General Hospital Emergency Room
Amy sat on the hospital bed watching as two of her colleagues fluttered about her clumsily. They were dressed in biohazard suits which made graceful movement nearly impossible. A similarly clad IV technician pushed a needle into her arm.
"Ouch!" cried Amy.
"I got the vein this time. Promise," said the tech. He watched blood stream into the blood collection tube.
"I don't think I have much blood left. What is this the fifth sample, Jose?" asked Amy.
Jose shrugged. "Doctor's orders."
Steve Hardy's voice came over the intercom. "How are you feeling now, Amy?"
"Better. Just tired and cold. I'm freezing," replied Amy. She looked at her arms. "No lesions, Steve. No itching. No tingling. I'm bored to death!"
In the outer room, Steve watched Amy through the glass partition. "We need to get your temperature down."
Amy glanced at the monitor to which she was attached via sensor pads on her chest. "One hundred three. Still."
The two nurses spread warmed blankets over their patient. Tube filled, Jose removed the needle and scurried out of the room anxious to get out of the suit.
"Thanks, gals. Feels good." Amy snuggled under the blanket. She waved a hand at Monica who entered the outer room and stood by Steve. "How's Jane Doe?"
Monica leaned closer to the intercom microphone. "She's, uh, resting and you should be too. Talk to you later. Rest." Monica turned off the intercom. She led Steve out to the hallway. "I didn't have the heart to tell her."
"Amy's in a positive frame of mind. It's best she doesn't know Jane Doe is dead," said Steve. "Any progress in identifying the cause?"
Monica shook her head. "The combination of symptoms has me and Tony stumped. I'm going to hit the infectious diseases roll call again. It has to be something we're missing."
"I'll be in my office. I have to inform the Board of Directors. I hope we don't have to quarantine the entire hospital," said Steve.
"Is that the worse case scenario?" asked Monica.
"I don't want to think about any scenario but we have to be as prepared as we can be," said Steve. "I'm going to talk to Mercy Hospital. I want the ER closed off. Ambulances will be redirected to Mercy."
"Close the ER? Is that really necessary?"
"Until we know more, I think it is," said Steve gravely. "I'd rather be proven wrong than right."
"Allan is on his way in. He'll join Tony in the lab," said Monica.
"Good. They're our two best diagnosticians."
"I'm going to oversee the autopsy of Jane Doe. Maybe I can spot something important."
"Hold off on the autopsy."
"Why?"
"Jane Doe needs to be in full quarantine. I have to talk to Maintenance and see how long it will take to modify one of the exam rooms."
"But we need to know and fast."
"Safety first," said Steve. "Monica, I want you to do something for me."
"Sure. What is it?"
"I'm going to tell the Board the same thing but I want you to know personally. In case something happens to me during this crisis, I want you to take over as Chief of Staff," said Steve.
"Oh, Steve, I can't."
"I say you can," said Steve. "It's just a contingency. The Board and Audrey will know."
"I'll do my best, Steve," promised Monica.
Port Charles Police Department
Robert burst through the door of his office with Anna and Sean at his heels. Captain Lewis was waiting for them inside.
"Good thing Candy or Leah aren't pressing charges," said Anna dressed in a long tan trench coat borrowed from the club. "Honestly, what were you two thinking?"
"They're lucky I didn't raid that place for real!" exclaimed Robert. "I'm sure I could find at least one violation."
"It looked like a raid to them, Robert!" said Anna. "You scared the girls half to death!"
"If they've got nothing to hide, why be scared, huh?"
"How else were they supposed to react when five cops come rushing in? They should have been more discreet."
"What was Remi supposed to do to find me? Make an announcement over the PA system?" countered Robert. "There was no choice. It was an emergency situation. The guys had to go in. It's not like we arrested any of the customers. Don't blow it out of proportion!"
Sean and Lewis watched the rapid fire back and forth conversation. They waited patiently.
"It was just the excuse you were looking for. You overreacted as usual. Admit it!" accused Anna.
"YOU gave me reason to!" yelled Robert. "Don't deny it!"
"Me?!"
"You were the one on the stage!"
"If you'd just left me alone instead of flashing your badge at people and-"
"I asked you to stop didn't I?"
