Chapter 5: Complications

Chapter 5 of Variola - contains a gruesome death scene

The Sons of Gaea and Lord Niall sat on office chairs inside the isolated lab at the back of Lord Niall's wine warehouse.

"We have more than enough of the modified variola virus to accomplish our goals", Leonard was saying. "Now we just need to determine how to distribute it."

"I can arrange for plane tickets to six target cities. They'll be under fake names and I will provide fake ID", Lord Niall told them.

"You are a man of many talents and resources, Mr. Mac Aedh", Leonard said.

If there was one thing the denizens of Faerie were skilled it was creating false identification. They needed false birth certificates and biographies when they came into the Human World to live. Picture IDs also had to be created in Faerie, with the aid of computers because cameras and Iphones aren't fooled by glamour spells. These days elves spend a lot of time blurring video images, destroying film and digital storage devices, and chasing down Facebook and U-Tube files when someone inadvertently captures their image on some recording device.

"So how do we release the virus without getting infected ourselves", Eric asked.

He was beginning to have second thoughts about the whole thing.

"We could put the virus into sealed glass bottles, break the bottles in a target area, and then get the hell out of there", Leonard said.

"Not me! Don't wanna be anywhere near a glass bottle of this virus when it breaks", Greg objected.

"Me either", the other conspirators murmured.

"There are aerosol cans that can be preset for a timed release", Leonard said. "That's what our glorious US military will use if they ever employ this stuff as a weapon. Or maybe they'd use drones. But it takes expensive equipment to fill the cans and buying such aerosol cans might be considered suspicious behavior."

"I can get the equipment. It won't be traced to you. All you have to do is help release the virus when the time comes -- around the first of October is our target date", Lord Niall said.

"I don't know. This is an awfully risky thing we are doing", Eric said.

"Not getting cold feet, are you?", Jimbo asked. "It's way too late to back out now."

Lord Niall probed Eric's mind. He could not miss the fear and doubt that was crowding out the hate.

"I do believe he is getting cold feet -- maybe cold enough to betray us."

Lord Niall's voice was soft and gentle but his eyes glowed.

Eric was suddenly terrified. He rose as if to bolt but Jimbo jumped up and blocked his exit. Leonard pulled out a 38 and pointed it at him.

"Perhaps this is a loose end we should tidy up now", Leonard said.

"Wait", Lord Niall said. "We've never actually verified that our virus is as potent as you say, Leonard. Now would be a good time."

Eric blanched and tried to push past Jimbo. Jimbo grabbed him while Lord Niall came from behind and put his hand on Eric's shoulder, rendering him unconscious with a spell. He slumped into Lord Niall and Jimbo's arms.

"What did you do to him?", Clyde asked.

"He's just unconscious. Help me get him into the isolation room, Jimbo. We'll need some duct tape and a vial of the variola virus -- and a pipette", Lord Niall said.

The shaken members of the conspiracy followed Lord Niall's orders without speaking even one word of protest. Within the isolation room they bound Eirc's arms and ankles securely with the duct tape.

"Get out of here. I'll infect him and take any risk on myself", Lord Niall told the others.

"Be careful. We need you to get this off the ground", Jimbo said.

Lord Niall smiled.

"Don't worry. I will not come down with smallpox."

Once the Crystal Lake park employee had been infected Niall Mac Aedh left the isolation room, locking Eric inside.

"We shall see how this disease progresses over the next few days."

For about two days Eric felt normal - physically. His psychological state was another thing. Lord Niall brought him food and water but had to force feed the frightened youth.

"Why do you bother feeding me when you know I'm going to die?"

"I want to see what the virus does, not watch you die of starvation and thirst."

"You are a cold one."

"You know nothing about my passions. Don't forget you were till recently all too willing to do this to others", Lord Niall replied.

On the third day Eric developed a high fever and red spots appeared on his skin. He was now contagious. The four other members of the Sons of Gaea conspiracy vacated the biolab. Only the Sidh lord remained. That evening Lord Niall used a Faerie portal to enter the isolated prison. Eric was now too sick to notice his unconventional mode of entry. Lord Niall forced water and several aspirin down the sick man's throat.

"I'm contagious now. You'll die too", Eric gasped.

