Maniai Case File 1: The Girl And The Blood Slide

Chapter 1

"They were initially happy of course for their little girl's interest in biology. What parent wouldn't be? It's a perpetual cliche in Greek households, everyone wants their kid to become a doctor or a lawyer.

Well, they sure aren't happy now."

Excerpt from the neighbour's interview

It was my first day on the job. I was holding the official paper in my hand, telling me to report to Mr. Epiktitos. No office number, no floor number, nothing. There was a phone number but I was hesitant to call, I should be able to manage finding my way around a government building, should I not?

The security guard at the front desk glanced at the paper summons and gave me a visitor's pass. You'd thing security measures would be a bit more strict in such a dangerous place. I should have taken a hint then, but I was starry-eyed enough not to notice.

So, I was inside. The Hellenic Center for Disease Control & Prevention.

It was big. Not huge, but big. Seven stories of offices, people busily tapping away at their keyboards or talking on the phone. I couldn't help but smile. This was an important place, doing important work. From that day on, I was one of them. Educating people, preventing outbreaks and containing biological and chemical dangers. There was old marble everywhere, plaques of people's names, unsung heroes surely who had saved more lives than anyone could count.

It was exciting.

Then a guy with a small cart rammed into my side.

"You are standing in the middle," he said to me, raising his jockey hat in an angle.

"I'm sorry," I said, even though I wasn't normally the one who should apologise.

The guy was small and crouching over his cart, carrying papers and folders to feed the bureaucracy monster. He was all bone and sinew, the lack of fat making him indigestible. "You must be new, so I'm gonna let that slide. You walk on the right side of the corridor, always," he told me, gesturing with his hands like a surreal version of a flight attendant giving safety instructions. "Like a car. You drive at the right, always. That way, when you are coming back, you also stick to the right. The middle lane is for carts. Are you a cart?"

"N... no," I replied.

"Then don't stand in the middle lane. It's for carts. Now you know. Bye," he said, and pushed his cart against me until I stepped away.

I needed instructions but decided against calling back the little guy. I looked around a bit, staying on the right lane, watching behind me for incoming carts and read the signs over the doors. Ooh, they made an Ebola Division! Of course, it was the latest threat. Would I be on it? I mean, it was logical right? A new division needed fresh people like me to staff it. It made sense to hire me for the expanding offices. I turned my head to check left and right as if I was crossing a busy road and walked in there.

The feeling inside was amazing. It was buzzing with activity. Professionals young and old were talking on the phones and shuffling papers. The office was newly equipped and it showed, it was a recent expansion inside the old building. Nearly a hundred people were working there and I could make out bits and pieces of the conversations.

"...Dispatch the team to Rhodes airport..."

"...Do not print anything that will alarm people..."

"...budget approval? Thank you..."

"...this is serious..."

"...reports of Ebola..."

"...with Ebola..."