Chapter 53 Chapter 51 Investigation

Meetings with Senate leaders took place as scheduled.Surgical masks were handed out again at the meeting, and that set the mood for the evening. Again, it was Van Damme's idea.General Pickett has gone to Hopkins to inspect the progress of the situation, and is giving a brief explanation of the situation, while the fifteen senators gathered in the East Room are listening seriously, with only two eyes showing on their entire faces . I cannot agree more with the actions you have taken, Mr. President.said one of them. Do you think I would?He replied that if anyone had a better idea, let's hear it.I must follow the best medical advice, and if things were to be as deadly as the general says they were, any mistake could cost thousands and millions of lives.If I'm going to be wrong, I'd rather be wrong on precaution.

But what about civil liberties?Another questioned. Are those bigger than life?Lane asked, guys, if anyone can offer me a better option, I'd like to hear it, and we have an expert here who can help evaluate; but I don't want to listen to opinions that have no scientific basis.It is impossible for the constitution and laws to predict every possible event, such as the one before us.we should use our brains We should stick to our principles!It was the senator who proposed liberty. OK, so let's discuss it.If there's a compromise between what I've made and other choices that keep the country functioning and safe, let's find it.I also want to have more freedom of choice!Please give me something useful!The venue fell into a dead silence, and the congressmen looked at each other, a little silly.

Why move so fast? People's lives are in danger, you idiot!Another senator rants at his good friend and distinguished colleague. But what if you are wrong?a voice asked. Then after the House indicts me, you can hold an impeachment review.Wren replied that someone would then make a decision, God bless him.Guys, my wife is at Hopkins right now and she's going to be involved with these patients, and I don't like her that way either.I hope to have your support, it is very lonely to fight alone like this, but whether you support your president or not, I will do my best.I repeat, if anyone has a better idea, let us hear it.

No one answered.It wasn't their fault, and it rarely happened to him, let alone them. The Air Force managed to get them summer uniforms from Andrew Foley Station because the uniforms they wore in Washington were a bit too thick for the tropics.John.Clark wears the rank of colonel, and Ding.Chavez was the major, and both wore the Silver Eagle flight badge and ribbon presented by their VC|20B crew.There were actually two groups of pilots, and the backup crew was sleeping in the first two rows of seats. Not bad for a retired E|Six officer.Chavez said that although the uniform did not fit very well.

Not bad for a retired E|Seventh officer, and you're still an officer, Major Chavez. Three bags full, sir.This is their only moment of ease.The military Gulfstream, a converted commercial jet, had a large communications suite and was manned by a sergeant.When flying over Pointe Noire, the documents had almost covered the entire equipment, and there was not much paper left on board.They were on their way to Kinshasa. Next stop is Kenya, sir.The communications sergeant is actually an intelligence specialist, and she's reporting along the way, and you've got to meet a man with some monkey ties.

Clarke took the papers. He was a colonel, after all; while Travez wondered how the ribbon would go with the blue jacket. check it out.John handed over the document as he spoke. It's an instruction, Clark.Ding said immediately.They exchanged glances, and it was clear that this was a purely intelligence mission.They have rarely taken on such tasks in the past, and now they must take on the task of gathering life-and-death intelligence for their country.They are all field officers of the CIA Operations Department, and they have all served in the army. For example, Clark is a former member of the Navy Seals and often participates in the paramilitary operations of the Operations Department; Even real spies find it exciting.

You know him better than I do, John.What does he want to do? Jack?Clark shrugged. It depends on what we can get from him, Ding.This is our job, remember? Yes, sir.Chavez said very seriously. The President could not sleep that night.He knew, and he was told, that getting enough sleep was a prerequisite for good decision-making, and that getting enough sleep, as everyone emphasized, was his only real job and the last thing the nation wanted him to do. Important things.After a grueling tour and lectures yesterday, he had only about six hours left, but even then he was having trouble falling asleep.His aides and other federal agency workers got even less sleep because presidential orders come quickly and they must be implemented quickly and concretely.What is complicated is the two China issues with a 13-hour time difference from Washington, the potential Indian issue with a 10-hour time difference, the Persian Gulf issue with an eight-hour time difference, and the serious crisis in the United States.In the continental United States alone, if Hawaii is included, the crisis spans seven time zones, and if you add the sporadic islands in the Pacific Ocean, there will be even more.Lying on the bed in the White House residence, Ryan thought all over the world, and finally found that there are problems almost everywhere in the world.At around three o'clock in the morning, he didn't go to sleep anymore, he just got up, put on some clothes, and walked towards the signal in the west wing under the protection of the operator.

