I'm not sure I should thank my English Honors teacher though. Then again, maybe I should. Just to prove to myself that I could and I am, despite all of those red penned comments.
TSK
Chapter Seventeen – Part 1
3:55 AM
Colonel Thomas McJohn sat down in an oversized leather chair of the office that had been loaned to him upon his unscheduled visit to Georgetown University Hospital. The chair's creaking was the only other noise in the hushed quiet of the night.
He wasn't even sure if he could hear his own heart beating, so loud were the voices and concerns in his head as protocols and implementation procedures all screamed at him to begin a course of action.
Everything that he ordered, from here on out, was of the highest importance. Each step, each directive, every little detail could mean the difference between life and death.
He wasn't sure that any physician, or even group of doctors, could ever be prepared for something like this. Sure, there were strategic layouts, there were manuals several binders thick, but, until you were faced with the situation, those items were nothing more than written words on pieces of paper.
McJohn was well versed in them, had helped write or revise many of them as new advances and changes had developed over the years. He had always found his field exciting and challenging as the science had grown by leaps and bounds from when he'd first studied to become a doctor.
For one moment, he was reminded of the silly arcade game, the one where the little hungry yellow creature worked his way through a maze, eating points and avoiding the ghosts.
In this case, the ghosts were symbolic of the disease that had been unleashed and he felt like that little yellow creature. Would he be able to do all that was needed in time, or, would he too, get trapped in a corner with no means of escape, only to have the ghosts surround him and abolish any hope of victory?
Taking another moment, he inhaled and exhaled slowly, forcing his mind to stop racing and for his body to calm. It might be a precious moment, but one that he needed. Effectiveness would not come as a result of rash ill preparedness.
And, Colonel McJohn, with all too much certainty, knew that he needed to be more prepared to deal with this than he had ever been before in his career.
Chapter Seventeen – Part 2
4:15 AM (Melrose Residence)
The harsh ringing of the telephone on the bedside stand roused Agency Section Chief William Melrose from an already troubled sleep that had been filled with nightmares of bickering agents and melting computers.
Wearily, he sat up in bed and reached for the phone, his eyes not yet open.
"Yes," he whispered into the receiver, tying to stay quiet so as not to awaken his wife, Jeannie.
"Morning William, Stanley Harper with the CIA."
"This isn't good, is it?" Billy grumbled quietly.
"Sorry to say, it isn't pleasure Melrose. You knew Grey Meyers, right?"
"Yes, he's the agent that was supposed to be working with Stetson on the ATAC review meeting."
"Was being the operative word here. His wife came home from a business trip late yesterday. She found him, dead on the bedroom floor."
"Anything yet?"
"I've just gotten the prelim autopsy results. We've got a major problem Billy."
"How major Stanley?"
"It might be too early to jump to this conclusion, but I think we've got a very real possibility of a Magna Alpha throughout the entire intelligence network."
Billy rubbed his hands wearily across his eyes.
"Who's working on it?"
"I've already called in the bioterrorism unit from Fort Detrik. They say McJohn's the best."
"He is, we've dealt with him before."
"I heard about that. Like I said, it's too early to tell. I should have more shortly."
"You can reach me at the office," Billy said, then hung up phone.
"William, what's the matter?"
He turned to find his wife sitting up in bed, looking at him with worried concern.
"I hope to God he's wrong," Billy said. "Jeannie, I have to go to the office. I'm sorry."
She hugged her husband.
"You know you don't have to apologize," she told him. "Now go, I'll be fine."
"I love you," he told her as he gave her a quick kiss.
"I love you too."