CHAPTER 30
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Atlanta, Georgia
Dr. Paul Brenner paced in front of the screens that covered the wall. The world map they displayed was covered with red dots: one for each Orchid district. A number floated above every point: the Orchid failure rate for that district. Since the outbreak, Orchid had been ineffective for roughly 0.3% of those infected. Now the numbers were climbing. In one district in Germany, almost one percent of the inhabitants were now dying from the plague, with no way to delay the eventual outcome: genetic transformation for a few, and for most—about ninety percent of people—death.
They had seen temporary, localized Orchid failures, but that had been due to formulation issues—manufacturing. This was global. If it was another… Paul resisted even thinking the word mutation; but if it was…
“Roll it back,” Paul said. “Show Orchid failure rates one hour ago, two hours ago. Keep stepping back an hour until they stabilize.”
Paul watched the numbers gradually decrease, then level out. “Stop right there.” He glanced at the time.
He walked to his station in the large conference room and rifled through a stack of papers. What had happened then? Had the Immari released a mutated virus—one Orchid couldn’t stop? That was their plan, or at least that was the working theory. He focused on the memos regarding Immari activity. One caught his eye. He checked the time. It was close. He scanned it.
Eyes Only
Suspected Nuclear Explosion at Immari Corporate Research Campus outside Nuremberg, Germany
Cause (best theory): industrial accident; detonation of an experimental weapon, part of Immari Research Advanced Weapons Program
Paul knew Immari Research was working on all kinds of advanced weapons. But the timing… He glanced at the rest of the memo.
Alternative Explanations:
(1) Immari believed to have removed object from location in Antarctica for study in Germany; possibly connected.
(2) Immari could have purposefully destroyed facility to prevent Allied seizure following their invasion of southern Spain.
Paul took a deep breath. He was sure of two things: one, that Orchid was failing around the world; and two, that it had begun with an Immari act. How much time did they have? One, possibly two days? Was there anything they could do in that amount of time?
“Get the group on the line,” Paul said. It was time to throw a Hail Mary pass.