Silent Terror

By Robert Freeborn

It was a nice clear day in Chicago and the beginning of a new work day. People woke up and tended to their daily rituals without suspecting anything bad could happen to them. Children went to school, bakers tended to making breads and cakes, teachers were setting up for classes, businessmen were heading to meetings and basically it was a normal day. Like clockwork, the day turned tragic when people in the Chicagoland area became violently ill around the same time of day and died in a matter of hours. What could be happening? There were no bombs, no biological alarms and no warnings, just death.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jun 17, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524613044

Robert Freeborn

Robert Freeborn a graduate of New York’s State University College at Buffalo majoring in Chemistry, Mr. Freeborn has been in the water field for over 35 years treating both industrial and municipal systems worldwide. He currently is focused in municipal disinfection with a “Green” chlorine alternative which is safe for the environment. Silent Terror is the first in a series of books involving scientific investigations to solve environmental calamities. He is currently working on his second book with three more planned in the next year.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

I t was a bright and sunny day along the Spanish coastline as the gulls swooped down to pick up odd bits of food from the beach. The long beach, aquamarine water and the rolling waves made it a picture perfect day. There were people jogging up and down the beach, people laying out tanning in front of the resorts, some women even tanning topless and a warm breeze coming in from the west. Everything was so serene, so relaxing and so safe.

If you were a visitor to this beautiful region, you would appreciate the endless lines of citrus in the many groves next to the ocean. The wonderful citrus scent filled the air. The town at night exhibited a unique quality of life energizing itself in the late hours of the evening for food and partying. Life in Spain is quite different from other parts of the world. The inner city charm, the old buildings and the charm of the cafes brings out such enjoyment to the locals as well as the visitors that migrate to this paradise year round. Dinners starting at 10 PM are normal for the region, filling unsuspecting visitors late at night, making them uncomfortable in their sleep and sometimes the next morning.

Farmers tended the citrus groves during the long hot days while fisherman would be out in the cooler, early morning hours to catch the daily quota for the resorts and the fish market. Mediterranean shrimp, rock fish and other aquatic specialties were the key ingredients for the local specialty, Paella. In this land of wonderful Mediterranean cuisine, Paella encompasses the heart of the locals while providing a full course delicacy to the many tourists and visitors to the region.

While tourists, visitors, travelers, businessmen, workers, farmers and locals enjoyed the fruits of the region, little did anyone realize the real dangers lurking beneath the ground, under one of the most beautiful resorts in Valencia.

IMMINENT DANGER

CHAPTER 1

I n the midst of a cold winter, two people sat in a shack in the Ontario province. They were focused on their computer screens, listening to their headphones for anything that may be suspicious in US relations or international relations. The two had provisions for remaining in the cold Canadian winter environment until spring arrived. Their mission was to collect as much digital information concerning terrorism, economic security, homeland security and all sorts of other electronic chatter that was transmitted over the internet or air waves. This station was so high up on the security levels that it was never even noted as a cost for any department in the homeland security division.

Mikail Thomzak and Abdul Zahara were bundled up listening to the continuous electronic chatter with all of their equipment. Normally, the chatter would begin and end with the rise and fall of the sun. Tonight however, the chatter seemed to be different as the two listened intently to a series of electronic distortions scattered on the screens. They were catching everything being transmitted and would be able to download the information the next morning. Abdul turned off the tea kettle usually fired up at night to have some soothing tea before night arrived. He sensed something was different. He just had a feeling.

Hey Mikail, something’s happening here that we should really pay attention to. Mikail was watching some old videos they brought up with them as he kept listening. I mean, something is really different that we should tape. Mikail got up and stopped the video thinking that Abdul was in one of his moods. When Mikail saw what was on the computer screen he immediately sat down and started typing some kind of code.

