VIRUS, A Science Fiction Thriller

Authors Acknowledgments

I didn’t start out to write a novel. It just worked out that way. It took seven years, six different manuscripts and a lot of persistence. But, the truth is, I received a lot of support and guidance from others. Without them this book would have never been written.

I write, teach and speak on brain function. I’ve even published a non-fiction book entitled A User’s Guide to a Healthy Brain. The primary focus of my professional life is brain science and that’s what my mind is typically occupied with. But there was an idea and fictional characters that seemed to live in my head.

Then a friend asked me to join her writers group at Arlington Independent Media (AIM). That gave me the opportunity to begin chronicling their activities. Wow! Thanks to all the people that sat around the table month after month, listening, reading and critiquing my work. But as I learned, they went through all this trouble because they really liked my story. They were the ones that suggested I turn my work into a novel.

I haven’t named names, they all know who they are, but there’s one person from my writer’s group that I owe a special Thanks. He offered to take me on as a project. He became my teacher and editor. His efforts were targeted at teaching me how to write fiction as opposed to science.

There is one other person that deserves a very, special Thanks. That’s my wife. Without her support, her willingness to listen to me, her comments about my characters and what they were doing, I would have never completed VIRUS. Without her thoughts, criticisms and comments VIRUS wouldn’t be what it is today.

Their support and guidance has helped hone my craft, and allowed me to give you a warm, absorbing and exciting story to read.

Now, it’s your turn so, I hope you enjoyed the Read! All comments appreciated. I can be contacted through my website www.ybhc.info

Norton S. Beckerman

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION ONE – THE HOST

Chapter one – In the Beginning

Chapter Two – The Critical Call

Chapter Three - Barry’s Crisis -

Chapter Four – Lost Days

Chapter Five – A Sort Lecture

Chapter Six – The Conversation

Chapter Seven – The Dinner Invitation

Chapter Eight - Sorting It Out

Chapter Nine – Barry’s Day

Chapter Ten – Breaking the Ice

Chapter Eleven - Progress

Chapter Twelve – The Picnic

Chapter Thirteen – Rachel’s Invitation

Chapter Fourteen – The Floating Head

Chapter Fifteen - Rachel’s Invitation

Chapter Sixteen – Barry’s Lecture

Chapter Seventeen – Soil Problem

Chapter Eighteen – Braumbech’s Dinner Meeting

Chapter Nineteen – Orchid Connection

Chapter Twenty – Orchids Forgotten

Chapter Twenty-One – Lost Weekend

Chapter Twenty-Two – Hole Size

Chapter Twenty-Three – Traveler Sorts Things Out

Chapter Twenty-Four – The Late Breakfast

Chapter Twenty-Five – Understanding

Chapter Twenty-Six – Ed Gets Involved

Chapter Twenty-Seven - The Strange Email

Chapter Twenty-Eight – News About Evan

Chapter Twenty-Nine – Traveler’s Searching

Chapter Thirty – The Conference

Chapter Thirty-One – Back To The Beginning

Chapter Thirty-Two – Harbrec, Chief Medical Officer

Chapter Thirty-Three – Little Boy

SECTION TWO – THE THREAT

Chapter Thirty- Four … Traveler Understands

Chapter Thirty-Five … The Hazmat Suits

Chapter Thirty-Six … MRI

Chapter Thirty-Seven … Phone Conversation

Chapter Thirty-Eight … The Results

Chapter Thirty-Nine … Telling Rachel

Chapter Forty … The Groundskeeper

Chapter Forty-One … The Hospital Meeting

Chapter Forty-Two … The Research Team

Chapter Forty-Three … What’s Going On?

Chapter Forty-Four … The Particles

Chapter Forty-Five … The Alarming Call

Chapter Forty-Six … Strange Findings

Chapter Forty-Seven … Telling Ed

Chapter Forty-Eight … Telling Rachel

Chapter Forty-Nine … A Special Moment

Chapter Fifty … Barry’s Headache

Chapter Fifty-One … Emotional Baggage

SECTION THREE – THE FATEFUL DECISION

Chapter Fifty-Two … The Two Heads

Chapter Fifty-Three … No Need of a Host

Chapter Fifty-Four … Rachel’s Decision

Chapter Fifty-Five … The Arguing Heads

Chapter Fifty-Six … The First Step

Chapter Fifty-Seven … Another MRI

Chapter Fifty-Eight … Barry’s Theory

Author’s Acknowledgements

About the Author

A User’s Guide to a Healthy Brain

SECTION ONE

THE HOST

Chapter One

In the Beginning

The planet we call Earth was created billions of years ago from the melting and cooling of solid debris and gases close to each other. In the beginning the planet was too hot to sustain life either above or below the surface, but the passing of time and the expansion of the universe changed that. Then it happened … after billions of years had passed life in its earliest form appeared.

