“Time is running out for an epidemic the likes of which have never been seen on this planet. I have information crucial to stemming the tide, but I’ve been blocked by my own government. They have been trying to stop me because they don’t want to panic their citizens. Well I say that it is time to panic. Panic is the only way that this issue will get resolved. We must panic and panic effectively. I have been working behind the scenes, doing what I could, passing information to some of you clandestinely. Many of the people in this room have already spoken with me, but they haven’t known who they were talking to. Hopefully the fact that the information that I gave you turned out to be true and very helpful will give credence to what I am about to say. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do today, if I was going to stay quiet and allow the scientific process to function on it’s own time scale or if I was going to break every oath I’ve ever taken and reveal myself in order to speed things up. But I can’t wait a year or more while you people dither around, we don’t have the time. I have prepared packets for each of you.” Some of the men in dark suits began distributing large manila envelopes to the crowd.
“Hopefully the scientific community has reached a point where they are willing to listen to what I have to say. I couldn’t talk openly before without seeming to be a crackpot. I am not a crackpot. I am very serious about what I do. My information comes from the very best sources. In the packet you will find information about the organization that I work for. This organization is highly classified, and their existence is denied by the U.S. government. By revealing the nature of this organization, I am effectively committing treason. But I feel that I must speak and I must speak now.”
“Also in the packet you will find several detailed papers relating to the subject that Dr. Mensen has been talking about, namely a virus that is causing the HS mutation. This information comes directly from the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases. You may remember these guys as the ones responsible for the our nation’s biological weapons program. They are world-class scientists. I believe that you will find their procedures and scientific processes to be impeccable and their conclusions irrefutable.”
“In addition, you will find several small vials of material. Do not open these outside of a BL-4 facility. They contain live samples of the virus that causes HS. This virus is highly contagious. I’ve provided samples because I want you to perform your own tests. I want you to confirm the results of the USAMRIID study I’ve given you.”
The scientists were beginning to open their packets. Some had pulled out the USAMRIID study, others were examining the vials. Some were looking at small bits of metal that were also included. Ray took the opportunity to sip some of the same water that Dr. Mensen had been drinking.
“Now, you may ask why this information has been withheld from the scientific community. The answer to that question is contained in the small metal bits that I have included, as well as the final report. What I am about to say is going to be hard to believe. I know that you will all immediately attempt to dismiss me. However, I know that you are all highly respected scientists, and that you are all familiar with the basics of scientific procedure. I’m sure that you will take my studies, and the material that I have given you, and go back to your respective labs and do the tests yourselves. Once that happens, you will be led to the same irrefutable conclusions that I have been led to.”
“As hard as it may be to believe, you will begin to understand that the virus in the vials is not a naturally occurring viral species. It has been bioengineered. You will also come to the conclusion that this material is indeed a biological weapon... and that we are under attack.” Hushed whispers began to come up from the crowd. They didn’t know how to react to this. The entire scene was very unusual. Scientists aren’t the sort of people equipped to deal with events like this. Ray was used to talking to military men, who were trained to process information rapidly and change their entire viewpoint on an issue in a few seconds. Scientists take a slower, more methodical approach.
“The final conclusion that you will make, as I have done, is that this virus is not terrestrial in origin. It has come to the planet from outer space. The metal included in your packets is a small sample from one of the casings that my organization has been digging up all over the planet. The classified report on unknown objects falling from the sky should back up my claim that these bombs have been dropping all over the world for several years now, and that they continue to drop to this day. The material of the bombs is an alloy that is not common on earth, and the isotopic distribution of the elements are unlike any terrestrial ore. The only conclusion that one can make is that some extraterrestrial intelligence is engaged in a deliberate, systemic act against the people of Earth, and that the consequence of their actions is Handel’s Syndrome.”
“Epidemiological research performed at USAMRIID has shown that almost 3% of the population is already infected with the virus, and that number is growing everyday. I take this action against the wishes of my government because I believe that we must face this threat and face it quickly, otherwise it will be too late for any of us. I urge you to take this information back to your laboratories, verify the results I have presented, and immediately begin work on ending this threat now, before it is too late. I’m having copies of these packets sent to many major news agencies as well as to premier biological research facilities all over the world in an attempt to ensure that my message will be received, understood, and acted on. I’m going to get into a lot of trouble with my government for providing this information to you. Please do not let my sacrifice be in vain. Thank you.”
