against his leg to limit the bleeding. "I'll keep that in mind. But if it were up to me, I'd rather you spit on the wound so you'd be forced to treat me."

Alice sat back and sighed. "Do you realize how sick you'd get? This isn't just contracting a single plague; this is suffering through each of them, one on top of another. What's more, if I'm not there twenty-four/seven, you wouldn't survive. If I treat too many people, I wouldn't be able to respond quickly enough to save you."

"Risking death is better than me and everyone I know dying with no options."

Alice wiped her hands, standing up. "All right, the bandage should stop the bleeding, but we're going to put it to the test. Rest here while we prepare some bicycles, you're going to ride to Central Park with us."

Earl glanced at the bandage. "Is this wise? That's a lot of activity to place on a fresh wound. It might reopen."

"It's a pretty sturdy stitch, but it'll allow us to monitor it. If it bleeds, we'll deal with it. But he certainly can't walk far, and there's no way he could trek back to Jersey on his own. The subway is filthy. This way it can air out."

"Does this mean... ?" Ralph asked, a hopeful look on his face.

"Not necessarily, but I want each group there so I can make an informed choice. You'll be eligible. If you're a good selection, I'll use you. But only if you're willing to not only help whoever asks, but ensure everyone gets free access."

"This is a terrible idea," Peter grumbled as he returned.

"You've been listening?"

"Yeah, it was obvious no one was there. Since I knew you didn't want me around, I listened from the PATH entrance."

"I expected as much. And I'd like to point out I don't appreciate you lying to me any more than I like being kidnapped. My biggest threat was from other groups responding to your group. This nonsense ends now! No more lies. I want everyone's cards on the table so I know what I'm dealing with. Everyone wants access to the cure. You'll have a chance just like everyone else, but only if you convince me you'll treat as many people as possible. Normally I tell everyone to treat enough people to replace them and then move on. In this case, I'll expect you to treat someone in each group before moving to the next."

"It will still take years to treat them all. We'll undoubtedly have individuals jumping the line or applying pressure to be treated first."

Alice considered the concept for a moment. "Let me deal with that. For now, let's get some bicycles prepared. We've got a lot of riding to do.

"OK, we're making better progress and I can still check out the public spaces. I can't believe you almost made me miss this one," Alice announced as they approached 22^rd street. "How are you holding up Ralph?"

"My leg is sore, but I'm keeping up. I'll be fine."

Their speed was limited since they didn't want to exhaust Ralph or lose track of Lassie. But she was so glad to run, she kept pace with them. Actually, it helped, as she was less likely to sniff every interesting smell.

"We'll stop at Madison Square Park up ahead and I'll examine it." After warning her companions, Alice put her whistle to her lips and blasted a shrill call to anyone in the area.

"While you're busy, I'll check some of the tourist shops nearby and see if I can find a couple more whistles," Earl suggested. "We can reach more people if we spread out and survey a wider region."

Alice cocked her head, considering it. "As much as I like the idea, I'm nervous about splitting up."

"You were in favor of keeping us in the background while you proceeded on your own," Peter reminded her. He'd never really gotten over being called out on his subterfuge.

"That's different." Alice turned in front of the Flatiron building. The intersection was clear of cars, though 23^nd Street had plenty on both sides of the street. "If one young girl approaches with a medical bag, it sends a different message than a bunch of men bearing weapons. If we split up, we wouldn't know if something happened to the others or if it did, where and when they disappeared."

Earl pointed towards the middle of the far street. "Pull into the public seating area in the center of the avenue. You can't see if anyone approaches in the park."

Alice did so, pulling to a stop beside a toppled table with a torn umbrella. She was getting off her bicycle when she heard someone shout. Waving the others back, she glanced behind her.

"There's someone signaling on twenty-second street," Ralph told her. "He's on foot, so it'll take a while for him to arrive."

"Good, the rest of you get things set up and examine Ralph. I'll go meet whoever it is."

