Chapter 4: Jet Plane

The plane banked and cabin lights came on. The captain’s voice sounded above the engines, “Please return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts. We’ve been diverted to Barkley Regional Airport in Paducah. I’ll give you an update when we have one. Attendants, take your seats and prepare for immediate landing.”

Beside me, Chastity stirred and snuggled closer. She rubbed her eyes, looked a question at me, and I responded with a shrug that woke Becky. Except for my car parked in Nashville, this was okay – shorter trip and closer to home...

Once on the ground, our plane taxied to an unimpressive terminal building. After the engines had shutdown, the cockpit door opened, and the pilot and copilot stepped into the cabin. The pilot took the microphone and addressed us, “Folks, we are being quarantined here in Paducah. I don’t know much except that some folks from the flight out from Charlotte got really sick shortly after we left San Diego.”

He sighed, “Your crew and I were on that flight, so it is likely that we were exposed. They aren’t telling me what, but it seems that this time there is something different, and they don’t want us at a major airport. They told me more information would be coming, but we should sit tight until arrangements are made.”

He waited for us passengers and attendants to absorb the information, then continued, “I’m sure you are tired and probably hungry. Your flight attendants will pass out snacks and the sandwiches that are usually for sale.” He looked at one of the older attendants and asked, “We have enough for everyone to have at least one?” Receiving an affirmative, he stated, “Of course, there will be no charge, and further, if anyone wishes an adult beverage, I’m authorizing up to two, again, at no charge.”

“We won’t be checking IDs. I’m trusting you all to handle this maturely, and the limit is two. None for purchase and no passing yours to someone else. Please don’t make me regret this.” His eyes took on a haunted look. “Now, I or my first officer, April Masters, will be in the cockpit monitoring for information and instructions, and one of us will stay back here with you. Thank you very much for remaining calm in this most unusual situation.”

He returned to the cockpit and the first officer spoke quietly with the senior attendant and took one of the empty seats. The attendant went to the rear of the plane and shortly returned with the remaining passengers. She took her microphone and told us, “Might as well make everyone as comfortable as we can. No telling how long we’ll have to wait.”

When another attendant whispered to her, she announced, “We have ham and cheese on a pretzel bun, turkey on white bread, and two types of salad. We’ll start with the meals, and you can tell us what you’d like to drink as they are handed out.”

Must have been my uniform, because while she was handing us our sandwiches, she whispered, “I don’t want them drinking on empty stomachs, so the booze will come out a little slower. I hope I won’t need to call on you for help.”

I whispered back, “Not a problem. If you need it, you’ll have it.”

Chastity ordered a Bourbon and told me she planned to split it with Rachel who had been sitting quietly, shivering and holding Becky in her lap. “She’s never drunk alcohol. Gran ... err, asshole kept trying to get her to drink. Said it would make her relax and be ‘more pliable.’ Made no secret of his intentions. Naturally, she resisted.”

“Fine with me, but don’t pressure her. She’s had enough of that.” I added, “And you need to mix it with lots of water. This is more than a sip. Don’t be disappointed if it isn’t as good as your first.”

I stood and turned to sit with Rachel. She moved over, and I raised the arm, then took Becky back onto my lap. “Rachel, I can’t promise everything will be okay; I just don’t know. But, I will promise that whatever comes, the four of us are family and will face it together.”

Rachel sighed and leaned into me, “You’re a good man, Virgil Caen. I have high hopes. I’m glad I have you.”

We’d been on the ground two hours when a convoy of olive drab and camouflaged vehicles pulled up and surrounded the plane. I was looking out the window, and it appeared that there was pretty close to a full platoon out there – all garbed in MOPP-4 gear. MOPP-4!

Becky looked past me and pointed, drawing Rachel’s attention. “That can’t be good,” I told her, “because that’s full-out Chemical, Biological, Radiation, Nuclear protective gear. We call it CBR or CBRN, and MOPP-4 is the highest level of protection called for.”

I suppressed my concern and waited for a briefing. Shortly we got one from our pilot, “There has already been at least one former passenger who has died. Apparently, they suspect the COVID-19 virus has mutated. Accordingly, we are all being sequestered and quarantined. For tonight and maybe for a day or two, we are being moved to a vacated church-run school past the edge of town. Some place named ‘Possum Trot’. The Army has set up cots and amenities. The school’s kitchen is being stocked, and they can feed us from a field kitchen outside the building. Medical help is on the way if needed.”

“Before we deplane, your luggage will be off-loaded and taken to the school. Before leaving the plane, we will all be required to don isolation gear and then will be sprayed with disinfectant before boarding our bus.”

Then he unleashed the stunner, “Captain Caen, I’ve been informed that your exit from the service has been cancelled. You have been promoted to major, and are to assume command of this quarantine effort. Orders signed by General Stilton have been emailed to you along with the name of a contact you are to call when the transfer to the school is complete. Congratulations – I think.”

The transfer to the school took the better part of an hour, but it went about as smoothly as I could hope. We convinced the tired and cranky Becky to don her isolation suit by telling her we were going to a dress-up campout and party. It helped that we were all putting on the suits. She was sound asleep in her mother’s arms less than ten minutes after we boarded our bus.

