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Robert Essex Books
Category:
Science Fiction
Type: Fiction
Pages: 150
Copyright: Jan 2005
The release of a deadly 4000 year old virus from a tomb in ancient Egypt takes mankind to the brink of extinction.
Hawksbury, a magnificent country mansion set in 3,000 acres of British countryside. Bequeathed by Lord Kingsbury in 1947 with one proviso - that it must become and remain, a hospital. 53 Years on, Hawksbury is a major hospital, and a centre of excellence for many medical fields.
The story moves between Hawksbury and Egypt, where an expedition is taking place by an Egyptologist known to one of the surgeons at Hawksbury, thereby linking the 2 intertwined stories which later become one as a series of catastrophic events unfold.
In Egypt a cartouche is found, leading to the discovery of a tomb in the desert. The Pharaoh Nemaktat and his Queen, Tha, are discovered in the tomb, along with a deadly ancient virus that is accidentally released and carried back to England. The virus rapidly spreads throughout England and Egypt and it becomes a race against time to find an antidote, a serum to beat the plague, which is now rampant. The human race stands on the very brink of destruction.
Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
Robert Johnson MD stood smoking his pipe, looking out over the grounds of Hawksbury Hall Hospital. The evening was temperate, it had rained hard only half an hour ago and there was an earthy smell mixing with the aromatic smoke curling away from his pipe.
It was July and he had been through a tough day. As Consultant in charge of the Accident and Emergency Department, this was to be expected. Every day was hard and you didn’t know what would be coming through the door. You had to have diagnostic skills of the first order, or be able to call on secondsight, or divine intervention.
Robert had worked at Hawksbury for eight years since leaving the Royal Air Force as a Squadron Leader. He had been in charge of the Tropical Diseases Unit (Research and Treatment) and after seven years, had felt like a change. Robert had more that one or two exiting moments dealing with bacteria. He was quite well known as a leading Bacteriologist and he often consulted on problem areas that came up from time to time.
#
Marion Kirby, Neuro Surgeon, one of the best in the country, sank into a warm and relaxing bath. She sighed and thanked God that this day was over. She had been operating at the private clinic since 11.00am that morning.
One of the patients, a man in his early forties had been suffering from dizzy spells, there was a distinct weakness in his left leg and he was going deaf. He had been referred to her by Dr Richard Hart, a GP and old friend.
The diagnosis that Dr Hart had made was a suspected brain tumour and in his note to Marion Kirby, had confirmed his own diagnosis by stating that deterioration of the man’s mental state had started to set in.
#
Marion smiled as she lazed in the bath. She had attended medical school with Richard and he was as thorough now as he was then. He did not leave things to chance. In this particular case, he was spot on. Had he not been so, in all probability Ronald Briars would be dead.
It did not matter that this tumour was benign, because, like all skulls, there is no room for anything to grow. She was not sure at this stage how much tissue she had destroyed, but the tumour had to be dealt with. She would have gone for a partial removal if really necessary, but on this occasion, he was a very lucky man, she had managed to remove the whole thing.
The morning would tell and she hoped the tissue destruction was not going to affect him too much, but he would live now and she was very happy about that.
#
Ruth Selby, Consultant Cardiologist, was much like Marion Kirby. They were both in their early forties and from the same stable. They had kept in touch when they found the time, sometimes only a card at Christmas and the occasional telephone call.
On this particular evening Ruth had decided to give Marion one of these rare calls, mainly because she was feeling a little down. She had been due to operate the next day on a young woman who required bypass surgery with some urgency.
Following an angiogram, it was apparent that the surgery needed to be completed as soon as possible, arterial blockages were evident, but the main cause for concern was very high blood pressure which seemed quite unstable, irrespective of treatment.
That morning, the young woman was being taken to the hospital by ambulance for a day of tests and preparation. When they were only fifteen minutes away from the hospital, she suffered a massive aneurysm and it was not possible to do anything – she was dead upon arrival.
Ruth was feeling sorry for herself – if she had operated the day before, even fifteen minutes before, the outcome could have been so very different.
She made the call.
Marion answered in a relaxed, sleepy voice. “Hello Ruth. To what do we owe this great pleasure?”
“Sorry Marion, were you in bed?” Ruth asked.
“No, although I would be quite happy to be. How are you?” Marion said, rubbing her eyes.
“Oh, just a little fed up. I lost a young woman patient today before I could get her onto the operating table.” She proceeded to explain the circumstances of the event to Marion.
“I think you are forgetting a very important point Ruth,” said Marion.
“What’s that? I don’t usually, I hope!” Said Ruth.
“The aneurysm could have happened after the operation because of the weakness in the artery wall, agreed?” Marion asked.
“Yes I know,” said Ruth.
Marion interrupted, “We all work with these possibilities. We do our best and after all, we are only human beings, aren’t we?”
“I suppose so, but you know how it is. Anyway, what are you doing for your holidays?” Said Ruth, changing the subject.
“At this stage, not much. I haven’t really made up my mind yet. Anyway, I don’t have a nice man in tow like you!” Marion laughed.
