“Mr. President,” Kasich said in a low voice. “You will be in Texas next week.”
Flopping back in his chair and giving a curt grunt, “No, I won’t,” the President chuckled. “I don’t want to go there anyway, they didn’t vote for me. I’ll be here for Sutton to give me an update.”
Everyone laughed as the Secretary of Defense handed out his own bound reports. “Mr. President, I’ll see Dr. Sutton out,” Jackson said, getting up.
“Thank you and will you read his report and explain it in English for me?” the President asked, picking up a pen and making notes on a pad.
Walking around the table, the Surgeon General waited as Sutton packed up his stuff. When Sutton stood up, instead of leading Sutton to the hall, Jackson led him out a back door into another room. Closing the door, Jackson turned to Sutton. “When will your team have a more detailed report on the virus?” Jackson asked.
“We only got a sample here two days ago, so in the next forty-eight hours we can confirm what the Chinese sent us,” Sutton answered.
Looking at Sutton hard for a few seconds, “In your report, it said the virus could survive outside a host for five hours. You think that’s right?” Jackson asked.
“No, that’s what the Chinese stated,” Sutton answered quickly and Jackson sighed in relief. “I think it can survive outside longer,” Sutton replied and Jackson paled. “The virus is encapsulated, unlike any H5N1 we’ve ever seen, that I already know and was going to explain.”
Closing his eyes, Jackson took a deep breath to steady his nerves and then opened his eyes, waving at the door to the meeting. “None in that room would understand, just like they don’t understand research takes time,” he sighed. “What about the other trial pre-pandemic vaccines we already have for H5N1?”
“The Chinese have the same vaccines we do and so far, none show an immune response in patients. But the real problem is the virus is highly lethal to chickens, more so than us. Most avian species show symptoms in twelve hours and die within five days but there are a few, seagulls for one, that last over a week,” Sutton explained and Jackson stumbled back into a chair.
“Holy shit,” Jackson gasped.
Glad to see Jackson understood what they were facing, Sutton put his briefcase down. “Just from what we know now, this is the virus that we have always worried about. It’s airborne, can live on surfaces for hours, has a long contagious phase with the patient showing no symptoms, and is highly lethal,” Sutton said and Jackson noticed Sutton was nervous.
Reaching in his pocket and pulling out a business card, “Call me if you need anything, and keep me updated,” Jackson told Sutton as he took the card. “You think our H5N1 test kits that we have will work to identify people who are infected?”
Shaking his head, “No,” Sutton answered and Jackson felt the weight of the world press down on him. “The Chinese reported that, but this virus has a hemagglutinin sequence we’ve never seen before. Several of the virologists that are working on it now said this virus shouldn’t exist.”
Reaching out and grabbing Sutton’s arm, “They don’t think it is a created bioweapon, do they?” Jackson gasped.
Shaking his head rapidly, “No, this is nature’s creation. We are positive on that,” Sutton answered confidently.
“Damn, a part of me was kind of hoping because that would mean a vaccine was already prepared,” Jackson said, letting Sutton’s arm go. “If it reaches our shores, I really feel this can turn into a doomsday scenario.”
“Like our leading virologist Dr. Skannish told me, nature creates the ultimate viruses, not man,” Sutton said. “Jackson, it already is a doomsday scenario unless we keep it off or contained early on this continent.”
Nodding, “I’d have to agree with him on viruses, and you on that,” Jackson said as a Secret Service agent opened the door behind them.
“Sirs, I should tell you, this room is recorded for security,” the agent said in a serious voice. “I can show you a room where you can talk privately.”
Jackson turned to the agent, “Have your supervisor mark this recording classified.”
“Yes sir,” the agent nodded. “The room across the hall is cleared.”
Turning back to Sutton, “Keep me updated,” Jackson said, holding out his hand.
“I will,” Sutton promised, shaking his hand and grabbing his briefcase.
“We won’t need the room,” Jackson said, heading to the door that the agent was holding open.
Following Jackson out into the hall, “Will you talk to the President and explain that money will help, but action would do more?” Sutton almost begged.
Stopping at the door, Jackson glanced back at Sutton. “I’ll try, but you have to realize that everyone in that room has been bought and paid for, and I’m not talking about the citizens of America,” Jackson said and the agent snorted, trying to hide a grin. “They answer to corporations and banks. Sutton, you have to understand, that’s who will be losing money and that’s who will be calling the shots.”
Giving a sigh, “Yeah, the director told me the same,” Sutton sighed.
“Why isn’t he here?” Jackson grinned.
“Visiting drug company executives and to be honest, I think his doctorate is honorary only,” Sutton groaned. “He doesn’t understand anything we talk about.”
Laughing as he walked out into the hall, “That could be said for many here in Washington,” Jackson said as the agent closed the door.
Following Jackson down the hall, “Aren’t you going back in?” Sutton asked.
“What they’re talking about now doesn’t concern me,” Jackson shrugged, leading Sutton
