Seattle, WA
December 10

Elise scrolled through her emails quickly, answering each as she went, her morning routine. She had read once that the key to organization is never to handle something--a bill, for example--more than once. It comes in, you open it, you pay it right away, and file it. Done. She treated all correspondence this way. And it served her very well. It kept her computer, her desk, and her mind uncluttered.

It was how she had handled her homework in high school, balancing a double schedule to finish at 15 with offers of a full scholarship to several universities. It was how she handled her coursework at Oxford, double majoring in business and computer engineering. It was how she rose to the top of this company by the age of 26.

"Are you excited for tonight?" Josh asked as he sat across from Elise.

She glanced up at him as she finished the last of her inbox. "Obviously. It's not every day that one gets an award from Angelina Jolie."

He smirked, the slightest dimple forming in his cheek. "What is it again? America's Next Top Businesswoman?"

Elise let out a laugh. "Ha-ha. You're hilarious, Josh. It's the world's next top businesswoman." Her laugh twittered into a giggle.

"Your laugh is so adorable," Josh chuckled. "I want to bottle it and sell it."

That only made Elise laugh harder. "Oh please," she rolled her eyes. Josh was her second in command, her right hand man. And he was like a little brother to her. Except, he was older.

His laugh died in a coughing fit. "Sorry. 'Scuse me." He sipped from the bottle of water he'd carried in with him. She watched him with concern. This flu was kicking the company's ass. Nearly half the workforce was out today. And she couldn't have Josh out, too. "Seriously, I could make a fortune."

"Yeah, yeah, enough. Don't you have some work to do?" He passed her a pile of papers and reviewed the team's goals for the day. Goal number one: get back online. "All right. Go get to it. Let me know if anyone needs anything." He nodded, standing to leave. "And Josh?" He turned back to her. "Take care of yourself today. I need you here with me."

"You got it, boss."

Elise spent the majority of her day drafting a plan with the Chief Financial Officer to get their stocks back up. Damn hackers. Ruined the launch of their new system, a gaming system unlike any other. Something she and the rest of the crew could really be proud of. Elise's team had worked so hard to get it out for the Black Friday rush. It was the most intense, full-on gaming experience anyone had developed, finally making good use of the Smell-Ware and Beta-Taste functions that had come into the entertainment world in the last few years. The tastes and smells were so seamlessly integrated that you almost forgot you were playing a game. Even Sony and Apple hadn't been able to achieve that with their smart tv systems. And then the fricking hackers. The tastes and smells people experienced were vomit-worthy. Not quite what Elise had in mind. The launch had been a flop, thanks to these jokesters. Losers. Get a proper job, you dicks! She wanted to scream at them.

As the sun set over the Pacific Ocean, light glinting off the gray water in amber beams that were made wavy by streaks of rain on the window, Elise's phone rang.

"Ms. Sandoval, this is Kurt with BBBS. I'm sorry but Angelina has come down with the flu. I think the entire event will have to be postponed, with so many people under the weather."

"Yes, of course. I absolutely understand. I'm so sorry to hear she's not feeling well...," Elise said, casting her eyes to the television screen. Thousands dead in flu pandemic, the cable news channel declared in bold print. The cameras scanned over crowded hospitals in New York and Los Angeles, bodies eerily slumped against one another. "Please tell Angelina I hope she gets well soon."

Elise hung up the phone and hung her head, resting her forehead against her hands. With a quiet click, she unmuted the TV. "...now estimates the fatalities will reach the millions by the end of the week. Scientists at the CDC are scrambling to isolate the virus and create a vaccine or some sort of treatment, but..." Elise shook her head. Was this flu that bad? She regretted not finding the time to get a flu shot. But running this multi-million dollar company didn't leave her much time for anything anymore. She barely had time to call her parents. She should really call her parents, she thought. "Latest reports from The White House indicate that the president has indeed contracted the virus, but sources assure us he is still manning the helm here." Elise clicked the damn thing off and said a quiet prayer, asking God to keep her family safe and to forgive her sins, which weren't great in number but enough to need His grace.

"Elise?" Her second-in-command called from the door. "You all right?"

"Yeah," she stood and walked over to the balcony beside him, tucking her cross back under her blouse as she went. "I'm fine. They've cancelled the event tonight."

He raised his eyebrows in surprise but nodded. "Damn. Sorry, Elise."

She shook her head. "Hardly seems important. How are we getting along with only half the staff?" Elise surveyed the large workspace, the brightly colored, curved desks divided by frosted glass, most of which was covered with equations or drawings in white board marker or papers filled with notes. The room was nearly empty. And those who had shown up were obviously ill as well.

"Not great. We still haven't been able to get back online. The hackers--"

Elise interrupted, unusually impatient, "It's been almost two weeks."