"It was flirting. That's all it was!"
"That's not the only thing that creep wanted from you when he jumped on to the stage," said Robert. "His pals were egging him on to go too far. Sean and I heard every word. I wasn't having any of it."
"You've made things WORSE! Don't you see? It's going to come out that the commissioner's wife was on that stage. Not some random woman but your wife," said Anna. "Why can't you just trust me?"
Robert sat down behind his desk and said softly, "It's not about trust."
Anna mirrored his actions taking a seat in the armchair. "It is." She added in a whisper. "Always." She avoided meeting Robert's eyes.
In the ensuing lull, Sean asked, "Lewis, Sam said that the victim was Jane Doe aka Daria Merritt. Is that confirmed?"
"Not officially but Sam said she matched the sketch pretty well. You got a name already?" asked the police captain.
"She's connected to one of my cases," said Sean as he wrote Daria's name on the blackboard. "Is she at GH?"
"Yeah. In quarantine."
"What quarantine?" asked Robert.
Lewis reached for the phone and asked dispatch to send Remi into the office. She entered and stood at casual attention.
"Report please," said Robert.
"I was assigned Frisco's beat tonight. I saw the ambulance heading to Kellys and followed just as I got the request to go over there," said Remi. "By the time I got there, the victim was still alive and inside the ambulance. I went into Kellys to speak to Amy and Meg. They had done a triage of the victim prior to the EMTs. I was calling the station when Amy collapsed. Meg told me that Amy had contact with the victim's skin and body. Amy thought that there was cause for a quarantine due to the visible injuries and she was right. I heard Amy say she didn't feel well just before she collapsed. She's in quarantine, too."
"We have one or two cause vectors for a possible infection control problem. Have I got that right?" asked Robert.
"Yeah. That's what I've been telling the troops," said Lewis.
"Any word from Steve, Monica or Tony, anyone at GH?"
Lewis shook his head. "Their immediate concern was setting up quarantine, Robert. They should have something soon."
"What about the customers at Kellys? Ruby? Is she okay?"
Remi nodded. "She's at GH but she's showing no symptoms. Neither is Meg and two customers who stayed around."
"As far as we know it was only Amy who had direct contact then?" asked Robert. "And she's the only one who's sick?"
"That is my understanding, sir. She warned the EMTs to wear gloves, too. They're fine," replied Remi. "Ruby told me that a bunch of customers ran out the door. Should I track them down? Bring them to GH?"
"No. Not yet. It could cause a panic if we launch a manhunt without a good reason," said Robert. "But ask Ruby if she can identify those that left."
"Will do," said Remi.
"Remi, you said something about Nicole Rohmer earlier. Her father asked me to find her," said Anna.
"That was the name on the ID found in a wallet that the victim, um, Jane Doe, had on her," clarified Remi. "Ruby said it wasn't Nicole. Maybe she was the other woman."
"Other woman?" asked Sean writing down more names and events on the blackboard.
"I only saw one woman. Meg said that two women came in - Jane Doe and someone else," said Remi. "When Doe collapsed, the other woman ran off."
Anna gasped. "That could be Nicole. Did anyone see her face?"
"Both of the women's faces were covered by a hood when they came in," said Remi. "Meg said that they only realized Jane Doe was a woman when Amy lifted the hood."
"This ... this other woman could also be infected? Am I right?" asked Sean.
The expression on everyone's faces were alike - horrified realization.
"Lewis, get a bulletin out. I want Jane Doe 2 found ASAP!" barked Robert. "Increase the patrols on the docks and the catacombs. Look for Sadie. See if she knows anything."
Lewis and Remi left the office in a rush.
Sean walked towards the door. "I'm off to GH. I need answers."
Anna got to her feet. "So do I."
"Me, too," added Robert also rising.
Sean held up a hand. "You two can follow me. Later. After you've talked."
"There's nothing to talk about," murmured Anna tightening the belt around her. "Let's go."
Robert put a hand on Anna's arm. "We'll see you there, Sean."
"Take your time," said Sean as he closed the door behind him.
"I'm exhausted, Robert. I don't want to fight," said Anna.
"We won't." He pressed close to Anna's back. "To answer your question, I trust you completely. It's ... it's me I don't trust."
