Rothman sat back in his chair. He hadn't made any calls yet to explain the situation to the higher ups or to the military. He wasn't sure he wanted to. Meanwhile the situation was getting desperate. He had sent out two teams a few minuets ago to reconnaissance the situation as a whole. Hopefully they would find any animal people and bring them back to the lab. The worst part was that there were campers all about this park and they were all possibly infected and if not the teams had to not be seen by them. If only they could evacuate them without causing a stir. But sadly that was impossible someone would call the media over an evacuation no mater what cover story they invented and that would lead to too many uncomfortable questions that would destroy their cover stories.
Rothman took a deep breath. He was not going to enjoy reporting this at all. He had ruled out the idea of scorching the area now that he looked at it again. It would be too expensive and the environmental impact would be too great. Not only that but there was the cost in human life he didn't want to contemplate and the three behind this entire fiasco were still out there and were the only ones who could possibly help contain it all. That was if your disregarded the investigation that would occur if they tried that., Some days it did not pay to get out of bed.
His make shift office's buzzer rang.
"Yes?" he said into the intercom
"It's me mister Rothman. Dr. Bernard Summers. I'm here to make a report" said the voice on the other side.
"Enter then" said Rothman. He had to smile this meant he didn't have to make the report yet. Dr. Summers was a genius. One of the best finds the company had ever made. He was a renascence man of science, a jack of all trades. Although not a master of anything his unique skills and keen logic were very useful. The company kept him as a specialist who could explain things and help out when projects hit a stumbling block. He wasn't assigned to one single project because that would be a waste of his talents. Rothman had called in Dr. Summers the second the spill had occurred. The past few hours Summers had studied the reports and every bit of information Rothman had on the subject of the virus. Right about now Dr. Summers was the only expert on the project Rothman had and he needed an expert.
"Thank you sir" said Dr. Summers His close cropped hair and clean cut face betrayed no emotion as he sat down. His lab coat was immaculate even though Rothman knew he had been wearing it for over 24 hours now. That was another thing about Dr. Summers he was always very business like and immaculate. That was another reason he was a favorite to so many board members, those who didn't recognize his keen intellect that is.
"Well you have seen the notes and the effects and everything else what is your prognosis?" asked Rothman
"Worse then we original suspected" said Summers. Rothman sat up in his chair and looked at Dr. Summers
"Go on" he said
"Well Dr. Rothman I immediately have done some tests on all samples including the polluted water, the original virus, old pieces of data, computer simulations, and bodily fluids from our captured specimen. Running all of them I am afraid there are a great number of problems that we have to account for. For instance the virus does indeed die with in three weeks. But Dr. Random did not account for mutations in the virus. There is the great likelihood this could change with the number of infections increasing we could look at a mutation on the expiration. Meaning that right now anthropamorphs could be walking around able to spread the disease even years after infection meaning that containment could be breached. If we could create containment that is. So far that hasn't happened but I find it highly likely that it could.
"Thank god for small miracles then that it hasn't" said Rothman "What about Mosquitoes?"
"The water in the stream moves to quickly for the mosquitoes to breed in it. They need stagnate unmoving water like a lake. Even then I don't believe they can spread it that way." Said Summers
"Excellent" said Rothman. That means the situation can be contained "Assuming the virus doesn't mutate"
"Which is could very well do. But we have another situation the timing is especially bad for this spill to have occurred" said Dr. Summers. "I did a cross analysis with a few zoologists, without revealing the project of course, this virus dump could not occur at a worse time. It's breeding season for a number of the animals in the park. I have run some simulations and believe that now that these animals have mutated enough that their pheromones they release during mating times, when they go into heat in other words, can now affect humans. Essentially making any humans who smell it highly pliable to the idea of sex. Especially sex with the animals releasing it. Males and females are releasing them meaning a human male could easily be conduced into homosexual sex with a male anthropomorphic. It remains to be seen if they will now be constantly sexual active as humans are or if they become active by season either way I suggest you make sure all personal are issued masks to keep out the pheromones otherwise we could be looking at heavy infections. Dr. Morsie did have special masks created to stream out all of the pheromones but we have only 10 of those not enough for the entire staff. Surgical masks will do but they wont remove all of the chemicals and there will be risks because of it."
"Of course." said Rothman sarcastically "All right I'll see what I can do about distributing masks and getting the special ones mass produced."
"The pheromones will be especially active if the animals have recently had sex. But that isn't even our worst problem" said Summers
"Then what preytell is?" asked Rothman angrily
"How ever the virus got dumped into the water it is in a bad place this stream" said Dr Summers taking out a map and pointing at it "is located here following it tributaries to a larger river which leads to large reservoir. That reservoir feeds three cities with water and over 100 different towns and villages. The virus will reach the reservoir, baring rain, in about 2 weeks. Even before then a number of places will be hit with outbreaks as animals and humans drink from the water. Sadly our system of water purification does not remove the virus. Dr. Morsie made it too difficult to kill that way. In five hours if my math is right the virus will strike its first town 'Otter Falls' a small vacation village for yuppies and even before then I counts over 7 farms on the way there. On the CDC scale of infection rate and danger levels for this situation and virus. I would but it at 4 on a scale of 1 to 5. The only reason it isn't a 5 is because it isn't in itself deadly."
"Hell" said Rothman "And we have no method to remove the virus without poisoning the water which could kill those people, and we have to keep this a secret as best we can. Your recommendations Dr. Summers?"
"I already have assembled a team to look into a possible vaccine. Which is the only way I can think of combating it. But I find it highly doubtful we could create one from scratch in the time frame of three weeks let alone two. Especially with the holes we have in our information thanks to the saboteurs. It would help if we could find Dr. Random as he was working on one and has the best knowledge in that field, but either Dr. Morsie or Dr. Norcott will do in a pinch. Meanwhile I suggest alerting and evacuating the areas so we can at least have semi containment. The Military would be the best move in that regard. The media as well in my opinion."
"We can't alert the media that would remove the project's secrecy" said Rothman
"Frankly sir? I don't think that maters anymore because with in five hours maybe less if my math is wrong It will be hit its first population center. After that information and physical containment will become extremely difficult. I won't alert them of course but I suggest we make it public knowledge before this goes too far." Said Dr. Summers
"You're probably right Dr. Summers. Hell you are right. I'll even say it myself to the board when I make my report but I'll tell you truthfully I am not holding out hope they'll alert he media and I can't either I don't have the power. We're stuck here. Hell they may not even want to alert the media. I heard one member say it would be interesting to test its application on a large population." Said Rothman
"It would be sir. That does not make it right. Well I can not do it either. I suppose that means I must create that vaccine and quickly. Before it hits the reservoir. I have been under more pressure I suppose. But I don't know when." Said Dr. Summers standing to leave
"If you need my help I'm not afraid to put on the lab coat" said Dr. Rothman
"Yes I saw that with the three spies you infected. My assumption there is you used more sexual means because of the badger's pheromones." Said Dr. Summers "which illustrates the necessity of moving quickly"
Rothman watched Summers go and then thought about what he had said. Bernard was right of course. Damn it they had to sacrifice a small town now. Rothman picked up the phone "Mr. Dace? It's Dr. Rothman I need you to assemble a team to lock down a small town called Otter Falls immediately. Don't drink the water and make sure all the men are issued operation masks which are to be worn 24/7 understood? Good."
Setting down the phone Rothman got ready to call the board this was not going to be easy to explain at all.