6:30 AM: RING! RING! Kevin reaches for the phone with his face buried in the pillow, and lifts the receiver to
his ear. "Hello?", he mumbles in his sleep. "KEVIN, it's me Mark!". "Hey guy, I know we said we'd talk again,
but it has only been less than five hours since we last spoke!" Kevin replied with caution. "What's the matter
Mark?" Kevin continued. His gut told him something was wrong. "I wanted to wait until Toni and the kids had
left for the day" he began to explain. "You know Kevin, I'm not saying I have any of the symptoms you
described to me last night, but maybe I should get tested too! What do you think?." "I think you should at least get tested Mark! What do you have to lose? A tube of blood, maybe?" Kevin reasoned. "It's just that...., well Kevin...., I don't know!...."

Mark sounded confused and upset. "What's the matter Mark?" Kevin demanded with a firm voice! "I don't want to tell Toni!" he declared. "Then don't Mark! But was has happened between last night's phone call and five hours later" Kevin asked with a skeptical uncertainty. "I think I'm sick too!" he finally admitted. "My liver always hurts at night, but Toni doesn't know", he said. "Mark! You've been married to her for over twenty years! She knows what underwear you are wearing! I don't think you're fooling her Mark!". "I'm just going to get tested anyway, just for your benefit, Kevin". Mark offers. "By the way Toni said to tell you she was sorry she missed you last night, she was really disappointed Kevin". "Maybe I could call her sometime and say hi, Mark", Kevin offers. "She would really like that buddy, oh man I still can't believe it's you!" Mark confesses. "It's me Mark,.... It's me!", Kevin proudly admits! He finally found someone from Germany!

"John?" Kevin asked. "What?" he replied. "How long have you known about HCV?" Kevin inquired. "Been
diagnosed for three years now!" John said. "Are you taking anything?" Kevin was embarrassed to ask. "Yeah,
a new drug now called filiimen - or something". John was unsure. "No Interferon?" Kevin quickly asked. "I tried it for a year, but I was the wrong genotype" John said with a sinking tone. Kevin realized then that if both had the same virus, then Kevin's response would not be any better, should HE choose to "go on Interferon". "They then put me on Interferon and Ribavirin for six months, but then took me off it. Now, they want me to try this new stuff now". John sounded very sad. "Hey John? How is Judy? And your daughter Christina? I remember her when she was only three!" Kevin boasted! "She was like our own kid, all of us!". Kevin sounded now like a proud parent. "How is she doing now John?" Kevin waited with anticipation...... The phone grew silent.

"She died last year in a car accident Kevin! She was driving home for my 45th birthday, from Colorado." He
said emotionally. "She was only 25 years old!". "Oh NO! John?" Kevin didn't know what to say. What can you
say? "John I'm sorry" was all he could muster. They spoke for another twenty minutes, but it was not the same now. Both wanted to get off the phone, after speaking of Christina - this was sad! Kevin reflected on the totality of the events that had transpired within the last month. There was no "waking up", this wasn't a dream that was going to end. It just kept getting worse. A nightmare. It was sad, very sad, and it was going to become much more upsetting!

Meanwhile, the blood supply was now safe - as of 1990. Protected by screening tests for antigens of HCV, the
"safe blood" was evidence enough to convince authorities that nothing was visibly wrong. So there was
nothing needed to be done! They were acting like drones, while precious lives were lost! They had been "do-
nothings" for almost a decade now! Ten years, and zip! Nothing! No cure! No funding! No desire! Why? Wasn't
this a public health threat? Aids was! HBV was! But why no HCV "Public Awareness" Campaigns? Was it
because of the military? Was it because of the Intravenous Drug angle? Or was it a combination of both, or
better yet, did one serve the other's needs? How can you Publicly, Politically, and Economicly advocate "fiscal restraint", and simultaneously push for more funding?

The political winds had shifted. The voter demographics changed. The image of "Drugs and Dragons" was
reinforced by the pharmaceuticals when they declared that the only licensed antiviral therapy that can be used "must" be "injected". Dragon, because when you are really tired you are "dragging" - as in "dragging your butt!". But where is our "snoopy", or HCV teddy bear? No! HCV has a "viral" mascot that is more akin to a
tornado than any virus we ever met! Where is our "Warm and Fuzzy?". Instead, there is only the "Cold and
Sharp" Dragon! They call you "junkies!" Make them prove it! Slander can be costly! Why is the issue about
modes of acquiring HCV? And not about treatment? They will infer "lifestyle", you will demand accountability
from them!

