Medium s06e10 Episode Script
You Give Me Fever
(Joe coughing) Hey.
You all right? Need something cold.
Hey, how's that flu? That cough doesn't sound good.
I don't know why not.
I've been practicing it all night.
"You Give Me Fever" No, no, no, no, I understand.
I don't live in your area, but I I've called all the clinics around us, and, well, they all seem to be out of the flu vaccine.
N-no, I understand.
The very young and the very old.
The thing is, my husband's sick, and I'm worried that if I get sick, there's not going to be anyone to take care of our three kids.
You can? (chuckles) You will? Oh.
Um, is there any way you could do that any earlier? It's just that Chandler is so far from where I work.
You know what, never mind.
Never mind.
Don't give anyone my shot.
Thanks.
Boy, you sure seem happy for someone that's going to get a shot.
Yeah, I am.
You guys are lucky you got yours at school, but I missed mine at work, and with Daddy sick and all Mom, do you want me to take that to Dad so that you can, uh, have some breakfast? Would you? Yeah.
Thanks.
BRIDGETTE: Hey, Mom? How's that detective you work with doing? Detective Scanlon? He's good.
He's got a beautiful little baby girl.
Yeah.
He's good.
Definitely.
Why do you ask? I just had this dream last night that didn't make much sense.
What kind of dream? It was nothing really.
I mean, he was just sitting in a restaurant with this pretty blonde lady, and he was really sad.
He had this little box, and I think there was a ring in it.
But the big thing is, he was just really sad.
But, uh, that doesn't make sense, right? I mean, if he already has a baby, then why was he giving this lady a ring? And what would have to happen to make him so sad? I don't know, honey.
Those are all really good questions.
Hmm.
So, you don't think it makes much sense, either, huh? Cool.
(elevator bell dings) (coughing) (sniffing) (man coughing) SCANLON: So, what do you think? Good ring, nice ring? It's very good.
It's very nice.
You think Lynn will like it? Well, of course, she'll like it.
Who wouldn't? (chuckles) I was thinking maybe tonight.
Figure it's time.
I wait much longer, little Leigh will be old enough to be the maid of honor.
(chuckles) Boy, there's a lot of strangers around here today.
What's going on? SCANLON: It's a big hush-hush briefing with some guy from FEMA.
You're not going? Not going.
Wasn't asked.
Damn glad about it, too.
I have somewhere to be at 11:45.
MAN: This picture was taken in 1996.
The subject lived in a small village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
He succumbed to a disease called viral hemorrhagic fever.
It's very rare.
The strain responsible for this man's death is called FV-39.
Ladies and gentlemen, FV-39 is of particular concern to us because the virus holds up well in transport and weaponization.
In fact, there are a few of us who believe that it would be an ideal agent for a bioterrorist attack against the United States.
(man coughs) FEMA has been trying to create an antiserum, a cure that can be deployed in the event of just such a bioterrorist attack.
In fact, we've been working very closely with a company right here in Phoenix that is at the forefront of that effort.
Dr.
Erik Westphal heads up the bio-pathology division of United Southfield.
I'll let him take it from here.
Doctor.
Um (clears throat) Our lab is a biosafety level four lab.
That means we're handling some of the deadliest microbes on the planet.
Uh, naturally, both our company and the federal government spend extraordinary amounts of time and money monitoring our inventory.
When the government inspectors gathered their data and filed their latest reports, there appeared to be trace amounts of FV-39 cultures missing from some of our samples.
(murmuring) This isn't the kind of thing that you would notice on a day-to-day basis, but over time There is a measurable amount of this bug that we simply can't account for.
(murmuring) MAN: Worst case scenario, ladies and gentlemen, is that someone either sold or gave these cultures to someone who intends to use them as a weapon of mass destruction.
We at FEMA need to move forward as though that were the case.
DINOVI: So, what does this mean? Is Homeland Security issuing some kind of alert? MAN: Quite the contrary.
There will be no alert.
There will be no notification.
There will be no public announcement of any kind.
As a matter of fact, the only people who know anything about this are sitting in this room right now, and that is the way it's got to stay.
Dr.
Westphal doesn't happen to agree with that decision, but the fact is, at this moment, ladies and gentlemen, we do not have an effective antiserum in sufficient quantities to deal with this.
As a result, the preventive measures that we can take are limited.
Dr.
Westphal, if this virus-- this FV-39-- is out there, how bad could it get? How many people would be affected? It's hard to say.
It's not an airborne virus.
It is spread by people, to people, and it carries a mortality rate of about 85%, which is what makes it such an effective threat.
Again, depending on how long it was out there and how soon we were able to contain it hundreds of dead? Thousands, maybe.
It's just too hard to say for sure.
JOE: You did the right thing.
(coughing) There's nothing to be gained by telling a man who's contemplating proposing that it might not-- and I underline "might not"-- go exactly the way he hopes.
Yeah, I know.
But you should have seen his face.
He looked so vulnerable.
I just I hate the idea of him getting his feelings hurt.
Well, if Bridgette's right, he's going to get his feelings hurt no matter what you do-- um, either by you or or at dinner tonight.
Huh.
Well, thanks.
That that that helps.
That feels better.
Thanks.
Anything else? Oh, uh, honey, can you do me a favor? I'm running late for my flu shot, and I left the number of the clinic in the kitchen on the counter.
Can you go read it to me so I can let them know that I'm still coming? You want me to go all the way back to the kitchen? Honey, please.
(tires screeching) I don't want them to give away my flu shot.
You still there? I think there's going to be an accident.
What? Honey, hang up the phone.
Call 911.
Tell them to send an ambulance to North Beeline Highway, just south of Shea Boulevard.
Tell them to send a fire truck.
There's a man who's about to crash, and he's got a backseat full of gasoline.
Sir! Sir! Wake up! (coughs) Sir, sir, wake up! What are you doing? Get out of the car now.
Your car's on fire.
You have to get out now.
No.
Get away! Get away from me! Open the door! Go away! Get away! You have to get out now.
Your car's going to explode.
Get away! No.
I want to die, damn it! Go! It's going to explode! Go! Go! (explosion) I just don't get it.
I mean, what is the point of dreaming about something like this if if you can't stop it from happening? Well, I wish I had an answer for you.
I'm just glad he didn't take you with him.
