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domesticated and the occasional chocolate sweets given to the kids by the nun. As far as we can tell, nothing was wrong with any ofit, except that it had decomposed in the sun after having been discarded. Lastly, the live chickens we brought back carried no unusual infections as far as we could tell. To conclude, we are no closer to knowing what this is.”
    “Just like I told you,” Hank barked at Aeolus, “A lot of fuss over nothing; a freak occurrence of unknown cause. If it had been something serious, we would’ve found it.”
    A silence settled over both rooms as everyone waited for Aeolus to respond. The only sound came from Aeolus, his eyes still closed, slowly tapping some strange, jazz-like rhythm with his index and middle fingers.
    Finally he spoke. “I disagree. I would argue that this is an influenza. A very nasty one.”
    “You and your damned flu!” cried Hank in agitation, slamming his fist into the desk. “There is
no way
you can conclude that from what Dr. Summers has reported.”
    “No, Hank, you are right. I cannot conclude that, but the only thing I can think of that manifests like this would be the cataclysmic flu pandemic of the century leading up to 1918. All these findings are consistent with historical records, even the bleeding from the ears, although I’ve never heard of them all being present at the same time. I can simply see no other explanation.”
    “But Dr. Hughes,” interjected Rebecca, “have you ever heard of an influenza with a hundred percent mortality rate? It’s simply impossible. If it was an influenza, there must have been some combination of lack of immunity among the tribesmen and a common factor with the nun that we haven’t found.”
    “You are correct, Dr. Summers. But as you said yourself, the mortality from the
illness
wasn’t hundred percent. You found a child that died not from the virus, which I must assume it is, but his parents being unable to care for him. Who knows how many other cases like this there were?
    “To be clear. We don’t know who this lady of death is, where she is from, or whether she will come back. But we know she is lethal, and that we have reasons for grave concern.”
    Rebecca wasn’t sure how to respond. Instead, it was Hank who said, “So what would you have us do, Hughes? Raise a pandemic alert? Go to Phase Three?”
    “I would indeed like to do that, but I can’t. Technically, we need to have proof of a new strain and we don’t. What we will do though, is put out an alert to all regional offices that we have reason to believe we have encountered a new infection, with similarities to influenza. We will describe the main defining characteristics. Furthermore, we will raise the report-requirement level for all major hospitals and health organizations active in Southeast Asia. Have them report in and send samples of all atypical fatalities or fatalities where they believe the cause to be influenza.”
    “You’re just going to start a panic. For no reason,” mumbled Hank.
    “Pardon me?” responded Aeolus.
    “The hospitals down there are always on the alert to report suspicious influenza cases. It’s part of standard practice. They know most new strains originate there and they all want their name on one. Your so-called‘alert’ will at best do nothing, and at worst cause a panic. Every family with a kid who coughs will be forcefully quarantined by their neighbors, or, even worse, some raging vigilante militia.”
    “Hank, it is not without satisfaction that I take note that you have recently started to become concerned about citizen militias. Nonetheless, this is my authority and my call. You have no jurisdiction here. Furthermore, this is what we do for a living, and we have gotten quite good at it by now. Take my word for it. It will work.
Melior tutus quam rumex
, as we say around here.”
    Aeolus paused just long enough to give Hank a chance to ask what that meant. When he didn’t, Aeolus told him anyway.
    “Better