There were two surprises, one very welcome and the other mundane. The first came when the flight attendants revealed that one of their carryon bags now contained all the leftover booze from the plane. The mundane was also welcome, because it demonstrated that someone in my new command was thinking ahead.

As I boarded the bus, I was handed a packet that included several SOPs concerning quarantines and two sets of new rank insignia – one for my ACUs and another for my ‘greens’ if I had a set with me. More important, a printed set of my orders from General Stilton.

There was a handwritten note, ‘Sir, if you don’t have greens with you, I’ll have someone get yours and the rest of your gear from your apartment. I’ll get you a saucer cap with scrambled eggs, because you’ll probably be in enough spotlights where a garrison cap won’t always be appropriate. Please notify whoever is watching your residence. Lt. Marilyn Peters.’ The note included a phone number that I promptly added to my phone.

I had hoped this would be over in a reasonably short time, but at least one person expected this to be a long haul.

We picked up I-24 and headed east. Once unloaded at our new home-away-from-home, we found a rather comfortable arrangement, especially considering the short notice. A hot meal in chafing dishes was sitting on tables in the cafeteria. The gym had decent showers, and there were enough classrooms so that individuals, or family in my case, could have privacy.

While we were eating, I introduced myself and told my new charges, “This is all new to me, and hopefully we’ll find out more in the morning. If anyone is missing medications or has a medical condition needing to be addressed, let me know and I’ll see what I can do. Otherwise, I suggest trying to get some sleep. It would probably be smart to share a room with someone so that they can get help in the event of sickness. Whatever they are worried about, we’ve probably all been exposed.”

Once I had my ladies settled, I returned to the cafeteria and dialed. “Lieutenant Peters, sir,” the charming but professional voice answered, “What can I do for you?”

“I’m just checking in as requested,” I told her. “Everyone appears settled, and they know I’m to be in charge. Not even a token protest from the pilot. I appreciated the note and the offer. I don’t suppose you have any information or instructions?”

“Just a rumor, sir,” she told me. “Supposedly one of the inbound passengers collapsed in a terminal restroom while he was waiting for a connecting flight. No other details, but somebody is concerned, and this was pulled together pretty fast. Sergeant Major Ruby Schaaft is your top NCO, and she’s further south preparing upgraded facilities. The school here is just a way station.”

“Okay, we both had better get some rest.” Then I added, “I suspect tomorrow is going to be hectic.”

“Copy that, sir,” and she was gone.

It was after midnight when I returned to our room; Becky was asleep on a cot at the far side. Chastity and Rachel were sitting on another cot, each dressed in a babydoll nightie...

But the mattresses and bedclothes were assembled on the floor into one large aggregate.

Chastity took the lead and told me, “Rachel hasn’t had her wedding night, and we agreed that I could be here.” Then she added, “And I want you to be my first. You might not be here in the morning, and we love you so much.”

Rachel, looked at me and said, “We’re both on birth control; I wish I hadn’t gotten that stupid IUD, but we did. She’s right. We both love you, and there’s no good reason why you shouldn’t be her first.”

Rachel’s reasoning was appealing, but it was Chastity with her mother’s eyes that almost sealed the deal. Just like that time with her mother. I was lost, totally lost.

Then Chastity said, “And today’s our Birthday. Loving with you would be my second-best present ever!”

Of course, I bit, “So what was the first best?”

“You! Especially having this Birthday with you.”

I sat between my loves and kissed Rachel and then Chastity. “I’m going to Hell in a handbasket!” Deep kisses.

It was zero dark thirty – California time – and two hours later here. I woke to a sobbing, nearly hysterical daughter/wife clinging to me and declaring, “He’s dead, he’s dead, and there’s blood all over.”

I hugged her close and asked, “Who’s dead? Where?”

She tugged me off the cot while Rachel rubbed sleep from her eyes and Becky slept on. “On the floor, by the boys’ room, the pilot.”

I threw pants on over my skivvies, and dressed only in my tee and pants, I let her lead me barefoot down the hall to the boys’ room. There he was at the entrance, his head in a large pool of bright red clotted blood.

I swiped my phone and dialed the only relevant number I had. When a tired voice answered, I said, “Lieutenant Peters, we have a situation – a body actually. Our pilot. Do you know exactly how that passenger died?”

“No sir, but I’ll find out,” she replied. “In the meantime, I suggest that you keep clear of the body if you are sure he’s dead.”

“Oh, he’s for sure dead,” I told her. “He looks as though he coughed his lungs out. Bright red blood with chunks. There’s a couple of spray patterns. I’m taking pictures with my phone and will send them to you. We’ll keep the others away, too.”

Chastity gagged, and I squeezed her tight. I was feeling queasy myself. “Look away and take deep breaths, Honey.”

I returned to Lieutenant Peters and asked, “What do your friends call you? Looks like this is going to last more than a couple of days, and you are probably going to be my best friend out there in the world.”

