CHAPTER 40
Plague Barge Destiny
Mediterranean Sea
The captain turned to the two men. “We’re clear. You can begin. And see if Dr. Chang and Dr. Janus have any bodies to dispose of.”
The older of the two men nodded and they left the ship’s bridge.
Below deck, they began strapping on the suits they wore each time.
“You ever think about what we’re doing?” the younger man asked.
“I try not to.”
“You think it’s wrong?”
The older man glanced up at him.
“They’re people, they’re just sick.”
“Are they? Are you a scientist? I’m not. Janitors don’t get paid to think.”
“Yes, but—”
“Don’t do that. Don’t overthink this thing. You’ve got my back out there. My life is in your hands. You overthink what we’re doing and you could get us both killed. And most importantly, you could get me killed. If the freaks on the deck don’t get us, the lunatics in the control room will. We’ve got one chance here: we do our job. So shut up and suit up.”
The younger man looked away, then resumed attaching tape to his suit, occasionally glancing at the older man.
“What did you do before the plague?”
“I didn’t do anything,” the older man said.
“Unemployed? Me too. Pretty much like everybody else my age in Spain. But, you know I had just gotten some work as a substitute teacher—”
“I was in prison.”
The young man paused, then asked, “What for?”
“I was in the type of prison where you don’t ask what you’re in for. And you don’t make friends. It’s a lot like this place. Look kid, I’m going to make it really simple for you: the world is over. The only mystery that matters is who’s gonna survive. There are two groups left. The people with the flamethrowers and the people catching the flames. You’re holding a flamethrower right now. So shut up and be happy. And don’t make friends. You never know who you’re gonna have to burn in this world.”
At that moment the door opened, and the scientist whom the crew called Dr. Doolittle—whose actual name was Dr. Janus—stepped into the small room. His face was blank and he made no eye contact with either man. Two lab assistants pushed carts with body bags in and left just as quickly.
“That all of ’em?” the larger man asked.
“For now,” the doctor said mildly to no one in particular. He turned to leave, but the younger man spoke up just as the scientist reached the door’s threshold.
“Any progress?”
Dr. Janus paused a moment, then said, “That depends… on your definition of progress.” He stepped out.
The younger man turned to the older man. “You think—”
“I swear, you even say the word ‘think’ again, and I’ll torch you myself. Now come on.”
They donned their helmets, marched up the stairs, and opened the doors to the stalls that held the devolving and the survivors who refused to pledge. A few seconds later, the first people began falling into the sea.