9
But the word tonight … so laden with emotion… mostly anticipation about the Great Leap, but concern as well… and something new there…
Kate closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths, and tried to relax enough to let the residue seep to the surface where she could see it.
Slowly it came… tonight… the Great Leap… a mutation.
"Dear Lord!" she cried aloud.
Tonight the virus would mature enough to change itself, mutate within all the members into an airborne strain.
And then the plan goes into motion: As soon as the mutation is complete, all the members of the Unity will fan out to the transportation hubs—Grand Central Station, Penn Station, La Guardia, JFK, and Newark airports—where they'll go from gate to gate, especially targeting the international terminals, coughing, sneezing, touching, spreading the virus far and wide. They will continue this day after day, week after week, until the Unity has worldwide scope.
And from there it's a simple matter of geometrical progression. Jack's nightmare will become reality… starting tonight.
She had to tell Jack! Had to stop them!
Kate picked up the phone from where she'd dropped it, then realized she had no idea of how to reach him. And even if she did, what could she tell him? All she knew was that the Unity would gather at "Joyce's rental property"… but where was that?
She did know the Unity wanted to bring her there.
And she also knew now that she could not outrun it. Distance meant nothing. It wasn't like an FM signal where once you passed over the horizon you lost reception. Once it got its hooks into you it always knew where you were and what you were doing and thinking. Because you were part of it. Just like putting your hand behind your back: it's out of sight but you still know where it is and what it's doing.
Only microwaves interfered with the connection, and only temporarily. What would happen if she stayed by the microwave oven tonight? Would her virus mutate anyway? She sensed it would not. But if not now, then surely later.
And then she'd be like the rest, traveling around, spreading the virus… going back home to infect Kevin and Elizabeth…
No! She would not be part of that.
She'd kill herself first.
But would that change anything in the long run? She was surprised how willing she was to die rather than spread this virus. But all she'd accomplish was the death of the only person not integrated into the Unity who knew what was going to happen tonight. The Unity would go on, the virus would mutate without her, and Kevin, Lizzie, the whole world would be sucked into her hell.
She couldn't allow that, had to stop them, was ready to die trying, but had no idea what to do.
With cold terror weighing upon her, she slid back to the floor and sat hugging her knees to her chest.
Please call back, Jack. You'll know what to do, I know you will.