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| Carrier Syndrome | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Part Four: the new plague | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Julie and her friends looked at the angry mob that was slowly circling in around them. The man that had a rifle aimed at her chest glared at her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "We have been waiting a long time for the chance to meet you again," he almost spat. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Really? I would have thought you'd have forgotten me by now," she remarked hesitantly. The man smirked and then struck her down with his weapon. She shook her head and slowly looked up at him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Because of you and that filthy poison you peddled - my brother died. You weren't there when he was screaming - twitching - foaming at the mouth," he stated. Julie slowly got up and looked over at him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'm telling you - ow - the stuff I dealt couldn't have done that," she began. He went to hit her again - she didn't flinch as the butt of the rifle stopped inches from her cheek. "My - boss - he likes his customers satisfied not dead," she added. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Is there any reason why I should believe a word you are saying?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "To be honest - no. But I am telling the truth," she reassured. His eyes never left hers as he lowered the rifle. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I actually believe you - how the hell is that possible?" he asked in disbelief. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If it wasn't her - then who?" one of the others demanded. Julie wiped the trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Maybe someone that wanted me to get in trouble and run back home?" she suggested. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You think a great deal of yourself to imagine that Lora would go through such trouble just to get you," the man remarked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I know what she is like. She is a calculating, manipulative bitch. She likes to have the best of the best - and you have to admit - when it comes to cars - I am one of the best," she pointed out. The man reluctantly nodded. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You are one of a kind - but you are too high maintenance," he stated slinging his rifle over his shoulder. It was then that he noticed the kid that was hiding behind Mark. "Alright - I'll bite - who is the brat? I know he can't be yours - he ain't near ugly enough," he added. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You're one to talk you toad faced freak," the kid rebutted. The man blinked in modest disbelief. He then looked over at Julie who was forcing down a smile. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I take it back - anything that ill mannered could only be yours," he remarked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He isn't mine. He was in the capital running scared," Julie stated. The statement caught his immediate attention. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Running scared - capital - that was what all the commotion was about? I should have known you had your oil covered hands in that mess," he began as he squatted down and looked over at the kid. "He's the one they are after?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Had the whole place running around like crazy. And as Lora went out of her way to make things difficult for me - I figured tit for tat," Julie remarked - looking over at the kid. The man slowly got up and looked at Julie. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Keep her friends and the child amused - say nothing until I return," he stated seriously as he motioned for Julie to follow him. Once they were safely out of earshot of the others he looked over at her. "You have no idea what you have stepped in - do you?" he asked seriously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What are you talking about?" she asked hesitantly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I was afraid of this - sit down," he instructed. Hesitantly she sat down on what was a toppled mailbox. "You must have heard about the cease fire - the peace talks that are going to be happening in about a week?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I wasn't living under a rock," she remarked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Then you know that Lora was planning on taking advantage of this - window of opportunity?" he asked seriously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Wouldn't put it passed her. But what does A have to do with B?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "These peace plans - they originated almost three years ago. From that time - my spies have informed me that she was devising a weapon that would be able to take out her enemies - all of them in one foul sweep," he continued. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'm afraid I'm still missing something," she rebutted - getting up. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "She hunted down the best chemists - doctors and scientists that she could find and she engineered - a disease - and a carrier for that disease," he began as he looked over at the kid that was sitting on Mark's shoulders. Julie slowly sat back down. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The kid?" she asked hesitantly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What do you think?" he rebutted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What do you know of this disease?" she hesitantly asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Precious little. Her security tightened as of late - go figure. I know that right now - she doesn't have the cure - yet," he stated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If - I, if the kid is sick - how come he doesn't look it?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He is just the carrier - near as we can tell - he is immune to the poison he spreads," he answered. Julie looked at her hands then over at the kid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Does he know?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't think so why?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Pity that - I guess I'll have to tell him. I'd hate him to die not knowing why," she began as she got up. He put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back down. "What?" she began. "If what you are saying is true - and that miserable little brat is this plague rat of the new millennium - why are we even talking? Why didn't you just gun us down?" she asked under her breath. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Truth be told - I was tempted - but something about Lora's people and their actions got me thinking. Not in almost three years has she sent people into the Fallen City. She wants that kid back - and she wants him back - in a very bad way," he began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You think she somehow caught what the kid has?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If so - it means that she needs him alive - and that a cure exists through that boy," he added. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You plan on handing us over?" she hesitantly asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Again - I was sorely tempted. But Lora and I - we have issues. I seriously doubt that she would willing part with any cure - not without some insidious price. No - you brought this fucking walking disease to us - into our home - you - will find us the cure," he stated seriously. She blinked in modest disbelief. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Really? I'm a mechanic - what am I supposed to do?" she asked sarcastically. The man before her smirked and squatted down before her - looking her in the eye. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I know you are far more resourceful than you let on. Just as I know that you met a lot of people when you peddled your poison around. We are all on borrowed time now. And the clock is ticking. My spies in the capital say that Lora is freaking out - saying that everything has to be in order by a week," he began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The peace talks?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Or - that is how long she has. And if you were both exposed to the brat at the same time - same way. It stands to reason that a week is the amount of time we all have," he stated calmly. She sighed and shook her head. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Even still - how am I supposed to do this?" she asked seriously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You have the first piece of the puzzle with you - the boy. The answer lies within him. Get him to a doctor and a chemist. And if I were you - I would be quick about it," he muttered - as he slowly got up. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "And if that doesn't work?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You have a week to find the cure. After that - well - need I be graphic?" he asked seriously. She sighed and shook her head. She looked over at how innocent the kid looked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Lora really outdid herself with this one. They never would have seen this one coming," she stated. She got up and looked over at the man that was also looking at the boy. "So when would my friends and I be off?" she asked. He smirked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Well, that - is what we need to talk about. You see - just as I can't trust Lora to part with the cure - likewise - I am hesitant to trust my life and the lives of my people to someone with your loose moral value system," he began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What are you getting at?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Nothing really. Two of your people will go with you - the other three remain here. And just so you remember - that you are not suffering alone - three of my rats will tag along with you. And rest assured - try anything funny - they will kill you. Remember - we still don't like you," he said with a smile. "And if you try to betray us - we will kill you," he warned. Julie looked over at the kid and shook her head. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "So when would we be leaving?" she asked calmly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The rats will guide you through the Fallen City to a suitable access point to the surface. From there - they will help you - keep you alive until you fulfill your end in finding that cure and bringing it back," he stated. The tone set her off. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "And what is to stop your people from killing us anyway?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Well - nothing. You'll have to trust us - as much as you expect us - to trust you. Ironic yes?" he asked with a smirk. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Very - so when do we leave?" she asked dryly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "As soon as possible if not a minute before. Time is our enemy. Take your two friends - take the boy - and go. And do us all a favor - do not fail," he concluded. She nodded and made her way back to where the others were. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To be continued... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||