Bright Arrow Ch. 04

"Serums 421, 435, 490 and 402 are having no effect." She stated plainly. Kevin had decided that testing multiple serums over the many infected might give them quicker results to find a cure.

"Are any of them slowing the progression other than 418?"

"No, though I think we may have found a cure for Lupus. Hydroxychloroquine and serum 422 were administered to a woman with SLE and she started saying that she was feeling better. Her HLF levels were still high but her ANA tested negative."

"Well that's something, I guess."

"What about the lipid factors? Has the Center sent something over we can use?"

"There seems to be a correlation but the lab hasn't figured out a way to use that."

"Maybe I should send you back to Bright Arrow." Kevin said and saw Annie shaking her head inside her isolation suit.

"No Kevin. You need me here."

"I need you were you're useful and I'm sorry Anne, but none of us are doing much good here. We're just pill pushers here and I need you to be researching rather than zipping body bags!"

"We've got labs here and I'm doing both! I'm not ready to give up on the serums. We've got some left."

"None of them have had an effect other than 418 and that only slightly inhibits HLF."

"Dr. McEnty!" A nurse called as she rushed into the room. "You have an urgent message from Dr. Tsu."

"Computer, put my message on." The video flashed and Brian's face on the screen. "What is it, Brian?"

"Kevin, you have to return to Bright Arrow immediately. There's been more cases."

"Where?"

"Here, in Colorado. They started in Denver and are now spreading outward. We've even got positive results in Bright Arrow and our labs are under siege with sample testing requests."

Kevin's heart stopped. Another outbreak. That was impossible. They didn't have the one they were working on under control and from the looks of things it was only getting worse.

"Brian-."

"I'm ordering you, Kevin. Get on the fucking plane and get back here. I need you here. New York is a testing ground at this point. I need you researching."

"I'm on my way." Kevin said, still disbelieving that this was happening.

"Jesus, Kevin." Annie said and followed Kevin to the sanitation port. They both waited as they were sprayed and decontaminated before unsuiting. "What the fuck is going on?"

"An infected must have gotten on a plane. I told them to shut down the city."

"They didn't listen to you."

"They'd better listen to you. You are now the chief medical officer. I'll call Brian from the plane and make it official but I'm sure he already has. Keep me posted on everything and I'll let you know what's going on."

Kevin was driven to the plane waiting for him at J.F.K. and was given priority clearance to depart. The flight took three hours which Kevin used to find out as much as he could of the new outbreak though the information was spotty. When he landed at NCMS, he made his way to the lab and saw the rest of his research team hard at work. He briefed them quickly and handed out orders, knowing that he wouldn't have much time for them once he was involved with the new patients. He caught one of the people who worked for him and made him his assistant.

"What's you're name?"

"Dale Thompson."

"Get me numbers, Dale. I want to know how many are infected, where they are, what stage they're in and if we have some time get names and info and stuff like that. I also want them all here, in Bright Arrow. Try to find me somewhere we can convert into a hospital like we did in New York. Then get me meds."

Kevin and Dale left, both communication with the many people involved in organizing the quarantined area and transporting the patients there. Within three hours the first ones were arriving and enough of the isolation rooms were up to treat them. NCMS doctors were at Kevin's disposal and flooded the area helping to test or treat the increasing numbers of infected. Early numbers were twenty six infected, mostly early stages, but Kevin knew they would grow quickly.

Kevin returned to the lab, some hours later after the numbers had doubled. The medical professionals treating them were adept at dealing with infectious diseases and would not need his close supervision allowing him to check on the researchers. He made some changes to some of the work they were doing and went back to his lab to continue working in private. He also took a minute to call Pike who didn't answer. After leaving a message that he was back in Colorado and to call him as soon as he could, Kevin returned to his work.

"Computer, run compatibility analysis of compound seven one three with normal variables."

"Analysis begun, completion in two hours fifteen minutes."

"Notify me upon completion."

`Just enough time for a nap', Kevin thought and headed to a small couch they kept in the office.