I could almost hear her blush, “My friends call me ‘Buffy’, because I sorta look like Sarah Michelle Gellar. But Sir, could we make it ‘Mar’ or even ‘Pete’? The Buffy handle won’t work in this type of situation.”

“Good thinking, Pete,” I told her, and I heard Chastity giggle. Good. “In private, I’m ‘Virg’ or ‘Virgil’. Now, what’s your branch and specialty?”

I started to walk Chastity back to our room, had a thought, and whispered, “Sweetie, did you get to pee?” She shook her head no, and I detoured her into the girl’s restroom while Pete was summarizing. “RN, Army Nurse Corps, just under four years active duty. Up for captain soon, not that it matters. Two rotations in a sandbox. Med-surge and ER, mostly. One Stateside tour at Walter Reed’s Family Health Clinic, and currently Sixty-six Bravo, Public Health Nurse at Fort Knox. Except now I’m temporary duty reporting to you and maybe FEMA. My instructions were not exactly specific, and as far as I know, TDY orders haven’t been cut.”

I had to un-mute my phone because I’d also taken the opportunity to drain – girls’ restroom or not. “Good enough,” I responded. “Sounds like the right background, and you’ve already proved you think straight. I’m gonna take a break and get my daughter back to my family, cover the body with a sheet so we don’t have people barfing everywhere, and get a pot of coffee on. Then, while you get a clean up team organized, I’ll check on the rest of the inmates. No more sleep for the wicked.”

I got a now perky, “I guess not, Virgil. I’ve got some ideas, but what do you want and need?”

“Anything you can find out about this iteration of the virus and do come up with a research physician’s name who has the right credentials and no god complex. One you know, or the nurses’ network says that you can work with. I’ll text you the pictures I just took, and you can pass them along. Oh, and if you get a call from a Sam Rosen, he’s my family attorney and likely our best source of civilian type G-2 back in San Diego. We’ll need all the information we can get.”

“Yes sir, Virgil. Call me when you are ready. Unless you have something else, I’m outta here and working.” In a mess like this, how did I get so lucky?

As we walked back to our room, Chastity told me, “I’m pretty okay now. Why don’t I get dressed and sit near the body and keep others away? It’s still real early, but someone might wake up like I did, and that’s a really nasty first thing of the morning.”

“Okay, if you’re sure. I’ll be making the coffee and calling Sam before some pompous fool tells me not to.” I hugged her and told her, “You’re a brave girl, no ... woman, and I’m proud of you. Probably best I get back to Rachel and tell her what’s happening, so she doesn’t head down the hall with Becky.”

I talked with Rachel, dressed, grabbed a sheet, and headed back. Luckily, there was a thirty-cup coffee maker and three number ten cans of coffee. Even luckier, some kind soul left us a combination drip and Keurig-type pot and several boxes of Caribou, Dunkin’, and Green Mountain pods. Good, because while I’ll drink percolator coffee, I’d rather have drip.

I started a pod of Caribou Blend and called Sam while I waited. Sam answered and my mug had coffee at almost the same moment. Multitasker that I am, I put my phone on speaker, stuffed it in my breast pocket, started the larger drip pot brewing, and began talking. “Wake up, Sam, the feces is hitting the Westinghouse. Get yourself quarantined and away from any travelers. Looks like COVID-19 has mutated into something nastier. Our pilot is already dead, and my whole flight is quarantined and likely to be sequestered for a while.”

I took a sip, topped off my mug from the now filling drip pot, and told him, “Seriously, Sam, get safe. I need you. Use my power of attorney in whatever way you deem warranted. Draw up a will for me. My girls inherit. You’re the executor. Email it to me pronto, pronto. Why the heck didn’t I do it when I was there? I’ll text you the phone number of Lieutenant Marilyn Peters – nickname’s Pete. She’s my outside liaison, and she knows who you are. I trust her, understand?”

Sam responded in the affirmative and then waited for me to continue. “If you can’t reach me, call her. If you can’t reach Pete, it might mean trouble. Use your judgment. I’ll send you the names of everyone with me as well as their phone numbers. Now! Don’t dither, get away safe before there’s a lockdown.”

I was already hungry. The time zone change and my earlier than usual rising affected me that way. I thought at least some of the others would also be hungry, even with a corpse in the hall. I decided on an omelet station and chopped up makings for omelets into assorted bowls and was just about to start beating a couple dozen eggs in a mixing bowl.

The senior flight attendant and three teens arrived looking for coffee. Chastity and Rachel had done an exceptional job of heading off problems with the discovery of the pilot’s body, so the newcomers were spooked but not hysterical. We had started exchanging names, and then came agonized screaming.

I poked my head into the hall, and Rachel pointed to a door three down from ours. I gathered up Ronnie Stephens, the senior flight attendant, and headed down to find the source of the continuing screams. In the room, we found one of the attendants covered in blood, staring at the still twitching and spewing body of one of the two male attendants. They’d spent the night together, and as he started to die his movements woke her.

I turned to Ronnie and instructed, “Get back into your isolation gear, then get her stripped. Get as much blood off as you can and wrap her in a blanket, then take her down to the gym showers. I’ll have someone bring clothes and come to help you. I’m going to check on the rest of us.”