Chapter Seven
“Why are you looking at me like that sir?” Taiwo asked shifting uncomfortably under the president’s intense scrutiny.
“I have something to tell you which I am not sure you’re going to like.”
“What is it sir?” Taiwo growled. Though he suspected what the president wanted to say.
“I want you to go with General Mako to the Lagos Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.”
His heart fell. Even though he expected it, it was still a shock to hear it said out loud. His heart started to race and he could have sworn he heard the sound of loud slurring growls.
“Are you alright Taiwo, you look a little pale __”
“It’s nothing sir __ I am just a little tense; didn’t realize I’d be facing those things again so soon.”
“If you’d rather not go __”
Taiwo was about to be relieved when he looked deeply into the president’s eyes. He could make it out to seem he had a choice in the matter but he could see he was going whether he liked it or not.
“No problem sir __ I’ll go.”
“Am glad __” was it his imagination or did his voice sound rather brittle.
“Just for clarity sir __ why am I being included in this mission? Aren’t there people more qualified than me?”
“Well yes __ there are more qualified people but no one has more experience with these creatures than you do. Plus you seem to lead a charmed life. If this goes south I need to be sure at least one person will get out with the aerosol in play. You think you can do that?”
“I’ll give it my best shot sir __”
“Good! I couldn’t ask for more than that.”
Silence drew out between them. Silence that Kemisola broke just as it was becoming uncomfortable. The sigh that burst from her lips was so loud it wasn’t dissimilar to a cry.
Nine other people in the conference room gave her long pointed looks. She ignored them, her gaze long and distant, obviously entrenched in her thoughts.
“If you don’t mind my asking sir __ what’s her story?”
“Dr Kemisola?”
“Yes.” Taiwo growled still glaring at her.
“I don’t know. Some sort of tragedy, not sure of the details. She’s a very private person.”
“How did she start working on the Evonso problem?”
“It’s a long story. After the failure of the first vaccine and the emergence of the darkling’s; we sort of lost the help of our foreign allies. I held dozens of meetings with members of the African Union (AU). We decided to pool our resources together, the result being manpower; funding and scientific knowledge sharing would be employed.
“She was working with WHO at the time stationed in South Africa. She got in touch with us having had two months to study the virus and the rest they say is history.
“I must say we were quite fortunate to have her with us at all. She is directly responsible for the perfection of the vaccine. We’d barely have scratched the surface without her.”
Abdusalam opened his mouth to continue when the door of the conference room was thrown open and General Mako walked in escorted by five members of the president’s security team.
“Mr President __” He growled hurrying towards Abdusalam with a bow and hand outstretched.
Abdusalam took his arm in a firm handshake and pointed at the chair beside him. He sank into it slowly giving Taiwo a nod.
“So sir __ what was so important that you had to remove me from the front?”
“There has been a development, a complex development. Doctor Kemisola will fill you in.”
His eyes drifted around. “Where is the good doctor?”
“Right here!” She snapped rising to her feet. His deep penetrating gaze lingered as she walked over stopping a few feet away.
“You and your men have to get me into the Lagos Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.”
His eyes grew wide at that and he turned facing the president. “She’s joking right?”
Abdusalam shook his head slowly. Mako took a deep calming breath and leaned forward.
“Sir __ with all due respect __ Lagos is __” He paused, appearing deep in thought.
“Yes __” Abdusalam prompted raising one eyebrow.
“__ how do I put this __ Lagos is a dead zone. I wouldn’t bet on a mosquito being safe there at the moment. You weren’t there on the ground sir. What the bomb the Israeli’s dropped didn’t kill, the radiation did. And what survived will kill anything that moves on those streets. The vaccination darts is all good in itself but how do we administer it to that horde?”
“That’s why it’s imperative we succeed in this mission General__” Kemisola interrupted. “We have an aerosol form of the vaccine in our possession. What that means is, with enough of it we can spray the air over areas infested by the infected curing thousands in one swoop.”
“So what’s stopping you? Why don’t we organize an airborne mission and spray what you have over the Lagos mainland?”
“Because what we have will not be enough to cover a land area as wide as that__
“We need to get into the LCDCP building so I can make more.”
“How much more do you think you’d be able to make with the materials on site? And how long do you think it will take you?”
“I am not sure __ five, maybe ten hours!”
“Five to ten hours!!!” Mako yelled leaping to his feet. “Are you insane? Even if it was just a get in and get out mission it’ll still be too risky to stay longer than thirty to forty minutes at the most. And you want us there for five to ten hours? Tell me you’ve been taking your medicine!”
The room grew ice cold at Mako’s outburst. He stiffened as he heard Abdusalam rise, turning slowly.
“You have to learn to control yourself General.” Abdusalam growled his eyes as hard as granite.
“You don’t understand sir __ neither of you have seen these things in action. If there was one in this room, I wouldn’t feel comfortable even with the five or so plus guards we have in here. And I have it on good authority that it’s not just infected we have running around the mainland we have the darkling’s too.”
He paused, his eyes drifting to Taiwo who kept his peace throughout the entire exchange.
“Ask him __ he knows what I am talking about. Do you think it’s wise being at the LCDCP longer than a few minutes at most?”
Taiwo sighed taking a deep breath. “I’d prefer if you didn’t drag me into this General.”
“Well you are part of it Taiwo __ so you best say what’s on your mind.” It was Abdusalam speaking this time.
He coughed nervously and spoke. “I think the General is right __ for us to stay on site for longer than a few minutes at once is tantamount to committing suicide___”
Mako turned smiling smugly.
“___ however __ the aerosol vaccine might be the only way we can stop this. I don’t think we have a choice. We have to risk it.”
It was Kemisola’s turn to level a smug gaze on Mako’s thunderous face.
“You all don’t realize the enormity of what you’re attempting to do. I have fought these things longer than any one of you, and am telling you with the state of things on the mainland doing what you want us to do will be a near impossible task. If we were fighting the infected alone, I’d say we have the smallest smudge of a chance. But add the darkling’s to the mix __” He paused shuddering.
“Stop complaining and tell us how many men you need for this mission.” Abdusalam snapped.
“ __ in my honest opinion we need an army.” He returned grumpily.
“I don’t think we should go with a whole battalion of soldiers __” Taiwo piped up. “Why not go small? Two or three helicopters filled with soldiers, which should be close to eighteen soldiers plus the good doctor and I. We could fly in from different directions, thus increasing the likelihood of at least one party succeeding.
“Is there another doctor capable of
carrying out the conversion process?” He asked facing Kemisola.
She nodded slowly.
“Then its settled __ one doctor on each helicopter. We’ll enter the LCDCP from two points, each party converging at the lab. Whoever gets there first begins the conversion process.”
They exchanged approving glances.
“Well done Taiwo __” Abdusalam gushed. “That’s a very good plan.”
He shivered suddenly wishing he hadn’t said anything. His legs started to shake. He’d barely got away from these things the last time. Maybe he was pushing his luck. Perhaps this time wahala (trouble) would finally catch up with him.
“You have your orders General Mako. Prep your men and ready the helicopters. You leave in thirty minutes.”
Mako’s angry gaze locked with Abdusalam’s troubled one. Mako lowered his gaze after six seconds and headed for the door. Taiwo, Kemisola and three of the president’s security guards quickly followed suit.