Page 60 of Outbreak Protocol

"Dr. Lindqvist," he acknowledges. "Colonel Santos tells me you have updates on your treatment protocol."

I launch into my presentation, methodically outlining our progress: Felix's improving condition, the preliminary results from the ten additional patients, the decreased viral shedding, the projected timeline for mass production.

Morrison listens without interruption, his expression unchanging. When I finish, he leans forward slightly.

"Doctor, I appreciate your team's impressive work. But you're asking me to risk millions of lives based on eleven patients showing modest improvement over a single day."

"With respect, General, I'm asking you to give science time to work. The pattern of improvement is clear and consistent across all treated patients."

"And how many can you treat before my deadline?"

"Perhaps fifty. But once we've confirmed the protocol works—"

"Fifty out of how many infected?"

I hesitate. "Current estimates suggest approximately two million in Hamburg alone."

"And spreading by tens of thousands every hour." Morrison shakes his head. "Doctor, I've reviewed the projections. Without immediate containment, we're looking at a pandemic that could kill billions. I can't risk that outcome."

"And I can't accept the needless deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians when we have a viable treatment."

"'Viable' is optimistic at this stage," he counters. "And 'needless' is a matter of perspective. My responsibility is to protect the greatest number of lives possible."

"By taking lives."

"If necessary, yes." His expression hardens. "The containment measures will proceed as scheduled unless you can demonstrate widespread containment of the virus within the next twenty-four hours."

"That's impossible, and you know it."

"Then we have nothing further to discuss," Morrison says, his voice flat.

"Wait," I say, my voice tight with desperation. "General, please. What you are contemplating is the murder of millions."

Morrison leans forward, and for the first time, a flicker of something—weariness, perhaps, or grim resolve—crosses his features.

"No, Doctor. Whatyouare contemplating is sentimental foolishness that will lead to the murder ofbillions. You see eleven recovering patients; I see a 99.999% failure rate to contain the outbreak within your city. You see individuals; I see a biological weapon that has breached its silo and is arming itself in every major population centre on the continent."

He gestures to someone off-screen. A new map appearsbehind him, showing global air travel routes originating from Europe.

"This isn't just about Hamburg anymore. It's about Tokyo. New York. São Paulo. You're asking me to gamble the fate of the human species on the hope that your magic parrot juice works on a large scale. That is not a gamble I am authorized—or willing—to make."

He looks directly at me, his gaze unwavering. "History is filled with leaders who had to make terrible choices. Truman. Churchill. They sacrificed cities to save civilizations. They understood that in a total war, you cannot save everyone. You save who you can. Today, my duty is to save everyoneoutsideof Hamburg."

"The final containment protocols are a tragedy, Dr. Lindqvist. But allowing this pathogen to burn across the planet would be an extinction event. I have made my choice. The evacuation proceeds as scheduled. Morrison out."

The screen goes black.

Santos watches me silently as I stand there, hands pressed flat against the table, calculating our next moves.

"He's made his decision," she says finally.

"So it seems." I straighten up. "I need to make some calls."

Back in my makeshift office, I begin contacting everyone I know with political influence. Dr. Karlsson, again. Then Dr. Okafor at the Nigerian CDC, who has connections at the WHO. Dr. Song, who knows several members of the European Parliament. Each conversation follows the same pattern—initial hope followed by the grim reality that the military has effectively taken control of the response.

I'm about to call Dr. Brennan at the CDC in Atlanta when I remember someone else—Marie Lapointe, now head of Health Canada, who worked with me at the ECDC years ago before returning to Canada. She had mentioned connections with several European commissioners during our last conference in Geneva.

She answers on the third ring. "Erik? This is unexpected."