Did, uh did he say anything to you before the car blew up? No, he just kept saying that he wasn't getting out of the car.
He kept telling me to go away over and over.
Look, uh, the driver was determined to do what he was determined to do.
He turned his car into a bomb.
Even if you had managed to get him out of it, don't you think that ultimately he would have found some other way to get the job done? (sighs) Oh, God.
(sighs) (gasps) You okay? Yeah.
Yeah, fine, I guess, I What time is it? It's 1:45.
Why? Damn it.
Is there anything I can help you with? I had an appointment to go get a flu shot, which is why I'm out here.
That was over two hours ago.
You know what? It's fine.
I'm just going to call them, I'm gonna apologize (sighs) Suddenly I'm not feeling so good anyway.
I think I might have already caught Joe's bug.
Well, do me a favor and don't sneeze on me, okay? I have big plans tonight, remember? For she's a jolly good fellow For she's a jolly good fellow For she's a jolly good fellow Which nobody can deny.
(cheering) Hey, sorry I'm late.
(sighing) You okay? Look at them.
They have no idea.
I can't help it.
I can't help wondering how many of them are going to survive if you're going to survive if little Leigh is going to survive.
No, you can't talk that way.
You can't think that way.
We'll figure this out, we always do.
Really? Are we any further along tonight than we were this morning? Do we know anything now that we didn't know then? How do you do it? How do you stop a thing you can't see? (distant laughter) I think I just want to go home.
I think I just want to be with my baby.
Oh, I'm sorry.
What am I doing? We didn't come here for this.
Uh, you said there was something you wanted to talk to me about, something important.
You know what? It'll keep.
Let's just go home and be with our baby.
ALLISON: I don't know.
I saw this horrible thing and then I just-- I got the shakes.
(beeping) And then I felt kind of dizzy, felt kind of achy.
Huh? You are one degree above normal.
(sighing): I feel like I'm dying.
Well, I'm sorry, Allison.
I don't want to make a liar out of you, but people do not die from one-degree fevers.
I know that's not what you want to hear, and it's no fun being the bearer of bad news, but I think you have what everyone has and I think you're going to live.
Now (coughs) Want to hear some good news? Now that we are both sick with the flu, I believe we can once again share the same bed.
Wait a second, what's the good news? (chuckles) Ariel can take the girls to school tomorrow, and maybe I'll actually feel good enough to go back to work.
(sighs) Try to get this morning out of my mind.
The smell of all that gasoline, the smell of that man burning.
(engine accelerating) (coughs) (gasps) Lee hi, sorry to call so late.
I-I know you had a big evening and all, but SCANLON (quietly): Oh, no, no, that's okay, I, uh, I kind of called a flag on the play.
Right idea, uh, wrong night.
Really? What's up? I don't know, I-I just had the oddest dream about that man who burned himself alive today in that car.
I think he was sick, Lee, really sick.
What do you mean? I don't know, I just had a dream, and in it he was coughing, he had these white, oozy things on his face, and he was bleeding a little around his eyes and his nose.
Oh, no.
What do you mean, "Oh, no"? What people have you been in contact with since you were at the accident? What do you mean, "in contact with"? Allison, think, what people have you been around since the accident? You, all the police and the medical people who showed up, my family.
Why? Lee, talk to me.
What's going on? We may have a problem-- you, me all of us.
Stay put, I'm gonna call you right back.
W-What do you mean, "Stay put"? What's going on? Lee Lee.
It seems weird, eating while it's still dark.
I know, I'm sorry, guys.
So are we going to school today or what? I don't know, honey, I don't know what's going on.
They just told us to wake everybody up and make sure that we don't go outside.
We can't open any windows or doors.
They were going to come over soon and explain everything to us.
JOE: There are trucks outside.
They don't have their lights on, but I can hear them, and people are doing something on the front lawn.
You sure I can't just open the door? No, Devalos was very specific.
ARIEL: There's a man outside my bedroom window.
He's putting up plastic or something.
(phone rings) Hello.
MAN: May I speak with Allison Dubois, please? This is her husband.
Can I help you? Is everyone awake? We don't want to unnecessarily frighten anyone.
What do you mean, "Is everyone awake?" Who am I speaking with? This is Dr.
Erik Westphal.
I'm with United Southfield Laboratories.
I'm here with the FEMA people.
Is everyone awake? Are you ready for us? We'd love to get this over with before the sun comes up and your neighbors notice what we're up to.
What is he saying? Well, wait a second.
What are you up to? Just open the front door, Mr.
Dubois.
We're right outside.
They're at the front door.
(knocking on door) WESTPHAL: Mr.
Dubois, this is Dr.
Westphal.
Mr.
Dubois are you there? Could you open the door, please? We're, uh, kind of racing the clock.
Mrs.
Dubois has had direct contact.
I need her isolated in a room by herself.
The father and the children can be examined together somewhere.
Wait a minute.
Mrs.
Dubois, I need to examine you.
I need samples of your blood, your saliva, your hair, and your urine.
What are you talking about? What is going on here? Why do you need to examine me? Why do you need to examine my husband and my children? I promise you I will explain everything to you at the earliest opportunity, but right now I need you to show my colleagues back into your bedroom.
Every moment we lose could potentially compromise your health and your family's health.
(clanging) (rustling) (door opens) Mrs.
Dubois, I'm, uh, I'm sorry this has taken so long.
Where's my family? I can't get a hold of my family.
I keep texting them, calling them.
They don't answer, they don't write back.
Well, your husband is in the living room, getting an IV drip for his flu.
(clears throat) Your kids were totally fine, and your eldest daughter took them to school.
As for you, do you sleep on a feather pillow? Well What? Why? You shouldn't.
You're allergic.
Other than that, you're fine.
Are you serious? You show up at my house looking like something out of a science fiction movie, and you tell me that I'm fine, that everyone's fine, that everything is fine? Yeah, I am sorry, but we had no choice.
Okay, the man that you saw kill himself yesterday was a biologist who worked in my lab.
His name was Mitchell Lomis and he was apparently infected with a very, very dangerous virus called FV-39.
You thought that I caught this virus, whatever it is? Yeah, you and all the other people who rushed to help Mitch.
This virus There are organizations, uh, movements that would pay a fortune for even a minute amount of it.
Y-You infect one person and then expose him to as many people as possible before he succumbs and you can decimate a small city.
