After the Cure, Deirdre Gould [the beach read TXT] 📗

bailiff back into the hallway and down the stairs to the auditorium basement. She rapped briskly on a wooden door and then opened it for Nella and Sevita. Ms. Jacobsen was arguing loudly with one of the other justices as the door opened.

“-don't even know if it's true. This is just another ploy by Mr. Courtlen or his client to delay this trial-”

“Ms. Jacobsen,” interrupted Judge Hawkins, “that's hardly fair. Mr. Courtlen has not asked for any postponements before now, unlike yourself and Mr. Grant,” he held up his hand to stop Ms. Jacobsen's interruption, “Not that I'm ready to grant it. Ah, Dr. Rider, Ms. Das, I understand you may be able to help us verify Mr. Courtlen's story.”

Sevita tried to catch Nella's eye, but Nella was too shocked to pay attention. “Your Honor,” she stuttered, “I'm not sure what you mean.”

“Dr. Rider,” Judge Hawkins replied, “I understand you and Mr. Courtlen very recently uncovered the possible existence of a more powerful strain of the Plague, but are still trying to discover its whereabouts.”

Nella stared at Frank, who didn't look toward her. She didn’t dare deny it. “We agreed that in the interest of keeping all of us safe, that we would keep it secret. We can't risk it falling into the wrong hands if it hasn't already.”

The other justices and Ms. Jacobsen gasped as Nella spoke. Judge Hawkins alone, did not seem shocked. “I know, Dr. Rider, and I agree with you. Which is why the people in this room are the only ones who will hear of it until the threat is contained. Is that understood?” He looked at each of the others.

“But surely the military should be notified,” said Ms. Jacobsen.

“Believe me,” Sevita said, “We've discussed that at length. I'd give my left arm to take that route rather than what Nel- Dr. Rider has planned. But if we notify the military it will have to go through several people before any action at all is taken, and every person it goes through is a potential leak to the outside world. Someone out there knows where this thing is. The only hope we have of stopping it is making sure whoever has it doesn't realize that we know about it.”

Ms. Jacobsen crossed her arms. “So far, I've heard no evidence that this bacteria is anything more than a stalling attempt by Dr. Pazzo.”

“Ah,” said Frank, “I think Ms. Das and I can help with that.” He pulled a video disc from his briefcase and Sevita rummaged around in her camera back and brought out another.

Frank tapped his disc on his open palm. “Your Honors,” he said, “the disc in my hand contains evidence pertinent to the trial. In the interest of safety I am turning it over now, but I trust you will view it without prejudice and allow me to properly introduce and screen it in court when the time comes. The disc Sevita has contains an interview with Dr. Carton- one that you may find shocking that also pertains to Dr. Schneider's trial when and if she is ever found.”

The justices turned to one another and talked in hushed voices. While they waited, Ms Jacobsen walked over to Nella and Sevita. “Look,” she said in a low voice, “I like Frank, but if I were him I would do everything I could to delay the trial too. But you have no vested interest in either defendant, correct?”

Nella shook her head. “No, we were both appointed because we were meant to be neutral parties.”

“Then if you tell me this super bacteria is out there, I'll withdraw my objection to postponement,” she looked distraught, “look, I'm begging you to tell me this is just a ploy. I've got kids- everything is just getting put back together.”

Nella placed a warm hand on the prosecutor's shoulder. “I'm sorry,” she said, “I wish I could say it wasn't true, but everything seems to verify that this bacteria is not only real, but is also missing from where it's supposed to be. We have to find it. Or find Dr. Schneider. Or both.”

Ms. Jacobsen nodded, visibly paling. She stepped back and cleared her throat. “Your honors,” she said, interrupting their discussion, “I withdraw my objection. You don't need to rule on watching the videos, they can be shown in their proper place.”

Judge Hawkins looked surprised. “Very well,” he said, “all that's left is to decide what should be done and how long to keep the world in the dark about it.”

“We have a plan for that,” Frank said quickly, before Nella could speak up. “The best place to start is by looking for Dr. Schneider.”

“We've been looking for her for years,” Ms. Jacobsen said.

“I know, but Dr. Carton gave us new information. We think she is headed back to his old laboratory to destroy the sample. But someone else got there first and the sample is gone. Dr. Schneider is the only one who knows if someone else could have discovered what it was or wanted to use it. We have to find her to find the sample.”

Nella watched one of the justices sink down into a chair as if he were suddenly twenty years older. The others looked just as grim.

“Since myself, Dr. Rider and Ms. Das were the only people to know about it, we had planned on going after her ourselves. But we can't be here and there at the same time.”

