CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Mi-Jung slowly injected the soldier’s arm while David kept both eyes on the scanner. So far, the prospects had been optimistic, and only the control group had shown signs of radiation sickness. That meant the serum Stephanie Yurik had worked up was viable, a vaccine against the radiation. Although the soldiers had no knowledge of which they were assigned, Dr. Andalon and his team knew. Sergeant Roark was part of the squad receiving genetic resequencing.
“That will be all, Sergeant,” he said. The soldier rose and pulled on his jacket. “Remember to come back to sick bay if you experience any weakness, fatigue, fainting, confusion, bleeding from the nose, mouth, or rectum. Any bruising, open sores, diarrhea, fever, hair loss, or red areas on the skin are also a concern.”
“Damn, doc, you sound like one of those pharmaceutical commercials.”
“There’s a reason for that, soldier. Let me know if you experience any side effects. Tell me immediately, before the risks I didn’t state set in.”
“Will do, doc.”
The soldier left and Jake Braston slipped inside the door. He said nothing, merely watched and waited for Andalon to notice his arrival.
With a grunt, David reported, “It looks promising.”
“I don’t need promising, I need certainty. When will we know how well Stephanie’s vaccine works?”
“It’s been weeks, Jake. The fallout’s mostly gone by now, except in areas of ground zero.” He pointed at the line of soldiers waiting in the hall. Since the dissipation, they’d been sending reconnaissance teams to scout the geopolitical situation, and his job was to keep them fit for duty.
“All I can say for sure is, the enhanced teams haven’t experienced any visible or invisible signs of sickness. She developed the serum well.”
Braston smiled broadly, “So we have a vaccine?”
“I wouldn’t call it that. It’s adapted their genetic code, not inoculated them with a weakened or dead virus. But yeah, we can inject the rest of your teams and I think it’ll work.”
“Hot damn.” The general wrapped David in a tight embrace. When he pulled back, he slapped him on the shoulder. “I knew you two could do it.” He trailed off with distant eyes as if pondering some new challenge. “What about that other project?”
“She’s fit as a fiddle.”
“That’s great,” Jake said. “She never thought she’d be able to carry full term.” He added, “To think, you reconfigured her DNA to overcome both your sterility. How’s the baby?”
“She’s fine, too.” David smiled. Braston’s enthusiasm was contagious. “Heartbeat’s strong and she and mom are healthy.”
“Good,” Jake said. He turned to Andalon’s assistant. “And congratulations to you, Mi-Jung!” His eyes twinkled with excitement as he spoke. Seeing the look of confusion on David’s face he explained, “They have news of their own.”
Mi-Jung beamed with pride. “Sam and I are also having a baby, Dr. Andalon.”
“That’s wonderful!” David thought for a moment, two babies, born naturally during the apocalypse. “I need to set you up on the same regimen I gave Brooke. We can’t take any chances with birth defects.”
“That science stuff is your business.” Jake said as he turned to leave. “And I’ve got to go. I’ve got my hands full topside.”
Andalon asked, “How bad is it?”
“Pretty much what we expected. Survivors have gathered into clans. We’ve a lot to learn about each, but Europe’s back to a warlord society. Hell, I wouldn’t even call it Europe anymore. The world’s different out there, and Michael says we’ll have to begin anew.”
“And he has a plan for that?”
“He does.”
David chuckled, “No doubt some parliamentary process to restore democracy. Of all the politicians I’ve known, he’s the most ideological.”
Braston suddenly fell quiet and appeared unsure how to respond.
“What?” Andalon pressed, “What’s his plan?”
“Let’s just say it’s not democracy this time. He said that method isn’t ‘feasible’ given the economic situation.”
“Economic situation?”
“Free enterprise died with the United States. Whatever’s left will be using a barter system. Precious metals and jewels mean nothing. Food, clean water, and ammo now reign supreme. Whoever has the most firepower to protect their resources will rule. We’re expecting opportunists to emerge from the clans.”
“Jake?” David suddenly understood. “If you’re not restoring the old system, you’ll have to compete. Are you planning on unifying the clans under you?”
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The general shook his head. “Not me, it has to be Michael. He is the highest surviving member of any western government.”
Andalon let out a small chuckle. “And you’ll be his muscle to help usher in world order.”
Jake nodded solemnly. “The first reports were so dire, with people living in squalor and most riddled with radiation poisoning.”
“We’ll have to inoculate them as well,” David murmured.
“That’s the reason I’m here. How soon can you produce enough to treat our first village? Conquering is easier when the invader is seen as benevolent, giving instead of always taking.”
“I can’t produce enough, at least not yet. I need supplies.” He gestured at the dwindled stock in his cabinets. “I can give you a list if you can find me certain items I’ll need.”
“Get it to me right away. Germany’s economy was a hotbed for pharmaceuticals with more than one hundred factories. But we need to move quickly. Others will be plundering those for other, more intoxicating drugs.”
“When can you start searching?”
“Now. Michael wants a foothold in the immediate area.”
David could only nod. Everything felt surreal.
“I’ll check up on you later,” his friend promised.
