You Can't NORBAC Again

by Simahoyo

Ebola is a real crisis and while NORBAC microbiologists' work is shanghaied by Congressman Riddlemeyer, Dr. Maura Isles is determined to end this crisis. But will she leave Boston for Liberia, or Toronto? Caution, Dr. Sandstrom opens his mouth, and bad language falls out. Crossover of Regenesis and Rizzoli and Isles. Jack Armstrong could play a role in her choice.

4. Chapter 4

You Can't NORBAC Again, Chapter 4

By Simahoyo

Dr. Du Roche switched to English. "Her French is so good, I would think she grew up in Quebec."

"My mother did."

"Ok, so that explains it. You can go for now."

"Thank you, Dr. Du Roche.", added Maura.

"Hey, Carlos!"

Carlos joined the gathering of scientists.

""Dr. Isles, this is Carlos. Name a disease, and he's probably treated it. He's from Mexico and the Mexican government is demanding someone who speaks Spanish."

"Probably, my friend, because they have tried to talk to you."

" Dr. Isles, ¿cómo fue su viaje a Toronto."

"Fue más corto de lo que esperaba, y el clima era muy bueno para volar."

"¡ Dios mío! ¿Dónde recogiste ese acento chileno?"

"Estaba visitando a un resort en Utah, donde llovió todos los días durante una semana. Entonces, jugaba a las cartas con Ernesto Vilchez y él me enseñó a Castillano."

"¿Lo había aprendido en una semana?"

"No había nada que hacer."

( " how was your trip here to Toronto?"

"It was shorter than I expected, and the weather was very good for flying."

"Good Lord! Where did you pick up that Chilean accent?"

"I was visiting a resort in Utah, where it rained every single day for a week. So, I played cards with another tourist, Ernesto Vilchez, and he taught me Spanish.")

You learned it in one week?"

"There was nothing else to do."

Carlos switched to English. "Other than a Chilean accent, her Spanish is more than adequate."

"Good, good. So, last, and certainly not least is Bob. He can do anything.

Bob squinted and jerked his head. "Not anything. There are things I am not capeable of–like cooking. I'm not very good at cooking anything but spaghetti..."

"I'm glad to meet you, Bob."

"Have I met you before? You look familiar."

"I don't recall meeting you, but I have attended several medical seminars..."

"NO. Now I remember it was on television, something with the Prime Minister –you were there and he was giving medals for something..."

At this point a horrified look crossed Maura's face. "I'm sure it wasn't important."

"And someone threw a pie in his face. You were standing right behind her..."

David started to laugh., "Oh shit, was that you? I saw that on The National, and I laughed my ass off."

"My mother is NDP, and her maiden name was Rial."

"Okay, I get it. So we don't send your photo along when we let the governments vet you. I'll bet they do a half-assed job anyway."

It must have worked not to enclose my photo–or who ever vetted me for Canada was NDP, but O found myself part of the confusing lab and office maze that was NORBAC.

I had taken one of Mom's paintings with me, as well as photos of, Jack, Jane, my colleagues from the morgue and the one of Daddy with me when I graduated from medical college. Mom couldn't be in it because she took it. I guess they didn't miss everything after all.

I went right to work, asking Grenada's and Dominicas's governments to get their governments to allow medical students to volunteer in the Ebola stricken areas in lieu of their last year of internship. Both governments were very co-operative,

Naturally, they would need places to work, so I asked the Canadian, American and Mexican militaries for hospital tents and cots. I studied the work of Falu Kekula and her, "Trash bag method" of Ebola protection."

Dad sent a photographer to have her show each step, both putting on, and taking off the trash bags, rain coat, rain boots, showercap and face mask. Then he published it as a step by step guide for medical personnel in six languages.

I didn't quite trust the face protection, so I contacted manufacturers of face shields and asked for donations. Now my office looked like a warehouse. So did my apartment.

Mayko was sidling along the boxes when she commented, "How are you going to get all this stuff there?"

"I don't know. The Red Cross is no help at all."

"You know that after you worked with Grenada and Dominica, they both joined NORBAC? Maybe you could get more North American nations to join, and concentrated on those with good shipping facilties like Panama?" Mayko leaned on a box of folding cots.

"That is an excellent idea. What about moving things around West Africa?"

"Catholic Relief Services and LDS Welfare. They actually show up. They don't charge and they have people living locally, especially the Catholics.""And I could ask the wealthiest Caribbean nations to join NORBAC. We could use their help."

"That would be Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados. And I came in to talk to you about the American Congress and some states pushing for barring to and from West Africa."

My heart sank. How would we get any medical personnel to those countries? "Back when people over reacted to AIDS, they called it, 'fraids.' I'm seeing it happen all over again,

"Yeah. Only this time they have, 'Eeekbola."

I felt something like an electrict shock go through me. "That's brilliant. We could use that. I'll get a press release out right away. Thank you, Mayko."

Naturally I sent everything to Dad first, and he made sure every single story got great coverage. Then all the rest would jump on it. It helps when your father runs a media conglomerate.

TBC