|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Carrier Syndrome | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Part Nine: refinery showdown | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Julie opened her eyes and quietly moaned. She felt sick - weak and was barely able to think. Her head lolled to the side. She was on a table - in a lab. Did she lose it? Did Lora find her and catch her? Then she saw the Doctor walk over. She couldn't make out what he was saying - all of it was garbled. She merely sighed - closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "She isn't getting better," Stephan muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No she isn't. This is a crafty little bug they bred," he replied looking over at the kid. "Do you remember them saying anything when they were doing this to you?" he asked curiously. He shook his head. "No - I supposed not," he added. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What are you going to do?" the kid asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Well - I'll tell you what I'm not going to do - give up. You have no idea how hard it is to find a good mechanic now a days," the Doctor mused. He looked over at the clock on the wall. It had been almost two solid days since he had begun and he was no closer now than he was when he started. Worse - he was starting to feel the effects of the bug starting to take hold of him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You're getting sick too," the kid stated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Who wants to live forever. Besides - just gives me added incentive to cure this wretched bug," he muttered as he flopped himself onto his chair and rolled himself over to his desk. He groaned as he spun himself around on his chair. When it stopped he found himself looking up at the shelves behind his desk. He was about to sit up when something caught his eye. "Hello - what are you," he muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What is what?" Stephan asked. The Doctor quickly sat up and plucked a dusty book from the shelf that had the picture of the radioactive logo on it. The Doctor traced his fingers over the logo. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The radiation. The world has been saturated with it on so many levels," he said to himself as he walked over to where the kid was sitting. "If they concocted a disease - a bug that feeds on that - Oh that would be messy," he added. He looked over at the kid. His words were clearly going over his head. "Did you hear them say anything about radiation?' he asked. The kid thought for a few moments and then nodded. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I think so. They gave me a needle with some glowing stuff in it," he replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I thought so. Did you know - that after the nuclear weapons detonated - a wave of radiation washed over the planet? Millions perished - a percentage though - weren't affected. Well - that's isn't wholly true," he began as he hurried over to his desk. Stephan watched as he began jotting down notes. "They were affected - but their systems became more or less immune. Their bodies developed a tolerance to it. They weren't overly healthy - but they survived. And so on and so on and so on," he muttered as he circled what he believed to be the solution - the cure. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't understand," he replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You don't have too," he remarked with a wink. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back where the others were still waiting, a few hours later... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I can feel this wretched disease slowly eating me from the inside out," a rat remarked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How long has it been?" the other rat asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Give or take - two days. When that number hits four - the issue will be moot," Mark remarked calmly - leaning against the pipe behind him. It was then that the sound of someone running captured his and the others attention. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Think it is good news?" Greg asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Think he would be running to tell us bad - don't answer that," Mark rebutted. The gathering slowly got up and watched as the Doctor hurried with a needle. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Gaze with awe and wonder boys - you are looking at a genius," he said proudly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You serious Doc?" Mark asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Have you ever known me to joke - bad question. I figured it out. I figured out how this bug worked and how it was able to mess up so much so fast," the Doctor remarked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "And that is?" Greg asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Radiation - plain and simple," he answered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "But - how can that be? The planet is saturated with radiation - thanks to the efforts of the nuclear weapons that depleted ozone layer," a rat asked. The Doctor smiled and shook his finger. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "There in - lies the beauty of this bug. We may be saturated with radiation - but for the most part - our bodies have developed a severe tolerance for it - a tolerance - not an immunity. The boy emitted a radioactive field around him that would cause the tolerance to weaken in others. And if the tolerance weakened - then they too would emit that same field and so on and so on," the Doctor explained. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Pretty speech - but where does that leave us?" Mark asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "In the clear - I figured out a way to counter it. You two - over there," he began pointing at the rats. Reluctantly they did as they were told. The Doctor then looked at Greg and Mark and sighed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "This is bad news," Greg muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It isn't good news," the Doctor added. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Break it to us," Mark requested. The Doctor sighed and looked down the hall he had come from. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The cure worked on me - and it is working on the boy," he began. Almost instantly they knew where he was going. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It - it isn't working on Julie?" Mark asked hesitantly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'm still working on it. I have stabilized it. It isn't getting worse - but it isn't getting better," he explained. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't like this," Greg muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You think I do? I owe her my life from way back," the Doctor added. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Does she know?" Greg asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "All I have said to you she knows," he replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Is she awake? Can we talk to her?" Mark asked. The Doctor nodded and motioned for them to follow. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Within moments they were in the lab. They saw the kid was fast asleep on one table and Julie was seemingly fast asleep as well. The Doctor waited by the door as her friends approached her. Slowly her eyes opened. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh fuck - if you boys are going to get all emotional over this," she tiredly remarked. The two smiled at how she was able to be her usual cheery self in spite of her condition. