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'How are we doing？' The nurse appeared； breathing HEPA…filtered air。
'Don't you get hot in that thing？' I pointed my fork。
'I guess I would if I stayed in it for long periods of time。' She was carrying a digital thermometer。 'All right。 This will just take a minute。'
She inserted it into my mouth while I stared up at the TV。 Now a doctor was being interviewed about this year's flu shot； and I shut my eyes until a beep said my time was up。
'Ninety…seven point nine。 Your temperature's actually a little low。 Ninety…eight point six is normal。'
She wrapped a BP cuff around my upper arm。
'And your blood pressure。' She vigorously squeezed the bulb； pumping air。 'One hundred and eight over seventy。 I believe you're almost dead。'
'Thanks；' I mumbled。 'I need a phone。 No one knows where I am。'
'What you need is to get lots of rest。' Now she had out the stethoscope； which she pushed down the front of my scrubs。 'Deep breaths。' It was cold everywhere she moved it； her face serious as she listened。 'Again。' Then she moved it to my back as we continued the routine。
'Could you please have Colonel Fujitsubo stop by。'
'I'll certainly leave him a message。 Now you cover up。' She pulled the blanket up to my chin。 'Let me get you some more water。 How's your headache？'
'Fine；' I lied。 'You really must ask him to stop by。'
'I'm sure he will when he can。 I know he's very busy。'
Her patronizing manner was beginning to really get to me。 'Excuse me；' I said in a demanding tone。 'I have repeatedly requested a phone； and I'm beginning to feel like I'm in prison。'
'You know what they call this place；' she sang。 'And usually； patients don't get 。 。 。'
'I don't care what they usually get。' I stared hard at her as her demeanor changed。
'You just calm right down。' Eyes glinted behind clear plastic； her voice raised。
'Isn't she an awful patient？ Doctors always are；' Colonel Fujitsubo said as he strode into the room。
The nurse looked at him； stunned。 Then her resentful eyes fixed on me as if she did not believe it could possibly be true。
'One phone ing up；' he went on as he carried in a fresh orange suit； which he laid on the foot of the bed。 'Beth； I guess you've been introduced to Dr Scarpetta； chief medical examiner of Virginia and consulting forensic pathologist for the FBI？' To me； he added； 'Put this on。 I'll be back for you in two minutes。'
The nurse frowned as she picked up my tray。 She cleared her throat； embarrassed。
'You didn't do a very good job on your eggs；' she said。
She set the tray in the pass box。 I was pulling on the suit。
'Typically； once you're in here； they don't let you out。' She shut the drawer。
'This isn't typical。' I tied down the hood and turned on my air。 'The case this morning is mine。'
I could tell she was one of those nurses who resented women doctors； because she preferred to be told what to do by men。 Or maybe she had wanted to be a doctor and was told that girls grow up to be nurses and marry doctors。 I could only guess。 But I remembered when I was in medical school at Johns Hopkins； and one day the head nurse grabbed my arm in the hospital。 I'd never forget her hate when she snarled that her son hadn't gotten in because I had taken his slot。
Fujitsubo was walking back into the room； smiling at me as he handed me a telephone and plugged it into a jack。
'You got time for one。' He held up his index finger。 'Then we got to roll。'
I called Marino。
Bio Level 4 containment was in back of a normal lab； but the difference between the two areas was serious。 BL…4 meant scientists doing open war with Ebola； Hantavirus and unknown diseases for which there was no cure。 Air was single…pass and negative pressure to prevent highly infectious microorganisms from flowing into any other part of the building。 It was checked by HEPA filters before it entered our bodies or the atmosphere； and everything was scalded by steam in autoclaves。
Though autopsies were infrequent； when they were performed it was in an air…locked space nicknamed 'the Sub；' behind two massive stainless steel doors with submarine seals。 To enter； we had to go in another way； through a maze of change rooms and showers； with only colored lights to indicate which gender was in what。 Men were green so I put my light on red and took everything off。 I put on fresh sneakers and scrubs。
Steel doors automatically opened and closed as I passed through another air…lock； into the inner change； or hot side room where the heavy gauge blue vinyl suits with built…in feet and pointed hoods hung from hooks on a wall。 Sitting on a bench； I pulled one on； zipping it up and securing flaps with what looked like a diagonal Tupperware seal。 I worked my feet into rubber boots； then layers of heavy gloves； with outer ones taped to cuffs。 I was already beginning to feel hot； doors shutting behind me as other ones of even thicker steel sucked open to let me into the most claustrophobic autopsy room I had ever seen。
I grabbed a yellow line and plugged it into the quick…release coupling at my hip； and rushing air reminded me of a deflating wading pool。 Fujitsubo and another doctor were labeling tubes and hosing off the body。 In her nakedness； her disease was even more appalling。 For the most part； we worked in silence for we had not bothered with munication equipment； and the only way to speak was to crimp our air lines long enough to hear what someone else was saying。
We did this as we cut and weighed； and I recorded the pertinent information on a protocol。 She suffered the typical degenerative changes of fatty streaks and fatty plaques of the aorta。 Her heart was dilated； her congested lungs consistent with early pneumonia。 She had ulcers in her mouth and lesions in her gastrointestinal tract。 But it was her brain that told the most tragic story of her death。 She had cortical atrophy； widening of the cerebral sulci and loss of the parenchyma； the telltale hints of Alzheimer's。
I could only imagine her confusion when she had gotten sick。 She may not have remembered where she was or even who she was； and in her dementia may have believed some nightmarish creature was ing through her mirrors。 Lymph nodes were swollen； spleen and liver cloudy and swollen with focal necrosis； all consistent with smallpox。
She looked like a natural death； the cause of which we could not prove yet； and two hours later； we were done。 I left the same way I had e in； starting with the hot side room； where I took a five…minute chemical shower in my suit； standing on a rubber mat and scrubbing every inch with a stiff brush as steel nozzles pounded me。 Dripping； I reentered the outer room； where I hung the suit to dry； showered again and washed my hair。 I put on a sterile orange suit and returned to the Slammer。
The nurse was in my room when I walked in。
'Janet is here writing you a note；' she said。
'Janet？' I was stunned。 'Is Lucy with her？'
'She'll slide it through the pass box。 All I know is there's a young woman named Janet。 She's alone。'
'Where is she？ I must see her。'
'You know that isn't possible just now。' She was taking my blood pressure again。
'Even prisons have a place for visitors；' I almost snappe