With that, Ray walked off the stage and out of the auditorium, followed by his goons. No one said anything for several seconds. Then the whispering began. The volume increased to chattering, and then to arguing. As the scientists read more and more of the information presented to them, they began to realize that this strange man was not a kook. Many rushed out of the conference in order to catch the next flight home. Everyone wanted to be the first to confirm the results. To prove to the world that this was some form of extraterrestrial life, and to begin to counter the most serious threat that the human race had ever known.
The Oval Office of the White House, Washington DC
“30 seconds Mr. President,” someone off to the side says.
Hank Dillon was feeling nervous. More nervous than he usually felt when talking to the American people. The stylist finished brushing his shocking white hair and pulled back out of the shot. His tie felt a little tighter than it usually did. The makeup artist finished removing the shine from his forehead and stepped back out of the shot. She returned momentarily to retrieve the makeup bib she had inadvertently left around the President’s neck. Hank collated some of the papers on his desk. They didn’t have anything written on them. They were mostly just a prop, something to play with as he spoke. He looked up at the cameras. The wardrobe person finished brushing the lint off his shoulders and moved out of the shot. “15 seconds,” says someone. Hank can’t really see, the lights are pretty bright in his eyes. The producer steps forwards and does one last spot check to measure the light level. Then he steps out of the shot. Hank didn’t want to give this speech. He didn’t want to have to admit the things that he was going to have to admit. The people of this country elected him to lead, to protect them. Now all he could do was sit on TV like some fat, stupid, cow and tell the people who voted for him that once again the government was caught covering up the facts. Fact about a disease that could affect every American home, and that he, the President of the United States, had no answers. The spin doctors would try to show the plus side in this, but the public always saw through the spin when the situation was really awful. His approval rating was going to take a tumble after this for sure. It was a good thing for him that the election wasn’t for several years.
He glanced over to his Chief of Staff who stood off to the side. She was far enough from the lights that he could make out her face. She was moving her fingers in an upside down arch across her face. Smile. The President perked up. He was going to have to be strong. Any weakness during this speech would really reduce the people’s trust in his government’s ability to protect them. “It’s going to be ok, it’s going to be ok,” he repeated to himself.
Everything began to go silent. A lone voice from behind the lights cries, “We’re live in 5...4...3...2...__...”
“Good evening fellow Americans.” Smile.
“Over the last few days, there have been many rumors going about concerning the disorder called Handel’s Syndrome. Some of what has been said is true. A lot of what has been said is untrue. I am speaking to you tonight in an attempt to clear the air about this disorder, what it means to your family, and what it means to the American people in general. Some of you won’t believe what I have to say. Others won’t want to listen. You might become angry, might feel frustrated. You might wonder why more hasn’t been done. But I hope that you’ll hear me out. Listen calmly, and then act calmly and rationally. The situation is not as grave as some unscrupulous elements in the media have led you to believe. There is no imminent danger. There is no reason to panic. Yes, there is a hardship that we are all facing. It is an unexpected hardship, an uncertain hardship, and yes, perhaps, a challenging hardship. But I believe that the people of the United States of America are the best people that ever lived. And I promise you that we will defeat any threat to our health and our freedoms. I am going to be quite frank with you about the current situation. You deserve that much. And then I am going to call on you, the American People, to stand united with me and help to meet this threat head-on.” Pause.
“Let me start by repeating what the media has already said about this issue, and telling you what we have learned. The scientific community now seems united in saying that Handel’s Syndrome is indeed caused by a virus. You catch it in the same manner as you would a cold or the flu. We’ve isolated the virus. It is also true that this particular virus doesn’t make you sick, in the way that you become sick when you catch the flu or the mumps. This virus scrambles the DNA in a person’s reproductive system. When two people who have been infected conceive a child, that child is born with the scrambled DNA, and has what we have termed Handel’s Syndrome.”
