Forest Park: A Zombie Novel (4 page)

Shapinkov was familiar with the story; it was a common occurrence after the collapse of communism.

“Some of us found work in Iran, Iraq, others in Israel or the United States. For instance, when Kanatjan Alibekov, the former First Deputy Director of the Biopreparat defected, causing a devastating blow to all of us who remained loyal --- nearly sixty thousand men were thrown to the wind during those times, it was a disgrace. However, I believe we saved the best. You have to understand that true science is about discovery, and patriotism. Working for one’s country has its own rewards, one that we both understand, Aleksandr.”

Shapinkov nodded.

“As time drifted on, some of our research goals widened, and in 2005-6, we had begun work on the H5N1 Virus, otherwise called Bird Flu or Avian Influenza. Soon after the Beijing conference in January 2006, Putin requested that the remaining research scientists try to find a solution to a possible global pandemic --- a vaccine. Not just for Russia, but for the world! Putin believed that Russia could make billions if we discovered a working vaccine, it was the first step in turning our weapon’s research into practical beneficial medical research. The world was on the verge of a gold rush on a molecular level. We took full advantage of the new funds provided to us, and tinkered with the virus.”

The Doctor leaned forward in his chair.

“What did you do, Doctor?” Asked Shapinkov.             

“We created an aggressive airborne version of H5N1,” the Doctor said, “a super flu. At the time, it was marvelous, and it also proved that old habits die hard. We had the greatest killer virus the world had ever seen at our disposal; its effects would have been catastrophic if released. Then a few months later, we discovered a vaccine, which would stop H5N1 in its tracks, but unfortunately, it would have also rendered our super flu useless. To this very day, the existence of the vaccine remains a secret; regardless of how tempting it was to profit from it.”

Shapinkov could see the excitement growing on his friend’s face.

“Russia had gained the edge once again, Aleksandr, thanks to us, the once disgraced and ill-treated scientists,” the Doctor said as he leaned over and slapped Shapinkov’s thigh as if they were enjoying a laugh together. “We proved ourselves useful once more. Nuclear war would devastate the planet. However, biological weapons could conceivably win a global war, if it ever came to it and if the release was tightly controlled and timed --- if blame could not be attributed to Russia. We had the vaccine to win! Of course, some of our people would have to die; a sacrifice is always required.”

“What has this got to do with MKII?” Asked Shapinkov. “I knew that MKII isn’t only flu.”

Dr. Vatutan couldn’t believe what he was hearing. They’ve both lost it, he thought.

“Avian Influenza is a natural occurring virus, like the Spanish Flu H1N1 of 1918-19. It is a pandemic waiting to happen; all that is required is time. However, if I’m being honest, it is because Mother Nature has her own way of creating balance --- a yin and yang. It may be unscientific to believe such a thing, but I am an old man. You see, I believe when one species has grown beyond nature’s control, nature will find a way to knock that species down, and sometimes that knocking equates to extinction. There are more extinct species now, than living species. Consider that for a moment, Aleksandr. Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection puts forward the proposition that only the strongest will thrive and survive.  Through natural selection the toughest genes would continue to exist and over time, adapt to new environments and challenges. This theory of dominance coupled with time would bring about adaptations that would evolve a species, or in some cases viruses --- every living thing.”

Shapinkov nodded in agreement; he had a basic understanding of Darwin’s theories.

“It’s generally accepted that man came from highly evolved ape-like creatures, and dinosaurs are the early relatives of birds --- time and environmental conditions shaped changes along the way using aggressive genes and adaptations due to events. It’s no different with viruses. New strands of viruses thrive while the older strands become the building blocks of our immune systems, or in other words, older viruses become the data banks our immune system relies upon to defeat fresh strands. Over time, our immune system creates antibodies that can defeat a virus or the virus evolves into a new lesser deadly strand and ceases to become the menace it was --- a virus doesn’t gain by killing the host, it’s the exact opposite. If the host dies, the virus loses as well. The aim of a virus is to keep the victim alive long enough to spread infection. The ideal virus would keep the victim living indefinitely to pass on the virus to whomever the victim made contact with. However, the most radical idea would be a virus that could go so far as to kill the host, but still maintain the control of contact and infection, but that sounds insane. Well, it’s not.”

