“For the initial
48 hours, there will be a one-to-one point five vaccinated individual per
caregiver ratio. After that, we’ll start taking shifts. The ratios will jump to
one of us for every four or five of them for at least eight weeks,” Dallin
said.
“Along the far
right wall is a defibrillator, three blood pressure cuffs, the thermometers,
and the oxygen tanks,” Beth explained, pointing at the wall. Brynn glanced at
Beth then at Silus. Silus and Brynn shared a brief, tense stare until Creed
interrupted it.
“Si, will you
give us an update?” Creed asked.
“There’s complete
security around the total perimeter of the property, including the driveway.
There are four secured phone lines down here, as well as in the duplex we’ve
rented for the families. Nothing can get in or out of here that we don’t want
to.”
“Dallin, what are
the potential problems we need to be aware of?” Creed asked. He didn’t look at
Dallin, but instead focused on the bulletin board in front of him.
“We have two
older recipients, one who’s almost 50 and the other, 56. Both are male. We also
have a minor who will be turning 18 in 28 days, but still isn’t legally able to
make a decision like this without the approval of a guardian. Luckily, Sally’s
mother is very accepting and supporting, but she’s also overly involved. For
the privacy and protection of each individual recipient, no one besides this
group is permitted in this room … ever. Sally’s mother is going to struggle
with that.”
“She’s going to
be staying in the north side of the duplex, right?” Creed asked.
“Yes. Again,
she’ll want to come down here, but she isn’t permitted to. The Harrison twins are massive boys. Both are built like
linebackers so it’s going to be a chore if we have to lift or move either of
them. Out of the ten recipients, five are between 20 and 30 years of age, which
is a good thing, three are teenagers, and then the two older men that have
already been discussed.”
“All ten
recipients are in excellent health. Nancy examined them one-by-one and she
couldn’t be happier with their pre-inoculation statuses,” Creed stated as if
Nancy had been a part of the process all along. Brynn had to physically
restrain herself from rolling her eyes and turned away from Creed when Dallin
cleared his throat.
“I have a
personal concern about your dad, Creed.”
“And I have a
personal concern about Nancy,” Brynn said, quickly making her statement before
Dallin could continue on with his. “I know she’s signed confidentiality forms
and stuff, but I—I have reservations about her.”
“I know you do.
We all know you do. That’s why she’s on a need-to-know basis only. She doesn’t
have full access here. She doesn’t know everything, hell, she hardly knows
anything,” Creed replied.
“I don’t want her
alone in the house without one of us here to supervise her,” Brynn demanded.
Creed studied
Brynn to see if she was being serious. “Brynn, love, you know that isn’t
possible.”
Brynn began to
retort when Silus loudly cleared his throat. “I agree with Brynn.”
“Done,” Dallin
said, desperate to keep the conversation from becoming uncomfortably hijacked.
“What’s done?”
Nancy asked. She entered the basement as if she lived there.
“We’re going over
our final checklist. Please, have a seat,” Creed said to Nancy.
Brynn tried to
pull her hand away from Creed’s grasp, only for him to gently squeeze her
fingers in between his.
Dallin
didn’t like the building tension, or the amount of time being spent at the
expensive of Nancy, the newest member of Creed’s team. “Like I was saying about
your dad, he’s the oldest recipient and it’d just … well, it would kill me if
anything happened to him,” Dallin cautiously said.
“He’ll be fine,”
Beth replied. She gazed intently on Creed. Silus wrapped his arm around his
mother Beth and she turned from Creed to her youngest son and smiled. She was
confident, at least she put on an air that she was. She didn’t agree with
Kalen’s strong desire to receive the EA-7, but she’d support him with almost
anything he requested of her after a bit of coaxing and even more explanation.
“Okay.
The syringes are locked and loaded. One by one, starting with Sadollah, we’re
going to bring an individual recipient down to receive an injection. One
injection per hour on the hour, unless a medical emergency occurs,” Creed
instructed.
“Don’t forget to
chart absolutely everything—a one degree temperature change, if their pee looks
too yellow, if you have to flush an IV. Are the consents and waivers all
signed?” Dallin asked.
“Yes,”
Brynn answered.
“All right,
Operation Enhancement is officially underway,” Creed said. He looked at Nancy
and pointed at the stairs.
Nancy quietly exited
the lab to get Sadollah. Sitting in the family room of Creed’s house were the
first five recipients. The other five, which included Kalen, were waiting at
Brynn’s house to receive their own vial of the thick, blue EA-7.
24 hours later,
10 very sick individuals were lying in twin beds scattered throughout the
basement of Creed’s home.
