They entered after a brief knock on the door, and the major greeted him with his hand extended. “Dr. Bannock, I don’t believe we’ve met before. I’m Major Owen Reed, and this is Lieutenant King, my right-hand man.”
“Lieutenant King and I have met. He and his men were the ones to save me, after all,” Dr. Bannock said.
“Yes, of course. I forgot about that,” Major Reed said. “Please, be seated, and I trust you’ve been taken care of since your rescue?”
“I have, thank you. It’s amazing what a hot shower and a good meal can do for one’s state of mind.”
“Agreed,” the major said, sitting down behind his desk.
“May I ask as to the nature of this meeting, Sir?” Dr. Bannock asked.
“I asked you here to talk about Dr. Lee.”
“Dr. Lee? Tara Lee?” Dr. Bannock asked.
“Yes. I understand you used to be her superior?” the major asked. “Is that correct?”
“Yes, it is, Sir,” Dr. Bannock said. “She reported to me while on loan to the WHO in the Congo.”
“And she was the first person to study the outbreak of the Vita virus? She was there at the source?”
Dr. Bannock nodded. “Yes, indeed. I only wish she’d been more forthcoming about the virus from the very beginning.”
“What do you mean?” Major Reed asked with a frown.
Dr. Bannock hesitated before answering. “As her superior, it was Dr. Lee’s job to report her findings to me.”
“Did she?”
“Yes, she did, but her reports lacked vital information,” Dr. Bannock continued. “Information regarding the virulence and infection rate of the virus. By the time it mutated and began to spread, it was already too late to contain it.”
“Are you saying she allowed it to spread on purpose?” the major asked with a doubtful note in his voice.
“Not on purpose, Sir, but through negligence. Dr. Lee has always exhibited a lackadaisical approach to her work, and the Congo was no exception. I believe she wasn’t doing everything she should have and picked up on the severity of the situation too late. By then, there wasn’t much any of us could do,” Dr. Bannock said, carefully weaving fact with fiction.
“I see. What more can you tell me about her?” the major asked.
Dr. Bannock shrugged. “There isn’t much to tell. She was an average employee, at best. Nothing special. In fact, I believe if we’d sent someone else to study the virus at its origins, things might have turned out very differently. It’s something that plagues me to this day, and I feel I carry partial responsibility for the outbreak.”
“If Dr. Lee is such an average scientist, how did she manage to discover a cure?” Major Reed asked, leaning forward in his chair.
“Pure luck, I’d surmise,” Dr. Bannock said. “Luck, and the help of other scientists at Fort Knox.”
“I don’t believe in luck, doctor.”
Dr. Bannock shrugged. “She probably piggybacked off other’s work, and when the Fort fell, she saw an opportunity to claim all the credit.”
“In other words, you don’t think she’s qualified to spearhead this research regarding a vaccine?” Major Reed questioned.
“Spearhead, no. I’d suggest you put someone with more experience in charge, but she’s perfectly capable of doing basic research and taking notes. That sort of thing.”
“And who would you suggest as the lead scientist?” the major asked with a wry smile. “Yourself?”
“Certainly, Sir. I have many years of experience in the field,” Dr. Bannock said. “I am more than qualified for the job and would make a success of it.”
“I will take your suggestion under advisement,” the major said before waving at Lieutenant King. “Do you have anything to report, Lieutenant?”
“Yes, Sir. We received a report from Mount Weather regarding a severe storm coming our way,” Lieutenant King replied.
“Mount Weather!” Bannock exclaimed. “Are they still operational?”
“They are, and they report to all the bases and institutions that are still standing,” Lieutenant King replied. “Now, if I may continue?”
“Oh, my apologies for interrupting. Please, proceed,” Dr. Bannock said, waving toward the lieutenant.
“How severe will the storm be?” Major Reed asked.
“Temperatures well below freezing, several inches of snow, and blizzard force winds, Sir.”
“When will it hit us, and how long will it last?” the major asked.
“Tomorrow afternoon, perhaps night, and it’s expected to last several days, Sir,” Lieutenant King said.
The major thought for a few seconds before relaying his commands: “Make sure the men are equipped with adequate clothing and shelter against the cold. Even during a storm, we cannot afford to let our guard down, and patrols must continue. Fit all vehicles with snow chains.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Inform the civilians of the coming storm and instruct them to remain inside their houses. No one is to wander about the base without a valid reason. Everyone is to collect a week’s worth of rations tomorrow morning. That will have to last them until the worst is over. And tell Davis to make sure that all essential buildings have an uninterrupted supply of power. Even if it means having a team on standby.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Once the storm hits, the base will go on lockdown until it passes. Understood?” the major asked.
“Yes, Sir.”
“Excellent. I will see you in the morning at the staff meeting. You can report back to me then. Dismissed,” the major said. “As for you, Dr. Bannock, we will talk again soon.”
“Thank you, Sir. I look forward to meeting you again,” Dr. Bannock replied, shaking the major’s hand with vigor.
“Oh, Lieutenant,” Major Reed said. “A quick word before you go.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“You may wait outside, doctor. We won’t be long,” the major assured Bannock.
With a duck of his head, Bannock exited the office and waited for Lieutenant King. He didn’t have to wait long. Within a couple of minutes, the private meeting was over.
“Allow me to escort you to your quarters, Dr. Bannock,” Lieutenant King said.
“Thank you, Sir. That’s very kind of you.”
The walked down the passage and turned a corner. There, the lieutenant opened a door and ushered Bannock