“Oh, you mean Arthur. Yes, he is rather dishy. He is very well off and very civilised!”
“Yes he is nice. What is it he does?”
“He’s an Insurance Broker in the city.”
“Yes, I remember now. Didn’t he have a Bentley or some such car?” Marion asked.
“Right, as usual – a Bentley Continental actually, but although it’s very ostentatious, he doesn’t mean to be so. When you get to know him, you find that he is really rather on the quiet side and very unassuming. What about you Marion, you must have at least one man hidden somewhere? What about Richard Hart? You were more than keen on him at medical school?”
“That was a long time ago and quite honestly, I haven’t had much time for men. My career has taken all my time and if I remember correctly, you did not have to work as hard!”
“I did, but I suppose I just made it look easy,” replied Ruth with a laugh.
“No really, I found it hard-going at times and I remember, the many long nights of study when neither of us thought we would ever qualify.”
“Yes I remember well enough,” said Marion. “We made it though, didn’t we?
“That we did,” replied Ruth. “Are you still into your Egyptology thing Marion?”
“Oh yes, when I get time. I find it really fascinating. I suppose, thinking about holidays, I could take a trip to Egypt and try to catch up with one or two of my Egyptologist friends. Maybe I could do some exploring or get in on a dig. One of my contacts in particular, Joe King, was searching for something quite exciting. Yes, I will contact him and thanks, unless you had telephoned, I may not have even thought about it!” said Marion, sounding quite excited.
“Who is this Joe King then, you dark horse? You’ve never mentioned him before.”
“Come off it Ruth, as I said before I haven’t had any time for men. Joe is just a friend, no more, and in any case, he is nothing like Arthur Richards!”
“OK, I will take your word for it. Well I suppose we had better call it a day. I’m glad you were in. It’s been nice talking again. Look, we must meet up sometime soon. What do you reckon?”
“That’d be great,” said Marion. “Remember what we said at medical school Ruth? If we need help of any kind, we contact one another. I will phone you next and we’ll arrange to meet. I promise not to leave it too long! Night then. God bless.”
“Night Marion. Talk soon. Bye.”
CHAPTER 2
Laura Caxton was thinking about calling it a day. She was senior lecturer in Egyptology at Ballington University, one of the best in England. She finished her hot chocolate and pulled the duvet half way down the bed, she let her dressing gown drop, catching it before it hit the floor, then laid it neatly at the foot of the bed. She climbed in and switched off the bedside lamp.
There in the darkness, her mind would not settle down. She had some excellent students, three of them at least were going a long way in their chosen careers, one in particular, Nan Goodrich. “This kind of student really makes me feel my chosen career as a lecturer is all worthwhile”, she thought to herself. She smiled as she remembered what it was like to be twenty-three. She had never married; she’d been too busy most of the time. Not that she didn’t go out occasionally, or even stay the night once in a while, if he was really nice.
It was also the start of the summer holidays. She had at least four days of work to complete the preparation for the start of the new term.
Laura always liked everything to be sorted out with no loose ends so that she could enjoy herself with the remaining time.
Nothing specific was planned, she thought she might drive down to Cornwall. The Roseland Estuary was her favourite place, she had always longed for a house there with the grounds leading down to the water. “Maybe I will retire there one day.” With this lovely thought on her mind she peacefully dropped off to sleep.
Suddenly she awoke, her heart pounding. The telephone was ringing and it seemed that it was twice the normal volume. Laura took a look at the bedside clock, it was 3.50am. “Who the hell could that be?” She said to herself.
“Yes, what is it?” She asked in a very curt voice.
“It’s me Laura, Joe, Joe King!”
“What on earth is going on? Do you know what time it is?”
“Yes, sorry about that, but I couldn’t contain my excitement any more. I was absolutely beside myself and knew you would want to be one of the first to know!”
“Well, I’m wide awake now Joe, what is it? What’s happened?”
“Well you know I went to Egypt, after I received backing to the tune of £250,000 to find the tomb of Nemaktat?” Said Joe.
“Yes, but that was over a year ago and I haven’t heard from you since.”
“Well.... I’ve found it. I’ve done it!”
“My God, that’s incredible. Have you opened the tomb yet?”
“No, that’s why I phoned you Laura. I need you out here quickly. Can you get a flight as soon as possible? I will take care of all the costs and if I remember correctly, you are off until early September each year?”
“Yes I am, and yes I will get out as soon as possible. Please wait to open the tomb. Do you think you will be able to contain yourself?”
“I must,” replied Joe. “Everything must be photographed and catalogued. I haven’t informed the interior ministry in Cairo yet.”
“Joe, are you sure, is it him? Is the seal in place?”
“Yes, to both points Laura. At last, after so many years. I knew in my heart I would do it one day. Hurry out, quick as you can. I need an expert.”
Joe proceeded to tell Laura where she should head for when she reached Cairo.
“Okay Joe, I will see you soon, very soon.”
Laura hung up; she was more than wide-awake now. She telephoned the airport and threw some things into a case, then got the car out. It was dark and the stars were brilliant as she moved off towards London. She could not believe less than an hour ago she was asleep in her warm cosy bed.
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