Happy Mother's Day. This chapter is a day early in honor of mothers, and those who wish to be mothers, everywhere.

OCTOBER 19, 8:30 A.M., WALTER REED HOSPITAL

“Sir, your son’s fever has broken. He has lost considerable weight, about sixty-five pounds, and he’s quite weak. We’d like to do run some more tests before releasing him. It should be a couple more days.”

“I’d like to see my son now, Doctor–what’s your name– Isaacs?”

“Mr. Goldman, we still don’t know what he caught or whether he’s still contagious. We need more time before releasing him from quarantine.”

“Sonny–er, Doctor Isaacs–I didn’t ask if my son Frank was contagious, I said I wanted to see him.”

“Mr. Goldman, your son is in a specially designed isolation unit. No one will be permitted to see him until he is moved to a different unit, and that won’t happen until...”

“Sonny, I have not been able to see my son for more than three days. I don’t care how you do it, move him, let me in, or set up a video camera, but I expect to see him, and very soon.”

OCTOBER 19, 11:13 A.M., NEW YORK CITY SUBWAY TUNNEL NEAR THE 67TH STREET STATION

Ralph Cranson and Norton Miller were “walking the tracks” of the New York City subway system as they checked for power drains. From past experience, they walked carefully, not just to avoid the puddles that might be electrified with more than 400 amps of alternating current, but also to avoid tripping on the beer cans, wine bottles, old clothes, furniture pieces, fecal matter and other wildlife debris, human and other.

“I still don’t believe all the junk we find down here.” Ralph grumbled as he stepped around the remains of a padded chair with bright orange flowers on a background of green and yellow checks.

“But Ralphie boy, dis is da remains of a once great civilization. Archaeologists are gonna puzzle for years over da significance of dat rubba boot, doze used condoms, da color choices involved in da making o’ dat chair.” Norton dropped it gently by the sidewall where it would be out of the way until a garbage crew could come through and remove it. After all, the next train was due in less than seven and a half minutes. “Think of da wonder, da learned discourse. Was da background on dis chair a political statement or merely bad taste? Why I’ll bet...”

“Norton, will you please shut up.”

“But Ralph, think ‘bout it. Those condoms’ll last forever. In some century ta come a scientist could be diggin’ through this rubble for da remains of doze condoms so dat he can extract the DNA of us ancients in order ta save a future mankind from some bizarre plague from Mars or even Alpha Ceti.”

“Norton, shut up.”

“Ralphie, use your imagination. Why...”

“Norton, I said SHUT UP.” Ralph yelled raising his fist. “I think I heard something.”

“Sure, Ralph. Sure. Why didn’t ya just say so?” Norton’s voice slid off into hurt silence.

“Listen. Do you hear it?”

“Da drippin’ water?”

“No. The moaning.” Ralph held his hand to his ear straining.

“There. It’s coming from there.” He pointed to a branch tunnel especially filled with garbage and steam pipes.

“Ah, Ralph, I don’ think we should go in dere?”

“I know Norton, but it sounds like people.”

“All da more reason, Ralphie boy. Let it go. We got a job ta do.” Norton tugged gently at Ralph’s shirtsleeve.

“I know. But they sound like they’re hurting. Listen.”

“I does sound like de’re in pain.” Norton hesitantly begrudged him that much.
“But dat’s all da more reason ta leave it be Ralphie. It’s probably a bunch of bums shootin’ up or somtin’. Come on, we got a job ta do.”

“Sorry Norton. I can’t.” Suddenly he held up his hand to silence Norton again. “Listen. Did you hear that? I think it was a call for help.”

“You’re not gonna let dis slide are ya?” Norton’s sigh was long and heartfelt. “Awright, let’s go.” He followed Ralph down the tunnel, pushing aside more rubbish to get by.

After the first turn, there was only the light of their flashlights. Ralph stopped so suddenly Norton bumped into him. “Wazza matta, Ralph?” Norton looked scared.