Did you find anything?He asked the officer on duty, Charles of the Marine Corps.Major Cannon, who had informed him of the assassination in Iraq, he remembered as if that was the beginning of everything.Everyone present stood up and stood at attention one after another. Ren signaled them to return to their seats and continue. It's been a busy night, sir, won't you get some sleep?asked the major. I can't sleep much, Major.Ryan replied. Well, Mr. President, we've now reached out to the CDC and the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases communications lines and are replicating their data and then plotting all the case areas on the map.Cannon said.On a map of the United States on a corkboard, a red pushpin clearly indicates the Ebola outbreak.Pushpins are mainly concentrated in 18 cities, and scattered in other regions.There are still some states with no cases yet.Oddly enough, Idaho, Alabama, the Dakotas, and even Minnesota showed no signs of infection.Maybe it was just a coincidence, but what to say?There are some materials printed out by the computer, and the printer is still printing out non-stop.Lane picked up a sheet that listed the patient's name, state, city, and occupation in alphabetical order.In terms of occupation, about 15% belong to the category of maintenance management, second only to the number of people in the marketing category.The data comes primarily from the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control, which work together to study the distribution of infections.Another printout, of some suspected sites of infection, corroborated General Pickett's statement that trade fairs were the primary target.

During his time at the CIA, Wren studied all the theoretical ways of attacking his country.But for some reason, he ignored the current situation and did not take biological warfare into consideration.He has spent countless hours thinking about nuclear attack: what we have, what the other side has, what are the targets, how many casualties; hundreds of targets that may be selected according to political, economic, and military factors; Variables, each choice has many possible consequences, and these possible consequences are only expressions of possibility calculations.It was a nightmare, he remembered

Lane had taken no previous courses in government, except general political science courses at Boston University for his first degree in economics.He remembered an aristocratic colonist who had written three decades before his ascension to the third president of the United States: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.To secure these rights, the people form a government whose legal powers derive from the consent and support of the governed.What is stated here is the mission of the government.The Constitution that he swore to uphold, protect and defend naturally also aims to preserve, protect and defend the lives and rights of citizens.He shouldn't just stand here and browse the names, occupations and addresses of these people, at least 80 percent of them will die.They have the right to live, the right to be free and the right to pursue happiness.Alas, some people are dying.Wren has ordered the suspension of people's liberties, and there must be many unhappy people by now.