Hank turned to camera two and the second prompter. “It is also known that once a person has had their system scrambled by the virus, the damage is permanent. That person will almost certainly never be able to conceive a ‘normal’ child again. This is also a known fact. Perhaps some day medical science will come up with a way to unscramble DNA, but under present technology the damage appears to be irreversible.”
“That is the extent of what is known about Handel’s Syndrome at this time. There are so many rumors floating in the press these days that it is easy to become confused. So, let me tell you what is not true. First of all, there are a lot of people out there saying that the virus is artificial, that it has been engineered for this purpose. This is not true. We are in the process of researching this virus, and our scientists say that it is much too early to make any determination of that sort. As far as they can tell, this virus is simply a product of nature like any other virus. While its appearance is certainly unfortunate, it is no more a manufactured virus than Ebola, Small Pox, HIV or any of the other scourges that man has had to put up with since time immemorial.”
Back to camera one. “There have also been wild rumors circulating in the press that this virus is somehow extraterrestrial in origin. This rumor started because some unprincipled members of the press speculated that the victims of Handel’s Syndrome have many of the characteristic of so-called ‘gray aliens’ that we’ve all seen at the movies. Now people are even saying that the virus was first found inside of a meteorite. This is preposterous. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our scientists at the various national laboratories assure me that this virus is terrestrial in origin. It comes from good old planet Earth. There is nothing to fear about this.”
“I’ve also heard rumors that this is some sort of biological weapon developed to destroy certain races. That certainly isn’t true. The virus seems to infect people of every race, creed, and ethnicity in the same way. There are so many statements about this virus that are simply untrue. I’ve heard that the virus is spread through sex, and I’ve heard that it’s airborne, and I’ve heard that it’s spread through drinking water. I’ve even heard that it can somehow transform an adult who is exposed– like someone who’s been bitten by a werewolf. All this speculative and malicious gossip has led to some panic in various places. People are starting to hoard food, to avoid contact with people, to skip out on work. This is not helpful. The plain truth is that we don’t know how the virus is spread yet. I can’t give you any advice on how not to catch it. But I can tell you that we have our best scientists working on the problem as we speak. I am authorizing the National Institutes of Health to place Handel’s Syndrome on their list of highest priority diseases. I have just signed an executive order that increases the funding for HS research ten-fold. I have no doubt that other countries are also increasing their research efforts in this field, and we are prepared to work with the international scientific community on a cure.”
Time for the big close-up finish. The camera zooms in until his face fills the entire screen. “This is not the time to panic. Yes, this is a potentially serious threat, but it is not beyond the capabilities of the American people to overcome it. We overcame the odds in World War II, we have overcome countless diseases, from the Plague to Small Pox to Tuberculosis. I am calling on you, the American People, to rise to this occasion and help me fight this disease. Panicking will not help, hoarding goods will not help. Trying to eradicate the virus by committing acts of violence against those infected will not help. We need to stay calm, clear, and rational. I know that if we work together; there is nothing that we can’t do. There is no challenge we can’t overcome. Yes, the road ahead may be bumpy, but my friends, we will get through this. Mark my words. We will not only survive, but prosper. Adversity always brings out the best in people, and I’m counting on you to do your part in helping to maintain America’s honor and dignity. Thank you, good night.”
The red light on the top of the cameras switch off. “Ok, we’re clear,” says the producer.
Hank looks around the room. “Jimmy, get me the poll numbers as soon as they come in.” He gets up. He reaches up to his forehead and wipes off a bead of sweat. It’s hot under these lights.
That same night. The Miller farm, outskirts of Tyler, TX
Lorraine sat blankly as the TV went back to its regularly scheduled programming. She didn’t know what to say, what to think. The morning newspaper still lay on the floor. In bold letters the words, “Is your child from Mars?” stared up at her. Special reports had been on the television all afternoon. The President’s speech was the final capstone. She stared at the TV for what must have been a good ten minutes before she became cognizant enough to realize that Tom wasn’t in the room anymore. She hesitantly got up off their old, gold velvet couch and went looking for him. She found him of course, right where she expected. He was in Jim’s room, in the dark, standing over the crib. She could see in the dim light that both of his hands were clenched tightly. She was worried. Jim was so small, and Tom’s hands were so big. She didn’t know what to say, what to do, how to act. She slowly crept up on Tom and tried to put her hand on his arm. She moved slowly and attempted to be as comforting as possible. Tom just stood oblivious to her touch. She rubbed his strong shoulder and felt the tension deep within the muscles. She didn’t say a word, she didn’t have a word to say.