For a moment, the room fell silent.

“The theory is far from insane; it’s real, and it’s proven. I found another virus recently which I named MKI, or the first --- Mark-One.”

“How could a virus have the ability to allow a host to tolerate death?” Asked Shapinkov.

Dr. Vatutan leaned forward and offered his opinion. “We don’t know, but we have a theory. It’s all very conjectural, though.”

“The theory is this. Maybe the MKI virus is a pure source?” The Doctor offered.

“How do you mean?” Asked Shapinkov.

“I mean that the MKI virus is the pure source of all viruses, the mother of every virus on the planet; the original animal or bug. It’s a killing and replicating machine, and with the right delivery system, devastating.”

Shapinkov was stunned. This is crazy; they combined the two? “You can’t be serious. Do you really consider it ethical to splice two such dangerous---”

“You have to understand, Aleksandr, that I only discovered MKI after we had already created the H5N1 super flu. It wasn’t planned. However, because of its strange characteristics, we tried cross engineering it with a large variety of other lethal biological agents, and every single attempt was successful.”

“And so you thought…”

“And when we spliced MKI with our super flu, it offered us the best use of its unique abilities.

“Explain these abilities, Doctor,” asked Shapinkov.

MYTHS

“There have been myths and legends passed down from generation to generation in the Nganasan, Nenets and the Sami Tribal groups from deep in the Arctic, about unusual people who used to roam the countryside year after year come summer. The legend says that people in these tribes would see these wanderers frozen in the ice during winter months, and then during the summer months, they’d be alive again, and walking through the forests. The legends say that with time, these wanderers would become walking piles of rotting flesh, walking the forests and steppes until they couldn’t awake after the next winter. It’s the kind of fairy tale mothers would tell a wayward child: ‘Be good or the snow man will get you and eat you,’ but there was more to it

There were other stories, some from as late as last century where local tribesmen told of defending themselves against these wanderers or snowmen. The tales tell of stabbing them with whaling harpoons, they even spoke of removing their hearts and other organs, but they still continued to roam across the country --- until they disappeared.”

“If these myths and legends are true, Doctor, why no recent cases, until now?” asked Shapinkov.

“That’s very easy to explain. We’ve been hearing about the reason for years, but only now is it being taken seriously,” answered the Doctor. “In the late seventies and early eighties, the first signs of climate changes were only beginning to become clear, people such as Carl Sagan spoke of it as a reality even then. However, it wasn’t until the nineties that governments really begun to consider the problem as real, but of course, nothing happened. The politicians had Kyoto, their ‘white whale’, which was a waste of time and an excuse for inaction. Kyoto only moved the problem around while giving everyone the illusion that governments were acting.”

“You believe in climate change?” Shapinkov asked.

“Whether climate change is man-made or just the natural ebb and flow of the planet is not the issue. It’s how climate change has, and will continue to affect the tundra and its permafrost which directly concerns me.”

“What is permafrost?”

“Permafrost is basically frozen mud and water combined. Elements of it stretch from Russia all the way to Canada, some thousands of miles. Deep in the permafrost are immense quantities of oil, uranium and other fossil fuels. It’s loaded with potential for exploitation. However, it’s also a volatile ecosystem --- extremely fragile, so fragile that it cannot possibly withstand a sizeable presence of human beings or the industrial development required of it, and because of climate change, the entire region is under the threat of becoming one huge swamp covering enormous distances --- literally thousands and thousands of miles. The more climate change that occurs, the greater risk we’re taking locally and globally.”

“How?” asked Shapinkov.