Actually, here's a little bit of good news, Mr. President.Cannon handed over yesterday's election results.Ren was taken aback, he had forgotten such a thing.Someone arranged the winners by profession.Lawyers account for less than half of the quota, 27 percent are doctors, 23 percent are engineers, 19 percent are farmers, 18 percent are teachers, and 14 percent are Various businessmen.Well, that makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?Now that he has about a third of the House, the question is how to get them to Washington.And Pat.Might Martin rant that it is illegal to suspend interstate traffic, and that the Constitution mandates that members of Congress cannot be prevented from sitting except in cases of treason?That's about it, Ryan remembers the details, but he understands that congressional immunity is an important policy. Then a telegraph started chattering, and an army sergeant walked over. State Department telegram from Ambassador Williams to India.he reported. let me see.Ren also walked over.Not good news, and so was the next telegram from Taipei. Doctors work in four-hour shifts, with each young resident paired with a more senior partner.They're mostly nursing now, and while they're both doing a pretty good job, they know it's not helping. This is Casey's first time wearing protective clothing.She has performed eye surgery for about 30 AIDS patients, but none of them are very difficult. You just need to wear ordinary gloves, move slowly, steadily, and carefully. What people worry about is that they are afraid that there will be too many people during the operation.Compared with the complexity of thoracic surgery, eye surgery is hardly a problem.Now, she is wrapped in a big, thick plastic bag and wears a helmet whose transparent visor often fogs up from her breathing.Through the mask, what she sees are dying patients under the care of expert doctors. They must try to do their best.She looked down at the businessman in front of her, whose wife was in the next room.There are two tubes, one supplying nutrients, electrolytes and morphine, and the other supplying blood, both of which are firmly fixed so as not to damage the venous interface, and the only thing they can do is to provide support.They had thought that interferon might help, but it didn't work.Antibiotics can't fight viruses at all, which is a very difficult fact to accept.Although a hundred people are now testing various coping methods in the laboratory, they are still at a loss.No one had ever spent much time seriously studying Ebola.The Centers for Disease Control, the Army Research Institute, and other laboratories around the world have done some research, but not nearly as much as for other diseases that are rampant in civilized countries.In the United States and Europe, research priorities are those with high mortality or broad political influence.Because the allocation of government research funding is a political act, while private funding is used to study diseases that afflict the rich or famous.This naturally reduces the funding for Ebola and other tropical diseases to negligible numbers because they cannot make high profits from investing in these countries.This situation may be different now, but for the overcrowded patients in the hospital, it is far from quenching their thirst. The patient started gurgling, and Kathy grabbed the plastic trash can. The vomit basin was too small to spill.She helped him hold the bucket and saw that all he had spit out was sweat and blood.Black blood, necrotic blood, blood full of little Ebola virus crystal bricks.After the patient vomited, Kathy handed him a container of water. There was a thin tube in the container. Just squeeze it to get a little water to moisten the mouth. Thanks.The patient uttered two words with difficulty.His skin was pale except where there were blotches from subcutaneous bleeding.Ecchymosis, he watched her, knowing that all this pain was beyond the control of the dose of morphine.He felt pain, like waves crashing against a breakwater. what's wrong with mehe asks. Oh, you are very sick.But your body is fighting the disease, Kathy told him.Your immune system can beat it down if you can sustain it, but you must persevere.This is not a lie. I don't know you.Are you a nurse? No, I'm a professor.Through the plastic mask, she smiled at him. Be careful, he told her, you don't want to be like me.Believe me.He even managed to force a smile, which almost made Kathy feel like his heart was being torn apart. We're all careful, sorry about our attire.She would have liked to touch the patient and show him her concern, but the heavy attire simply couldn't do that.Damn it! It really hurts, doctor. Lie down and try to sleep while I adjust your morphine dose to ease the pain.She walked to the other side of the bed and upped the morphine drip.Then stood there and waited for several minutes until the patient closed his eyes.Then she went to the trash can and sprayed it with a high-efficiency chemical disinfectant. The bucket was completely soaked in disinfectant, even the plastic, and any living things that fell into it had a hard time surviving.About 30 CCs were sprayed. According to the performance of the disinfectant itself, it may not be necessary to spray so much, but now I would rather take precautions before the incident.A nurse walked