That life appeared below the surface as a colony of cells. Those cells had the ability to absorb and relate information, take a directed action and multiply.

These early cells realized that they were unique and that their capabilities would allow them to survive if they stayed together. They bonded and formed a single unit, possibly the first brain. They were The Council, and they dominated the other cells. But conflict existed, even then.

The Council understood that their continued existence depended on occupying and controlling the surface. They also knew that they weren’t ready to take over the surface in their current form. To have a future and take control of the planet they would have to evolve into a more capable species. A truly dominant species. A species they would have to create.

To initiate their plan The Council began cloning cells adding DNA with genetic instructions. Some went to the surface evolving into vegetation, others thrived in the many oceans that covered the surface. Still others were intended to evolve above and below the surface.

One cell among the other cells that formed The Council, a high-strung cell called Virus, couldn’t be convinced that the evolution of a dominant species was necessary. He felt that they were dominant.

There was a terrible fight. The Council was almost pulled apart. Then it was over almost as quickly as it had started. Virus left swearing revenge, telling them that he would destroy whatever they created. He and his followers would take charge, dominate and control the surface.

The Council remained aware of Virus throughout the ages continually defeating him in his efforts to gain control. But with the passing of time and victories over Virus they had become too confident and had made a series of costly mistakes. Those mistakes allowed Virus to take a host on the surface and build a renegade following. Now he was ready to unleash his death on all The Council had created. The Council’s last hope, their only hope, was Traveler. He was summoned.

Traveler was created by The Council. He was one of the earliest cells having genetic instructions. He, and the other cells like him were intended to evolve into a species that would one day dominate the surface.

We need you to go on a mission of critical importance to us all! We’ve sent others, they failed because we underestimated Virus. We cannot let that happen again. That’s why we’ve summoned you.

I didn’t respond … There was dead silence … There were no movements … Then, they were communicating with me again.

"We’ve sent you on other missions. We should have sent you on this one. You have evolved into many of the dominant species, and we are pleased. But over the eons you evolved into a person that is involved in our current situation. It was for that very reason that we didn’t send you.

We felt the others could handle it. We were wrong. They were continuously outsmarted … Because of that error in judgment there is a possibility that we will lose control. If that happens it would destroy us, everything we’ve created, our future, and our plans for the future inhabitants of the planet. If we can eliminate the threat, or at least manage it, we will retain control. We will survive, and the future will be in our hands …"

Communication trailed off as if I had accepted. But I didn’t know if I wanted that responsibility … They knew what I was thinking … The silence was frightening … They were upset … In moments they were communicating again.

"You have no choice in the matter. You must go. You will have to work out what must be done when you get there. Be alert to the dangers that confront you. You can’t let Virus get the best of you or you will perish along with the future. You have been given all of the information you will need. Now Go!

With The Council’s last words sounding within him, Traveler found himself speeding through the ages. Finally, he came to rest in a large, well-manicured, grassy field. It was very dark. But there was a full moon shining directly on a large, apparently well maintained, Victorian house. It was as if the moon was a spotlight and the house its subject.

_________

In the house the man in the desk chair raised his head off his folded arms. He stood up and looked around as if he didn’t know where he was. Confused, feeling dazed, he sat back down in the chair, folded his arms on the desk, placed his head on his arms, and fell instantly asleep. He didn’t dream. He didn’t move. He stayed in the desk chair with his head on his folded arms, motionless. Although he didn’t know it, he wasn’t alone.

About 3:00 in the morning a head with a grotesque face, wrinkled skin and fiery red eyes emerged from the neck of the man in the chair. It hovered over him. The head wasn’t attached to anything. It was floating. Its eyes ablaze with fury.

The floating head began moving around the room while the man in the chair remained asleep and motionless. Wherever the head went books, journals, even book ends flew off the shelves surrounding the room. Lamps and tables turned over. The oriental carpets seemed to move on their own ending up in disarray. The room was an utter mess when the floating head with the grotesque face and blazing eyes spoke.

My time has come to take over. It should have been much sooner … I’ll show them … We’ll kill them all and we’ll take over … They thought they’d finally stop me with you … They’re fools … They can send hordes. I will destroy them all … Soon I won’t even need my host … They have had their way long enough … My time is NOW!

Chapter Two

The Critical Call

Rachel Cumming hung up without another word. Barry did the same. When Barry looked at Harbrec’s office and saw that his door was closed he realized that Harbrec had already left. He had to have walked right by him on the way out, but Barry didn’t notice him leaving or hear a sound. He was more focused then he realized.