Anna said nothing.
"I overreacted. I can't seem to do anything but that where you and Robin are concerned."
"This isn't doing us any good. We take one step forward and three steps back."
"It catches me unaware. This feeling, this need to know that you're safe and happy. I always felt that way before but now it's ... stronger. I can't describe it."
Anna relaxed and leaned into him. She pulled at his arms until they were wound about her waist. "I feel the same about you. About us."
"There is now an us and I'm not willing to risk that disappearing."
"It won't. We won't let it."
"Everyone will just have to get used to my paranoia."
"There's no cause to be paranoid."
"No? The Van of Doom? The store fire? The fact that Faison has escaped and is loose somewhere in the world. What if I come home one day and you're gone? Kidnapped?"
Anna turned in his arms and laid her palms against his chest. She studied his face. "You're really scared."
"It's a different kind of terrified. With our history, anyone could come out of the woodwork. No warning. Poof! Gone! I can't help dreading that something's gonna happen and, no matter what I do, I won't be able to keep my family safe."
Anna took a deep breath then said, "If that ever happens, know that it's not because I want to leave. I never would. Nothing would keep me from coming back to you and Robin. Nothing and no one."
"The same goes for me."
"Then why are we fighting?"
"We're discussing."
"We have to get to the hospital. But we should close this discussion properly." Anna gently pulled his head down for a long satisfying kiss. His fingers wandered under her coat.
"Why didn't you change?" asked Robert caressing the spandex along her right hip.
"There wasn't time and, besides, it's this or nothing," said Anna. "Maybe it was a good thing you stopped that guy from getting too close."
Robert grinned. "I knew you'd see things my way eventually."
Anna whispered close to his ear. "This costume is so skintight that commando was the only way to go."
Her husband had no ready reply but his grip tightened a bit. Anna disengaged from his arms and opened the office door.
"Coming, Robert?" asked Anna over her shoulder.
"Oh, how I love you, Anna Devane," said Robert following her out and eyeing the trench coat.
With a twinkle in her eye, her reply was a saucy, "I know."
General Hospital - Steve Hardy's Office
Robert, Anna and Sean sat in chairs arranged around Steve's large desk. Colored photographs of the deceased lesions and marks were laid out on the tabletop. Doctors Tony Jones and Allan Quartermaine flanked either side of the chief's desk. The hour was late and all had drawn faces and eyes puffy from lack of sleep.
"As of twenty minutes ago, Amy's temperature has returned to a normal range. She's not exhibiting the symptoms she had earlier," said Steve. "However, we're sticking to quarantine procedures for another twenty-four hours to be safe."
Anna and Sean exchanged the pictures between them.
"We have officially identified and confirmed Jane Doe as one Daria Merritt. When's her autopsy? When can we know for sure if we have an epidemic on our hands?" asked Robert.
"I've postponed the autopsy and-" began Steve.
"Postponed?" asked Sean.
"Tony and I did a quick review of the body in containment suits no less. We're in agreement that we have a diseased corpse that's also a classic disease vector," said Allan. "Subjecting the body to an autopsy could release unknown pathogens into the environment. Until we can prepare a secure examination room, we can't recommend an autopsy."
""You don't have facilities to handle this?" asked Anna.
"If this vector is as contagious as it seems to be, no, we don't," said Tony. "We'll need two days to prep a room properly."
"How can you determine its potential with so little to go on?" asked Sean.
"We have Amy's experience to go by. I believe that the condition was transmitted via touch when Amy examined her. Due to the suddenness of the symptoms experienced by Amy, I can say with certainty that we're dealing with a pathogen that IS contagious and currently at a very potent stage."
"That's a combination that no medical professional would be comfortable with," added Steve. "I won't put the hospital or the staff at more risk than they are already."
"It's fortunate that Amy had the sense to limit her contact. That saved her life and minimized the infection zone," said Allan. "For now the disease is contained to the one body."
Robert shook his head. "It's not, Allan. The other person, a woman we think, is still loose. We have to go on the assumption that she has the condition same as Daria."
All the doctors were visibly alarmed.
"She has to be found immediately," said Steve.
