Bryce woke up soon after dawn on June 19 feeling as though he hadn't slept a wink. He had a headache and both nose and throat had tickles. He found the Banner family seated at a breakfast table. All except Erin were fever-flushed and had runny noses, and Erin was the only one who seemed to have a normal appetite. Bryce asked Margot if he could fill mugs of coffee for himself and Eddie. Margot, after a series of sneezes, said sure.
Eddie was at his usual spot in the tower. He accepted a mug gratefully and was about to sip when two Sikorsky Black Hawks flew past the house at low altitude. Their vibrations rattled the windows and some interior items. They landed just outside the barbed wire enclosure around Arnette.
Bryce picked up the spyglass and watched as ten soldiers, all wearing respirators, disembarked from each helicopter. He saw salutes and the appearance of brief conversations. Two trucks passed through the gate and parked near the aircraft. Soldiers, many of them looking weak, stepped out of one truck. Three other soldiers were carried out on gurneys. From the other truck, pairs of soldiers carried white bags, both of which were adult size.
The body bags were put in one helicopter. From the body language of the soldiers carrying them or standing nearby, they were grieving their buddies. The sick men went into the other helicopter. A few minutes later, both aircraft lifted off and aimed themselves east with sunlight glinting off their windshields.
Eddie continued to watch with his binoculars. Without lowering them he said, "Where do you think they're going, Bryce — Disease Control in Atlanta?"
"Yeah, could be . . . and maybe Stu's there!"
Both of them watched the helicopters until they flew out of sight. Then Bryce let out three wet sneezes, and Eddie a series of phlegmy coughs.