Barry was alone in the doctors, plush reception area. The three offices that it served were empty, and the double, glass entry doors were closed. He couldn’t put it off any longer. Barry didn’t want to make the call. He didn’t want to know, but he had to get hold of Braumbech.

Barry pulled out his cell phone, flipped through it until he found Braumbech’s number and called. This time the phone was answered.

Hello

Richard, this is Barry Protoc. I’m sorry to bother you this late but there’s some urgent information I need.

Sounds bad. Like the rest of my day. Does this have anything to do with the bad soil area and those particles?

I’m afraid it does.

Let it wait until tomorrow. I’ve been with a grieving widow and mom at a funeral service and cremation all day. I’m really not in the mood.

I’m sorry, but you may have just answered my question. Whose funeral was it?

"Jimmy Forester, my groundskeeper, and his son, Phillip. Jimmy was a very good friend and his boy was like a son to me. I was much older than Jimmy, but we went way back, to the old neighborhood.

Once Braumbech started talking the edge came off his voice. He seemed to relax and was eager to talk, although he sounded like he wanted to cry.

I’ve known his wife for years. I was best man at his wedding. I went to his son’s christening … Some bad stuff happened. He went to prison for a while. I was taking care of them. They were living here, in the house on the other side of the property. When he got out he joined them here. I gave him the job of groundskeeper. He loved that boy, so did I … I don’t know how something like this could have happened.

Barry wondered what other work Jimmy might have been doing for Braumbech that got him sent to prison, but he didn’t ask.

I’m sorry Richard, but it’s Jimmy that I’m calling about.

All right, other than they’re both dead what do you need to know?

First, what did they die from?

The whole thing was so odd that the doctors asked Marcy, his wife, if they could perform an autopsy … It turned out that they both died of the same thing … They said that it was a massive tumor on the large intestine. Cancer! It struck hard and fast. Impossible, but it happened.

What do you mean?

One day he was fine. Next day nausea, vomiting, the runs, pain. He couldn’t keep anything down. He started running a high fever. The doctor thought it might be some type of virus. He prescribed stuff to keep him comfortable, keep the fever down. He said, let it run its course. He was sick like that for a while, but he kept getting worse. Then he just died.

What about the boy?

Same thing. Marcy tried to keep him away from his father, but Phillip kept going in to see him. Then Phillip got sick. It came on suddenly. Phillip was gone within a few days. He died right before Jimmy. The doctors were puzzled. Said they’ve never seen anything like this. It’s not contagious. Children don’t normally contract anything like that, and if they do, they don’t normally die from it.

Were they hospitalized before they died?

No, Jimmy got sick first. The boy got sick later. Like I said, they just kept getting worse and died. Though he got sick later Phillip died first, about three days after he started showing symptoms. Jimmy died within hours after Phillip. It all happened in about three weeks. They died so close together Marcy decided to have a double funeral service and cremation. They were together … Jimmy was holding Phillip … Why is this so important to you?

Barry had a dilemma that he had to deal with quickly. Braumbech didn’t associate the deaths with the particles in the bad soil area. Should he explain what was happening or just give Braumbech a lame excuse for his call. He did neither. He just hung up the phone, got up from the desk, walked through the glass doors, and out into the hospital corridor.

Chapter Three

Barry’s Crisis

Where’s Barry, Rachel?

He’s in the emergency room Ed. … In isolation.

What happened?

"Barry was staying at my house. He didn’t respond to the alarm or any of my attempts to wake him. I called 9-1-1 and then Fred. Fred arranged for the ambulance to bring him here. It was about ten after five this morning when we pulled up to the Emergency Room.

That’s why you look like death warmed over. How is he?

It was Walters that answered.

He’s still unresponsive. There’s an ugly looking tumor on his brain stem creeping up onto the cerebellum. Hopefully, we can operate this afternoon, after I get a team together and get some rest … Probably around 2:00 this afternoon … Nancy will be in there with us.

That’s going to be a nasty operation.

I don’t think surviving the operation will be a problem Fred.

Probably not but scraping into the brain stem can be life changing.

I agree, but I don’t see an alternative. The mass is too large and irregular to be radiated. If we don’t get it out, the tumor will kill him.

Rachel heard what was said. With an expressionless stare she responded.

I know this is going to sound stupid, but Barry has been having blackouts, and for some strange reason, he believes that they have something to do with those particles, so let’s focus on the particles. The doctors will take care of Barry.

Rachel seemed to know how her comments about Barry’s blackouts would be received. She didn’t care. Her thoughts were focused on Barry and everything that had taken place since the nightmare began. The conversation at the table became background noise. When she couldn’t take it any longer she spoke out.

"I think we’re in danger of over-thinking this. Current science says none of this could have happened, but it did. Now we’re responsible for putting an end to it. We can’t be cavalier about the particles just because they seem to be contained on the Braumbech property. We’re not sure they are. We only know about these particles because the problem was brought to us. These are the particles we must stop.