After Jake departed, David froze, remembering Eve’s warning. He means well, but we’ve seen his future and fear the monster he’ll become. His vision will lead to many more troubles than the world and society he hoped to change.
David turned to Mi-Jung. With a smile he asked, “How far along are you?”
“Not far, only about six weeks I think.”
“Then I need to start you on the shots right away.”
“I’ve seen you give them to Brooke,” she said with both curiosity and concern on her face. “What are you giving her?”
“Oh,” he said, “nothing alarming and everything safe. It’s a blend of iron and prenatal vitamins combined with a booster for your child’s immune system.” He grabbed her hand and led her away from sick bay and toward the lab.
“That sounds safe,” she mused as they walked.
“Perfectly so,” he answered. They reached the door and he opened it wide, holding it while Mi-Jung stepped inside. “It won’t take but a moment to prepare,” he told her. He reached into the cooler and pulled out a vial containing red liquid. He carefully drew this into a syringe as he talked. “Brooke had three miscarriages,” he explained, “until we figured out her body lacked the proteins needed for mature eggs.”
“So that’s what you changed?”
“Exactly. For two years I injected her monthly with a resequencing code that forced her body to heal. Once she told me we fertilized, I gave her these other injections to compensate for our restricted diet.”
“Well that makes sense.” She pushed up her sleeve. “What did you give yourself? How did you overcome your own problem?”
“Nothing much. My swimmers didn’t have tails, so I gave them something to grow them back—to make them more efficient in their journey up stream.” The needle pierced her upper arm, and he depressed the plunger slowly before drawing it out and rubbing the muscle. “There,” he said, “try to rub it in so it doesn’t bruise up on you. It will take a full week to absorb, and then you’ll be ready for another shot.”
Mi-Jung was thrilled. “Thank you, Dr. Andalon!” She stood and gave him a hug before leaving to return to sick bay.
David watched her go. As soon as she left, he returned to the fridge and replaced the vial to the rack labeled, Batch Bravo.
He reached far into the back and pulled out another syringe full of blue liquid. He drew this into a different syringe. Pulling up his shirt, he revealed his navel and pinched a bit of fat with one hand while plunging the syringe with the other. He shivered as the cold liquid entered his body. He tossed both syringes into a disposal container and replaced his vial to the rack labeled, Batch Charlie.
Just as he finished, the door to lab opened and Brooke entered, collapsing into a chair. “I’m exhausted,” she told him. “I need my injection.”
“It’s only been five days, honey.”
“It’s only vitamins,” she said. “What will it hurt?”
He shrugged and said, “Not a thing.” He opened the refrigerator one more time and drew out a vial of milky white fluid. He drew this into a syringe and walked toward his wife with a loving smile. “Just let me know if you have any side effects,” he pleaded.
“I will.”
He stuck the tip of the needle into her arm and depressed the plunger slowly.
After he drew it out, she rose and kissed him on the lips. “I love you, Dr. Andalon,” she said.
“I love you, too,” he replied, placing the vial into the rack labeled Batch Alpha.
Then he waited for her to leave, watching as the woman who betrayed both him and their marriage vows continued her farce. It was despicable, really, how she’d continued these lies. Once her footsteps retreated, he closed the door and locked it, moving toward the waiting hologram in the corner of the room. He pulled on the gloves and put on the glasses, activating the program.
Sam had delivered the blood samples drawn from Adam and Eve, and the boy had already updated the data into the computer. Before speaking with them again, David wanted a chance to thoroughly examine the chemical reactions that accompanied their manifestations, hoping to learn exactly how they manipulated the air around them.
The children in the lab fascinated him and he visited with them daily, detailing their powers in their own words. Sometimes they talked about abilities, other times they discussed how they felt emotionally and physically when their powers manifested. His determination drove him toward a full understanding of their telepathy and, so far, brains scans had yielded no usable information. He moved his hand across the hologram, selecting the results of their lab analysis. The chemical composition of Adam and Eve’s blood expanded before his eyes, filling the virtual screen. Only one marker jumped out as remarkable—Catecholamine levels were high in each.
The finding confused David but did not come completely unexpected. I’ve been correct about the role of adrenaline, he realized, but adrenaline doesn’t work alone, he realized. The test also showed elevated dopamine with low levels of norepinephrine and epinephrine. He paused, considering his hypothesis.
The monkeys in his lab each had similar levels. He waved a hand, clearing the screen, and quickly pulled up archived data. He winced, remembering how Brooke had provided these notes to Captain Yurik. She’s very practiced at betrayal, he considered. He shook the thoughts clear, focusing instead on the information within the hologram.
Sam had once remarked on a low epinephrine level in Felicima, the monkey who enjoyed his voice. She was depressed, just like the children.
Andalon finally understood. He cleared the screen with a sudden triumphant wave of his hand and hurried through the secured door to the catwalk overlooking Eden. Grinning, he rushed across the false sky and hurried down the ladder leading to the garden. Once inside he was startled to find them waiting on the circle of benches—each gestured to the same empty seat.
“Are you ready to help us?” Adam asked gently. David nodded his eager desire.