Deadly Epidemic - Chapter Four

I was sitting on my bed looking at the ceiling when my cell phone rang. At first, I thought I was hallucinating but realizing it was really ringing, I jumped off the bed and ran to get it off my desk. I picked up, "Hello. Dr Byrant here." It was mine and Russell's big boss, the President. President Obama's voice was clear, too clear I thought. It rang in my head. "Dr. Byrant this is President Barack Obama. Do you have any readings on the cure yet?"

I was stunned that he was calling directly to my phone. I cleared my voice a little and said, "Mr. President, yes hello sir. I am sorry to report at this moment there is nothing new. Dr. Chatman and myself have been working in-depth with the disease but nothing has been found. If you wouldn't mind me asking. Is there any way that I may speak to you in more private of a place? Now is not such a good time." Truth be told, if I could get the president to help me, and listen to me, then all might be worth killing these zombies. I might feel like I'm actually fighting a war worth fighting. He sighed, "Yes Dr. Byrant. Shall I fly in to your building and meet you there later this evening?"

I gulped, "No sir, it's too dangerous here in the city. If you would, have a helicopter to pick me up on the top of the building later this evening. I would never try to endanger your life sir." He came back on shortly, "I know Dr. Byrant and thank you for serving your country so well. Tell me, will Dr. Chatman be joining us as well?" I hesitated, "Uh no sir, I think he has been feeling a bit under the weather as of late. I'd like to keep this between us sir."

President Obama agreed to and let me go. I stood there gazing out the window hoping and praying my plans would go as I was playing them out in my mind. I told Dr. Chatman I wouldn't be joining him for dinner and excused myself up to my room. When dusk touched the skies, I ran up to the roof. A black helicopter was waiting with the thing surrounded by men in black suits. I smirked and ran to board it. After I was aboard it, a man turned to me, "Hello I am Luther. I am the president's guard for this evening. Just remember, no weapons and you will be fine. You have any questions?"

I shook my head no. I had no questions only a mind full to tell the president. Once the president was in my reach I would tell him everything. But you know that saying, nothing goes as it is planned? Well it didn't once I got to the Whitehouse. The helicopter landed on the Whitehouse lawn and I was stunned to hear the president had just left to go into an important meeting about something called a Nato attack. I sat in the dining room with my plate and my champagne when the first lady Michelle Obama came in.

She smiled kindly and shook my hand. "I'm terribly sorry my husband was not able to meet you. He got called on an important mission. He said there was something you wished to talk about. Is there something I can do, Dr. Byrant?" I gulped and sipped my champagne, "Yes there is if you do not mind me saying. I have been on an important mission myself down in New Orleans for the past five weeks. I have important information on who started the whole epidemic." I could feel eyes on me and realized the guards were right there near us.

I lowered my voice a bit, "Well what I have to tell you is, that Dr. Chatman is in on this epidemic. I do not have the proof quiet yet, but I can assure you, I soon will. " I saw her eyes widen and she turned to look at the guards and motion for them to leave the room. She whispered, "I have been researching this epidemic since you and the doctor have left. I know what you speak of. I saw something...written in his eyes the day he was here talking to my husband."

When I turned to look and make sure no one was hearing our conversation I said, "It was all for publicity, Mrs. Obama." She laughed, "Please call me Michelle." I nodded and continued, "Well I saw his journal and I have read nearly all the pages. He killed my sister and this epidemic is so that the president would send he and I alone down to New Orleans. He calls it his miracle epidemic. For this, he knows the cure but I cannot grasp it just yet."

She leaned over and whispered lightly, "Watch your back and I will tell my husband what you have said. Get details of everything you can. Some people in this world cannot be trusted and it is bad when one of our own setting out to destroy and tamper with his own people." I thought to myself, an American that is a terrorist. Boy this is gotta be a dream. Only things like this happen in dreams. I knew then that she was serious. She would report everything back to the president.

When I left the Whitehouse, I felt reassured that I wasn't the only one that believed that Dr. Chatman's intentions were to destroy the United States. All I had to do now was bide my time and find out all the information on it I could. I breathed in the night air and called home only to hear the familiar voice of my own on the answering machine. I smiled to myself. What I wouldn't give for all this to be over and to find myself breathing in the familiar scent of a warm balmy evening on my back porch.

When the helicopter landed I didn't stay on the roof long till I joined the familiar quietness of the hallway inside the building. I could hear a groan come from inside the air supply room and went to look. Their digging through a box was a zombie. I acted quick. I lunged forward and tackled the zombie to the floor. I knew if I screamed Dr. Chatman would come running in. I didn't want that. I grabbed a rope from the top of a shelf near the turned over box. I quickly tied it's hands behind its back. Then I yelled for Dr. Chatman.

As I predicted, he came running in. He looked at me and turned my face up to meet his, "Are you alright, m'dearest?" I smirked looking in his eyes, "Never better actually. Could you help me with this?"
I pushed the zombie towards him and came to my feet. We took the writhing zombie downstairs. She twisted and screeched as we laid her on the metal table in the lab. Dr. Chatman looked at me and said, "Toss me a scalpel please." I literally tossed it to him and he laughed nervously, "You could be a sushi chef with your talent, dear."

I shrugged with a smile and worked on the new batch of the serum. "All in a day's work..." I muttered and continued to help him.