“It’s coming from down there.” Ralph pointed to a stairway in the gloom off to the left.

“Yeah. Now let’s get outta here.” Norton turned to go.

“Come on Norton.”

“Ralph we’re gonna get lost. There’s tunnels here dat ain’t been explored in decades, and they sure as hell ain’t been mapped.”

“No we’re not. I’m marking the way with chalk.” He started down the stairs. Norton stared after him and then sighed deeply before following.

From a large low-ceilinged room to the right, a light sputtered and flickered. The noises were coming from the room. They were clearer now and sounded very much like moans, groans and gasps.

“Ralph it’s a damn orgy in there. Enough already. Let’s get outta here.”
Before Ralph could respond, an emaciated shape staggered out of the room and fell to the sewage covered floor in front of time. It was covered in ragged clothes and the whole body, including the clothes, was covered in some putrid smelling slime that they later were told was a combination of sweat, vomit, urine and feces. The shape groaned. Fever-filled eyes locked onto them and the shape reached out a trembling hand to the shocked transit workers and whispered, “Help. Please help us.”

Ralph and Norton backed away and to the side, still staring at the wretched shape. Behind the first shape, four more came into view before also collapsing. Ralph stepped into the entranceway to the room and saw several more shapes, in worse condition than the ones who had made it out.

“Geez,” Norton hissed as he peeked over his friend’s shoulder. “What’d we stumble onto here, Dante’s Inferno?”

“Shut up Norton. I’m calling this in.”

OCTOBER 19, 2:10 P.M., WALTER REED HOSPITAL

“Doctor, I’d like you to meet a friend of mine. Judge Henry Rotkowski meet Dr. Paul Isaacs,” the elder Goldman said with a venomous smile. “Judge Rotkowski, please explain to the good doctor why he needs to immediately allow me access to my son.”

OCTOBER 19, 4:15 P.M., WALTER REED HOSPITAL

“Mr. Goldman, I’d like to give you one last chance to reconsider.” The Judge had left after making it clear that he would be back with a court order in hand and U.S. Marshals at his side to insure Mr. Goldman had immediate access to his son, but Dr. Isaacs was still trying to get the irate father to reconsider.

“No.”

“Sir, please let me finish.”

“Will it get me in there to see my son any sooner?”

“Sir, you won’t get in to see your son, legal threats or not, if I don’t finish saying this.”

“Then get on with it,” Jack Goldman growled and slumped back into the hard plastic seat to impatiently wait the physician out.

“Thank you. Mr. Goldman, you are asking to enter a secure biohazard area. Even our nursing and medical staff use robotic extensions rather than enter that area. While we do not think your son’s life is at risk, there is a very real chance that you will extend his time in isolation if you are infected as neither of you will not be released until it is absolutely clear that both you and your son are completely free of contagion. You should also be aware that at this time we do not know how long that could be. Finally, before being permitted to enter the isolation unit it will be necessary to sign these releases.”

“Where?”

“Excuse me?”

“Where do I sign?”

“Please sir, I am required to insure that you understand what you are signing.”

“Then get on with it.”

“There are four documents here. The first says that you understand all the risks inherent in entering the isolation unit. The second absolves this hospital, the armed forces and the government of the United States of any culpability for harm to you as a result of your entry into the isolation unit. The third assigns me as your physician for the duration of your stay in that biohazard unit.”

“Harumph,” Jack Goldman interrupted with a snort of disgust.

“Whether you like it or not, there is no physician with more experience with this particular disease than I am, Mr. Goldman. You don’t have to like me. You just have to believe that I will do what’s best medically and that I know more about what to do than anyone you know or can find.”

“Yeah, yeah. Get on with it. I already said I would sign.”

Very well, the fourth is a living will. It gives me limited power of attorney to make medical decisions on your behalf should you become incapacitated while in the isolation unit. Finally, the fifth authorizes this facility to bill you for all meals, treatments and services provided while in the isolation unit. Do you understand what you are being asked to sign?”

“Your pen or mine?”

