Chapter 41

Messenger Of Death

John was coughing and breathing just like others but he could not succumb to infection

"Not yet" he told himself.

"John you in there" D called "I am sending a team of paramedics."

"No don't" John denied "everyone in here is infected and unless they have proper gears or PPE kits I advice them not to."

D lost his balance, like he was losing all his strength along with John "Can I do something?" D asked "anything.."

"Yes..." John answered in his shallow breath "you need to call Disaster management and National Health Care department to find out about the virus."

"We are already in the talks." D informed.

"Do you notice anyone who is ...." D could not finish.

"Five people D" John answered, "Five are dead and the rest are coughing and suffering. I don't think we'll be able to make it. The virus is highly contagious and deadly"

"We are trying our best." D said grimly.

"The girl" John said "the Cynthia impersonator"

"Her name is Kaali" D said, "her brother was assassinated wrongly by the cops, they suspected him to be a terrorist. So she was avenging his death. Collateral damage" D was not happy about it.

"Get her tests done." John commanded even though D was his superior or God father "Find out what this virus is and also check with the list of people who had boarded the flight from the inception of journey"

"Trace and isolate" John was not able to breathe or speak but continued "trace, and isolate. Do whatever you can. This was their plan" he burst angrily, "This was their F##king plan right from the beginning."

The line went dead.

Probably John collapsed or died.

D was restless he shouted "John John "

"What happened to John?" Kathie reached D

"What are you doing here?" D was worried "are they letting people inside the airport?"

"No I have been here all the while" Kathie clarified "couldn't stay back when all of them were in danger."

"John would have been so disappointed " D nodded "you have jeopardized with your own life."

"Forget about me" Kathie shouted on the verge of tears, "Where is John? What happened to him."
D bit the inner of his cheek trying to maintain the strong demeanor but his eyes with unshed tears spoke all the pain he was holding inside. He had been hearing casualties from many more flights by their respective attendants.

Although they had contained the passengers or infected ones in the flight but he wasn't sure how bad the virus was.

"John is probably dead"

"You must be kidding" Kathie backed away "John was right. You are not the real D. You are liars, impersonators."

She hit him unaffected on the chest "you are trying to kill him" she wiped her tears "But if you hurt my John I swear to God I am going to kill you all."

"Kathie Kathie" D tried to get hold of Kathie who was breathing heavily, tears flowing her eyes "You really loved John" D lost his resolve a lone tear escaping his eyes. "I wish I was wrong

"D.. D" John called again "check out who was sitting on seat 20 A"

"You are alright John" Kathie snatched the phone from D.

"What the f##K are you doing here" John yelled, "I told you its not safe."

"That's the very more reason I am here John" Kathie couldn't hold back her sobs "are you okay?"

"Kathie" John whispered, "I am sorry. I don't think I'll be able to continue where we left" the voice went dead along with a thud.

"JOHN JOHN" Kathie yelled into the phone.

"Kathie" D tried to convince her "he'll be fine' his voice choked too.

"D" The phone was alive again "she;" he managed to speak "its her"

"I know John its her," D said grimly "its Kathie, you like Kathie, she loves you a lot too."

'No" John denied immediately "its her, the girl she has antidote, but she dropped it. Find her. She is not dead"

"How is that freaking possible.?'
"Find... out... components ..of" John whispered the name but couldn't.

He was way gone past his consciousness."

"How... are others?" John asked, "I am sending picture of empty vial"

"D" John spoke again "Abu Salem was here."

"How do you know?" D's ears perked.

"I can smell his scent" John was barely able to speak.

"You mean perfume?" D tried to wave off "thousands of people wear same perfume.

"no this is ..." John tried to breath deeply "he goes for customized itar' an Asian perfume. Its him"

On hearing this from John D's hands on reflex landed on the gun tied on his belt.

"Wait" John's voice had new energy in it "he has been playing all along. It isn't her. Its Abu Salem"

"What?" D furrowed his brows

"He is playing with us." John hiccupped "Kaali did not get the antidote, Abu did and he left the empty vial on purpose to..

"He had been misleading us all the while " concluded with a heavy heart.

"I am sending you pic of vial arrange it along with ppe kit for me" John said, he himself was surprised at the new profound energy; the avenger in him peaking up like a split personality inside him.

"Are you sure?" D asked.

This wasn't new to him. John had always outshined his own capabilities especially at challenging times like this.

"D" John spoke again Contact Japan. I don't know how you are going to do this. But Japan has to divert all the flights landing there. It has to abort landing or take off for any of the flights."

"It is not easy John" D rubbed off his temples.

"Why don't you understand D" John yelled "this was their plan right from the beginning. They were supposed to release the virus in Japan during the Olympics and that way players from all over the world would be infected. It was a global terror attack"

"What are you planning?" D asked

"I am going after Abu Salem' John said "I am not sure if the bottle and antidote are same"

"They can't be. That's how Abu Salem rolls." D was upset "you go ahead, I will ask the paramedics to inject you with some antibiotics and paracetamol and you can get few hours." D's voice broke.

