Mirrors Read Free

want to know what could be heading our way before it arrives.”
    A narrative scrolled across the screen:
    Additional
XK59
illnesses in U.S.…
“Two new lights,” I stammered.
    “Yup, the outbreak’s growing.”

    Like a weed, Glenn Bird popped up again, this time on the crow’s nest. He straightened his tie with spindly fingers before pointing to the screen. “Check out Seattle,” he said, tapping a keyboard on a rail.
    New text appeared on the screen beside Seattle:
    Byron Rudolf
    36 years old
    Software engineer
    Became ill July 1st
    Died July 2nd
    “Our first fatality,” Bird said. “He succumbed rapidly. Here’s what happened.”
    More text:
    Sore throat
    Spitting up blood
    Abrupt onset of fever
    “A co-worker found Rudolf puking blood in the bathroom.”
    “Did he have a history of stomach ulcers or easy bleeding?” I asked.
    “No, he was completely healthy.”
    “Was he taking any medications?”
    “None.”
    Bird tapped the keyboard
…
    Rushed to hospital
    Multiple blood transfusions
    Admitted to intensive care
    “They described him as a hole-ridden hose, blood oozing from everywhere—lips, gums, nose, ears, between webs of hands and feet. His skin became mottled before turning purple.”
    “Subcutaneous bleeding,” I muttered. “What about his clotting system?”
    “Depleted from all the holes XK59 punched into him.”
    “Was XK59 recovered from his body?”
    “From muscles, skin, liver, kidneys, heart, brain … you name it. He was reduced to a pool of blood 18 hours after reaching the hospital.”
    “What led them to look for XK59?”
    “We told them to test for it,” Bird replied. “We work with select hospitals around the country to investigate unusual illnesses. It’s a surveillance system designed to detect covert attacks on the homeland. After you published your paper, we added XK59 to the list of agents that cause bleeding.”
    “Rudolf became ill three weeks ago. Why didn’t you call me earlier?”
    “Five months ago, you pocketed a quarter million from the sale of XK59 and then used the funds to pay off gambling debts. Not the sort of guy we’re inclined to recruit.”

    A Chinese proverb states:
If you must gamble, decide upon three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time
. I wish I had minded the last part before I started gambling; it would have prevented much pain.
    I began gambling during the summer before my senior year in high school. My twenty-two-year old brother and I were on a road trip from Wisconsin to the west coast to visit colleges, not because I wanted to, but because my mother insisted I do so. My idea after graduating was to join the merchant marines rather than go to college. A ferry ride I took across Lake Michigan during middle school instilled in me a drive to breathe salty air, hopscotch ports, and ply sea lanes.
    My mother was displeased when she learned of the plans. She summoned my brother at the start of summer before my senior year of high school and instructed him to take me cross-country on a college-visiting tour. Midway through the trip, before returning home, I cajoled my brother to add Los Angeles to our itinerary. When we arrived, I went to the port to inquire about seafaring jobs. I was informed that I would have to finish high school and then attend a marine academy before I would qualify to go to sea. Discouraged, I set off for home with my brother but we hit a snag at the Nevada line when we ran short on cash. Without credit cards, we limped into Las Vegas with fifty-five dollars to our name.
    After camping in the sweltering heat, I approached my brother. “Let’s gamble,” I told him.
    “With
what
?” he asked.
    I asked for his wallet and took out a five dollar bill. “This is for calling mom if we need a ride home. The rest is for gambling.”
    He swore under his breath.
    “Got another plan?” I asked.
    He took the money and started off. “If I lose, it’s your fault.”
    “Bet on