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I heard that Doc found a cure," Mark commented. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yeah - but lucky me - I come up a little short," she smirked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He isn't giving up on you yet so don't you be," Greg stated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Help me sit up please," she requested. Both helped her sit up. She took a few slow deep breaths as she looked over at her friends. "I'm not giving up yet boys. Too much shit is still going down. But just in case," she began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No need to talk like that," Mark interrupted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I will fucking kick your ass if you sass me boy and you know I will," she sarcastically warned. He reached over and patted her on the cheek. "This is important," she added. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "We're listening," Greg reassured. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "My boys - they are still counting on us. Don't let them die in the tunnels like rats - and don't let them die from this fucking disease. They are better than that," she began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The only thing keeping us here right now is you," Mark reassured. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "This - this is important," she began as she handed a note to Mark. "Get the boy away from here. Far away from the capital - far away from Lora. She and her pet bitches have done enough to him," she began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "But you just," Greg began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I want you Greg - to take the cure back to the Fallen City. Make sure the boys get out in one piece," she continued. She closed her eyes and began breathing heavily. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What about you? We supposed to just leave you here?" Mark asked. She weakly coughed. When she moved her hand away there was a little bit of blood on it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Doc and me are going to catch up on old times. Once he gets this sickness out of me - I'll hook up with you fools again. I know you will be lost without me there telling you what to do," she humorously mused. Mark looked at the note. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "This is for the kid?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If - and only if - Doc can't help me - give that to him. The little brat has probably been through enough shit without having to deal with the guilt of being a walking death dispenser," she said quietly. Her two friends smirked at her. "What?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Think she's getting soft in her old age," Mark teased. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I will make you pay for that," she rebutted with a smile. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Once we get the others from the Fallen City - the gang will head up to our haunt up north where Canada used to be. You remember the place," Greg suggested. Julie smiled and sighed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I liked that place," she said with a yawn. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Okay - that's my cue. She needs rest - so out," Doc commented as the three left the room. Once outside Doc shut the door. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "So what are you going to do about your pet rats?" Doc asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'll take them back to the Fallen City," Greg offered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You sure you want to?" Doc asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It's for the best. I go back with just a cure - questions will be asked," Mark pointed out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "And if they ask why the party is splitting up or why Julie is remaining behind?" Doc asked. Mark put his arm around Doc and looked to the end of the hall where the rats were waiting. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't think they will be all that bossy anymore," he pointed out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Glad I could help," Doc stated shaking Mark's hand. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Just - do what you can for her," Mark replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I will. Wait here - I'll get Stephan," Doc replied and stated. He went back into the lab and moments later came out carrying a sleeping child. He carefully handed him to Mark. Just then - one of the Doctor's security guards hurried towards them. "Problem?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Big one - Lora - she sent a good portion of her military here. She has the refinery surrounded and said unless we surrender the kid and the bitches that kidnapped him - they will tear the place down," the guard relayed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Interesting. Has the mayor replied to the ultimatum?" Doc asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He has no idea what the hell her goons are babbling about. But if he learns that the people in question are here and in your care..." the guard began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Politics - I know. Okay - I'm pulling in some favors for this one. I need - about twenty some odd people - ten dressed as rats - two dressed up like Mark and Greg and one kid that looks like the boy. I want them on bikes and I want them to ride openly towards the capital. Any one that volunteers - gets supplied for a year," he stated. The guard nodded and hurried to relay the message. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "This is going to be messy," Greg muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Nothing of the sort. There is a series of tunnels below the refinery. They don't go all the way to the capital - or even the Fallen City for that matter - but it should take you about halfway. If the tunnels get close to the Fallen City - your rats will be able to help you," Doc stated - handing him a jar of pills. "There should be enough for however many rats are infected - if not - oh well. Mark - I will take you to another tunnel that will lead you away from the capital. Once the decoys start running - you should have a smooth ride," he continued. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Which way to the tunnels?" Greg asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Ask the guard in the room with the rats - he will take you there - go! If the mayor finds out you are here - I will have to hand your asses over - and I don't want to explain that to Julie," he humorously ordered. Greg nodded and hurried away. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At that moment outside - the army Lora has sent to the refinery added with the remnants of the Angels faction almost had the entire refinery sector surrounded. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Do you think the mayor here is being sincere or is bluffing?" one of the Angels asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Hard to say - do - you hear?" one of Lora's security advisors began. It was then that about twenty dirt bikes roared by. Although for the most part all they saw were blurs of motion - he saw Julie, Mark and Greg and a dozen some odd rats running interference. "They are making a break for it! Get them!" he screamed. The Angels spun their bikes around and raced after the escaping fugitives. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To be continued... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||