Wow. sorry about the long pause. I finally have a day off today, so i started writing again. please r&r people!
The SUV rolled to a halt. Two marked squad cars had mounted the curb, and another plain car indicated the presence of plain-clothes detectives. An unmarked black SUV – David and Terry's – was parked not much further away, beside an ambulance. Two paramedics stood talking to an officer, an empty stretcher evidently waiting for clearance to move the body. A small crowd of curious onlookers stood gawking outside a nearby café.
The brothers got out of the car, and Don moved around the side and indicated towards an upstairs window.
"Apartment 3B. Victim's name was John Boyer. Lived alone, never turned up for work yesterday. Apparently it was so uncharacteristic that the Super was persuaded to use his master key. Found the body in front of the TV." Charlie nodded, his brow creased. "Do you remember that case you helped us with a few months ago? The one where people were getting sick on public transport?"
"With the guy spreading the disease in an aerosol can?"
"That's the one. Well, we need your help with this one too. It seems fairly similar. This is the third person in less than two weeks to die from what seems to be a cold. They were all aged between 20 and 35, and all seemed healthy. I need you to do what you did last time, we need to know if this is the same sort of thing."
Charlie followed Don to the ambulance, where they received a pair of gloves and a surgical mask each. As he put his mask on, Charlie turned to question his brother.
"Do you have any idea what's causing this?" Don paused for a moment, thinking.
"According to the autopsy on the first and second bodies, there was nothing really to link them. The first victim apparently died of septicemia, and the second of an asthma attack brought on by a severe coughing fit."
"So why does the FBI have any interest in the case?"
"Because post 9/11 and the Anthrax scares, we need to check out any of these things. Technically, the Centre for Disease Control should handle cases of suspected bioterrorism, but because we have no proof of that, the FBI has jurisdiction until we do. The ME who conducted the autopsies is on his way here now. Unfortunately, the two victims' bodies have already been released and buried, but this new victim will be autopsied in far greater detail. We have to stop this, whatever it is."
When the ME, Dr. Carlson, arrived, he immediately ordered that the body be sealed in plastic and taken to the morgue. Outside, Terry, Don, David and Charlie stood by their cars, waiting for him to finish. David rubbed his face where the mask had been, his face still itching,
Soon enough, Dr. Carlson exited the apartment building and made his way over to the FBI agents. Don introduced himself and his team, and asked the doctor if it would be possible for him to watch the autopsy.
"Of course, but I'll be performing it as soon as we get back to the morgue."
"That's fine, doctor. Just quickly though, may we ask you a few questions?"
"I don't see why not."
"It was you who performed the first two autopsies, am I right?" The ME nodded. "Did you run any blood work?"
"Yes, there was no evidence to suggest major viral or bacterial infection, if that's what you're getting at. Both girls had cold-like symptoms, but it was possibly a coincidence. Whatever the case, I will be getting the blood work double-checked this time, and I have CDC on standby if I discover anything out of the ordinary. They both had small abscesses on their lungs, but those aren't terribly abnormal. A lot of things – non-fatal - could have caused them."
"I was wondering, if you had to guess - without any medical knowledge of the autopsy results - what was causing these deaths, what would you say?"
The older man thought for a moment. He seemed slightly mystified as to the reasons behind Don's obscure question. "If I had to guess, I'd say that these three victims probably had some connection in the past two weeks. They could have all experimented with a substance that is invisible in blood work." The doctor stopped to sneeze. After Terry handed him a tissue, he continued. "I'm not very sure why you're asking these questions, Agent Eppes. Like I said, you're welcome to sit in on the autopsy, but CDC told me to tell the FBI that they would run a culture for Anthrax if I sent them a sample, which I plan to do. I honestly don't know if I can be much more help."
Don glanced sidelong at Charlie. If CDC thought there was a possibility of Anthrax, Charlie's job was now even more vital. If this was an infectious, contagious disease, they had to contain it, and fast.
Charlie and David returned to the FBI's office to get started on researching the victim's backgrounds. Terry and Don, however, made their way to the City Morgue behind Dr. Carlson's car.
They had just walked through the morgue's reception when Don's cell rang. They continued following Dr. Carlson, Terry striking up a conversation about the increasing possibilities of biological warfare with the ME while Don talked quietly.
"Terry, wait." They had just been about to enter one of the autopsy rooms when Don's voice halted them. He muttered a few words to the person at the other end of the line and flipped the phone shut. Both Terry and Dr. Carlson had turned and were looking at him. "There's another body and two possible surviving victims. They've just been discovered and we have to go investigate any possible connections."
Terry nodded. "Okay, do we need to take Charlie and David?"
"No, they're to stay at the office and start working on a program to determine patient zero, if we can find them." Don turned to face the ME. "Dr. Carlson, I'd like to say thanks for the invitation, but we really have to go now. If you need to contact me, call the FBI switchboard and they'll patch you through to my cell."
The doctor extended his hand and shook Don's. "If you don't mind my asking, Agent Eppes, whereabouts were these new victims found?" Don shifted his eyes from the doctor to his partner, and back again.
"They're in New Jersey."
Yes, it was short, i know. I usually run out of steam quickly on my chapters.
-Cass.