Peter lifted his bike and turned it around. "I'll go with you. I promise I won't shoot, but I'm still paranoid about what might happen if you don't have backup."

Alice climbed back on her bicycle and peddled away, swinging around in a tight arc. Lassie trotted after her, not about to be left behind. "That's fine, just don't interfere."

When she reentered 23^rd Street, heading east this time, she saw the man. He was jogging, waving to ensure she saw him. When he saw her coming, he slowed so he wouldn't be out of breath when they met. "Heel," Alice instructed so Lassie wouldn't bolt after the guy. But she was used to these meetings, so she remained by Alice's side.

"Yo!" another voice shouted some distance behind her. Alice glanced around but couldn't see anything. She decided she'd let the others deal with whoever it was. They knew what she wanted, so she hoped they'd keep to her plans. She continued cycling to her meeting with the jogger.

The man wore blue camouflage fatigues, clearly fashionable wear rather than an actual uniform. But it still made him harder to observe. The effect was negated by his running down the middle of the street waving his arms.

"You Alice?"

She stopped and Lassie sat beside her, watching the man's every move. "I am. And who might you be?"

"I'm Jack. I was hoping to catch you on Sixth Avenue." He took a few seconds to catch his breath. "There were others waiting near the park, so instead of fighting, we each took different positions."

"Great, so there are multiple groups here?"

"Yeah. Someone threatened to shoot me. Instead of getting into a gunfight and missing you because I was busy bleeding in the street, I backed off, hoping you'd pass this way. By the way, the whistle isn't ideal as you can't tell which direction it's coming from. It echoes off the buildings since there isn't anything to absorb the sound."

"I'll keep that in mind. Let's head back. I want to meet whoever else is waiting for us. Was there anyone waiting behind you?"

"Not that I saw."

Alice climbed off her bicycle and offered it to him. "Here, take my bike, run down the street to check. I'd hate to think we missed anyone. I'll wait before I explain anything essential. We have a few matters to manage."

Jack cracked a grin, thinking he'd stumbled into a way of getting in on her good side. "Sure. If you lend me your whistle, I'll draw more attention."

Alice wrapped her hand protectively around it. "Sorry, but there's a lot of spit involved in blowing a whistle. I can't risk lending it to you. I really should have carried a couple more."

"That's OK. I wasn't sure I could reach you in time." He pulled a small canister out of his jacket pocket. "I brought an air-horn along in case I missed you. I figured you couldn't miss that even if you were on a separate avenue."

Alice smiled and waved as she backed up. "Go on. Make sure there's no one else looking for me. We'll be waiting." She turned and jogged back, glad to run again after so much time moving from one abandoned car to the next. Lassie was happy running with her master. Now if she only had a Frisbee or a ball, she'd be in heaven!

Nearing Fifth Avenue again with Peter, Ralph waved from the plaza where he sat on the ground with someone Alice hadn't met. She held her hands up in a questioning pantomime.

Ralph pointed further down 23^rd. "Earl took off to meet someone else."

"You go join him and see if he needs any help. If this guy was any danger, Ralph would have noticed by now." Peter gave her a skeptical glance, but did as she directed. Alice continued to the center plaza where the two men waited.

The new man stood as she approached. Lassie ran ahead to check him out, but didn't draw too near, knowing Alice's procedure by now. The man, wearing a heavier coat, didn't seem bothered by Alice's dog.

"Hello, I'm William. Pleased to meet you."

"Me too. Which area do you represent?"

William smiled; glad she realized what was happening in the city. It showed she was already on top of things. "I'm with a group of six people on Third Avenue. They elected me to represent them. I'm only an A+ blood type, but I'm medically trained and can help you and anyone you treat."

"That's great. We've been looking for experienced people. But when you say 'trained', what are you talking about?"

"I'm an actual physician, but I was an urologist. I'm not sure there's much demand for that, but I have enough medical training to fill in anywhere. I just haven't practiced in the other fields for some time. I did a short stint in emergency medicine, though."