"I know. But our best people are out," Josh raised his hands in defeat, in surrender. "Elise, Raveen and Frank are dead."

She widened her eyes. "No." She shook her head, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from crying. "God, I'm sorry Josh. I know you were close with Raveen." She ran her hand over his shoulder and back, a gesture many would say was inappropriate for Chief Operating Officer. But Elise wasn't like other bosses. She had a great head for business, but she promised herself years ago, after seeing how cold and callous the leaders of major companies were, that she wouldn't lose herself. That she wouldn't lose her humanity. Her mentor when she was in high school, the head of marketing at a major entertainment company, showed her you could be a strong, caring woman, and be a great leader.

"Thanks, Elise. I just," he coughed into his shoulder, "I heard from his roommate."

"Let's send everyone home."

"But--"

"Josh, the gaming world can wait. People should be with their families."

"Okay," he coughed into his shoulder again.

She patted his back, "you too. Head out."

It took an hour of convincing and cajoling to get her team to go home. And this was why she loved working with them so much. They were a dedicated bunch. But she insisted, and finally, they gave in and headed home after a round of hugs, and not a few tears. Once everyone was gone, she went back upstairs to her office, looking out over the Seattle skyline. It all looked so normal from up there. A typical winter night in the Pacific Northwest, rainy and cool.

She picked up her phone and dialed her parents' house in San Diego.

"Lo?" A raspy voice breathed over the line.

"Dad? It's Lise."

"Leecy!" Only her older brother ever called her that.

She tried not to let her desperation into her voice, "Andy, are you okay?"

"Yeah," he rasped again. "Just got this bug that's going around. Lost my voice yesterday." Shit.

"How about Mom and Dad? How are they doin?" Elise felt tears welling in her eyes. It had been so long since she talked to them, let alone seen them. Why had she let her busy life get in the way? So much for not losing herself. These were the people who shaped her, and she was too damn busy to make time for a simple phone call.

"Yeah, they're all right. Mom's a bit under the weather too, but dad seems okay."

"Put him on the phone, please, Andy. Save your voice."

"Kay," he wheezed as he breathed. "Love you, Leecy."

"I love you, too, Andy," she said, but the clatter of the phone made her think he hadn't heard.

"Baby girl," her father's voice was so warm.

"Hi, daddy."

"Oh, Lise, don't cry."

Her tough, business-like exterior dissolved as soon as she heard her father's voice. Honestly, it had been faltering all day, but now, it was dust. "Daddy, this flu is really serious. Have you taken mom and Andy into the doctor at all?"

"I called for an appointment for your mother yesterday, Lise, but there are none, and the authorities here are telling us not to go into the hospitals without an appointment."

She took a deep breath. "Let me call and see what I can do."

"Lise..."

"No, dad, this is ridiculous. People are dying."

"The hospitals here are overrun, flooded with folks coming up from Mexico. Can't blame em really." She could picture his shrug, his matter-of-fact shrug that showed his empathy for his fellow man. "Nothing to be done, not down here anyway."

"Okay, so we'll fly you out." Her voice had gone up an octave. She was used to having control. And right now she had none. She was powerless. It terrified her. "Daddy, let me call some people and see what we can do about getting you out of San Diego. Maybe I can get a charter."

"They've shut down all flights, baby girl."

"Fine. I'll drive down and get you myself," her tone was harsh, out of character.

"Lise..."

She hated when he did that. When he just said her name as a chastisement. Like she was being childish. Maybe she was. But she had millions of dollars in the bank. Hundreds of millions. Millions she would never use. It was time to find some fucking use for all that cash.

"I'm sorry, daddy. I love you. Can you give the phone to mom?"

"Sure, my little dove." And that was how she knew he forgave her.

"Oh, Elise," her mom coughed into the phone.

Elise had to fight those tears back again. "Hi, mommy. I love you. I miss you."

"I miss you, too, honey. How are you?"

"I'm good. I'm well."

"No flu?"

"No, I've managed to avoid it."

"You remember Bobby Alvarado?"

He was Elise's first love, her first boyfriend. Her first everything. "Course I do, mom."

"He's dead." Jesus. Jesus, please bring him into your kingdom, she thought sadly.

Elise just let the news hang there in the space between them. Hundreds of miles of telephone wire. She had to bridge that gap.

"Mom, I'm gonna come get you. Get you into see a doctor somewhere. Just hang in there. Drink plenty of fluids."

"Okay, honey."

"I love you, mom."

Elise gathered up her bag and phone, dialing her Chief Financial Officer as she went. They had a company jet. Maybe she could use it. But he told her right away that it was in New York with the CEO.

"How about the helicopter?" He offered.

