(The Theme of this story was determined by a fan who then secured XXXecil's services as a writer.)
Part 5: The Greatest Sin
"Let me get this straight, you believe that this airliner, this Flight 69 was the means by which Patient Zero escaped the Amazon?" remarked a joweled, bushy-browed general whose weathered skin and pock-marked face soured with uncertainty. His dull green uniform was bedecked with a glittering assortment of stripes and insignias reflecting a lengthy career not on the battlefield, but one of political concessions granted by concealing and procuring mysteries and wonders with implications for his Nation's security.
Colonel Caldwell breathed deeply, trying to calm his jitters under the critical glare of the assembled cabal of skeptical officers. He smoothed back his slick, blond hair, and mustered his resolve; the situation might prove even more severe than the current evidence led him to believe; the country - perhaps the World stood on a precipice if his reports were not believed, if action was not taken soon enough.
"We must remember that Air Italia flight 69 was unusually close to the location after landing on the same day at a remote airfield to make emergency safety inspections."
"Close?! the airfield on the map you showed us was over a hundred miles away from that part of the Amazon Basin, and unequipped to handle an aircraft of that size." sneered a shriveled, air-force general with a circular map of wrinkles radiating from his beady, suspicious eyes.
"The gauges had given anomalous readings, and while small, that airfield was their only option. At present, it is difficult to explain how Sorrentino and Jimenez crossed that much territory so quickly, perhaps they had help." Caldwell turned back to the screen, swelled up his chest to appear more confident as he used a laser pointer to illustrate a list of schedules.
"Consider nonetheless, that the plane was in the area at the same time, and Flight 69 apparently suffered transponder failure over an hour into the flight." The pursed-lipped colonel turned back to sweep the conference table of wrinkled brows and double-chins. "There is substantial evidence that the Infected females possess enhanced reflexes and strength, it is within the realm of possibility that acting in concert, they could have subdued the baggage handlers or maintenence workers that were tending to the 767, and could have slipped onboard in the cargo compartments. From there, I believe they found a means to hijack the flight."
"Did the Flight transmit any of the standardized emergency frequencies used to signify duress amongst the passengers or crew?" asked a hook-nosed old Admiral with especially bushy salt-and-pepper eyebrows.
"Erhh...no...but..." Caldwell swallowed. "The plane's transponder was disabled under mysterious circumstances, it's conceivable that a similar agency deactivated their communications capability." The room erupted with grunts, murmurs and voices of skeptical disbelief. The Colonel paused to collect his thoughts.
Here in this hidden, underground conference chamber with three levels of personnel screening and security barricades, there were also a wide panel of view screens on each wall, allowing the assembled generals and spymasters to tap into transmissions from around the world, including the goings-on in other Black-Budget, unacknowledgable military compounds such as this. With all the secrets, mysteries, and anomalies these men had been concealing and exploiting for their lengthy careers; why did he get such reluctance? Why was there such an uncooperative attitude? This bunker, and others like it were far more secretive and secure than the fabled, "Area-51", and they contained wonders lost to the Ages that were at least as exotic as this current Outbreak. Why was Caldwell having such difficulty convincing them?
"Colonel, the majority of us remain unconvinced that this....incident, whatever its true source merits the full sanction of this Body." The thickly-joweled speaker was an old, N.S.A. hardliner leftover from the Cold-War; like several others in this room, he was officially 'dead', that he might better play clandestine games of deceit and death in an international sphere that few Americans could truly comprehend.
"I am not convinced of a connection between your Outbreak and the accident on board the Italian airliner." His southern drawl reflected his disbelief. "There are others who are capable and qualified to investigate the unfortunate...loss of Flight 69. You have more work to do if you intend to convince us to employ our own resources to investigate this issue."
Caldwell nodded. "Understandable." He removed from his briefcase a glittering compact disk which he placed in a small player. "Luckily, the subject currently in our custody, the Simcox woman was very forthcoming in my Interviews with her. I've considered the possibility that she seeks to manipulate us, but her information has been verified. She has been in direct contact with others of her kind; and there is every reason to believe that the other infected persons are perpetrating a conspiracy to spread their contamination." As Caldwell suspected, mention of the word 'conspiracy' provoked a visible shift in posture from the N.S.A. spymaster.
"From her account, and my own investigations, I've been able to piece together the last hours of Flight 69. The Simcox woman seems to be motivated by a prideful arrogance; I was able to get a detailed account because she apparently believes her conspiracy to be unstoppable. This interview should more than address your concerns, Gentlemen."
**********
It was, at its core, prideful. Sister Bellini had come to this growing understing about herself during her five years in the Order, these past years of serving the Church. But in truth she longed for the chance to prove her compassion, she had always sought out opportunities to give aid to those in dire need. But returning as she was to the Vatican on this flight...well, she should be far happier than she was. During long nights of prayerful soul-searching, she had a sense that she was spending her time aiding and feeding the destitute from the way it made her feel about herself: Pridefully smug. But she was young, and still had time to overcome her self-righteousness, and to care more fully, more completely about all the poor, lost souls she had dedicated herself to protecting.
Was it sinful the way her heart leapt when she heard the sobs, the moans from the on-board lavatory? She could hear a woman crying...sobbing from inside the tiny compartment. Who could it be? All her Sisters were accounted for; the rest of the passengers on the 767 airliner seemed to be military men. Must be one of the flight attendants; oh dear....the wracking sobs....the poor girl must be so distraught! Sister Bellini waited by the lavatory door, pensively contemplating her options. Was this concealed outpouring of emotion related to the plane's technical problems?
They'd been forced to make an emergency landing in a remote airfield to avoid engine failure; the small strip near the Amazon Basin was scarcely equipped to handle a vehicle of this size, so the beleagured technicians were shuttling to and fro outside the great aircraft; frantically attempting to expedite their maintenence, while the captain and crew wrangled with aviation authorities and arranged servicing. The inconvenient and irregular conditions on this minor airfield would complicate the mission and add many hours to the flight.
And during that time, Sister Bellini could soothe this poor, tortured soul that wept so bitterly, gently she opened the door to peer in on the girl.
'Saints preserve us!', she thought. The girl was completely nude! There was a gaping panel in the side of the wall inside the cramped washroom. Could this girl have...have somehow slipped onboard from outside? Her skin was a healthy bronze and her curvaceous body was fit and athletic. The glistening sweat that shone on her skin caused her auburn hair to cling to her scalp in a way that no doubt most men would find extremely fetching. Possibly a native Brazilian; but her nationality didn't matter: Sister Bellini would love her all the same.
"P-please...h-help me...I need..."
"Of course, Child. We will help you in any way we can!" Insisted the Italian nun, placing a concerned hand gently upon the girl's bare shoulder. Her skin was unusually warm to the touch. "What do you need? Tell me your troubles." Taut muscles near the girl's shoulder blades tensed as she shifted; her posture seemed to reflect some burden....pain? angst?
"I need you...I need someone to...to..." Was she ashamed? Why did the girl not express her need? She must be suffering some deeply-grained emotional torment.
"Suck."
"Eh...say again?" The girl had been speaking English, but that word seemed inappropriate. Was she lapsing into some native tongue?