“What about Dr. Carton?” Judge Hawkins asked, “You said he was the one who told you about Dr. Schneider. What if he warns her? Someone has to watch him while you are gone.” He turned to Sevita. “Mr. Courtlen said it was your surveillance of his house that got you an interview. Could you do it again without being seen?”

“Sure,” said Sevita, “but not by myself. While we were there we found an underground entrance that Dr. Schneider has been using to pass in and out of the house unnoticed.”

“I've suddenly found myself with some free time,” Ms. Jacobsen said dryly, “I can help you watch the other entrance.”

“The only other people to know are the defendants, correct?” asked Judge Hawkins.

“As far as we know,” Frank replied.

“Then the other judges and I are probably the best people to keep an eye on them. We'll make an extensive inspection of the prison in order to make sure they are being treated as they ought and we'll keep our ears open,” Judge Hawkins sighed and shook his head, “If this were a decade ago I'd have to arrest all three of you for withholding evidence and then call in the CDC. But I guess things change. I don't like it. Especially sending two people alone into a heavily Infected zone. But I don't see any real alternative without causing a panic, does anyone else?”

The other justices shook their heads.

“Then I guess we are agreed. I'm going to allow a postponement. I want you to leave those videos with the bailiff to keep. If either of you is not back in ten days, I'm going to use them to find out where you've gone and I'll be sending in the military. Please get back here by then whether or not you've found anything. I'm going to tell the court that this recess is due to illness.” He turned toward one of the older judges, “Richard, will you stay here and be our flu victim?” The older judge nodded and remained in his chair looking drained.

Judge Hawkins looked sternly around at each of them. “I hardly need to tell you all that this is secret. If anyone breathes a word of it before Mr. Courtlen and Dr. Rider get back- well, the panic you create will be worse than anything that I can do to you, but I will throw the book at you as hard as I can.” He straightened his collar, “Okay then, let's go.”

Nella and Sevita walked back to their seats, pressing themselves through the roar of the impatient mob. Frank and Ms. Jacobsen walked back to their seats. Ms. Jacobsen looked a little pale, but nothing else was visibly different. Frank didn't look at Dr. Pazzo and his face was impassive and quiet. Nella watched Dr. Pazzo almost exclusively. The crowd went silent and stood as two of the three judges walked to the bench. There was a traveling rustle as everyone sat again. Judge Hawkins tilted the microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “This court is in recess for one week as Judge Crag has taken seriously ill. We will reconvene after he is well. Thank you.” The judges got up and walked out of the courtroom as the crowd exhaled in a deep, expanding rumble. Nella saw the slow grin she had been waiting for unfold on Dr. Pazzo's face. Her throat clenched with sudden fear. Frank didn't look at his client or Mr. Grant. He just packed his case files and turned to glance up at her. Nella rose from her seat as his gaze hit her, and they both left the courtroom through opposite doors.

Nella found Christine on the edge of the sluggish clot of people in the auditorium lobby. She pulled her friend past Sevita, who was pretending to interrogate Frank for her camera and the crowd. Nella walked with her hand in the crook of Christine's elbow until they got to the relative quiet of her car.

“I know Sevita has told you,” said Nella, and she pressed a key into Christine's hand, “You already have the car key and the apartment key. I want you to use them if you need them. If we don't come back, or if something else gets back before us, this is the key to the gun chest in the bedroom closet. Chris, if it starts again, don't hesitate. It's not going to get cured next time. They're not going to come back anymore.”

Christine's hand closed around the key. “What about you?” she asked, “Won't you need them?”

Nella shook her head. “I've got Cure darts for getting there. I don't want to hurt someone who can be helped. I’ll take a pistol, just in case, but if this thing is loose- well, I'd rather not see what happens if it's too late. If you hear anything, if Sevita starts talking about hearing rumors or the scavenging teams come back with weird stories- anything like that Chris, find somewhere airtight and hole up as best you can for as long as you can.”

Christine hugged her tightly. “Good luck, Nella.”

Nella gently patted Christine's stomach. “See you soon baby. Be safe Chris, and make Sevita be safe too,” she said and walked over to Frank's car. He was already waiting for her. She wished she could say goodbye to Sevita, but the crowd was still thick around her and her camera crew.

“Ready?” asked Frank.

“Let's go,” she said grimly and slid into the car.

 

 

The Road to the Infected Zone

Frank started the car and glanced at her as he pulled out of the auditorium lot. “Don’t be angry. You said yourself that we didn’t have time to wait until a