Collateral Damage - Marc Cerasini [97]
"Explain," Jack said tightly.
"The biological agent — Clostridium perjringens— is introduced into the victim's body along with the gas, causing an outbreak of necrotizing fasciitis."
"Of what?" Abernathy asked.
"A condition commonly known as 'flesh-eating bacteria' occurs. The bacteria work too slowly to affect the initial victims of the gas, but their bodies and their bodily fluids are immediately contaminated with the bacteria. Clostridium perjringens is highly contagious. Exposure from a single touch, or even breathing the weaponized bacteria, can cause infection and a slow and agonizing death. There is no cure."
"This is monstrous," Layla whispered. "Emergency workers and hospital personnel would end up becoming the ones infected — emergency response would be taken out first."
"It gets worse," Vogel informed them. "Within minutes of dispersal through an aerosol dispenser, Zahhak forms a solid. In that state, the effects of the sarin are neutralized, but the malignant bacteria live on. In fact, it is virtually indestructible at this point. And the solid particles are microscopic in size, so they become airborne, spreading the contagion across hundreds of miles."
"Dr. Vogel, is there a vaccine or countermeasure to combat Zahhak?" Jack asked.
"Countermeasure?" Vogel replied, his tone bitter. "My colleagues and I are not precisely sure how this substance works. A countermeasure or vaccine may be years away — or a pipe dream. Once Zahhak is unleashed, it is like a genie that can never be returned to its bottle."
"What can we do?" rasped Jack.
"Stop it before it's released," Vogel replied. "In its liquid or gaseous state, Zahhak is very sensitive to moisture and heat, which is why Kabbibi needed liquid oxygen to keep the substance cool. Zahhak can be destroyed by heating it to a temperature above 160 degrees centigrade. It is also completely soluble in water — steam would be ideal to render the agent inert, but only in its liquid or gaseous state. Once it becomes a solid, there is nothing that can be done to contain its deadly effects."
Vogel ended the call at that point, informing Jack he was scheduled to brief the President. Christopher Henderson came on line.
"Any thoughts, Jack?"
Bauer's mind raced. "When I was talking to Dubic, and he believed he was talking to the Albino, Dubic said something about a rendezvous at the bull this morning. Is that a section of New York? A building, plaza, or park?"
Layla blinked. "You're kidding, right? Wait. I forgot you're from Los Angeles."
"Cut to the chase," Tony growled.
"There is a bull," Layla told them. "The Wall Street Bull, a two-and-a-half-ton bronze sculpture of a charging bull. It sits in Bowling Green Park. The statue was erected after the 1987 stock market crash, and it's become the symbol of the Financial District."
"That's it, then!" Jack said. "Noor's heading for Wall Street, and we're going to be there to meet him."
* * *
6:49:13 A.M. EDT
Broadway
Lower Manhattan
Ibrahim Noor steered the truck onto Broadway, joined the flow of traffic heading downtown. Though it was early, rush hour was already in full swing in the Financial District. The morning sun was bright, heralding a warm day.
In the passenger seat, Said Kabbibi twitched nervously. He was about to speak when the traffic light turned red, forcing Noor to brake. Cross traffic from Cedar Street quickly crammed the intersection.
Kabbibi groaned, tugged on the collar of his utility worker's uniform. "I fear we will not make it to the park in time. Unfortunately I cannot stop the timer now. The aerosol device will release the toxin at precisely seven-thirty."
"Relax," Noor said. "We're only a few blocks away."
"Good," Kabbibi replied, moping his brow with a handkerchief. "I do not want to be anywhere near this place when the Zahhak is released."
The light turned green, but so many cars blocked the intersection that they couldn't make it through. Kabbibi became even more agitated.
"I told you to relax," Noor rumbled. "By nine o'clock,