"No, I won't die, Human", Lord Niall said.

He dropped his glamour and let the feverish Eric see him as he truly was.

"Oh God no! --What have we done!"

"What you have done is give a Sidh lord the means of avenging himself on the human race for what they did to his parents so many centuries ago. Oh -- Eric --- the Sidhe do not get smallpox - or any other human disease."

Lord Niall created another portal and left a weeping Eric alone in the isolation room.

Over the next few days Eric's connective tissues disintegrated, tearing his body apart. By the last day blood poured out of his nose and mouth. Shortly afterward Eric Johanson died.

Lord Niall entered the isolation room, grimacing at the disgusting mess that was once a handsome body. Even the vengeful Lord Niall was shaken by the gruesomeness of the death he had just observed. He used elvish bale-fire to totally consume the body, preventing both detection by the authorities and any threat of contamination. Lord Niall did not want the remaining Sons of Gaea conspirators to become infected. He was not ready to kill them just yet.

Two FBI agents confronted Ranger Clancy as he patrolled the bridle paths near the trumpeter swan rookery. Tom dismounted from his bay gelding to talk to the agents who were trying to imitate casual hikers.

'They still look like FBI agents, in spite of the casual clothes'.

"We got your message about Eric Johanson disappearing. We've tried to trace his whereabouts - no luck. He was last seen with members of the Sons of Gaea", one agent said.

"As I told you, he asked for a few hours off to do some chores. He was scheduled to help teach an after-school nature class that day. He never showed up for the class and no one has seen him since."

"Either he's gone underground or he got cold feet and they killed him. Either way I expect something to happen very soon", the FBI agent replied.

"I don't know why Eric disappeared, but it's certainly increased FBI alertness. That is not good for us. Just what kind of crazy scheme is Lord Niall up to?", Deirdre said to her family that night.

"Lord Niall has been using a lot of temporary Faerie gates. He's one step ahead of us and we can't figure out what he is doing", Lord Cormac replied. "We have to stop him before he leads the FBI to Faerie. I wish I knew what form this terrorist attack is going to take."

"And who the target is", Lady Nora added.

Homecoming weekend started out sunny, but by Friday evening it was threatening to rain. Spectators glanced at the dark clouds nervously as the kick off started the big game between Crystal City and Central City's Jefferson High. Fortune smiled on the school and the rain held off until after the game.

Since he was the only one of their crowd who had his own wheels, a beat up old Buick that had once belonged to his parents, Biff drove to the game. He was accompanied by Cindy who sat beside him. Connla, Tanya, Vanessa, and Jeremy Sellers, a basketball player who had finally asked Vanessa to the homecoming dance, all managed to crowd into the relics back seat, though some were not properly seat-belted. At the game they munched hot dogs and chips and sipped hot chocolate while huddling together under warm blankets.

"Oh no! Don't let them get the ball - idiots!", Biff yelled as a Jefferson High player intercepted a long pass and went for a touchdown that tied up what was proving to be a very close game.

"No --oh! He got it", Jeremy moaned when the other team picked up the point after.

The boys kept up a spirited comment on the action while the girls kept up a running comment on school gossip. Tanya was more interested in what the boys were saying than which cheerleader recently lost her virginity to the captain of the football team.

"I could learn to like this game", she said as a Crystal City player scored another touchdown then the point after to push Crystal City ahead.

Connla put his arm around Tanya, drawing her closer.

"Want me to explain this fine and manly game to you?", he asked.

"Sure -- explain away."

"We'll be gossiping about you two soon", Cindy said.

"Not likely -- not if Connla's father has anything to say about it", Tanya replied.

"There you go again -- like Mr. Danann was God and everyone had to obey him", Vanessa said.

"Close enough. I could probably walk naked through a room full of his male acquaintances and not one of them would touch me."

"Father has really ticked you off, hasn't he?", Connla said with a smile.

"I know he means well. He's right of course. But he's just so heavy handed about it."

"If it makes you feel any better sometimes I feel the same way", Connla replied.

"But you have Miss Blueeyes", Tanya teased.

"OK -- he's heavy handed and a male chauvinist", Connla said.

Crystal City won a very close game. As fans rushed onto the football field Tanya realized she was enjoying being a part of homecoming more than she ever thought she would.