Mikail and Abdul taped the digital info so that it could be interpreted by the experts in Washington the next day. They could see some of the dialog as it was interpreted on the screen and realized that there could be a major environmental epidemic being planned. Mikail and Abdul sat glued to the screens for hours as the data kept rolling in. Finally, Abdul manned the download as Mikail slept. The rest of the night went by in a blink of an eye.

CHAPTER 2

D r. Kurt Himmel and his associate Ingrid Hauser just finished closing the top on the vial of spores that were the latest in a series of mutations they had been working on the past week. They were working in a clean room, in special protective suits to prevent any contamination with the most virulent agents on earth such as Ebola and Anthrax.

Doctor, I believe we are finished processing this batch of spores. Shall I secure them for tonight or store them in the cryo tank? The doctor was leaving the room and turned to Ingrid. Just secure the vial. We may not be done with this latest mutation. Ingrid nodded as the doctor passed through the first set of sealed doors, getting a wash down before proceeding through the second level of decontamination.

Dr. Himmel’s specialty was genetic engineering while Ms. Hauser held her degree in biochemistry. Together, they were the world’s leading experts on biological agents used for enhanced farming and all types of agriculture as well as understanding the effects of biological agents on living organisms such as humans. Their research was supported by an independent investor group in Germany focused on world starvation.

Ingrid secured the vial and followed the same decontamination steps as the doctor. It was important that all decontamination procedures be followed explicitly so that the possibility of the mutated genetic material contaminating the rest of the lab, and even worse, the environment, was zero.

Ingrid finally exited the third level where she showered again, putting on a clean set of scrubs. She exited the DECON area to find the doctor talking to a gentleman in a well-tailored suit. It was strange to see anyone else down in this high security level. She walked up, knowing the gentleman and stretched out her hand as he took it in his. It’s very nice to see you Mr. Perolli. And what do we owe this honor? Mr. Perolli smiled. I’m here on official business actually Ingrid. The fine doctor and I have some new tests that we would like done in a very short period of time. We have been asked by the highest level of government in Germany to prepare a new strain of the spores you have been working on in the past month. Our customer wishes to remain anonymous. We have been tasked to create a new bacterium, so small that it is almost undetectable but can reactivate in less than 24 hours. I know this is quite a feat. The fastest you have been able to achieve bacterial reactivation is 96 hours. Our client has outlined some very specific requirements that I need to discuss with the doctor.

Ingrid seemed a bit perplexed because she was always involved in all decisions concerning the testing of new spores and bacterium. She smiled at Mr. Perolli as he continued, Will you please join us for dinner later this evening? I would like to take you and the fine doctor downtown and enjoy the local flavors. Ingrid smiled back. It would be an honor Mr. Perolli. Then we’re all set, I will send a car for you and the doctor at ten o’clock. That’s not too late is it?

Mr. Perolli had been to Valencia plenty of times before and knew that dinner service usually didn’t start until after nine in some restaurants and after ten PM in most others. Ingrid accepted the invitation and left the two men chatting as she entered the elevator taking her up to ground level.

CHAPTER 3

W hy choose Valencia for a high-tech, secretive, and potentially environmentally hazardous research facility? Very simply put, it was the center of citrus production for Europe and what better place to experiment on genetically engineered fruits than Valencia. That was the main focus of the laboratory as it was introduced to the country and the city of Valencia. Even the accommodations for the staff were five star, located in the middle of the citrus groves, near the Mediterranean coastline. Where better to construct a genetic research facility designed to promote increased harvests and larger fruit growth than Valencia, Spain?

Dr. Himmel and Ingrid had been working on a highly concentrated form of bacterial-like spores, nonospores to be exact. These spores are similar to the normal bacterial spores found in nature such as the Bacillus subtilis spores. The process of sporulation is designed to protect the internal DNA and RNA from harsh environmental conditions rending the cell itself to reactivate and germinate when conditions were favorable. The major differences are the microscopic size, the bacterium or bacterium-like material (DNA, RNA and proteins) itself held