At our lab we were working on this virus, working on a cure.
How Mitch became infected, we still don't know, but I can't believe that it was an accident.
There are just too many safeguards, too many checks and balances.
The fear is that he was attempting to steal some and sell it.
How well do you know this person? Uh, does he strike you as the kind of person who could do something like that? There's a time when I would have said absolutely not.
But he went through a pretty ugly divorce a couple of years ago.
He had some financial struggles, emotional struggles.
Just wrestling with depression.
I-I just keep hoping that whatever he took it was incinerated right when he was.
But what if it wasn't? What if it's still out there? Yeah, well let's just pray that that's not the case.
Uh, it's not that we don't have an antivirus, by the way.
It's just that we don't have enough funding to produce it in meaningful quantities.
It's about two cents a person, actually.
I mean, if every U.
S.
citizen paid two cents, we'd have enough to inoculate the entire city of Phoenix.
Or Philadelphia.
Or San Antonio.
Just astounding, right? NEWSCASTER: with the new increase and the mystery virus, nobody knows very much about it.
A short time ago it was completely unknown.
How are you feeling? Hey.
Pretty amazing, actually.
They hydrated me, they gave me some antibiotics.
Hell of a house call.
How about you? I'm fine.
It-it's all gone.
The achiness.
The dizziness.
He said it was all in my head.
I guess he was right.
Did anyone explain this to you, what they were doing here? No one had to.
It's all over the TV.
Representatives from FEMA and a Phoenix biotech firm began showing up on the doorsteps of police and rescue workers before dawn this morning, concerned that they may have contracted a deadly virus.
So far none of the city workers have tested positive and officials remain tight-lipped about whether or not the virus remains a threat to the general populace.
So much for secrets.
(elevator bell dings) (elevator bell dings) (phones ringing) DEVALOS: You feeling left out? You want one? A mask, I mean.
I know a guy who knows a guy.
Oh, no, no, no.
I'm holding out for one of those full body suits that those guys who came to my house this morning had.
Lot of fear.
About 20% of the staff are taking a personal day.
About to have a little briefing in the conference room.
You want to come along? Yeah.
As soon as we realized that this Lomis fellow had been infected with the missing virus and the fact that he worked for United Southfield, we began investigating.
Dr.
Westphal gave us access to his office computers, and we obtained a warrant for his laptop as well.
We discovered that Mr.
Lomis had been using an alias to log onto several anti-American Web sites, and that he had indeed contacted a potential buyer for the virus.
Now the good news is, the e-mails indicate that the sale was never completed.
Our best guess is that Mr.
Lomis inadvertently infected himself as he was attempting to dispose of the virus as soon he realized that the sale was not going to happen.
We now believe that everything that he had was in that car.
We believe that everything that he had burned up with him.
And so I'm pleased to inform you this morning that even as we're sitting here, the mayor's office is announcing to the general public that there is no longer any threat from the FV-39 virus.
And just when you think that there is nothing good that can come from something potentially so frightening, the folks on Capitol Hill woke up this morning and heard about the panic that was slowly spreading throughout the Southwest, and I've been told that an appropriation is in the works to allocate $60 million for the production of FV-39 antiserum.
Looks like we're all going to live.
Which means I'll get another shot at this.
Oh, I'm sorry last night didn't go the way that you hoped.
Eh, it's okay.
If it was meant to be, it would've been.
You know, it's funny.
One of my daughters told me yesterday morning that she had a dream about you proposing.
So I kinda knew it wasn't going to happen last night.
Why? When did she have me proposing? No.
It wasn't about when.
You know what? Never mind.
Forget that I said anything.
I promised myself I wouldn't.
Well, wait a minute.
Don't let me make a fool of myself.
If there's something I should know No.
There's nothing you should know.
(sighs): I mean you were sad last night, right? We both were.
We thought the world was going to end.
Okay, well, that was it.
That was her dream.
That she saw you getting ready to propose but instead you were sad.
So, it already happened.
You have nothing to worry about.
DINOVI: How you doing out there? Just getting locked and loaded.
I hate to leave you guys, but I've had this dinner on the books with the head of the Teacher's Union for weeks.
Are you sure you're going to be okay? Mm-hmm.
Better than okay.
Hi, cutes.
Hi.
So this woman I'm meeting with? She has a reputation for being kind of long-winded.
I wouldn't wait up.
Hey, as soon as she hits the hay, I'm hitting the hay.
Uh, what else, what else? Uh, I've got my cell, the phone number for the restaurant's on the fridge, and, uh You know what, Lynn? We're good.
You just go do what you gotta do.
Okay, okay.
I'm going.
Mmm.
Okay.
Oh, Mama.
Oh, Mama.
Bye.
(laughs) Bye, honey.
Bye.
(whispers): Bye.
I've been working on the baby bottle All the live long day I've been working on the baby bottle Just to pass the time away (phone rings) Can't you hear the phone a-ringing What do you think, little Leigh? Should we let the answering machine grab that? (machine clicks, beeps) I'm with you.
Hi, Lynn.
It's Jenny.
I just left this message on your cell and I called your apartment and then I found this number, too, and thought maybe I'd catch you here, but I guess not.
Anyway, uh, Larry Birkbaum called.
He wanted to let you know he's running a half hour late for dinner tonight.
Oh, and, uh, he can't wait to see you.
Okay.
Thanks.
That's all.
(kissing) What was that for? That was for "I'm feeling better.
" That was for "I haven't been able to kiss you in days.
" (giggles) That was for "nobody's going to get a deadly virus "and bleed from their eyes and nose, get things all over their face and die.
" Not tonight, anyway.
That's a good answer.
What a day.
Ugh.
How many almost disasters are there that we never hear about? Government or big business don't tell us because they don't have to.
Makes you grateful there are people like that doctor who was here this morning.
Mm-hmm.
Mmm.
What was that one for? That was to hold me till morning.
Another good answer.
(knocking on door) WESTPHAL: Come on in.
Okay, Erik, I'm here.
What's so important you needed to get me out of bed at 11:30 and rush over? Don't get mad at me but I hacked into your computer.
I read your e-mail.
It's not happening, is it? I'm sorry.
They don't buy it.
They all think it's a setup.
That maybe I'm working with the government.
So it's not happening.
Maybe you picked the wrong guy.