With the rise of women's political power, also came their "causes". Does anyone say that 60,000 breast cancer deaths a year, is not a horrendous number of people afflicted? HCV kills 8,000 to 10,000 annually, and is growing like a mold. Will funding come at 50,000 deaths a year? 100,000? How many Congressman? You make the budget! Give more money to HCV! It is really that easy, Kevin found. America is a Representative
Democracy - in November, your Congressman will want to represent you, again. What if you went and asked
why you should do that? There are 465 Congressman, and 100 Senators- along with the President. Those are
the people to "pat" on the back when things are going well in our country, but they are also responsible for
when things go wrong! Do people not SEE that 4-5 million Americans have this? Something is wrong! A
decision has obviously been made, and agreed to, to stifle the HCV issue in America. Why? I'm sick! You're
sick! All my friends are sick! What is going on here? Why the silence?

Kevin looked over his vast array of military paperwork, in preparation for his impending mandatory retirement. After twenty-two years the paperwork just seemed to grow. Eventually, Kevin had a entire filing cabinet draw that was stuffed with folders! He saved everything! Many, many experienced soldiers, over the years, warned Kevin to keep "everything", even the toilet paper! He went through saved pay records, personnel records, training folders and schedules. When he opened his health records two small yellow WHO (World Health Organization) shot records fell to the floor. Tina, his wife, picked them up and opened both of them. She looked for a moment and then placed them next to each other on the desk. Tina asked bluntly, "what's an Adenovirus?" as she pointed to the card on the left. "I do not know", he responded honestly. Kevin turned and looked at his shot records from the military closely for the first time ever. He slowly and silently mouthed the word, "A-de-no-vir-us" to himself. "Well?" Tina demanded! "Really! I've never even heard that word before", Kevin admitted. "Well, YOU got the shot!" she mocked. "Yes! The military gave me lots of things.,", he responded defensively. "I've never gotten one!", Tina stated almost jealously. "And I'm an Officer!" "Tina you're a Nurse, they don't experiment on Nurses!". "Then why did you get it?" she questioned. "Remember, I was a little peon back then, I was only 17 years old and a private!". Kevin started to feel funny in his "gut". Something was very wrong here.

Now, understand that Tina knows about immunizations. She has been giving them for more than two decades.
The question lingered in Kevin's head for a few days. "What's an Adenovirus?" he kept hearing. After a while
it began to bother him. "What was an Adenovirus?" he questioned to himself over, and over. Nobody ever
heard of Adenovirus. Nobody but the military, and the researchers. Why give it to privates? Why in 1975? What is it? Who could say what it was? Does it occur naturally in nature, or was it man-made? "Where from here?" Kevin thought.

In Germany, current studies showed that the German government was not able to track the virus properly.
Many in Germany were falsely misled into believing that "they" did not have a problem - like the USA did!
Wrong comrade! Easier to say "We have no problem", than to admit to responsibility for anything this Century! Sure the American installed German government, after the war, was predictable in it's political leanings, but by the 1970's an eerie silence fell among the population. Most signs of Nazi Germany had been erased, except in the areas of it's origin - Bavaria, Germany. The Germans during the 1930's and early 1940's did many terrible things, including medical experimentation on children and twins. Dr. Mengele was considered a national hero as he perfected many medical procedures that others would never thought of trying. Some involved blood transfers! The Aryan race had Aryan blood! And that blood was tainted! All of the "Superman" of the 3rd Reich donated their tainted "Super" blood! This included Top Commanders and two-bit hustlers! One of those hustlers, agreed to after the war work for the Americans. First he had to be re- programmed and was (weak minded!). America used him to help set up propaganda troops during the Korean War. He was rewarded with the freedom he denied others, and lives today in Florida - in the lap of luxury. Go Home Nazi! Would a government that makes deals with people like this admit to mistakes easily? Could they create HCV by mistake?

What happened in 1930's Germany, and in 1942? Why are there records, but no one knows a thing today? Are
the better "genetic" breeds performing "selective pressures" on us undesirables?, as Darwin might argue.
Genetic tinkering began in the 1930's in Nazi Germany. By the 1940's we began to tinker. By the 1950's we
learned about DNA. By the 1960's Cancer research begins, the 1970's brings Heart Surgery, and by the 1980's
Genetic testing safely in a culture dish is back. In the 1990's Clonning begins. Is HCV a "residual" of all this
research and experimentation? Who has gained? Who has lost? Was the blood supply a sort of toxic waste
dump of biological science for these men of honor?

