Lost Immunity by Daniel Kalla (free reads TXT) 📕

the escalation of the outbreak that she had dreaded: community spread.

Lisa parks in the garage below her office and heads upstairs, hoping to reach her desk without having to speak to anyone. But Tyra stops her the moment she steps into the main office.

“We found him!” Tyra waves a piece of paper triumphantly at her.

“You found whom?” Lisa asks.

“Alex Stephanopoulos.”

Lisa shrugs, unable to share in her colleague’s obvious enthusiasm.

“Alex happens to be Grace Brown’s boyfriend,” Tyra says.

“The second victim?” Lisa says, perking up.

“I’m thinking we need to renumber the victims now. Grace was the second person to land in the ER and, sadly, the second to die. But I think she might actually be our very first victim.”

“Because?”

“Her boyfriend is Patient Zero.”

Lisa grabs the page from Tyra’s hand. “Are you saying this Alex…”

“Stephanopoulos.”

“Connects back to Iceland?”

Tyra points to the page. Lisa looks down at the image of five people, two adults and three kids, posing in front of a towering narrow waterfall. “That’s Skógafoss—” Tyra exaggerates the sh sounds. “Or, however the hell you pronounce that mouthful.”

“The boyfriend’s family was in Iceland recently?”

“Less than two weeks ago, if you trust Instagram.”

“How did you figure that out?”

“The nurses went through all of the victims’ social media accounts. Stacy found a bunch of pictures of Alex on Grace’s Instagram page, including a few from Iceland. The parents had no idea Grace and Alex were even dating. That’s why no one made the connection sooner.”

“Brilliant work, Ty. The whole staff.” Lisa briefly clasps her palms together under her chin. “Is this Alex sick?”

Tyra shakes her head. “Just spoke to the mom. Alex is fine. And he never got sick over there or since he came home.”

“You’re convinced he’s the one who brought the bacteria back from Reykjavík?”

“Yolanda is on her way to collect swabs from Alex’s mouth, nose, and skin. The bacterial cultures should give us confirmation within a day.” Tyra grimaces. “But, come on. Alex would’ve been kissing Grace just last week. What are the chances she had two separate connections to Iceland?”

“So it did start from an asymptomatic carrier, after all.” Lisa sighs. “First, the spread into the community. Now this. Just when you think it couldn’t get much worse.”

“Lisa, haven’t I taught you anything?” Angela Chow bellows from somewhere behind her. “It can always get worse.”

“Apparently,” Lisa says as she turns around. Angela’s complexion is even paler this morning.

Lisa leads the two women inside her office and closes the door. She gestures to them to have a seat and then sits down across the desk from them. “I just came from Harborview,” she says, and goes on to describe Zeke’s cardiac arrest.

“He got antibiotics immediately?” Angela asks.

“Within minutes of reaching the ER,” Lisa says. “Sounds like it was only an hour or two after he felt the first flicker of a headache.”

“This little fucker is as deadly as bugs come.”

“And it’s spread into the community now.”

“Even more reason to vaccinate.”

Tyra’s forehead creases. “With what? That experimental vaccine you tried to convince the drug company to release?”

Lisa sinks down into her own chair. “Neissovax.”

Angela glances at Tyra. “You happen to know of any other effective vaccines?”

“Still unproven outside of the lab, though,” Lisa says. “They did emphasize that.”

“Those pharmaceutical types are paid to be overcautious.” Angela shakes her head. “I did a little reading up on my own. Neissovax shows impressive immunogenicity.”

“What does it matter?” Tyra looks from Angela to Lisa. “You told me they’re not willing to release it.”

“Maybe we just need to apply more pressure. What if the CDC were to weigh in?” Lisa motions to Angela. “You do seem to have a rapport with Dr. Moyes.”

“Alistair and I do go back,” Angela says, but there’s no affection in her tone.

“Can you get him to apply some pressure for us through the CDC?”

Angela considers it for a moment. “Maybe we don’t need his help.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Jesus.” Angela rolls her eyes. “I honestly thought I taught you better, Lisa. If people are blocking your way, and you can’t get past them on either side…”

Lisa chuckles. “Then go over their heads.”

“Yup.”

“Over the executive VP’s head? That would be the CEO, wouldn’t it?”

“It would.”

“Why not?” Lisa picks up her phone and dials her assistant’s line. As soon as Ingrid answers, Lisa says, “Can you please try to track down the CEO of Delaware Pharmaceuticals for me? And tell him it’s urgent.”

Ten minutes later, Ingrid buzzes back announcing that the CEO, Peter Moore, is waiting on the other line. Lisa picks up on speakerphone. She introduces Tyra and Angela and then says, “Thank you so much for taking our call.”

“Anytime, Dr. Dyer,” Moore says. “Nathan and Fiona both spoke highly of you.”

Lisa finds it telling that someone as busy as the CEO of a major pharmaceutical company recognizes her name. “I assume you’re aware of the situation here in Seattle.”

“Nathan briefed me,” Moore says. “But even if he hadn’t, I would’ve known. After all, your outbreak is making national news.”

“And the situation has worsened since your people left.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Thank you, but we don’t really need your sympathy,” Lisa says. “What we do need is access to your company’s new vaccine.”

“Dr. Dyer, we took your department’s request very seriously. That’s why Nathan and Fiona flew out to see you.”

“To let me down in person.”

“To show you how much we respected your predicament and your request,” Moore says. “It was a very difficult decision for Nathan.”

“But the situation has changed since our conversation,” Lisa argues. “We now have community spread.”

There’s a brief pause. “That is concerning,” he says quietly.

“And, as you pointed out, the outbreak is making national headlines. If Delaware were to get involved, imagine the free publicity it would provide.”

“Maybe so, but despite the old saying, not all publicity is good,” Moore says. “Besides, this is about far more than just marketing. I appreciate how serious this infection is. But our company is not… prepared for the potential medicolegal ramifications of an American release.”

“If the release were on