in and handed Kathy a computerized report on the latest blood sample.The patient's liver function has almost completely lost. The Ebola virus is most likely to breed and wreak havoc in this organ, and its aggressiveness is the most severe. Other chemical indicators also confirm that the system has begun to die.Theoretically, his immune system should be able to continue to maintain energy supply and resistance, but that is only a theory, only a few hundredths of hope.Someone had come by in the past, and it was documented, and she and her colleagues had been studying those documents for the past twelve hours or so.They are all thinking that if antibodies can be isolated, there may be a way to treat them. If possible maybe possible. She knew it wasn't a potion, and certainly not the antiseptics she'd used in Wilmore to heal her eyes, restore and strengthen her eyesight.She thought again of her decision to pursue ophthalmology.One of her professors at the time had urged her to choose oncology, saying she had brains, curiosity, a thirst for knowledge, and a talent for understanding.But looking down at the sleeping and dying patient in front of her, she understood that she didn't have the courage to face it like this every day, let alone so many people died. Damn.Chavez said it was like being in Colombia. Or Vietnam.Facing the oncoming heat, Clarke agreed.They were greeted by an embassy official and a representative of the Say government.The latter, dressed in military uniform, saluted the newly arrived officers.John also politely returned the salute. This way please, Colonel.They were transported by a legal helicopter and the reception they received was first class.The United States has invested a lot of money in this country and it is time for them to give back. Clark looked down, and below was a dense tropical jungle that covered the sky and sun.He had seen this before in other countries.He used to fight in this kind of jungle when he was young, and he fought to the death with short enemies armed with AK｜47 rifles.It was clear to him now that something smaller, though unarmed, had not only aimed at him, but had launched a fatal attack on his country.All this is simply unimaginable. The four ships formed a box formation six hundred miles north-northwest of Diego Garcia Island, keeping a distance of a thousand yards aft and aft.The destroyer Obernen was 5,000 yards ahead, Kidd was 10,000 yards northeast of the anti-submarine ship, and Anzio was about 20 miles ahead.The supply ship and its two frigates are heading west and will join the formation around sunset. This is a good opportunity to practice.The Diego Garcia base has six P｜Three C Orion anti-submarine and maritime patrol aircraft, which used to be more.One of them is patrolling in front of a small frigate and throwing sonobuoys to listen for possible submarines for the fast-moving formation; the other is using radar to track the Indian Navy battle group centered on two ships. , while itself is located outside the opponent's detection range; in addition, the Orion type guided at the forefront is only equipped with anti-submarine weapons, and its task is to perform routine surveillance. Mr President.said the Chief of Operations.He wanted to ask: Why don't you sleep, Rain?But he didn't speak. Robbie, have you seen what Ambassador Williams faxed? seen it already.Admiral Jackson confirmed. Dave.Williams' report concluded that India may have had an attempt.In his report, he further emphasized that the Ebola virus crisis in the United States has not become a topic in India, and there is not even a word of sympathy.He thinks this may be due to the negligence of India, or it may be their intention.Logically speaking, India should be worried about this kind of thing, and if not, at least it should be concerned, but no, they are indifferent and nonchalant.In the end, Williams concluded that the Indian Navy's exercise had ulterior motives both in terms of time and location.His message: blatant provocation. So what do you think, Robbie? I think Ambassador Williams is very apt, sir.The only thing he didn't say was that they didn't know we didn't have a single ship there.Everyone knows that the Ike is heading for China, and once their intelligence officers wake up, they will know what to do.Then, well, they'll set sail.Now, we've got these messages from the ambassador, sir Stop talking, Robbie.Ryan told him you've been talking all day. ok jack.We have every reason to believe that China and India have an extraordinary relationship.See what's happening now?China caused an incident, it was bad enough to force us to mobilize a ship; the Indian Navy sailed to the line between Diego Garcia and the Persian Gulf; the heat in the Persian Gulf turned up again. And we have a plague.Lane added.He leaned forward against the desk in his office.He can't sleep, but that doesn't mean he's fully awake.Is this a coincidence? maybe.Maybe the Prime Minister of India is trying to express displeasure with what we have done to them not long ago, maybe she just wants to tell us not to push them around, but it could be just nonsense.Mr. President, but it could be nothing. Any suggestions? We have a surface combat group in the Eastern Mediterranean, including two Aegis-class cruisers, a Burke-class destroyer, and three frigates.At present, the Mediterranean Sea