Voyage of the Dead - Book One Sovereign Spirit Saga (41 page)

The main course was Lobster Puerto Nuevo with deep fried lobster tails, tortillas, guacamole, rice, beans, cheese and carne asada steak.  It was a big hit with everyone, especially when Michelle explained that most of the main ingredients could be replenished locally, including the Pacific lobster tails and avocados, if they were able to set lobster traps in the ocean and forage ashore in local orchards.  She confessed that, “The rice and beans might be a little harder to grow around here, but I’m sure there are bulk stockpiles of staples like that in stores and warehouses that could last for years.  The beef is a different story.  Do we know if the disease or the zombies will kill livestock?” asked Michelle.

 “I don’t think livestock will be directly affected by the disease, or by the infected subjects,” replied Professor Bernhard.  “The virus is very finely engineered to attack the human nervous system.  These infected subjects, zombies as you call them, do not have the same cravings for regular nourishment that normal people do.  They completely ignore vegetables, as well as all forms of fish and animal flesh, whether cooked or raw.  As far as we can tell, they are only attracted to human flesh, preferably living humans.”  The conversation threatened to put a damper on their appetites, but Scott was intrigued and wanted to know more.

“Is that something you learned from studying them in your lab, professor?” he asked.

“Partly, young man,” replied Bernhard.  “Among other things.” 

“Such as?” Scott persisted.

“My own work has more to do with the effect of the virus on their brain function and motor skills than their appetites,” Bernhard replied. “But their behavior does seem to be closely linked to their desire for human flesh.  We have some theories on that, but nothing worthy of discussing over dinner.”

“I see,” Scott relented.  “But did your work involve anything related to a cure?”

“Perhaps,” admitted the professor.  “It is too soon to be sure of anything.  Personally, I highly doubt that anyone who has been transformed into what you call a zombie could ever be restored to the normal human condition.  But we might be able to come up with a vaccine that would make people immune to infection, or an antidote that could stop the virus immediately after the infection occurred.  Perhaps even an anti-virus that would terminate zombies.  But again, it’s too soon to be sure if anything like that is possible.”

 “Well, professor” Captain McCloud interjected. “The CDC and Homeland Security seem to think your work is very important.  That’s why the Coast Guard was tasked with helping Commodore Allen to rescue you.  Why would that be?”  McCloud, like most good commanders, had a polite but blunt way of cutting to the chase.

The professor spent a moment wrapping his third lobster burrito and taking a large bite that he chewed without haste, but with obvious delight, before answering, “I’m really not sure if I am at liberty to tell you that, sir.  I would much rather get access to communications systems again, so I can discuss my findings with the CDC, before disclosing them here and now.  Suffice it to say that I have made certain discoveries that point to both the source and a possible solution to the Super Rabies plague.” 

“In that case,” Scott said with conviction. “You are the most important person on this ship, possibly the most important person anywhere, and you will have all the communications access that we can provide, as well as exclusive use of my own laboratory facilities on this ship.  They may not be as high tech as you are used to, but it’s a fully functional marine biology lab with pressurized containment tanks for the study of deep ocean life.  I suppose they could be used like the tank I saw in your lab too, if needed.  By the way, will you need more infected subjects to study?”  Scott heard the slight hesitation in his own voice as he asked that final question.  He did not relish the idea of bringing any zombies onto his ship, even if they were restrained and used as guinea pigs in the lab.

“Oh no,” the professor replied with a grin.  “At least not yet.  Doctor Greenburg provided all the samples I needed.”

“Doctor Greenburg?” Scott prompted.

“Yes, he was the subject you saw restrained inside the tank in my lab,” responded the professor absently.  Scott’s mouth fell open for moment and he exchanged troubled glances with O’Hara.  Bernhard continued evenly, “He was bitten on the morning of the first day, on his way into work, and immediately volunteered to be a test subject.  The man had an uncanny intuition for what would happen to him.  He started talking about zombie movies and books.  At first I thought he was delirious. Then he told me to restrain him and take blood samples every five minutes.  Later, before he succumbed to the virus and lost his faculties, he told me about his work on bio weapon defense for the US Army at Fort Detrick.  Then he explained what he thought had happened, why it was happening, and how to stop it from destroying all of us.  He was a brilliant man, wasn’t he Miss Hansen?”

“Yes, professor,” she replied with half a burrito in her mouth.  “He was truly brilliant.”

 “It was my investigation of his theories that the CDC is so interested in,” concluded Bernhard, before returning his full attention to the lobster.   This revelation left everyone at the table speechless, but intrigued, and the meal concluded in a more somber atmosphere than it had begun. 

*****

Professor Bernhard’s brief summary of his research raised far more questions than answers for Scott and the others.  He refused to explain whatever insight his colleague, Dr. Greenburg, had shared with him, claiming it would be premature to discuss such theories until he completed his research.  But he hinted that his work was promising and might show results within days or weeks at the most.  That was enough to satisfy everyone’s curiosity for the time being.

Following dinner Scott offered to escort the Professor and Miss Hansen to the lab and help them select living quarters on the ship.  As they descended through the public areas of the
Sovereign Spirit
Ms. Hansen asked questions about the ship and seemed suitably impressed with the facilities.  Professor Bernhard, however, seemed oddly silent and preoccupied. 

“This is the Grand Salon,” Scott explained as they walked back towards the stairs to the vehicle deck.  “You are welcome to come and socialize here with the other passengers and crew.  We show satellite news most of the time on the big screen and schedule movies in the evening.  There’s also a bar and a sushi bar that opens in the afternoon and after dinner.  Three meals a day are served in the Main Dining Room, but we can also have meals brought to the lab if you are too busy to make it up here. 