"Is it here?"

"Yeah, but I don't know about the pilot."

She huffed an annoyed sigh. "Mike, I've got to get to my family."

"I know Elise. We're all dealing with this."

"I'm sorry, I know." She could hear little kids in the background. "Please, Mike."

"Give me ten minutes."

While she waited, she called the best hospitals in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Portland, hoping to find one who could see her mom and Andy. She couldn't even get anyone on the phone. Finally, she looked up the number of the hospital here in town that she and her company had supported with gigantic charitable donations for the last eight years. She called Kathy, the charity coordinator, on her direct line.

"Hello?" She sounded confused that in the midst of all this panic, someone would call her. When Elise identified herself, Kathy went from confused to servile. "Oh, Miss Sandoval! What can we do to help you?"

"Well, I'm hoping that you can have a doctor look at my family. They're very ill, and I'm worried."

"Oh."

"Please," Elise begged, her next few words coming out so rushed, she would be surprised if Kathy even heard her. "Please, Kathy. It wouldn't even be until tomorrow because I have to get down to San Diego to get them anyway."

"Sure. When you get back here, just come in and ask for me."

"Okay. Thank you so much."

As soon as she hung up, her phone rang again. Mike. "He's up there now, and willing to take you if you go now."

"Oh my god, yes. I'm going. Thank you, Mike."

And Elise thought maybe there was hope for her mom, for her brother, for all of them, for all of humanity.

She heard the helicopter before she saw it. As she got to the helipad on the roof, she saw the rotors already spinning and the pilot waiting by the open door. She ducked and ran. "Thank you so much!" She shouted, her voice blowing away in the violent wind created by the blades.

Once she was strapped inside, with a headset on, the pilot spoke to her over the radio. "Where exactly are we going?" He sounded sick himself. It could just be static over the intercom, she thought. She hoped. For his sake, and hers.

"You know where Qualcomm stadium in San Diego is?"

"Yeah."

"My parents live about a mile away."

"Okay." Without another word, he took off, maneuvering the chopper through the rainy night.

"Thank you so much."

He gave her a thumbs up.

Elise watched the lights of Seattle fade into the darkness as they passed over largely unpopulated areas, rain battering the windows the whole way. But the pilot was good. He was steady. He seemed to know exactly how to handle the inclement weather, which was hardly surprising considering they were in Seattle.

Just over an hour later, though, just past Portland, he started coughing. Really coughing, and the helicopter sort of swayed in this terrifying way.

"Are you all right? Why don't you land somewhere?"

He again gave a thumbs up. "Yeah," he managed to cough out. But the coughs shook his body so much that he seemed to have trouble controlling the thing.

"Hey," Elise unbuckled her harness and scooted from the back into the seat next to him, resting her hands on his, trying to steady him as he coughed. "What do I do?"

"Buckle," he gasped. As she took her hands off his, the helicopter dipped dangerously to the side again, and she let out a little shriek, setting one hand on his again, trying to right this sinking ship.

She quickly buckled herself into the harness and grabbed his hand again, but she feared it was too late. The helicopter was making a strange whining sound it hadn't before. And so was he. His coughing had given way to an odd chugging sound. "Please tell me what to do."

He looked at her with wide, frightened eyes, his mouth gaping open. But he still held the controls. Still guided them through the air. He tapped a panel in front of them and pointed down at their feet. Then he pushed the control in his hands down, causing the nose to dip slightly. He was showing her how to get down, she realized. Jesus. Please help me, Jesus, she thought over and over.

In the black of night, she had no idea where she was, where to land, let alone how to land. But when the pilot slumped to the side and stopped moving altogether, Elise knew that was exactly what she would have to do. Her instinct was to close her eyes and brace for the impact. But instead she scanned the window, looking for any sign of life. But south of Portland was mostly trees, she knew, and all she saw was darkness.

Finally, she spotted a long path of lights. She followed it as she lowered the vessel closer to the ground, eventually recognizing it as the freeway.

"Please, please, please," she muttered aloud as she neared the road. "Please God please."

But this stretch of road was too narrow, she realized too late, and the blades caught on the side of the mountain, jolting her sideways. And now she did close her eyes. The sound was scarier than anything she had ever heard in her whole life. Metal upon metal upon asphalt, and the shattering glass, and the crumpling, and oh, God, please just let me live, Elise begged in her mind.

SLAM.

And nothing.

Just black.

And silence.

And peace.

~~~~~

Please vote and comment. ILYGSM!!

If you are upset because we moved away from Liam's story, please be patient. It will all circle around again. But this story has many many characters, and there is a method to my madness, I swear.

So hang in there...

LOUIS is next.

Read my other story, The Other One, (completed).

K. Bye. <3