“Well, permafrost as I said before, is just frozen mud and inside that frozen mud is large quantities of trapped carbon and if this carbon is released into the atmosphere, it will quickly speed the rate of climate change through a rise in global temperatures. With the tundra being so vast, the amounts of carbon gases trapped inside the mud-ice will guarantee a worldwide effect and speed up the release of the natural form of the MKI virus, and this is happening now; the virus is escaping the mud and ice…

“According to the local tribes the sightings of these wanderers normally coincide with years that have a sharp rise in temperature, of course there are no exact records concerning the wanderers. Although we do have ice core samples that show us when there were warmer periods, or severe spikes in temperature.

“But it’s not the spikes in temperature that should concern us now; it’s the gradual rise in temperature that is at the core of the issue, and with oil drilling, mining, and the construction of larger camps to support these industries, the chance of infection has increased, especially with the rise in population in these remote areas. It only takes one person to become innocently infected to spread the virus, and ravage an entire community during the course of one summer.” The Doctor lowered his head and said, “And that’s how it came to our attention.”

“Did someone from a work camp become infected?” Shapinkov asked.

“A worker from a gas drilling station. It all happened so very swiftly, and by the time we understood it; it was too late. It ran through the workers’ camp and infected more than we thought possible in such a short period of time. As I said, it happened very rapidly and back then, we knew nothing of the old legends.”

“This sounds like the old days, secrets and cover ups,” Shapinkov said, sounding disgusted.

“We did everything we could, and I admit mistakes were made --- we lost some good people…”

“If this virus is so damn dangerous, why tamper with it?” asked Shapinkov.

“I’m a scientist, Aleksandr, and MKI is an important discovery. It’s my obligation to humanity to investigate it.”

“Not to create a weapon from it, you were under no obligation to do that.”

“I don’t have the right to ignore any new discovery because of the possible consequences that it may involve, nor is it my duty to ascertain the difference between the good and evil of my research, Aleksandr, that is for my peers to decide, and if need be, history. I honestly admit I would not condone the release of anything that would cause great harm, but that would not be my decision.”

“You helped create it. Without you, it would not exist.”

The Doctor shook his head from side to side, “No --- without me, you would not know its creator. I’m only one scientist, but even with all of us scientists removed from the equation, the science exists. It’s not dependent on man. Just as reality does not disappear when you close your eyes, the world continues to exist, and this virus would have too.”

“But not as you made it.”

“I made the leap for it that is all. I reduced the time it may have taken in the natural world, not the possibility.”

“Insanity, pure insanity,” Shapinkov said.

“I do my duty, just as you do. I should not have to shoulder the responsibilities, or the blame, if you like, for discoveries such as this. Just look around you! Humanity has been raping the natural world for thousands of years; we manipulate it to our advantage, abuse it and discard it. If anyone wishes to attribute blame, let them look deep within themselves first. He who casts the first stone, Aleksandr, so please consider your achievements if you wish to identify them as such. What good have they brought to the world? Or try to be truly honest to yourself; how many sorrows have your achievements caused?”

“If this hybrid virus was ever used, how would it affect people?” asked Shapinkov, changing the subject.

The Doctor calmed down and thought about his answer for a moment. “H5N1 causes a massive respiratory collapse, especially in adolescents. You see most young people have an extremely durable immune system, but as you get older, the immune system begins to weaken. So once a person becomes infected by a disease, it’s normally the old and the very young who succumb first. However, H5N1 uses that immune system against itself.”

“How?” asked Shapinkov.

“Well, the immune system goes into overdrive to attack the H5N1 virus, and vast amounts of phlegm, which is a by-product of our body’s defense mechanism, like puss under the skin of a pimple, begins to accumulate at a rapid pace, resulting in the body drowning itself after the lungs have filled with phlegm and blood.”

“How would someone become infected?”

“Well, how don’t you become infected is more to the point. The MKII virus, in theory, can survive outside of the human body for at least thirty-six hours, while the original source, the MK I, can remain active indefinitely if the conditions are right. A handrail wiped in a solution containing a small dose of MKI could kill thousands people if not millions if unchecked, it’s that contagious and rapid, especially if transferred by direct blood to blood contact, or saliva. However, all you need to do is inhale MKII, that’s why we made MKI airborne.”