"I've got patrols on the docks and catacombs. We think she's still in those areas," said Robert. "I'm waiting for an eyewitness report to come in. This isn't something we can or should keep under wraps. It's a public hazard. I'm going to have to update the mayor on this in the morning. I need something more, Steve. I need that autopsy done as soon as possible. If the police morgue was used, would that ease your concerns?"
"For the hospital, yes, but is the morgue secure?" asked Steve.
"Lewis can isolate the entire area and make sure everyone inside has a suit on. I'll see what we can cobble together. The medical examiner can be ready by noon."
Steve nodded. "I hate to say it but that would be all right with me. This is really our responsibility but we're not equipped to do more in this case."
"I understand, Steve, I do," said Robert.
"Can Tony or I sit in? Assist?" asked Allan. "The more we know, the more effective we can be in deciding treatment."
"It'll be at your own risk," said Robert.
"Understood," replied Allan.
"Do you have any idea of what this could be?" asked Sean looking at a picture of a blackened, scaly arm. "This looks like something out of a movie."
"All the topmost layers of the skin are affected with that scaly appearance and the underlying tissue is dead," said Tony. "I don't know how a person could remain functional with this condition."
"Monica has been scouring the infectious disease references. Nothing matches the symptoms," said Steve.
"It would help if we knew the mental state of Jane Doe at the time she collapsed," said Allan.
"According to Amy, there were barely a few words said," said Tony. "And they were walking so motor function wasn't fully impaired yet."
"Could this be the result of a chemical agent? A poison?" asked Anna. "Did someone do this to them?"
"That's an angle we haven't thought of," said Allan glancing at Tony and Steve.
"At this point anything is possible," said Tony. "Why do you think that, Anna?"
"I'm working on a case that may be related to this. A missing person or a kidnapping case. I'm not sure yet," said Anna. "Daria Merritt was at work until a few days ago, right, Sean?"
Sean nodded. "That's right. When did Nicole, your missing person, disappear?"
"Last Thursday," said Anna. "How do two healthy people become sick like this in a matter of days?"
"I don't like where this is headed," said Robert.
"You see my point?" asked Anna.
"Unfortunately, yes."
Anna looked at Sean. "And the timing is close to your case."
Sean rubbed his chin with his left hand. "I don't believe in coincidences."
Donely Penthouse
Sean lay on the sofa. He had no strength to move upstairs to bed. He would need to go to Daria Merritt's apartment in two hours and see what the detectives uncover. He could manage a quick nap.
Tiffany's voice floated down the stairs. "Sean, that you?"
"Yeah, honey. I'm sorry to be so late. I know I said-" began Sean.
Tiffany came down the stairs dressed for the day. "Coffee's hot. Made you some eggs and toast. I know better than to expect you back at a decent hour when you and Robert go carousing."
"Oh, honey, it's was ... wasn't that," said Sean.
"Whatever." Tiffany put on her coat. "I'll be at the station most of the day. I may do a remote from GH about the quarantine."
"That's already out there?"
"Someone called the tip line at the station. It would have been nice to get a call from you, you know."
Sean opened his eyes. The look of barely contained anger on his wife's face was like a splash of cold water to the face. "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing. Forget it. It's work that all."
Sean got to his feet. He walked towards her. "Something is bothering you. What? My late night? You won't believe it but I have a great story for you and-"
"Speaking of stories, you told me that your investigation into Repose Hill was a formality. That it was nothing important," said Tiffany.
Sean stiffened. "It's a case and-"
"And you lied to me," said Tiffany. "I got a call from Irene Montfort last night. She says that you did your interview with Chris then came back again to harass the staff. Irene said that Chris is upset and feels insulted that you weren't open with why you were really there. She's threatening to pull all Montfort company advertising from the station. MY station, Sean! If I'm going to take heat for your actions, and believe me I am, I deserve to know why!"
"I don't have anything really conclusive yet."
"Oh, please, you've gone on wild goose chases all over the world on less information!" said Tiffany. "Level with me. What are you investigating there?"
"Off the record?"
Tiffany nodded. "But I get the exclusive after."
"My gut and my mind are both telling me that Alicia Montfort was sent to Repose Hill for one reason - to be killed," said Sean. "My problem is proving it."