All of a sudden, Tom turned and left the room. He walked deliberately through the house, not taking notice of Lorraine. He pushed his way through the hall. The baby stroller was partially blocking the doorway. Tom knocked it over with one swoop and kept going, right out the front door. Lorraine followed him out into the yard. She watched him move purposefully toward his truck. She panicked for a moment when she realized the Tom kept his shotgun in the truck, but only for a moment. He calmly got into the dusty, red pickup, turned on the lights, and drove off into the night.
Lorraine didn’t know how to take that. This wasn’t like Tom at all. She was worried about him. He never liked to talk about his feelings much, but he didn’t normally just storm off like that. She didn’t know what he would do. Maybe he wouldn’t come back, maybe he would do something bad. Even for herself, Lorraine didn’t know what the future held. What were they going to do with an alien baby? What the hell did the President mean? Why didn’t he address all the facts, like those bits of metal they found? He didn’t give any advice on what to do. Maybe Doctor Thomas would have some ideas. She’d call him first thing in the morning. Maybe the doctors had been given more information. Lorraine was a very practical woman who had a healthy respect for authority. She knew that whatever was going on was beyond her, and she knew that someone would have a plan. The government always has a plan for things like this. Nothing really bad is allowed to happen. All she needed to do was to stay calm and wait until someone told her what to do.
She stood out on porch in the cool Texas night, watching the taillights of Tom’s pickup get smaller and smaller as he drove down the long, straight country road that connected their home with the rest of the world. She bundled the neck of her robe close up to her throat to keep out the chill. Things were changing. She could feel it even out here. Today wasn’t a typical day, everything was going to be different from now on.
It was quiet out here in the country. Even the almost constant wind that blew across the fields made no sound. A phone rang. “That must be Joyce,” thought Lorraine. She must have been watching the TV too.
A Senate Hearing Chamber. Five days after the President’s announcement.
“Would you state your name for the record?”
“Raymond Montgomery Johnston”
“And also, for the record, could you please state your employer?”
“I work for the Defense Intelligence Agency Senator, although most public records will show that I work for the State Department.”
The lights were bright and hot in the Senate chamber. The twelve senators that make up the Intelligence Committee sat on the podium, above the crowd. Ray had to look up to see them. He was sitting at a small table, giving testimony. He was worried because the hot lights were making him sweat a little bit. Sweat is an indication of deception. This was the beginning of his third day of testimony. They had already grilled him on the specifics of the virus, on Project Beachcomber, on his involvement in the ‘cover up’ of information that supposedly had occurred. The press reports said that today’s testimony would focus on why Ray decided to take the rather drastic actions that he had taken, and the security implications. Ray had not been looking forward to answering those questions, and hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before. Still, he looked good in his new, crisp suit. His lawyer suggested that he not be seen in front of a national audience in the same ratty polyester outfits that he had been wearing for the past ten years, so he treated himself. It was important that he was believable, for the sake of the world.
The Intelligence Committee meetings were usually held behind closed doors. They are the one Senate committee that isn’t usually open to the public. But this time was different. A stir had been created. The government had been accused of hiding important health concerns from the American people. After the Gulf War Syndrome fiasco, those who want to be reelected shudder at the thought of being accused of secretiveness and conspiracy when it came to health issues.
Senator Blaines, the head of the Intelligence Committee continued his questioning.
“Mr. Johnston, I have to ask again, do you understand why you are here?”
“For telling the truth.” Several claps came from the gallery. A lot of the people that showed up for this hearing were involved in some way with HS. A few were researchers, some were consultants trying to get a piece of an appropriation, but the majority were parents who had an HS child. The claps comforted Ray as much as they infuriated Blaines. They were an indication of the popular sentiment towards Johnston. Ray felt strange receiving accolades. He wasn’t used to people supporting him. The Senator banged his gavel twice.