I think deep down, I don't want to be the one who sells this virus to some nuts.
Gets a lot of innocent people hurt.
I mean I'd do it if I had to.
You think you don't have to? You see Congress approving production of our antiserum? Neither do I.
You know why? Because they can't see microbes.
They can see planes flying into buildings.
They can see suicide bombers.
But they can't see microbes.
(sniffling) Are you crying? Oh, God, don't don't cry.
I'm sorry.
(sniffling) Are we going to be all right? Are you asking me if there'll be money to pay for your alimony? No.
I'm asking you if we're going to be all right.
Come here.
We're going to be just fine.
Good.
Wait, don't go yet.
No, I want you to see this.
See what? Me.
Drinking the last of the antiserum.
I don't understand.
Why are you doing that? Well, it's the only way I can survive.
I had to expose myself to the virus in order to infect you.
And now that I'm sure you have it Are you serious? You got about 12 hours, Mitch.
Be a good guy.
Go out and infect lots of people.
Or don't.
As long as they find your body covered with lesions, blood running from your eyes and nose, what do I care? Do me favor.
Close the door on your way out.
Mrs.
Dubois.
Come on in.
Oh, uh, we better not.
Little bit of a cold.
It's good to see you again.
(clears throat) Hope you're feeling better.
Oh, physically, much better.
Certainly busy here.
Oh, we have antiserum to manufacture.
We're finally getting to do the work that we were meant to do.
Feels good.
So, um, what can I do for you? Well, you can admit that you murdered your friend, Dr.
Lomis, and that this entire panic about FV-39 virus is contrived.
Why would you say that? Why would you even think that? None of that is true.
None of it.
(coughing) Please, Dr.
Westphal.
We both know that it's true.
That you are a pompous, self-consumed, self-aggrandized man who thinks he's smarter and knows better than everybody else.
You infected Dr.
Lomis with that virus, and you didn't even care who else he infected.
In fact, it was only due to Dr.
Lomis's own sense of decency that other people didn't get sick and die.
Where is this coming from? This story? It's not a story.
You know it's not a story.
Well, can you prove any of it? You can't prove it because it's not true.
Just 'cause I can't prove it doesn't mean it's not so.
Fine.
Believe what you like.
I have work to do.
Lives to protect.
I'm going to go talk to my boss.
Then I'm going to go talk to that man from FEMA, and I'm going to tell them what I know.
And you're right.
I might not be able to prove it, but I might be able to get them to take a second look at those appropriations for your antiserum.
I might be able to get them to put the brakes on all of this.
Why would you do that? Why would you deny hundreds of thousands of people the chance to live in the face of a potential catastrophe? To prove what? To gain what? Talk about pompous.
Self-aggrandized, self-consumed.
(sighs) (keys jangling) DINOVI: You're home.
I wanted to surprise you.
The baby's asleep.
I was going to change.
Something special? Uh, just things we need to talk about.
(sighs) Talk.
I can't do it like this.
Do you want some wine? No.
Let's just talk.
You got something on your mind.
I got something on my mind.
I was asleep when you got home last night.
You were asleep when I got up this morning.
Let's just do it.
Let's talk.
Okay, I'll start.
How is Larry Birkbaum? Wow.
You know.
I'm a detective, Lynn.
Why is my Why are you having dinner with a lawyer who practices family law when you told me you were working? I mean, this guy specializes in child support, custody issues.
Unless it's something else.
Maybe the two of you are friends.
No.
What's this? That's my divorce.
What? You're married? I was.
For a minute, in my 20s.
Oh, and now is probably as good a time as any to tell you I wasn't a virgin when we first met.
I know I should have just told you about it, but honestly, it meant so little to me.
It lasted so briefly.
And it happened so long ago.
It was so inconsequential to both of us that we didn't even bother to get it taken care of at the time.
And then, when you and I first got together, things were so on-again, off-again.
But now, since we're on again-- really on-- I just I hated I really hated keeping something from you.
Also It's never going to fit on my finger.
(chuckles) Shut up.
I want the knee.
I want the whole thing.
Okay.
But before that happens you're going to have to tell me what I'm supposed to do with this.
Okay, you win.
But I still want the knee.
(sighs) Um unaccustomed to public speaking as I am God, this better get better.
(laughing) (dog barking in distance) Go to sleep.
How do you know I'm not sleeping? I'm just psychic.
Well, how am I supposed to sleep when I know I just I know that that evil bastard is just sitting in his house gloating to himself about how he got away with everything.
I mean, he killed a man.
He marshaled the resources of an entire city-- the federal government, even-- to get what he wanted.
I don't know what to tell you, Allison.
Sometimes, you just have to give up.
Sometimes, you just have to surrender to the idea that everything works out in the end.
That, one way or another, life has a way of eventually evening everything out.
Even the gloating, evil bastards are going to get theirs.
But it can only happen if we get a full night's sleep.
Are you mocking me? No, I'm begging you.
A grateful nation salutes you.
Quiet.
I'm trying to sleep.
(monitor beeping rhythmically) MAN: Good thing you called (grunting) (labored breathing) (coughing) Shh.
Just relax.
Dr.
Westphal, try not to speak.
I know you're afraid, but there's no reason to be.
but we've seen more than a few patients come through our doors with this very same flu you have, and everyone's pulled through.
We've just got to keep you hydrated, keep your electrolytes balanced, and the medications we're giving you I'm betting we're looking at 102 by morning.
MAN: Me? I'm betting 107.
But then your physician doesn't know you as well as I do.
He doesn't know you had an allergic reaction to that antiserum.
Sure, it cured the disease, kept you from dying of viral hemorrhagic fever, but we always knew a tiny part of the populace would react badly to it.
Which is why, when you felt that first itch at the back of your throat, must have been a surprise, huh? You didn't wait.
You gave yourself a massive dose of steroids to halt the reaction.
Because you knew better.
You were one step ahead, as always.
But you never counted on the flu.
And now, with your immune system completely compromised by those steroids, your body has no way to fight it off.
You might as well have FV-39 or the black plague, for all the immune response you can muster.
There you go.
You go to sleep.
For the very last time.
That's right, Erik.
You are going to die.
You know, I'd kiss you good night if I could.
But, hey, you can't have everything.
Whoa.
You okay? Everything all right? It's better than all right.
Everything's great.
