Page 12 of Outbreak Protocol
Alternatively, this could represent a novel pathogen—a virus that's jumped species barriers or undergone significant mutation. The zoonotic elements Dr. Müller documented support this theory. Emerging infectious diseases often begin with spillover events from animal reservoirs before adapting for efficient human-to-human transmission.
Yuki works silently beside me, her laptop screen filled with transmission models and probability calculations. Occasionally she shows me projected epidemic curves under different assumptions about basic reproduction number and generation time. Even the most conservative models show concerning growth trajectories if the outbreak isn't contained within the next week.
Sarah reviews viral genome databases, cross-referencing symptom profiles with known pathogens. Her expertise in viral evolution and mutation makes her invaluable for identifying novel variants or previously unrecognized species.
Aleksandr studies detailed maps of Hamburg, marking hospital locations, transport hubs, and high-density population areas. His military background provides strategic thinking about containment logistics and resource deployment under crisis conditions.
As the plane begins its descent into Hamburg, I experience the familiar combination of anticipation and apprehension that accompanies outbreak response missions. Somewhere below us, an unknown pathogen is spreading through a population of nearly two million people. Our job is to identify it, understand it, and stop it before it spreads further.
But first, we need to meet the emergency physician who had the courage to bypass bureaucratic channels and sound the alarmwhen others dismissed his concerns. Dr. Felix Müller's documentation has been exemplary, his clinical observations astute, and his epidemiological instincts sharp. The kind of field partner who makes the difference between successful outbreak containment and epidemic spread.
The aircraft touches down at Hamburg Airport at 16:18, three minutes behind schedule. We gather our equipment and head toward what might be the beginning of a race against time to prevent an emerging infectious disease from becoming the next global pandemic.
CHAPTER FIVE
Day 22
ERIK
The taxi deposits us outside Hamburg University Medical Centre at 17:45, and I immediately notice the absence of any heightened security or visible signs of outbreak response. No additional screening stations, no staff in enhanced PPE moving between buildings, no indication that the facility is managing what could be a significant infectious disease outbreak. Either the situation is under tighter control than Dr. Müller's reports suggested, or institutional denial runs deeper than I anticipated.
Aleksandr shoulders our equipment bags while Sarah clutches her portable laboratory kit and Yuki balances her laptop cases. We present ourselves at the main reception desk, where a harried clerk directs us to the third floor administrative offices after several phone calls and obvious confusion about why European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control epidemiologists would arrive unannounced.
The elevator ride is silent, each of us processing the disconnect between Dr. Müller's urgent communications and thehospital's apparent business-as-usual atmosphere. If there truly are thirty-plus cases of an unknown infectious disease with a sixty-five percent mortality rate, this level of institutional complacency borders on criminal negligence.
Dr. Wilhelm Hartmann's office occupies a corner suite with expensive furniture and diplomas covering every wall surface. The man himself rises from behind an oversized mahogany desk—silver-haired, impeccably dressed in a charcoal suit that probably costs more than most junior doctors earn in a month, and wearing an expression of barely concealed irritation.
"Dr. Lindqvist, I presume. I must say, your arrival here is highly irregular and frankly unnecessary."
No handshake offered, no gesture toward the chairs facing his desk. Aleksandr sets our equipment down with deliberate precision, his military bearing a subtle reminder that we're not easily intimidated by bureaucratic posturing.
"Dr. Hartmann, thank you for meeting with us. We're responding to reports of unusual infectious disease cases that warrant immediate epidemiological investigation."
"Reports that were submitted without proper authorization through official channels. Dr. Müller exceeded his authority by contacting your organization directly, and I assure you that appropriate disciplinary action will be taken."
Sarah shifts beside me, her jaw tightening at the suggestion that reporting a potential outbreak constitutes misconduct. Yuki remains focused on her tablet, likely already calculating transmission models while institutional politics play out around her.
"Dr. Hartmann, when healthcare workers identify patterns suggesting novel infectious diseases, rapid reporting through any available channels serves public health interests. Bureaucratic protocols shouldn't delay outbreak response."
"What you call bureaucratic protocols, Dr. Lindqvist, I call responsible management. This hospital serves over five million people in the greater Hamburg region, and our reputation forexcellence cannot be jeopardized by premature alarms about isolated cases of seasonal illness."
Isolated cases. The phrase confirms my growing suspicion that Dr. Hartmann either fundamentally misunderstands the situation or actively suppresses information that threatens his institutional image.
"Perhaps we could review the cases Dr. Müller documented. If they represent routine seasonal illness, our assessment should confirm that quickly and we can adjust our response accordingly."
"Dr. Müller's... enthusiasm for dramatic diagnoses has been noted before. He sees exotic diseases where more experienced physicians recognize common presentations."
Aleksandr clears his throat, a sound that carries unmistakable authority despite its softness. "Dr. Hartmann, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control doesn't deploy rapid response teams for routine seasonal illness. Perhaps we might examine the evidence before drawing conclusions."
Before Hartmann can respond, a knock interrupts the conversation. A voice calls through the door—"Dr. Hartmann, sorry to interrupt, but Dr. Müller is here with the case files you requested."
"Enter."
The door opens to reveal Dr. Felix Müller, and my first impression confirms everything his documentation suggested about his character and competence. Medium height with an athletic build, dark hair threaded with premature silver that speaks to stress or intensity beyond his thirty-two years. Warm hazel eyes that shift between professional composure and barely contained frustration as he takes in the scene—our team standing while Hartmann remains seated behind his desk like a judge pronouncing sentence.
But what strikes me most is the immediate sense of recognition, as if I'm meeting someone whose mind I already know from his meticulously organized case reports and thoughtfulepidemiological observations. His intelligence is evident in how quickly he assesses the room's dynamics, and his dedication shows in the careful way he handles the patient files despite obvious physical exhaustion.
"Dr. Müller, these are the ECDC investigators who responded to your unauthorized communications. Dr. Lindqvist, Dr. Brennan, Dr. Tanaka, and Dr. Petrov."
