Chapter-8 River Zaire, 0.600 S, 17,770 E Survey Boat

Fabumi struggled to control the steering of the small motorboat. He was shivering from cold. In front, Doctor Cecilia was covering her face with her hands. She was utterly distraught by what happened at the Golden Logging Timber Company camp.

That's a massacre! Doctor Cecilia wiped a small tear dropping from the corner of her eye.

The tough doctor reached for a cellphone in her pocket. Usually there were spots in the big river covered by the cellular network. Oh thank goodness there it is!

"Marc…there's chaos. Can I ask for a favor?"

There was a rustling sound on the other end of the phone line. Cellular reception was unstable. Doctor Cecilia signaled for Fabumi to pull the boat over and stop. Fabumi nodded. He was barely strong enough to drive the boat any further. He needed to rest.

After tying the boat to the roots of a large tree by the river, Fabumi laid down on the boat. Huddled holding a raging fever.

Doctor Cecilia didn't pay attention. She was preoccupied with finding a phone reception. Her phone vibrated.

"Ah, oui Marc. Sorry it's emergency. There has been chaos in the camp where I work," Doctor Cecilia told Marc everything that had happened. Her colleague was a fellow doctor in Geneva. Marc worked as a WHO senior expert on infectious disease mitigation.

In a comfy WHO Geneva office, Marc frowned at all of Doctor Cecilia's stories. She was bright but chose to work in the jungle instead. According to Cecilia, pharmacy and bureaucracy were the tidiest crimes.

"So the symptoms of all those infected are the same?" Marc tried to make sure what he heard as he opened his file folder. Here it is, List of Most Deadly Infectious Diseases in Africa. Marc traced it with his eyes. None of them had symptoms like what she had told him.

"I've checked with WHO file, Cecil. There's nothing on the list….Can you…?"

Cecilia's scream was heard at the other end followed by a silence. Mark was stunned and looked at his phone to check whether it got disconnected. Cecilia just told me that she was on the run on the Zaire River. The river is very dangerous. Is she…? Marc stopped the horrifying thoughts in his head.

There was a scraping sound from Cecilia's device. Mark was listening….

Doctor Cecilia screamed and immediately put down her phone because the boat's rope had loosened, and it drifted away in the current while Fabumi laid motionless. She moved closer to check what was the matter with him.

Fabumi didn't move at all even when Doctor Cecilia shook his arm. Oh my God! His hands are so cold!

Doctor Cecilia felt Fabumi's pulse from his wrist. Then the neck. Geez! His head is burning!

Doctor Cecilia decided to row the boat as best she could to the riverbank because it had been drifting toward the middle the giant river. But, her strength couldn't keep up with the swift current of the Zaire river.

In her desperation trying to row against the current, the boat suddenly shook. The engine started running. Doctor Cecilia looked back and saw Fabumi was sitting driving the boat. What!

Fabumi smiled faintly under the fading moonlight.

"Relax doctor. I've recovered!" his screams were swallowed up by the sound of the engine and the roaring current of the Zaire river.

Doctor Cecilia shifted closer to Fabumi.

"Did you catch it?" Doctor Cecilia asked cautiously.

Fabumi did not answer. He just rolled up his sleeves and showed a small wound on his upper arm and nodded.

"Sefu!" he said firmly.

Doctor Cecilia was surprised. That meant there was a sign of infection. But why Fabumi seemed to be fine. She thought, is this a deviation?

"Are you really okay Fabumi?" Doctor Cecilia tried to be sure by shining a flashlight from her gadget into Fabumi's eyes. It was normal. His face was not pale. And his mouth was not foaming at all. Fabumi was absolutely fine.

Fabumi grinned widely.

"I'm fine Doctor. I was in great pain earlier. My body was shivering, my eyes were dizzy, and my throat felt very dry. I fell asleep and felt my end was near. But after that I just got better and saw you struggling to row the boat."

Doctor Cecilia moved the light closer to Fabumi's injured arm. There was nothing unusual. It looked like a normal wound.

It felt like a flash of light entered Doctor Cecilia's mind. But she tried to dampen it by asking another question.

"Sefu, you guys, what did Sefu do to you Fabumi?"

"We struggled when he tried to attack me. I defended myself by pushing him away but Sefu bit my arm. That's how it happened Doctor."

Doctor Cecilia took a deep breath. She was relieved. Fabumi was a survivor. It is clear. This Azande man would be the key if the unknown microbe outbreak occurs.

At the WHO Geneva office, Marc reached for his desk phone and called the person who had been on his mind after following all the events from his gadget that remained connected to Cecilia's.

"Pierre, get ready. Your pharmaceutical company will have a massive order for serum. We'll talk about it later in Paris. I'll see you tomorrow morning."