Don't worry about me.
I've totally surrendered.
You all right? Need something cold.
Hey, how's that flu? That cough doesn't sound good.
I don't know why not.
I've been practicing it all night.
"You Give Me Fever" No, no, no, no, I understand.
I don't live in your area, but I I've called all the clinics around us, and, well, they all seem to be out of the flu vaccine.
N-no, I understand.
The very young and the very old.
The thing is, my husband's sick, and I'm worried that if I get sick, there's not going to be anyone to take care of our three kids.
You can? (chuckles) You will? Oh.
Um, is there any way you could do that any earlier? It's just that Chandler is so far from where I work.
You know what, never mind.
Never mind.
Don't give anyone my shot.
Thanks.
Boy, you sure seem happy for someone that's going to get a shot.
Yeah, I am.
You guys are lucky you got yours at school, but I missed mine at work, and with Daddy sick and all Mom, do you want me to take that to Dad so that you can, uh, have some breakfast? Would you? Yeah.
Thanks.
BRIDGETTE: Hey, Mom? How's that detective you work with doing? Detective Scanlon? He's good.
He's got a beautiful little baby girl.
Yeah.
He's good.
Definitely.
Why do you ask? I just had this dream last night that didn't make much sense.
What kind of dream? It was nothing really.
I mean, he was just sitting in a restaurant with this pretty blonde lady, and he was really sad.
He had this little box, and I think there was a ring in it.
But the big thing is, he was just really sad.
But, uh, that doesn't make sense, right? I mean, if he already has a baby, then why was he giving this lady a ring? And what would have to happen to make him so sad? I don't know, honey.
Those are all really good questions.
Hmm.
So, you don't think it makes much sense, either, huh? Cool.
(elevator bell dings) (coughing) (sniffing) (man coughing) SCANLON: So, what do you think? Good ring, nice ring? It's very good.
It's very nice.
You think Lynn will like it? Well, of course, she'll like it.
Who wouldn't? (chuckles) I was thinking maybe tonight.
Figure it's time.
I wait much longer, little Leigh will be old enough to be the maid of honor.
(chuckles) Boy, there's a lot of strangers around here today.
What's going on? SCANLON: It's a big hush-hush briefing with some guy from FEMA.
You're not going? Not going.
Wasn't asked.
Damn glad about it, too.
I have somewhere to be at 11:45.
MAN: This picture was taken in 1996.
The subject lived in a small village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
He succumbed to a disease called viral hemorrhagic fever.
It's very rare.
The strain responsible for this man's death is called FV-39.
Ladies and gentlemen, FV-39 is of particular concern to us because the virus holds up well in transport and weaponization.
In fact, there are a few of us who believe that it would be an ideal agent for a bioterrorist attack against the United States.
(man coughs) FEMA has been trying to create an antiserum, a cure that can be deployed in the event of just such a bioterrorist attack.
In fact, we've been working very closely with a company right here in Phoenix that is at the forefront of that effort.
Dr.
Erik Westphal heads up the bio-pathology division of United Southfield.
I'll let him take it from here.
Doctor.
Um (clears throat) Our lab is a biosafety level four lab.
That means we're handling some of the deadliest microbes on the planet.
Uh, naturally, both our company and the federal government spend extraordinary amounts of time and money monitoring our inventory.
When the government inspectors gathered their data and filed their latest reports, there appeared to be trace amounts of FV-39 cultures missing from some of our samples.
(murmuring) This isn't the kind of thing that you would notice on a day-to-day basis, but over time There is a measurable amount of this bug that we simply can't account for.
(murmuring) MAN: Worst case scenario, ladies and gentlemen, is that someone either sold or gave these cultures to someone who intends to use them as a weapon of mass destruction.
We at FEMA need to move forward as though that were the case.
DINOVI: So, what does this mean? Is Homeland Security issuing some kind of alert? MAN: Quite the contrary.
There will be no alert.
There will be no notification.
There will be no public announcement of any kind.
As a matter of fact, the only people who know anything about this are sitting in this room right now, and that is the way it's got to stay.
Dr.
Westphal doesn't happen to agree with that decision, but the fact is, at this moment, ladies and gentlemen, we do not have an effective antiserum in sufficient quantities to deal with this.
As a result, the preventive measures that we can take are limited.
Dr.
Westphal, if this virus-- this FV-39-- is out there, how bad could it get? How many people would be affected? It's hard to say.
It's not an airborne virus.
It is spread by people, to people, and it carries a mortality rate of about 85%, which is what makes it such an effective threat.
Again, depending on how long it was out there and how soon we were able to contain it hundreds of dead? Thousands, maybe.
It's just too hard to say for sure.
JOE: You did the right thing.
(coughing) There's nothing to be gained by telling a man who's contemplating proposing that it might not-- and I underline "might not"-- go exactly the way he hopes.
Yeah, I know.
But you should have seen his face.
He looked so vulnerable.
I just I hate the idea of him getting his feelings hurt.
Well, if Bridgette's right, he's going to get his feelings hurt no matter what you do-- um, either by you or or at dinner tonight.
Huh.
Well, thanks.
That that that helps.
That feels better.
Thanks.
Anything else? Oh, uh, honey, can you do me a favor? I'm running late for my flu shot, and I left the number of the clinic in the kitchen on the counter.
Can you go read it to me so I can let them know that I'm still coming? You want me to go all the way back to the kitchen? Honey, please.
(tires screeching) I don't want them to give away my flu shot.
You still there? I think there's going to be an accident.
What? Honey, hang up the phone.
Call 911.
Tell them to send an ambulance to North Beeline Highway, just south of Shea Boulevard.
Tell them to send a fire truck.
There's a man who's about to crash, and he's got a backseat full of gasoline.
Sir! Sir! Wake up! (coughs) Sir, sir, wake up! What are you doing? Get out of the car now.
Your car's on fire.
You have to get out now.
No.
Get away! Get away from me! Open the door! Go away! Get away! You have to get out now.
Your car's going to explode.
Get away! No.
I want to die, damn it! Go! It's going to explode! Go! Go! (explosion) I just don't get it.
I mean, what is the point of dreaming about something like this if if you can't stop it from happening? Well, I wish I had an answer for you.
I'm just glad he didn't take you with him.
Did, uh did he say anything to you before the car blew up? No, he just kept saying that he wasn't getting out of the car.