I’m the only one in this room that’s seen the hole where these things originally appeared. From the first, time I saw them until the last time I saw them, which was yesterday, that hole has shown a significant increase in size."

With that said, Rachel was finished. She had already decided what she needed to do. She had to do it alone. Barry couldn’t know what she was up to, and the doctors had all but dismissed her. Addressing no one, she said …

If you wouldn’t mind I would like someone to escort me down to Barry’s room in the E.R. … Now.

He’s still unresponsive Rachel. What good would that do?

I would like to see him. Talk to him even if he can’t hear me.

Everyone looked at Rachel as she got up. It was Rohn that offered to take her to Barry.

Chapter Four

Lost Days

The Man in the Chair awoke. The sun was out and very bright. It was a beautiful day. He felt good. He stretched. He remembered nothing from the night before. It wasn’t unusual for him to wake in the morning only to find that he had fallen asleep at his desk.

The phone on the desk rang. Barry just looked at it trying to recognize what was making the noise. He picked up the receiver, and in a weak, thin voice said …

… hello …

He heard himself. That wasn’t him talking so he said it again. This time his voice was strong, deep and clear.

… Hello! …

Barry, is that you? ….

Barry recognized the voice on the other end of the phone immediately. It was Ed Street, his boss at the university and a long-time friend.

Ed? … Who else would it be? You called my house.

Yes, but I’ve been calling your house since Friday afternoon. One of your research assistants came into my office Friday afternoon. He said that you hadn’t shown up for your Wednesday or Friday lectures.

That must have been Charlie.

I guess. He didn’t give me his name. He said that you were supposed to meet Friday after your class. He went to your office. You weren’t there, so he thought you might be at home. He went out there. He said he knocked on the door, walked around the house looking for some sign of you. He saw your car and kept looking, but finally decided you weren’t there so he came back here.

That had to have been Charlie. He’s been out here before.

I told him that you had probably gotten absorbed in your research. It’s happened before, just not for this long a time. When he told me that you hadn’t shown up for your lecture on Friday I got worried, so I started calling. I decided to call this one last time before I called the police.

The police? … What day is this?

Saturday

What Time?

Not quite noon. Why?

I had a high fever. I must have been delirious. One of the disadvantages of living alone, but I’m OK now.

Are you sure? I could come over or send the University doctor over.

No thanks. I’m fine. I’ll see you Monday ...

Before Ed could say anything more, Barry hung up the phone, and just stared at it. He had lost four days. He didn’t have a fever. He didn’t think that he had been delirious. He had been perfectly fine when he sat down at the desk to work Tuesday afternoon. Then he noticed the mess in the room and a glass half full of water on the desk.

What happened in here? The room is a disaster. Everything’s been thrown around or upended. I don’t remember doing any of this. I don’t remember getting that water and bringing it to my desk. I don’t remember anything. I’ve been at my desk, apparently moving around, angry, doing things, getting up and down, all that time, and I’m not even stiff …

Barry had no trouble thinking back to when he entered the room.

It was Tuesday afternoon when I came in here. I was going to put together the lecture for my Wednesday class. I had to be incredibly angry to make this mess. I don’t remember being angry. I had no reason to be angry. Why would I make this mess?

Barry turned to the computer on his desk. The computer had gone into sleep mode. He turned it on. The lecture he had been working on appeared on the screen. He scrolled down as he read. He had finished the lecture. It was just as he wanted it.

This can’t be happening. I’ve lost four days. I’ve apparently been doing things all this time, at my desk, away from my desk. I finished my lecture notes. I must have gotten incredibly angry to make this mess. Why? I have no recollection of any of it.

Chapter Five

A Short Lecture

It was Monday morning, and Traveler found himself in a lecture hall. He looked down from his position in the top row of seats.

No one can see me. I don’t exist. The hall is crowded, obviously students. From the looks of them they’re probably graduate students. I must be in a university lecture hall.

Traveler knew that when he was on assignment he would frequently just show up in places. It always had something to do with his mission. But why here?

What does this lecture hall have to do with the house, or The Man in the Chair? … They put me in both places … They want me to see and hear, but what?

A tall, athletically built man carrying a briefcase walked into the hall. His look was casual, but professional. He was wearing a pair of beige, cotton slacks neatly pressed, a dress shirt open at the collar, and a nice-looking sport jacket. He went directly to the lectern. Traveler looked at him.

"Must be the professor … There’s something very familiar about him, his build, his height, his curly black hair. It’s the man in the chair … No, the professor is relaxed and smiling … His face is unwrinkled, no bags under his eyes … He’s too young,