OCTOBER 19, 4:27 P.M., WALTER REED HOSPITAL

“Who the hell is this woman and where is my son?”

OCTOBER 19, 6:20 P.M., AN ISOLATED FARM, LOCATION DELETED CONSISTENT WITH PROVISIONS OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY ACT

“Gentlemen, we have successfully relocated. Where are we with respect to our various loose ends?” Captain Schultz was again pacing, but this time in the dining room of the farmhouse and backup headquarters of his clandestine unit.

“Captain,” Lieutenant Jackson was responsible for site security, “We have two security guards with the five rat people caged in one corner of the barn. Two additional men are guarding Dr. Harriman, Ms. Branca and Mr. Abbot in one of the upstairs bedrooms. Another two men are guarding our three items from Las Vegas. Four more men, with dogs, are patrolling the area around the barn and the farmhouse and there is a squad of ten additional men, also with dogs, at the farm’s perimeter. All incoming and outgoing messages are through one last man set up in a corner of the kitchen.

“Captain,” Sergeant Challer was next, “Lieutenant Roegler reports both good news and bad news. It looks like all of the items from New York City have been collected and will be here this evening. This clears up all but the last two outstanding items, Dr. Sternlicht and the possible fourth item in the Las Vegas area.”

“What about the Congressman–er, I guess I should now say Congresswoman–and her father?”

“Dr. Isaacs reports that he has been forced to quarantine the father along with the son. The Congresswoman is being kept sedated and has not regained consciousness and while the father knows, he is not being given access to communicate what he has discovered.”

“Have the final bedroom set up as an interrogation room and we’ll see what other loose ends we might have.”

OCTOBER 21, 4:03 P.M., AN ISOLATED FARM, LOCATION DELETED CONSISTENT WITH PROVISIONS OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY ACT

“Shit! Lt. Roegler’s hypothesis regarding a fourth item in the Las Vegas area is confirmed. I repeat, ‘is confirmed.’ Advise him. Then bring in Dr. Harriman.” Sergeant Challer left the temporary interrogation room at a fast walk.

OCTOBER 21, 4:15 P.M., AN ISOLATED FARM, LOCATION DELETED CONSISTENT WITH PROVISIONS OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY ACT

“Captain, the guard is unnecessary. You know we have been cooperative.” Dr. Harriman pointed to the guard standing at attention behind Captain Schultz. When the Captain hesitated he chuckled, “Surely you are not afraid of me. I’m not even contagious.”

The Captain waved the guard away and silently examined the man sitting across the table from him. The guard walked around the corner and no further.

“You seem reticent to begin Captain. Will it help if I start?”

“Sure.”

“Very well. I will offer some hypotheses and then you can decide how you wish to proceed.” Dr. Harriman leaned back in his chair and cleared his throat, comfortable once again in the role of teacher.

“We have the rodent people and our sudden departure from our previous site as a starting point. The rodent people could not have been a simple accident, too many safety precautions would have needed to have been overcome in order to permit that type of event to occur.” Dr. Harriman gently rubbed his chin as he continued.

“You have additional guards on one of the other bedroom doors suggesting other prisoners. My guess is that you have additional changelings under your care and, as they were not evident when we were at our other site, I hypothesis that the virus has made it beyond my daughter and her–er his–friend.” Captain Schultz’s demeanor remained unchanged, but Dr. Harriman was willing to bet he had scored with that last salvo and gleefully continued.

“When we arrived here, only this building and the barn were evident, no hi-tech lab or security equipment appeared to exist. Additionally, nothing I have seen since our arrival suggests otherwise. My surmise is that what we see is all there is as you would want us in a more secure setting if you could arrange it.” With the Captain’s silence the only response Dr. Harriman continued, feeling even more certain of his hypotheses.

“There are too few vehicles or people walking around between the barn and the farm house and none of them are wearing lab coats. This tells me that you are having some difficulty determining who to trust regarding continued research. My guess would be that you and Dr. Sternlicht have had a parting of the ways.” Dr. Harriman paused for effect and then continued.