He kept telling me to go away over and over.
Look, uh, the driver was determined to do what he was determined to do.
He turned his car into a bomb.
Even if you had managed to get him out of it, don't you think that ultimately he would have found some other way to get the job done? (sighs) Oh, God.
(sighs) (gasps) You okay? Yeah.
Yeah, fine, I guess, I What time is it? It's 1:45.
Why? Damn it.
Is there anything I can help you with? I had an appointment to go get a flu shot, which is why I'm out here.
That was over two hours ago.
You know what? It's fine.
I'm just going to call them, I'm gonna apologize (sighs) Suddenly I'm not feeling so good anyway.
I think I might have already caught Joe's bug.
Well, do me a favor and don't sneeze on me, okay? I have big plans tonight, remember? For she's a jolly good fellow For she's a jolly good fellow For she's a jolly good fellow Which nobody can deny.
(cheering) Hey, sorry I'm late.
(sighing) You okay? Look at them.
They have no idea.
I can't help it.
I can't help wondering how many of them are going to survive if you're going to survive if little Leigh is going to survive.
No, you can't talk that way.
You can't think that way.
We'll figure this out, we always do.
Really? Are we any further along tonight than we were this morning? Do we know anything now that we didn't know then? How do you do it? How do you stop a thing you can't see? (distant laughter) I think I just want to go home.
I think I just want to be with my baby.
Oh, I'm sorry.
What am I doing? We didn't come here for this.
Uh, you said there was something you wanted to talk to me about, something important.
You know what? It'll keep.
Let's just go home and be with our baby.
ALLISON: I don't know.
I saw this horrible thing and then I just-- I got the shakes.
(beeping) And then I felt kind of dizzy, felt kind of achy.
Huh? You are one degree above normal.
(sighing): I feel like I'm dying.
Well, I'm sorry, Allison.
I don't want to make a liar out of you, but people do not die from one-degree fevers.
I know that's not what you want to hear, and it's no fun being the bearer of bad news, but I think you have what everyone has and I think you're going to live.
Now (coughs) Want to hear some good news? Now that we are both sick with the flu, I believe we can once again share the same bed.
Wait a second, what's the good news? (chuckles) Ariel can take the girls to school tomorrow, and maybe I'll actually feel good enough to go back to work.
(sighs) Try to get this morning out of my mind.
The smell of all that gasoline, the smell of that man burning.
(engine accelerating) (coughs) (gasps) Lee hi, sorry to call so late.
I-I know you had a big evening and all, but SCANLON (quietly): Oh, no, no, that's okay, I, uh, I kind of called a flag on the play.
Right idea, uh, wrong night.
Really? What's up? I don't know, I-I just had the oddest dream about that man who burned himself alive today in that car.
I think he was sick, Lee, really sick.
What do you mean? I don't know, I just had a dream, and in it he was coughing, he had these white, oozy things on his face, and he was bleeding a little around his eyes and his nose.
Oh, no.
What do you mean, "Oh, no"? What people have you been in contact with since you were at the accident? What do you mean, "in contact with"? Allison, think, what people have you been around since the accident? You, all the police and the medical people who showed up, my family.
Why? Lee, talk to me.
What's going on? We may have a problem-- you, me all of us.
Stay put, I'm gonna call you right back.
W-What do you mean, "Stay put"? What's going on? Lee Lee.
It seems weird, eating while it's still dark.
I know, I'm sorry, guys.
So are we going to school today or what? I don't know, honey, I don't know what's going on.
They just told us to wake everybody up and make sure that we don't go outside.
We can't open any windows or doors.
They were going to come over soon and explain everything to us.
JOE: There are trucks outside.
They don't have their lights on, but I can hear them, and people are doing something on the front lawn.
You sure I can't just open the door? No, Devalos was very specific.
ARIEL: There's a man outside my bedroom window.
He's putting up plastic or something.
(phone rings) Hello.
MAN: May I speak with Allison Dubois, please? This is her husband.
Can I help you? Is everyone awake? We don't want to unnecessarily frighten anyone.
What do you mean, "Is everyone awake?" Who am I speaking with? This is Dr.
Erik Westphal.
I'm with United Southfield Laboratories.
I'm here with the FEMA people.
Is everyone awake? Are you ready for us? We'd love to get this over with before the sun comes up and your neighbors notice what we're up to.
What is he saying? Well, wait a second.
What are you up to? Just open the front door, Mr.
Dubois.
We're right outside.
They're at the front door.
(knocking on door) WESTPHAL: Mr.
Dubois, this is Dr.
Westphal.
Mr.
Dubois are you there? Could you open the door, please? We're, uh, kind of racing the clock.
Mrs.
Dubois has had direct contact.
I need her isolated in a room by herself.
The father and the children can be examined together somewhere.
Wait a minute.
Mrs.
Dubois, I need to examine you.
I need samples of your blood, your saliva, your hair, and your urine.
What are you talking about? What is going on here? Why do you need to examine me? Why do you need to examine my husband and my children? I promise you I will explain everything to you at the earliest opportunity, but right now I need you to show my colleagues back into your bedroom.
Every moment we lose could potentially compromise your health and your family's health.
(clanging) (rustling) (door opens) Mrs.
Dubois, I'm, uh, I'm sorry this has taken so long.
Where's my family? I can't get a hold of my family.
I keep texting them, calling them.
They don't answer, they don't write back.
Well, your husband is in the living room, getting an IV drip for his flu.
(clears throat) Your kids were totally fine, and your eldest daughter took them to school.
As for you, do you sleep on a feather pillow? Well What? Why? You shouldn't.
You're allergic.
Other than that, you're fine.
Are you serious? You show up at my house looking like something out of a science fiction movie, and you tell me that I'm fine, that everyone's fine, that everything is fine? Yeah, I am sorry, but we had no choice.
Okay, the man that you saw kill himself yesterday was a biologist who worked in my lab.
His name was Mitchell Lomis and he was apparently infected with a very, very dangerous virus called FV-39.
You thought that I caught this virus, whatever it is? Yeah, you and all the other people who rushed to help Mitch.
This virus There are organizations, uh, movements that would pay a fortune for even a minute amount of it.
Y-You infect one person and then expose him to as many people as possible before he succumbs and you can decimate a small city.
At our lab we were working on this virus, working on a cure.
