Chapter-12 Pointe Noire, 4° 46′ 43″ S, 11° 51′ 49″ E Harbor

Doctor Cecilia checked her device repeatedly. Hoping that Marc would call her back. She ran out of money and couldn't buy phone credit. Fabumi was not with her. He went to visit his family in the city. He left her in a coffee shop outside the busy port of Pointe Noire.

Doctor Cecilia wrote in a little book she kept;

1. Infectious disease caused by unknown bacteria.

2. Samples must be analyzed to determine the type of bacteria. ASAP

3. Ground zero is the Golden Logging Timber Company camp in primary forest near Cuvette Centrale in the Congo Basin.

4. From Fabumi, a Phallus fungus commonly found in tropical rain forests. This fungus may be the host of the bacteria.

5. The fungus was obtained by Sefu, suspect zero, from the roots of the Afrormosia tree.

6. Fabumi may be immune to this disease. He was infected and then recovered by himself.

7. Symptoms of contracting the bacteria are aggressive behavior, eyes are blood red, face is very pale, and black foaming at the mouth.

8. Immediately contact Marc-WHO to investigate at ground zero.

Cecilia stopped her writing. Her phone was vibrating. Marc!

"Oui, Marc. Bonjour."

"Cecil, where are you? You need to turn on your live location all the time and share it with me, okay? I'll send people to pick you up."

"Is that necessary Marc? Just wire me some money for road fare and plane ticket. I'm going to Geneva so I can tell you everything. I've made some important notes for you to read."

"No Cecil. We will pick you up there. I also want to meet the survivor you told me about."

Cecilia was using her earphone. She started sharing her location to Marc.

"Then let me take Fabumi there too Marc."

"Non, Cecil. We'll be there. You can take our team to the ground zero. Bring your immune assets with you."

Doctor Cecilia paused for a moment. Immune assets? That moniker was commonly used by pharmacists, she thought.

"Ok. When are you going to be here Marc? We can't let this go on for too long. The bacteria is highly contagious. Maybe the geographic conditions can temporarily contain it for now. I've also reported it to the Health Services in Pointe Noire that promised to pass it on to Brazzaville. But I'm not sure it would be that fast. These bacteria are way too dangerous, Marc. Remember the Ebola case?"

There was silent on the other end of the phone. Marc seemed to be considering something.

"Fine then, take a plane to Brazzaville from Pointe Noire.

I will wire you some money. Meet my team at Brazzaville Airport tomorrow afternoon."

Cecilia frowned. Marc's changing explanation sounded unplanned. If they really want to come here and I can't go to Geneva, why meet in Brazzaville?

"So where exactly do we meet, Marc?" Cecilia was throwing a bait.

"Geneva, Cecile. We'll meet in Geneva and talk things over at the WHO office."

What?!

Cecilia hung up immediately.

Marc was clearly trying to deceit her. The man whom he considered a friend was devising a plan to take her and especially Fabumi somewhere but not Geneva. Somewhere where Fabumi wouldn't need a passport to travel. He had no passport. Cecilia knew that.

Fabumi would be brought to Brazzaville for research! The man was suspected to have natural immunity against the disease. And from his blood, a serum or vaccine could be developed as a treatment to fight epidemic or pandemic when they occurred. The pharmaceutical company that developed the serum or vaccine would own the patent and earn enormous profits from selling it. Cecilia's face turned red. Damn you, Marc!

Marc was deliberately stalling to let the disease spread until it became epidemic or even pandemic so that the market for the drug would be enormous. What a bastard!

What should she do? Cecilia scratched her nose. Merde! The money I have left is only enough for a cup of coffee!

A thought crossed Cecilia's mind. She had to contact a trusted person. Someone who is in a state institution and can be trusted. Who? Oh merde! After all, she had to wait for Fabumi just to buy her phone credit.

Aha! Cecilia smiled widely. Who else in this condition can be trusted if not Ivan Chenkhov. A friend and her ex-boyfriend when they were studying medicine at Oxford University. Together with that damn Marc! Cecilia couldn't count the number of times she had cursed at Marc.

Cecilia had calmed down now. Enjoying coffee while watching people pacing their activities. She was sad. They were not aware that a terrible plague was lurking in the isolated interior of the Congo Basin.

Mainland Africa could be devastated if only one person at the Golden Logging Timber Company camp came to the city and started infecting people with the terrible disease. The continent that made her fall in love would be in all kinds of havoc because the disease attacked the brain and brought out an uncontrollable aggressive nature. People would attack each other. Cecilia shuddered. Almost in tears.

Cecilia interrupted her thoughts just as she saw Mister Bob and Adisa crossing the sidewalk across from her cafe.

Merde!