D knew the virus was very deadly. He had heard of almost 20 fatalities by now.

He had his entire team ready and working.

He was also in communication with the president who was further in communication with the Japanese authorities.

While media was in full aggression buzzing outside the airport, they were in no position to share about the terror attack.

D went with the medical team to John.

He had to.

He did not know if he'd ever be able to see him alive again.

All the pathologists taking care of the blood samples were clueless about the virus, a special team who had been studying about new virus were on its way but they'll take more than an hour.

So far the patients with symptoms were barely able to survive for twenty minutes, though nothing was clear yet.

"What are you going to do" D asked John again.

"I think I know where he is?" John said

D furrowed his brows but the convicted look behind the face shield answered D that he was talking about Salem "I vividly remember this man with gray hair giving me a sinister smile. I felt the vague familiarity but since my memory was playing tricks, I ignored him"

"You want a team?" D asked, "We cannot let him go this time"

"I will call you. Send Hellhole" John winced as he was injected "you sure the airport was sealed immediately?"

"Yes" D affirmed "but what if he'd left before that."

"No he was still limping" John said with pride.

D smiled "so your bullet had reached the target!"

John smiled back winking an eye "Told you I never miss"

"I am so proud of you," D said trying to make eye contact.

"I longed to hear that from you" John said softly "tell her I love her"

"I will. Kathie loves you too"

"No" John denied, "I meant Hellhole. I wont. I cannot, its too painful." John felt a little nauseas "tell Kathie I wasn't worth, I was a play boy, a flirt, she is better off without me"

"You love her that much?" D smirked.

"Shut up D" John stood ignoring the pain and restlessness.

The paramedics also fed him with some energy drinks and he was good.

He took a bottle of Gatorade form one of the stalls and walked ahead ignoring his calls.

D who was following after him paid for it.

"Wait John" D called "I'll come with you."

"No you cant" John denied as another thud was heard and another probably infected person fell on the floor "You have bigger responsibilities. You have to save lot of lives. Give all of them some local and safe antibiotics and painkillers" John coughed and winced in pain "This f##king hurts"

D watched John walking ahead to get hold of the terrorist, his quick strides did not match the John he saw moments ago wincing in pain.

He couldn't be more proud of him.

He simply wished this wasn't the last time he was seeing him.

"I was waiting for you" all dressed in white with an evil smirk on his face, a stick on his hands and dark glasses on his eyes although it was cool and cosy in there at the Lounge.

"You can get away with your glasses Boo Sha' John smiled

"Who's Boosha?" Abu Salem was confused. He looked around to check if it was him that the person in ppe suit aka John was communicating.

"Boo Sha" John repeated the name "it is the name that I repeated even while I was in comma," John hit a huge blow on his head "It mean boo from Abu and Salem became SHa" John hit another blow.

Abu Salem had a sinister smile plastered on his face "oh" he nodded his head, removed a sparkling white handkerchief from his pocket and wiped off the blood "impressive and we all thought Boo sha was some dog who had our secret pen drive hanging on his neck" he made a fake sad face "any idea how many dogs we had to kill because eof you murmuring BOO Sha all the time."

"You f##king son of a bitch" john hit him hard and aggressive.

Abu rolled on the floor but was back on his feet with a sinister smile on his face, he complimented John, "even with the infection you are not rusted, too bad we couldn't just kill you but we were close" he closed the distance between him and John "you were a dead eye for two years, John the careerist and deadliest agent of the countries greatest task force in a dead eye" Abu Salem laughed

"We got you then" Abu hit back at John who stumbled in his humungous suit "I have you now and since the attack is already been done. I have no fear."

John chuckled "those flights would never reach Japan" he hit Abu Salem "you lost."

"Even if I could infect half the population of your country" the calm Abu Salem hit John back "which I am sure it will, my job is done" he hit again "killing you is an add on bonus"

"I wont let that happen" John attacked Abu but he blocked him.

"Now since you have already found out that I have had an antidote" Salem smirked "why don't you take off your suit and we can fight like men"'

"Over my dead body" John growled "you want others to be infected."

Abu Salem made a face "what makes you think they are safe?" he kicked John and then lifted him up "look around" he commanded.

John noticed people around coughing and bleeding from nose

"all of them are infected" Abu smiled "soon it will spread to the city, then your country" he held John secure in his arms and kicked him on his abdomen "sooner or later the virus will catch up with the world."

"You think you'll get heavens out of this?" John tried to attack him mentally "God doesn't want sacrifices. He feeds on goodness, on humanity."

"Who said this has to do something with afterlife?" Salem furrowed his brows and then smiled "its about power. I have the power. People will remember, they'll be terrified at the name Abu Salem," he held pride in his evil plans "the one who had the power to destroy the world. They'd fear me"

"You need medical guidance" John coughed "You need a psychiatrist.

"No I don't" Abu denied "because I know what I am doing. And you know what the best part" he looked at John square in the eyes "there are people out there, the fools who think I have done a great work, that I am the messenger of God and they'd want to follow my footsteps, they'd worship me" Abu laughed like a maniac "Yes I am messenger, Messenger Of Death"