How Mitch became infected, we still don't know, but I can't believe that it was an accident.
There are just too many safeguards, too many checks and balances.
The fear is that he was attempting to steal some and sell it.
How well do you know this person? Uh, does he strike you as the kind of person who could do something like that? There's a time when I would have said absolutely not.
But he went through a pretty ugly divorce a couple of years ago.
He had some financial struggles, emotional struggles.
Just wrestling with depression.
I-I just keep hoping that whatever he took it was incinerated right when he was.
But what if it wasn't? What if it's still out there? Yeah, well let's just pray that that's not the case.
Uh, it's not that we don't have an antivirus, by the way.
It's just that we don't have enough funding to produce it in meaningful quantities.
It's about two cents a person, actually.
I mean, if every U.
S.
citizen paid two cents, we'd have enough to inoculate the entire city of Phoenix.
Or Philadelphia.
Or San Antonio.
Just astounding, right? NEWSCASTER: with the new increase and the mystery virus, nobody knows very much about it.
A short time ago it was completely unknown.
How are you feeling? Hey.
Pretty amazing, actually.
They hydrated me, they gave me some antibiotics.
Hell of a house call.
How about you? I'm fine.
It-it's all gone.
The achiness.
The dizziness.
He said it was all in my head.
I guess he was right.
Did anyone explain this to you, what they were doing here? No one had to.
It's all over the TV.
Representatives from FEMA and a Phoenix biotech firm began showing up on the doorsteps of police and rescue workers before dawn this morning, concerned that they may have contracted a deadly virus.
So far none of the city workers have tested positive and officials remain tight-lipped about whether or not the virus remains a threat to the general populace.
So much for secrets.
(elevator bell dings) (elevator bell dings) (phones ringing) DEVALOS: You feeling left out? You want one? A mask, I mean.
I know a guy who knows a guy.
Oh, no, no, no.
I'm holding out for one of those full body suits that those guys who came to my house this morning had.
Lot of fear.
About 20% of the staff are taking a personal day.
About to have a little briefing in the conference room.
You want to come along? Yeah.
As soon as we realized that this Lomis fellow had been infected with the missing virus and the fact that he worked for United Southfield, we began investigating.
Dr.
Westphal gave us access to his office computers, and we obtained a warrant for his laptop as well.
We discovered that Mr.
Lomis had been using an alias to log onto several anti-American Web sites, and that he had indeed contacted a potential buyer for the virus.
Now the good news is, the e-mails indicate that the sale was never completed.
Our best guess is that Mr.
Lomis inadvertently infected himself as he was attempting to dispose of the virus as soon he realized that the sale was not going to happen.
We now believe that everything that he had was in that car.
We believe that everything that he had burned up with him.
And so I'm pleased to inform you this morning that even as we're sitting here, the mayor's office is announcing to the general public that there is no longer any threat from the FV-39 virus.
And just when you think that there is nothing good that can come from something potentially so frightening, the folks on Capitol Hill woke up this morning and heard about the panic that was slowly spreading throughout the Southwest, and I've been told that an appropriation is in the works to allocate $60 million for the production of FV-39 antiserum.
Looks like we're all going to live.
Which means I'll get another shot at this.
Oh, I'm sorry last night didn't go the way that you hoped.
Eh, it's okay.
If it was meant to be, it would've been.
You know, it's funny.
One of my daughters told me yesterday morning that she had a dream about you proposing.
So I kinda knew it wasn't going to happen last night.
Why? When did she have me proposing? No.
It wasn't about when.
You know what? Never mind.
Forget that I said anything.
I promised myself I wouldn't.
Well, wait a minute.
Don't let me make a fool of myself.
If there's something I should know No.
There's nothing you should know.
(sighs): I mean you were sad last night, right? We both were.
We thought the world was going to end.
Okay, well, that was it.
That was her dream.
That she saw you getting ready to propose but instead you were sad.
So, it already happened.
You have nothing to worry about.
DINOVI: How you doing out there? Just getting locked and loaded.
I hate to leave you guys, but I've had this dinner on the books with the head of the Teacher's Union for weeks.
Are you sure you're going to be okay? Mm-hmm.
Better than okay.
Hi, cutes.
Hi.
So this woman I'm meeting with? She has a reputation for being kind of long-winded.
I wouldn't wait up.
Hey, as soon as she hits the hay, I'm hitting the hay.
Uh, what else, what else? Uh, I've got my cell, the phone number for the restaurant's on the fridge, and, uh You know what, Lynn? We're good.
You just go do what you gotta do.
Okay, okay.
I'm going.
Mmm.
Okay.
Oh, Mama.
Oh, Mama.
Bye.
(laughs) Bye, honey.
Bye.
(whispers): Bye.
I've been working on the baby bottle All the live long day I've been working on the baby bottle Just to pass the time away (phone rings) Can't you hear the phone a-ringing What do you think, little Leigh? Should we let the answering machine grab that? (machine clicks, beeps) I'm with you.
Hi, Lynn.
It's Jenny.
I just left this message on your cell and I called your apartment and then I found this number, too, and thought maybe I'd catch you here, but I guess not.
Anyway, uh, Larry Birkbaum called.
He wanted to let you know he's running a half hour late for dinner tonight.
Oh, and, uh, he can't wait to see you.
Okay.
Thanks.
That's all.
(kissing) What was that for? That was for "I'm feeling better.
" That was for "I haven't been able to kiss you in days.
" (giggles) That was for "nobody's going to get a deadly virus "and bleed from their eyes and nose, get things all over their face and die.
" Not tonight, anyway.
That's a good answer.
What a day.
Ugh.
How many almost disasters are there that we never hear about? Government or big business don't tell us because they don't have to.
Makes you grateful there are people like that doctor who was here this morning.
Mm-hmm.
Mmm.
What was that one for? That was to hold me till morning.
Another good answer.
(knocking on door) WESTPHAL: Come on in.
Okay, Erik, I'm here.
What's so important you needed to get me out of bed at 11:30 and rush over? Don't get mad at me but I hacked into your computer.
I read your e-mail.
It's not happening, is it? I'm sorry.
They don't buy it.
They all think it's a setup.
That maybe I'm working with the government.
So it's not happening.
Maybe you picked the wrong guy.
I think deep down, I don't want to be the one who sells this virus to some nuts.
