John Ringo - Under a Graveyard Sky

“Two hundred?” Curry said, his eyes wide. “You’ve got that many planes?”

“You forget the support staff at the remote site,” Tom said, putting his shirt back on. “The helo pilots aren’t part of the evac but they need to be vaccinated. Nor are certain critical personnel on this end. They all know that. But they’re holding out for the vaccine if nothing else. After the primaries the next goes to pilots to take vaccine to the remote site. There’s a schedule. But a minimum of two hundred doses. Two twenty if you’re talking ten percent wastage.”

“I’m going to need an assistant,” Curry said, shaking his head. “That’s more work than you realize.”

“I’ll put out an ad, shall I?” Tom said. “‘Minion wanted. Must have a complete lack of squeamishness and a sociopathic personality…’ Actually, if I thought they’d keep their mouth shut, I know a couple of people in the club industry like that… No, wouldn’t work… You?”

“Not anyone I’d trust,” Curry said, shrugging. “I mean… I’m trying to avoid thinking about what we’re doing.”

“Saving lives?” Tom said. “Come to think of it… What do you need in the way of an assistant?”

“Just someone with a strong stomach and good intelligence,” Curry said.

“How old?” Tom asked. “I mean, would an intelligent and…” He paused in thought. “Would an intelligent and diligent teenager work? I know where I can get one of those that I’d trust.”

“A teenager?” Curry said, frowning. “I’m not…”

“I’m thinking of my niece,” Tom said. “She and her family are down lurking in the Hudson on a sailboat at the moment.”

“Thinking of jumping ship?” Curry asked, then frowned. “Or jumping on a ship?”

“There’s nothing wrong with a back-up plan,” Tom said, chuckling. “I presume you have one. If I didn’t they shouldn’t have hired me. She’s a straight A student and she’s interested in science. And she’s closed mouthed.”

“This is a pretty big secret,” Curry pointed out.

“Which is going to get out, at least as rumor, before long,” Tom said. “I’ll get them in here and let you interview her. I’ll cover the specific details. That’s on me.”

“Are you going to clear it with Bateman?” Curry asked.

“Dr. Bateman does not need to know the details of the vaccine acquisition,” Tom said. “That way if it blows up in our face, he can sacrifice us both to the so-called justice system with a clear mind.”

“I can just feel the love,” Curry said. “You realize you’re putting your niece squarely in the crosshairs?”

“She can lie and say that she was just doing lab work and had no clue what she was doing,” Tom said, shrugging. “We cannot. But I’ll need to get her parent’s approval. Which means a trip to the River.” He picked up the vial and tossed it up and down. “I’m going to need the rest of this. Any specific requirements?”

“Keep it on ice,” Curry said. “Refrigerated anyway.”

“Get the rest to Dr. Simmons,” Tom said, walking to the door. “He has the schedule…”

“Dad, we’ve got inbound,” Sophia said, ducking into the saloon.

“Harbor cops?” Steve said, setting his iPad down. He had to admit he was as bored as the girls just sitting in the harbor. But he also wasn’t leaving until Tom called it.

“Small fast boat,” Sophia said. “Open. Center console fishing boat I think. I only see one bloke.”

“Rig up,” Steve said, stepping up to the cockpit. He picked up a pair of binoculars and regarded the approaching boat. It was probably just someone passing through the area but people were using sailboats to evacuate. It was just as possible that someone wanted this boat. He considered the driver as it approached. Big guy… “Stand down! It’s Tom…”

* * *

“You could have called Uncle Tom,” Faith said. She was still in her hastily donned body armor. “We nearly blew you away.” She took the tossed coil of line and secured it to the stanchion.

“Why am I not surprised?” Tom said, grinning. “Sort of an opsec situation. First of all, I come bearing gifts.”

“I hope that they don’t include the flu,” Steve said, frowning. “We’ve been very careful about protocols and I’d hate to catch it from my brother.”

“I’m clean,” Tom said, picking up a large black pelican case and hoisting it over onto the deck of the sailboat. “And so is this. It’s all been decontaminated. And part of the gifts is vaccine.”

“Hallelujiah,” Stacey said, grinning. “The news said that it wasn’t going to be ready for months!”

“And we need to talk about that,” Tom said, dropping another case over the side.

“What is all this stuff?” Faith asked.

“More weapons,” Tom said. “Ammunition. Legal releases for holding it. First aid materials. More masks and filters. And…” he said, lifting a small cooler over the side. “The first delivery of vaccine. And now,” he said, climbing over the rail, “Steve, Stacey, we need to talk. Alone.”

“Girls, front cabin,” Steve said.

“Aww, Dad!” Faith said.

“Seriously,” Tom said, pointing. “It won’t be long. Sophia, no eavesdropping.”

“I won’t,” Sophia said, grabbing Faith’s arm. “Come on. We’ll find out eventually.”

* * *

“I’d accept a drink if it was offered,” Tom said.

“What, you want to raid my bar?” Steve said, waving him into the saloon.

“We’d better talk out here, though,” Tom said, following him in. “Stacey, I haven’t really said hello.”

“Vaccine, medicine and ammo is the best hello you could have sent,” Stacey said, hugging him. “How are you doing?”

“I’ve been better,” Tom said, taking the offered whiskey. “I probably should have brought you some of this as well.”

“We’re okay on it,” Steve said, waving out of the saloon. “If we start using it to pass the time we’re done for.”

“How’s it been?” Tom asked as they sat down in the cockpit. Steve tactfully closed the door.

“Boring, really,” Stacey said. She’d poured herself a glass of wine. “We’ve had harbor cops tell us we had to move twice.”

“Not much pull there,” Tom said. “But the most they can do is fine you. And I’m pretty sure they’re too busy to do that…” He paused and took another sip. “This is good. Smooth.”

“Bushmills Honey,” Steve said. “Why are you stalling?”

“Because I don’t know where to start,” Tom said. “What do you know about vaccines?”

“Depends on the vaccine?” Steve answered. “There are a bunch of different ones and various ways they’re produced. Why?” he asked, suspiciously.

“You know the thing about who you’d call to help you move bodies?” Tom asked.

“Yes,” Stacey said, cautiously. “Do you need us to help you move one? Who did you have to kill to get the vaccine?”

“Several people,” Tom said, taking another sip. He’d been avoiding drinking since the vaccine mission. “And I’ll have to kill several more.”

“You’re serious?” Steve said. “Tom…”

“It’s more complicated than you think,” Tom said. “And not. The easiest and fastest way to make a vaccine is through using killed virus. The only source of the virus, the only place it grows, is on spinal tissue. And the only species it infects is primates. And the only readily available primates are…?”

“Humans,” Stacey said, turning slightly green. “Oh God, Tom. Oh good God.”

“The excuse is that unlike rabies there seems to be no way to reverse the damage,” Tom said, taking another sip. “Once a zombie, always a zombie. And vaccine will save people like, oh, you and me and the girls. But they are, also, unquestionably human. So it is just as unquestionably murder. I have people to…help me with the heavy lifting. And sedated zombies are very heavy. But the biologist who is producing the vaccine does not have help. So I thought to where I could find someone that was trustworthy enough to not talk about what they were doing…”