“May I assume Dr. Sternlicht is missing?”

Captain Schultz’s reserve seemed to be slipping as a small tick developed by his right eye but he remained silent.

“Come now, Captain. You’re obviously in trouble or we would be in a much more elaborate setting. You cannot have many options left. It would seem to me that you need me and mine. I suggest we discuss this openly.” There was the beginning of annoyance in Dr. Harriman’s voice. He crossed his hands over his chest and waited.

“That’s an interesting set of assumptions professor.” The Captain was postponing an answer while he rapidly considered his next move. “I was unaware you had such interest in the deductive sciences.”

“You’re stalling Captain.”

“Why would you assume that the research is not continuing apace at the old site?”

“Because you are not there, Captain. As far as Eunice, Lyle or I can tell, you left the old research site only for brief periods. I’ll bet you even had a cot somewhere near your office and that you used it regularly. Surely we, the three of us, are not more important than a research site.”

“How do you know I’m not just here briefly to assure that you’ll all be appropriately cared for?”

“I don’t. However, if that is your intent here, please feel free to leave. Our comfort needs are being adequately met except for bathroom access and a change of clothes.” Dr. Harriman again waited while Captain Schultz considered.

“If what you’ve suggested is true, how would you suggest I proceed?”
“Nice try Captain. I believe we need to come to a mutual understanding before we proceed.” Dr. Harriman’s belly laugh was irritating the Captain, especially given the uncanny accuracy of his assumptions.

“What do you want?”

“First I want to know that I can trust you more than I was able to trust Maximilian.”

“You have my word as an officer and a gentleman.”

“Glibly offered,” Dr. Harriman responded sarcastically, “but I’ll accept it. After all,” he smiled, “it's the best offer I’ve had all day.” When the Captain smiled too, he continued.

“Assuming everything I’ve elucidated above to be correct,” Dr. Harriman looked at Captain Schultz who nodded, “then we have much we can and should do together. I would note that Eunice, Lyle and I are most familiar with the direction and progress of Dr. Sternlicht’s recent research. More than anyone else you have available, we can probably determine what he was doing and with luck duplicate his work.” Captain Schultz again nodded.

“If Dr. Sternlicht has absconded; you can probably assume that he will not be found by any of the usual investigative techniques. He is probably not even the same person.”

“Then what do you propose?” Captain Schultz couldn’t help himself. He leaned forward to devote his full attention to Dr. Harriman’s words.

“With new finger prints, a new face, and, I am quite sure, a new identity, you’ll need two things. A graphic representation of the likely changes in his appearance and people intimately familiar with his quirks.”

“Please continue.”

“While I have known the good doctor as a colleague for more than twenty years, Eunice L. and Lyle E. both worked for him. I don’t believe he has any living relatives, so you have no one more knowledgeable about him that you can trust than us. They are the idea field agents to track him down.”

“But why should I trust them? And why shouldn’t I send you instead?”

“Because I will be here, as a hostage if you wish to think of it that way. Because I’m the one with the doctorate in biomedical research and thirty years of experience. Because I am an old man, too old to be running around and hunting runaway researchers.”

“I assume I can couple them with experienced agents?”

“You’ll need to work that out with them, but I’m sure they’ll be reasonable if you make it worth their while.”

“Then we have a deal.” Captain Schultz offered his hand.

“No discussion with your superiors?” But Dr. Harriman knew better. Without hesitation, he took the proffered hand and shook it heartily.

Still, Schultz answered his question. “No. As you’ve correctly assumed, this is a ‘black op.’ My supervisors do not wish to know anything unless I can report complete success.”

OCTOBER 21, 5:54 P.M., AN ISOLATED FARM, LOCATION DELETED CONSISTENT WITH PROVISIONS OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY ACT

“Good news children,” Dr. Harriman smiled broadly as he entered the bedroom where Eunice and Lyle were being held captive. Behind him, also smiling, was Captain Schultz.