Gets a lot of innocent people hurt.
I mean I'd do it if I had to.
You think you don't have to? You see Congress approving production of our antiserum? Neither do I.
You know why? Because they can't see microbes.
They can see planes flying into buildings.
They can see suicide bombers.
But they can't see microbes.
(sniffling) Are you crying? Oh, God, don't don't cry.
I'm sorry.
(sniffling) Are we going to be all right? Are you asking me if there'll be money to pay for your alimony? No.
I'm asking you if we're going to be all right.
Come here.
We're going to be just fine.
Good.
Wait, don't go yet.
No, I want you to see this.
See what? Me.
Drinking the last of the antiserum.
I don't understand.
Why are you doing that? Well, it's the only way I can survive.
I had to expose myself to the virus in order to infect you.
And now that I'm sure you have it Are you serious? You got about 12 hours, Mitch.
Be a good guy.
Go out and infect lots of people.
Or don't.
As long as they find your body covered with lesions, blood running from your eyes and nose, what do I care? Do me favor.
Close the door on your way out.
Mrs.
Dubois.
Come on in.
Oh, uh, we better not.
Little bit of a cold.
It's good to see you again.
(clears throat) Hope you're feeling better.
Oh, physically, much better.
Certainly busy here.
Oh, we have antiserum to manufacture.
We're finally getting to do the work that we were meant to do.
Feels good.
So, um, what can I do for you? Well, you can admit that you murdered your friend, Dr.
Lomis, and that this entire panic about FV-39 virus is contrived.
Why would you say that? Why would you even think that? None of that is true.
None of it.
(coughing) Please, Dr.
Westphal.
We both know that it's true.
That you are a pompous, self-consumed, self-aggrandized man who thinks he's smarter and knows better than everybody else.
You infected Dr.
Lomis with that virus, and you didn't even care who else he infected.
In fact, it was only due to Dr.
Lomis's own sense of decency that other people didn't get sick and die.
Where is this coming from? This story? It's not a story.
You know it's not a story.
Well, can you prove any of it? You can't prove it because it's not true.
Just 'cause I can't prove it doesn't mean it's not so.
Fine.
Believe what you like.
I have work to do.
Lives to protect.
I'm going to go talk to my boss.
Then I'm going to go talk to that man from FEMA, and I'm going to tell them what I know.
And you're right.
I might not be able to prove it, but I might be able to get them to take a second look at those appropriations for your antiserum.
I might be able to get them to put the brakes on all of this.
Why would you do that? Why would you deny hundreds of thousands of people the chance to live in the face of a potential catastrophe? To prove what? To gain what? Talk about pompous.
Self-aggrandized, self-consumed.
(sighs) (keys jangling) DINOVI: You're home.
I wanted to surprise you.
The baby's asleep.
I was going to change.
Something special? Uh, just things we need to talk about.
(sighs) Talk.
I can't do it like this.
Do you want some wine? No.
Let's just talk.
You got something on your mind.
I got something on my mind.
I was asleep when you got home last night.
You were asleep when I got up this morning.
Let's just do it.
Let's talk.
Okay, I'll start.
How is Larry Birkbaum? Wow.
You know.
I'm a detective, Lynn.
Why is my Why are you having dinner with a lawyer who practices family law when you told me you were working? I mean, this guy specializes in child support, custody issues.
Unless it's something else.
Maybe the two of you are friends.
No.
What's this? That's my divorce.
What? You're married? I was.
For a minute, in my 20s.
Oh, and now is probably as good a time as any to tell you I wasn't a virgin when we first met.
I know I should have just told you about it, but honestly, it meant so little to me.
It lasted so briefly.
And it happened so long ago.
It was so inconsequential to both of us that we didn't even bother to get it taken care of at the time.
And then, when you and I first got together, things were so on-again, off-again.
But now, since we're on again-- really on-- I just I hated I really hated keeping something from you.
Also It's never going to fit on my finger.
(chuckles) Shut up.
I want the knee.
I want the whole thing.
Okay.
But before that happens you're going to have to tell me what I'm supposed to do with this.
Okay, you win.
But I still want the knee.
(sighs) Um unaccustomed to public speaking as I am God, this better get better.
(laughing) (dog barking in distance) Go to sleep.
How do you know I'm not sleeping? I'm just psychic.
Well, how am I supposed to sleep when I know I just I know that that evil bastard is just sitting in his house gloating to himself about how he got away with everything.
I mean, he killed a man.
He marshaled the resources of an entire city-- the federal government, even-- to get what he wanted.
I don't know what to tell you, Allison.
Sometimes, you just have to give up.
Sometimes, you just have to surrender to the idea that everything works out in the end.
That, one way or another, life has a way of eventually evening everything out.
Even the gloating, evil bastards are going to get theirs.
But it can only happen if we get a full night's sleep.
Are you mocking me? No, I'm begging you.
A grateful nation salutes you.
Quiet.
I'm trying to sleep.
(monitor beeping rhythmically) MAN: Good thing you called (grunting) (labored breathing) (coughing) Shh.
Just relax.
Dr.
Westphal, try not to speak.
I know you're afraid, but there's no reason to be.
but we've seen more than a few patients come through our doors with this very same flu you have, and everyone's pulled through.
We've just got to keep you hydrated, keep your electrolytes balanced, and the medications we're giving you I'm betting we're looking at 102 by morning.
MAN: Me? I'm betting 107.
But then your physician doesn't know you as well as I do.
He doesn't know you had an allergic reaction to that antiserum.
Sure, it cured the disease, kept you from dying of viral hemorrhagic fever, but we always knew a tiny part of the populace would react badly to it.
Which is why, when you felt that first itch at the back of your throat, must have been a surprise, huh? You didn't wait.
You gave yourself a massive dose of steroids to halt the reaction.
Because you knew better.
You were one step ahead, as always.
But you never counted on the flu.
And now, with your immune system completely compromised by those steroids, your body has no way to fight it off.
You might as well have FV-39 or the black plague, for all the immune response you can muster.
There you go.
You go to sleep.
For the very last time.
That's right, Erik.
You are going to die.
You know, I'd kiss you good night if I could.
But, hey, you can't have everything.
Whoa.
You okay? Everything all right? It's better than all right.
Everything's great.
Don't worry about me.
I've totally surrendered.