"Hi Honey!" you begin. "It's me!" you say. "what's wrong" your spouse inquires immediately. You never call
during the day from the laboratory. "Remember the conversation we has last weekend on the boat while sailing off Cape Cod"? "Yes" your spouse replies with extreme caution now. "It's time!" you say firmly! "Are you sure?" you're asked. "I'm positive!" You hang up the phone and leave your oak finished office with navy blue carpeting for the last time. Walking quickly towards the lecture hall, all you can think about is your 30 year career. Gone! As you walk through the doorway all eyes are on you. Not a sound is to be heard, except the ceiling exhaust fans. "Researchers, may I have your attention please!" Like everyone is not already staring at you in great anticipation. "I have good news, and I have bad news".

As the lear jet lands at Boston's Logan International, and skids to a stop, the Director slugs a last one back!
He's a Johnnie Walker man! After a few drinks even the cabin boy begins to look good to him. But, no time today for that! His secret leaves with him and enters a government limo enroute to your Molecular Laboratory. He knows he is going to need his wits dealing with you, but to you the Director is easy prey! Always has been. If it were not for his earlier days in college, where he too one day, experimented with a little "hoarse" and needle, he would not be leading the crusade against all evils now to "cover his tracks" and "shake the trail" sort of speak. The Director was related to a big contributor's checkbook! In Washington, D.C., you do not go into the lion's den unarmed. He arrives and walks the length of the red carpeted entrance, browsing as he walks. He knows how much this Laboratory cost! The money for this was to be spent on his pet project! Pay back time! Time to lose a foot!

By the mid 1970's the youth of Germany had turned to drugs and defeat! After losing two World Wars, and
inflicting gross suffering on millions of innocent victims this century, the Germans seemed to finally become
civilized. But bad ideas never go away, they are like ants at a picnic. They try to crawl on you, and you
eventually have to spray them! Every park, in every city throughout Germany in the 1970's was filled with
"junkies". They seemed to place their once proud Prussian Heratige into a needle and syringe. They keep the
anger inwards for more than two decades. Recently, Germany has a 0.7 percent infection rate, as opposed to
America's 0.6 percent infection rate. We have more sick, because we have more people (270 million versus 90 million). However, Germany has a bigger problem. Their citizens think there is no problem! But then again, they have been told what to think all century long, The American Century!

11:30 AM: "HI Toni! it's Kevin!". "Kevin! oh gosh! Thanks for calling. Mark left earlier for work, I just got back
from running some errands. In fact, I haven't talked to him today yet." Toni gushed. "Kevin, how are you?", she pleaded. Kevin talks for 30 minutes informing Toni of all that has happened to him recently. "Wow!" Toni finally expresses. "How is Mark, Toni?" Kevin begins to dig. "Well he's fine.....except at night sometimes", she starts to explain. "His liver hurts at night when he sleeps" she confesses. "What do you mean -hurts- when he sleeps", Kevin chuckles stressing the word "Hurt". "He doesn't think I know, but when he sleeps - he moans!", she informs Kevin. "I think he tries to hide it from me and the kids, but Kevin, I know Mark!" Toni proclaims. "I'll bet you do, Toni, I'll bet you do!"

When Kevin began to search the internet for information, he noticed a lot of the information on HCV was
provided for by the same pharmaceuticals that stood to gain, financially, from any direction the "antiviral"
market might take. This appears to be a conflict of interest and is! No one is hurt today. People do not send
thugs and goons, like in Nazi Germany, to intimidate you. If you set up a good Hepatitis web page, with lots
of traffic, the "big- boys" (the only one's with the solution, you are told.) will offer you money to advertise or
have input. Minimum bid? $500! Some people can be bought for less!

A week goes by of research on the internet before the phone rings again from Michigan. "KEVIN!" Mark yells
into the phone! "What Mark?" Kevin replies. "I got HCV!" he says confused. "I'm sorry Mark." Kevin sincerely
responds. "The test's said so?" Kevin asked. "Yeah! Doctor slapped a big red infectious disease label on my
records." Mark explained. "Kevin you don't understand! I live in a very small town, everyone knows everyone". Mark was beginning to panic. "This Doctor is a country Doctor. He only treats sprained ankles at little league games!". Mark's confidence in his physician was non existent at this point. He explained further, "Kevin, they're going to treat me, and my family, like we have the plague! What do I do?". Mark was now becoming desperate. "I don't know Mark?" Kevin cautiously replied. Mark exhaled loudly over the phone and then in a defeated tone asked "Kevin? What happened to us? You were always smart, explain to me why we are sick? And Kevin? I have an eight year old son! Eight years old.... Kevin!". What could Kevin say? What's an Adenovirus? "I don't know" and "Kevin, what happened to us" again I don't know? Those two questions started the Hunt! Kevin had found two other sick friends now, and that was the "Quest!" Now something was wrong! Terribly wrong! The odds of all of us having HBV, and now having HCV were in the trillions. Statistically impossible! Time to find out why, then prove it!