“I don’t like the sound of that,” I said. “Not one bit.”
“Neither do I. It seems orchestrated to me,” Raad said. “I’m going over to VBione Corp with Protectors and some of my best Aska councillors straightaway. We’re going to get to the bottom of this. You work on containing the infection.”
“Got it,” I said. I was coming up on the government building.
“And one other thing,” Raad said. “I checked the news before I called. More people are dying. Five hundred people in Nurlie, fifty in Lodden, and thirty-eight in Surrvul. You need to get a message out and advise people to stay indoors. You can’t let this thing spread to the capital.”
Torio greeted me as I entered my private council chamber. “Your Most Supreme Majesty, I have requested Dr. Weintag be sent for straightaway to assist in the emergency meeting. He should be arriving shortly. Dr. Weintag is an expert in airborne infections and viral mutations.”
“Excellent,” I said. I took a quick look around to make sure everyone was present. All five of my councillors sat red eyed in their respective seats, waiting for me. “Let’s get started,” I told Torio. “We have no time to waste.”
“The king?” he asked. “Shouldn’t the king and his council also be here?”
“He’s busy,” I said, moving past Torio to take my chair. “All you’ve got is me. Now let’s get started.”
We squabbled for a few minutes over the best way to proceed. Master Widrig suggested stifling the news so we didn’t cause a panic, but I quickly squashed that idea. I ordered Lady Katrin to put out a public warning for people not to go outdoors without breathing masks and to leave their homes only if there was an emergency. I had Master Widrig authorize huge overtime payments to doctors and nurses for the extra work, then had him order every able-bodied medical professional to their nearest hospital. “We need to be fully staffed and prepared,” I said, “even here in the capital.”
Next, Torio sent out orders to the Protectors to begin door-to-door safety checks and take any infected people straight into quarantine. Special bubbles were already being put into use all over the globe to try to contain the virus. Still, I had Aska Nikhel put out a travel ban. No flyrarcs, no boats, no trains. As of that moment, travel between continents was off-limits.
And that was when Dr. Weintag entered the room. He was an older gentleman with white hair and a dusty lab coat.
“Good morning, Dr. Weintag,” I said. “Please take the floor. Tell us everything you know.”
Dr. Weintag cleared his throat and activated his visin. He began talking us through the images on his screen.
“We’re dealing with a sudden mutated strain of the flu virus, which we’re calling KS3. It’s airborne. That’s why we’re having trouble containing it. As far as we can tell, it has spread to all continents. We now have a global pandemic. This is a red-alert situation, Your Most Supreme Majesty. Testing from the last twelve hours indicates KS3 is continuing to mutate and evolve. None of our medicines are working. Upon entering the human system, KS3 bypasses all antibodies and attacks the central nervous system, causing fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, delirium, and ultimately … death.”
“What’s the death toll at now?” I asked. “Someone check the damn reports!”
Master Widrig said, “Four thousand in Nurlie, eight hundred in Krug, four hundred in Surrvul, two fifty in Lodden, one hundred in Shondur, and fifty in Gaard. The capital is no longer safe.”
No one even gasped. They just blinked, eyes huge, breathing shallowly. Lady Katrin said, “At this rate, the world could be gone by tomorrow night.”
“Not all of it,” Dr. Weintag said. “We will live, and the clan leaders, I’m sure, have already retreated to their secret underground bunkers. None of the clan leaders dare retreat to their remote lodgings or private sanctuaries, because of the Gurnot pyromaniac on the loose. The ones who will suffer seriously from this disaster are the commoners, all the people in the street who can’t escape the devastation of KS3. As for you, my queen, I suggest wearing a breathing mask from this point on.”
A Protector then entered the room with a box full of sterilized items. My councillors and I each put them on, then exchanged frightened looks through our masks and visors.
“We need an effective antiviral,” the doctor said, “and we need it now. This is the most potent flu we’ve seen in our time, much like the Great Destroyer Bug, which wiped out over half our population five hundred years ago. The basic reproduction number is very high. By our calculations, over five hundred million people will be dead by next week. We have roughly forty-eight hours to put a lid on this.”
“What can we do in the meantime?” Nnati asked. “How can we protect ourselves and the people?”
Dr. Weintag ran his hand through his wispy white hair. He was visibly trembling. I could understand why. This outbreak had the potential to end the world. “We need the Protectors to begin handing out antiviral sprays,” he said, “breathing apparatus, gloves, sterile wipes, and even flimsy bodysuits to keep the masses relatively safe. As for the nobility, I highly suggest refraining from touching or even being in the same room with others.”
“Got it,” I said. Then I addressed my councillors. “From now on, all meetings will be held through visins. I want my staff barricaded in sealed rooms behind sterilized barriers. Everyone, take extra breathing masks with