Alice smiled, finding his apology humorous. "That's fine, you'll do. You've had a lot more experience than anyone else I've met. How much did Ralph tell you?"

"He told me you stabbed him and why. I took a look at the bandage and the wound is stable. I'm letting it air out and I'll re-bandage it before you're ready to resume your trek. I normally wouldn't recommend putting so much stress on a fresh injury, but I can't say I blame you."

"Actually, I'm doing it to benefit him. He was willing to risk death to be included. He'd be crushed if I turned him away. I'm gambling the stitches won't pop, but at worse we can repair it again and still include him."

"Not bad thinking," William said, nodding. "Your friend took off after someone farther down Twenty-third."

"Yeah, I heard."

Ralph struggled slightly to stand, tired of being sidelined. "Actually, he was way down the street. I'm guessing First or Second Avenue."

"He's on Second. I don't know him. When we came out this morning we took different avenues, figuring we'd cover more routes."

"William came out of the park," Ralph said.

"I figured you might stop there to rest or use the fountain."

Alice gave him a crooked look. "What shape is the fountain in? Lots of dead birds, squirrels and rats? I think everyone knows better than to risk that."

"Actually, it's in pretty decent condition. It looks like people are using it as a communal resource. Throughout the die-off, people kept removing the carcasses and draining it, allowing it to refill naturally with fresh rainwater. Our group has been doing the same, so it's perfectly fine."

"I'd rather trust the water from enclosed water tanks. It wouldn't hurt me, but since the plagues are kept active by the presence of water, it's dangerous. I'm not sure it ever dries out enough to kill the cells which carry the plagues."

"I think our friends are back," Ralph pointed out.

"Since Ralph gave me a general rundown, I'll grab a few more bikes. There's a Citi bike location across the street. Those are the 'free rental' bikes, but since there's no power, the automated locks don't work anymore. I brought my hacksaw so I'm prepared," William added with a grin, jogging off.

"I found you a new groupie," Peter informed them as he approached. He mumbled an addendum, "Despite meaning we're less likely to be included."

"Now, now, Reverend. You know better than that. Try to be Christian. Turn the other cheek and welcome him as a friend," Alice chided.

He had the good sense to blush, but didn't look any more pleased. "This is Taylor. He's from a group of five people from the east end. He doesn't have any useful skills and he's type B-."

"Excuse my friend," Alice told him, offering him a seat. "He's still a little upset he couldn't scare me into ignoring the rest of Manhattan."

"Don't forget New Jersey, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island and Long Island too," Ralph added, grinning at Peter's discomfort.

"Don't worry, I'm not," Alice assured them. "So Taylor, with no useful skills, what exactly did you do?"

"Alas, I was an actuarial for an insurance company, so I can't imagine you'd have any use for those talents now. I may be able to offer some other services, though. With so few people, and getting around being so difficult, I'm pretty good at slipping by. I've always been a runner, so after the big die-off, I took to running again to clear my mind. While I try to avoid other people or potential infections, I know where the different survivor groups are. I've also gotten good at crisscrossing the city without provoking fights."

"Now that's a skill we really need," Alice said, grinning widely. "Your actuarial experience might not be needed for some time. After all, your previous employer would be bankrupt now after paying out all those accidental death benefits. But you can achieve a lot of good by acting as a local census taker. Figuring out how many people remain in the city, which groups they belong to and what skills and trade goods they have. That kind of information will be invaluable as everyone tries to survive in the lean times ahead."

"I guess you're right. I never considered that."

"Even better, if you establish contacts with each group, you'll be the perfect go-between. You might have a new vocation, assuming I don't select you to undergo our procedure."

He laughed, enjoying the humor and interplay. "That won't be a problem. Even if you treat me, I'll do the same job, jogging around Manhattan counting people as I seek out everyone needing treatment. Maybe I can jog in a long black robe and carrying a scythe?"