“Now, this is the reception lobby with an elevator and stairs down to the vehicle decks,” he explained as he ushered them down the starboard stairwell.  “The upper vehicle level on this side of the ship has been turned into a video arcade and a bowling alley, but we’ve converted that into a shooting range for everyone to practice defense against zombies.  On the other side of the ship is a casino with dozens of slot machines and a small movie theater.”

“This is fantastic,” commented Miss Hansen appreciatively.  “It’s like being on a cruise ship.  How can we thank you for all the hospitality?”

“If your research is as important as it sounds, I will be the one thanking you,” Scott replied as they emerged into the cavernous vehicle deck, full of cars, trucks, water craft and various other toys that Scott had collected.  The professor and Ms. Hansen seemed shocked by their surroundings for a moment until Scott explained, “The
Sovereign Spirit
used to be a long range vehicle ferry before she was converted into an expedition mega yacht.  This vehicle deck was one of the things that made her so attractive when I was shopping for a ship.  It lets me bring all of my toys with me where ever we go.”

He led them to a door behind the main stairs labeled
Crew Only
and opened it to reveal another set of narrower stairs descending below the vehicle deck.  “This leads down to the crew’s quarters, the sick bay, and the Marine Biology Lab.  Will you be wanting quarters close to the lab?”

“As close as possible,” replied Professor Bernhard.

“Well, the closest cabins are pretty small,” said Scott.  “I’ll assign one to each of you, so you’ll have private bathrooms and a place to relax next to the lab, but I can also offer you larger cabins with ocean views higher in the ship.  Or,” Scott paused and pointed across the vehicle deck, “you could use that motor home over there.  It’s fully self-contained with a kitchen, bathroom with tub, and it’s plugged into the ship’s satellite TV and internet servers.”

“That sounds perfect,” said Professor Bernhard with a brisk nod. 

“Great, the door is unlocked and you can make yourself at home, but first I’ll show you the lab,” Scott confirmed as he led them down the narrow stairway.  “This is the Steerage Deck and it used to be for the economy passengers when this was a working ferry.  Now we use most of it for crew’s quarters because the cabins are a lot nicer than the old bunk rooms below.  We also have a well equipped sick bay with emergency room and office for the ship’s doctor on this deck.  And we keep half a dozen cabins empty for potential patients.  Two of them will be set aside for your use too.”

Scott paused to unlock the door to the lab and said, “The Marine Biology Lab is across the hall from the Sick Bay.  As you can see, these locks use key cards and I’ll issue you some that are programmed for the lab and the adjoining cabins.”  As they walked into the lab, which was full of computers, aquariums, and scientific work stations, Scott continued, “A lot of the equipment in here is brand new and has never been used.  I have a niece who’s studying to become a marine biologist and I was thinking of making it a hobby of my own too.  But we were too busy on our world cruise to get down here much and I’ve hardly even thought of it since Z-Day.  Now it’s all yours.  I hope you find everything that you need to continue your research here.  If not, just let me know what I can do to help.  The full resources of the ship are at your disposal.”

Professor Bernhard surveyed the room with a critical eye as Miss Hansen turned to thank Scott again.  “This is exactly what we need, Commodore.  Thank you so much for everything, especially for saving our lives.  With these facilities and access to the internet we should be able to complete our research in no time.”

“Don’t be too optimistic, Miss Hansen,” chided the professor.  “There are still a lot of loose ends to tie together before I’ll be comfortable releasing any findings.  But it does appear that this facility will offer us even more tools than we had back at the lab in Malibu.”  He turned to Scott and said, “Thank you for providing this lab, Commodore.  I promise to put it to good use.”

“My pleasure, professor,” replied Scott.  “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll get out of your way and let you get started.”  He shook their hands and went back upstairs.

*****

            Billy spent the evening catching up with his friends and showing them around the ship.  After the impressive tour they all settled into seats at the internet café and Billy started asking questions about what it had been like when the zombies overran Malibu.

            “It got really hairy down on PCH,” said Shawn Smith.  

His brother Bruce nodded and explained, “Yeah, there were zombies walking up from Topanga and cars were crashing into them.  It was hectic.”

            “We started packing up my Jeep with guns ammo and food as soon as we saw your message on Facebook, Billy.  I think that saved our lives,” Shawn added.

            “You bet it did,” Bruce continued. “We barely got out in time.”

            “What do you mean?” Billy asked.

            “Well,” Bruce said.  “When we left we shot all the zombies in front of our house and we could see a lot more of them coming.  But if we hadn’t left when we did, we never would have made it past the road block.”

            “Road block?” Billy prompted.

            “Yeah,” Shawn continued.  “When we got to the first bend we found a bunch of Sheriff’s moving a big truck to block the road.  They were going to make a barricade to fight off the zombies.  They put it in a spot where the cliffs come right down to the highway and rocks above the beach.  Good spot for it, but we were almost on the wrong side of the barrier.  As it was we had to do some quick talking to get them to let us go through before they closed it off completely.”

            “Wow,” said Billy.  “That does sound like a close call.  I think we saw that roadblock from the helicopter on our way to get you guys.  It was abandoned by then, but there were a lot of bodies lying around the Sheriff’s cars.”

            “Sounds about right,” agreed Bruce.  “I didn’t think they had a chance.  Not enough firepower.”

            “Yeah,” Shawn said.  “But I bet it kept a lot of refugees out of Malibu.”