An alert woke him up from his sleep and he stretched broadly. He felt worse for the cat nap but knew his body would get used to the hard hours he had been subjecting himself to eventually. He stood and made his way to a coffee maker to make a cup.

"Computer, display the results of the last analysis." A diagram appeared on the screen as Kevin sipped his coffee. The results seemed promising as he scanned down the list, but then his face fell and he threw the cup across the room. The last sequence of the analysis had failed. The compound wasn't viable.

"Computer, prepare next slide." He said and heard the machine whirr and hiss and an automated arm changed samples. "Run compatibility analysis of compound seven one four with normal variables."

"Analysis begun, completion in six hours fifty three minutes." The computer answered.

"Why so long?"

"Density of compound seven one four will inhibit electron analysis."

"What is compound seven one four?"

"N-7-chloro-thia-carboxylic acid methyl guinidine."

"Is that from the list Dr. Bartholomew created after the lipid study?"

"Yes. The list was created by Dr. Bartholomew on May 4th from results of the lipid study done on April 29th."

"Continue and notify me when it's done."

Kevin used the time to head back to the makeshift hospital they had created for the Colorado outbreak. He sat at his desk and called Dale into his office.

"Where are we at?"

"One hundred and four patients as of now. Thirteen in end stage. Two deaths already." Kevin nodded.

"There's a patient who's asking for you by name."

"For me?" Kevin asked but couldn't think who would know him. The only one he knew well in town was Pike. His face blanched. "What's his name?"

"Paul Malloy. He said he's usually called-."

"Pike." Kevin said jumping up from his desk and running toward the first isolation port. He threw on his suit as quickly as possible and pushed his way into the isolated area. He found Pike's room and saw him lying on the bed, his face covered in the early red rashes of HLF.

"Pike? Pike, it's me. It's Kevin."

Pike's eyes opened and he smiled as he saw Kevin.

"Hey, I didn't think they got to you."

"No one told me you were here until just now."

"That's ok. I was just glad to hear you were back in Colorado. I swear, baby, I didn't do this just to get you back here though." Pike laughed.

"How do you feel?"

"I feel tired and achy. I came in as soon as I started getting the red rash thingies."

"How did you get it Pike? Do you know? Did you see anyone with rashes?"

"No. I had to go in to Denver to pick up some things for a job and talked to a couple people but I don't really remember anyone being sick or anything."

Kevin's hand shook as he held Pike's.

"Don't worry, babe. I'm ok, just now." Pike said and pulled Kevin into a hug. "I'm just tired, you know?"

"Ok, stud. Why don't you close your eyes for a bit. I'll be right here." Kevin promised.

"No, Kevin. I'm going to go to sleep, but you've got work to do. You gotta go do it now. Ok? I'll be fine." Pike smiled.

"Pike, I'm not going to leave."

"I'm not dying yet, Kevin. You've got to go, though. You have to go do your doctor thing and you can't be doing that if you're sitting here watching me sleep."

"You know me, I like watching you sleep."

"Go on, baby. I'll be here when you get back."

"Pike-."

"Go on." Pike said and pushed Kevin back. "You have to go now."

Pike closed his eyes and Kevin stood watching until he had fallen asleep.

"Tell me the moment he wakes up." Kevin ordered and made his way back to the lab.

He called Annie at New York.

"Pike's got it, Anne. He's infected."

"Oh Jesus, Kevin. I'm sorry."

"I don't know if I can do this, Annie. I don't think I can."

"You have to. You're the only one I'd trust to save me if I were on that bed so you have to. Where are you at?"

Kevin told her of his latest research.

"The serums here have all failed. We're using 418 like it's water but I'm not sure how far that will even get us anymore." She said. "I hope your lipid compound works."

"It had better." Kevin added and ended the conversation.

He sat in the lab alone waiting for the results to come back. He sat with his thoughts of his love waiting to die in an isolation room. Kevin cried until he passed out from exhaustion.