is safe and sound. I suggest that we consider mobilizing this battle group to cross the Suez Canal to support the Anzio battle group.I also suggest that you might consider transferring a ship from Westland to the Mediterranean, but that would take a while, Jack, because it's about 6,000 miles away, and it would take nine days to get there, even at twenty-five knots. arrive.I'm a little disturbed that we don't have a single ship immediately available for more than a third of the world.Jack, if we have to do something, I can't guarantee that we will. Hello, nun.Clark said while gently shaking her hand.He hadn't seen a nun in years. Welcome, Colonel Clark.Major.She nodded to Travez. Good afternoon, nun. What wind brings you here?Mary.Sister Charles spoke English so well she was like an English teacher.Her Belgian accent sounded French to the two Americans. Sister, we are here to ask about your colleague Jane.The death of Sister Baptiste.Clark told her. I see.She pointed to the chair, please sit down. Thank you, nun.Clark said politely. Are you catholic?she asked.This is very important to her. Yes, both of us.Both Chavez and the colonel nodded. Where were you educated? I actually went to Catholic schools.Clark catered to her by saying that I went to Notre Dame nuns' school in elementary school, and then I went to church schools after that. ha.She had a huge smile on her face, obviously happy about it.I have heard about the disease in your country, it is very sad.So you come here to ask about poor Benedict.Mkosa, Sister Jane and Maria.about Sister Magdalena, but I'm afraid we can't help you much. Why, nun? After Benedict died, we cremated the body by order of the government.Mary.Sister Charles explained that Jane had contracted the disease, but that she died in a crash while on a medical flight to the Institut Pasteur in Paris. No one survived?Clark asked. Maria.Sister Magdalena was also on board, and Dr. Moody. who is he?John pressed. He is a member of the World Health Organization stationed in the area, and some of his colleagues are in the next building.She pointed. Is it Moody?Chavez asked and took notes. Yes.She uttered his full name, Muhammad.Moody, is a good doctor.She added that it was heartbreaking to lose them. You mean Muhammad.Moody, do you know where he is from?Chavez asked again. Iran, no, has it changed?He was educated in Europe, he is a very good young doctor, we all respect him very much. good.Clark adjusts his seat, can we talk to his colleague? I think the president is outrageous.The doctor on TV said.Since he couldn't drive from Connecticut to New York this morning, he had to be interviewed at a local branch office. why, bobthe interviewer asked.He traveled from his home in New Jersey to his studio in New York just before bridges and tunnels closed, and now lives in the office.Understandably, he was very upset about it. Ebola is indeed a vicious and terrible thing.The medical reporter of the TV station said.Although he spoke the term well, he had no clinical experience.He mainly covers medical news, and mostly reports on the benefits of morning running and how to arrange diet.But it will never be here, because it simply cannot survive here.Regardless of how these people got sick, Ebola did not travel very far.The president's actions may have been reckless. And it violates the constitution.There is no doubt about that, the legal reporter added.The president has panicked, which is not good for the country, either medically or legally. Thanks a lot, bastard.Ryan said while turning off the TV. We have to figure out a way.Van Damme said. How to do it? You have to counteract this kind of bad news with good news. Smart, Arnie. We need to stop the panic, Mr. President. There has been no panic yet and apparently time has helped a lot.But tomorrow will be different.Within hours people would be demonstrating and the news media would be covering it.Van Damme is right, he has to prepare for that, but what? So what to do, Arnie? Jack, I thought you wouldn't ask. The next stop is the airport.There they were able to confirm that a private Swiss Gulfstream IV business jet traveling from Libya to Paris had indeed passed through.The tower master photocopied airport records and the plane's cargo manifest for the visiting Americans, down to the names of the crew members. Ok?Chavez asked. Clark looked over at the officials.Thank you for all your valuable help.Then he and Chavez walked to the car that was about to take them to the plane. Ok?Man.Chavez asked again. Be quiet, man.They were all silent during the five-minute journey, and Clark looked out the window at the cumulus clouds that were forming, which he hated flying in. No, we have to wait.The backup pilot is a lieutenant colonel, we have regulations. Clark patted the silver eagle on his epaulet, leaning right into the lieutenant colonel's face.I, Colonel, I say go, you Air Scout, get the fuck out of here. listen mr clark i know who you are and Sir, said Chavez, I'm only a fake major, but this mission is much more important than your regulations.We can use barf bags if necessary.The pilot glared at them, but returned to the cockpit.Travis turned his head, don't be mad, John. Clark handed the file over.Look at the names of the crew, they are not Swiss, but the plane is. Chavez took a look, the registration number was HX|NJA, and judging from the names of the crew, they were not German, French or Italian either. Non-commissioned officer?Clark yelled as the engine started. Yes, sir!The noncommissioned officer had seen Clark almost tear the driver's scowl apart. Please fax this to Langley.You know the number, the sooner the better.he added. Fasten seat belts. As VC｜20B began taxiing, the pilot yelled through the intercom. Because of the radio interference caused by the storm, it took three fax attempts to get in touch with Fort Beaver, Virginia via satellite. The document was reproduced on the CIA's communication system, and the senior officer asked his assistant to send it to the seventh floor.Meanwhile, Clark is on the line. There is interference.The value watcher said.It's digital satellite radio, after all, and can't get rid of thunderstorms. The airflow is not so smooth now.Look up the registered number and name. Say it again. Clark said it again, and heard it this time. Do it now and someone will take care of it.Is there anything else? Call again later, it's over.He heard Clark say. The results of it?As the Gulfstream descended ten feet, Ding asked as he tightened his seat belt. Those names are Persian in Iran, Ding oh shit!Another violent jolt.He looked out of the window, and it was like a huge arena, with clouds rolling in, and lightning and thunder everywhere; he had rarely seen such a sight.That bastard did it on purpose! But in fact the lieutenant colonel didn't mean it, and he was also frightened.The weather radar on the nose showed that the danger zone was 20 degrees to the left and right of the planned route to Nairobi, and the left side looked better.He turned thirty degrees to the left, banked the fuselage like a fighter jet, and continued to rise, seeking a more stable position.Although the position he reached was still unstable, it was much better than before.Ten minutes later, VC｜20B finally saw the light of day again. A pilot turns from her front seat. Satisfied, Colonel?she asked. Clark turned a deaf ear, unbuckled his seat belt, went straight into the bathroom, washed his face with water, and then squatted down beside her.He showed her the document that had just been delivered.Can you tell me anything about this?She just glanced at it. oh yes.The captain said, we have been notified. What? Basically the same aircraft as this one.Whenever one crashes, the manufacturer proactively notifies everyone.It takes off from here, heads north to Libya, and lands to refuel, right?Then take off immediately.Actually I remember it as a medical flight, right? That's right, keep talking. The Gulfstream called for help, one engine was out, then the other was dead, and then nothing.There were three radars tracking at the same time, I think it was Libya, Malta, and a US Navy destroyer. Anything else incredible, Captain? She shrugged.It's a nice plane, I don't think the military has ever crashed one, you can see how good it is now.Those pumpers are two and a half or three horsepower, and those engines Jerry, have we ever broken a C|Twenty engine? Probably twice.The first time was when the pumping unit was defective, and the other time in November a few years ago when the engine sucked a goose. It happens every time.She told Clark that the geese weighed about fifteen or twenty pounds.We must try to avoid it. But this guy lost two engines? They haven't figured out why, maybe the fuel quality is poor, it's possible.But the engine is separate, sir, it's separate from the pumping unit, the electronics, whatever you name it Except fuel.Jerry said it all came from one place. What else?What happens when you lose an engine? If you are not careful, you will lose control of the plane.The plane wobbles, the engines may stall, and the airflow over them changes.We once lost a VC|21 Lear because of this.It might be a bit scary if that happens to happen in the middle of a transition maneuver, but we've been trained for that and the crew on this plane was trained for that.Both are experienced pilots and often train in flight simulators.They had to, or they would lose their jobs.Either way, the most likely problem was the fuel, which the Libyans said was fine. Unless the crew screwed up themselves, Jerry added, but that's unlikely.My flight time is 2000 hours. Mine is 2500 hours.The captain said it was safer than driving in DC, sir.We all love this line. Clark nodded and walked forward. Are you satisfied?said the captain behind him.His voice didn't sound friendly, and there was no need to feel uneasy about his disobedience just now, let alone that the other party was not the real officer. I don't like getting mad at people, Colonel, but this is a very important mission.That's all I can say. My wife is a nurse at the base hospital.Needless to say, he was concerned for her safety. Hearing this, the captain turned around and said, "My wife too, she's in Williamsburg."Then he nodded to Clark. Never mind.Three hours to Nairobi, Colonel. How do I go back?Raman asked over the phone. Not currently.Andrea told him to stick to his post, maybe you could help the FBI's ongoing investigation from the sidelines. marvelous. Do it yourself, Jeff, I don't have time for this.She sternly told her subordinates. good.He hung up the phone. How strange, Andrea thought, that Jeff was always calm and collected.But who is calm at the moment?