PATIENT ZERO

CHAPTER 1

      I am Sam Gregory, a former microbiologist at MASNEK laboratories but I am currently a hunter, hunting for the monsters that led to the division of our world. I am not sure if I will live to see tomorrow but I live each day step by step with one hot headed woman who insisted on following me into this battle and into this crazy life of mine. At least I am not alone. Not much goes on anymore after everybody vacated their nations and went into the colonies and I am the only one left behind to clean up the mess that I partially created. I can barely explain how life changed for the worst in less than two years. It all began with the explosion at MASNEK lab that led to the release of the T virus. Everybody panicked after the pandemic started. People died and no one knew the cause of the disease.MASNEK Lab had been in Kenya and when it exploded, the country was the first to be struck by the effects of the T virus. Nobody figured at the moment that the explosion at the lab was responsible for the releasing of the virus that was killing everyone even though it was right before their noses, but how could they when everyone from the department which blew up was dead. I was the only one who came out of the explosion with minor injuries.

After alleged claims that I was the one responsible for MASNEK's explosion, I was arraigned in court and charged with genocide .I tried to plead and prove my innocence but none would hear of it. Nobody would defend me for all my colleagues were dead; they had all perished in the explosion. I was lucky to have survived but that was because of the few adjustments I had done to my body to ensure quick healing no matter what accident I went through .If my partners had agreed to let me help them I would have made few adjustments to their genetic sequence they would have become more stronger, faster and tolerant to diseases but instead they shunned my creation and called me a mad man now they are gone. I was sentenced to twenty three years in the icebox penitentiary. In prison I became inmate 723. I knew what was coming; I was not going to be here for very long.In prison I made a few friends one who was my cell mate. He went by the name Zango or as they liked to call him THE STEPLAH.

"Dude we got to hide the feds are everywhere man.Whats wrong with you it's like your body is here but your mind is so far away, "said Zango

"Sorry man I am just thinking of how the world is collapsing and it's all because of me.''

"It's not like you wished for the lab to explode."

"But I created the T virus, 'I said.

"Well you are a fool but nobody cares anymore everyone is just trying to survive this plague but you my friend hold the cure."

"I am the cure you idiot.''

Six months ago my life had been amazing. I had lots of money, a beautiful girlfriend called Jenny, a large house and a really fast car. That inevitable day had started out like any other day. I had just been doing some tests at the lab on the T virus primordial strands. All had been going on well; the virus had been reacting well with the blood samples that contained Ebola. The T virus destroyed the Ebola virus and restored the body cells back to normal. This was going to be the greatest breakthrough in history. With the T virus I could finally cure Ebola and many other illnesses.

I took a sample of my blood and added the T virus and a horrible realization was made. As the T virus destroyed infected cells, it also damaged the healthy cells of the body. I had to alter the virus by adding my DNA strand .This would enable the virus to identify damaged cells from healthy ones. I took a sample of my blood extracted a DNA strand from it and added it to the T virus. This in the wrong hands was a bioengineered weapon. I took the sample of the bioengineered virus and injected it into my blood stream .It was like nothing I ever felt before. I felt so alive and energized. Suddenly the alarms went off (warning all personnel exit their labs).what followed was a loud explosion. I only remember the roof crashing down on me.

"Honey, wake up.''

"Jenny what are you doing here and why does my head hurt so badly," I asked my girlfriend.

I was in the hospital and was in shackles. The week that followed ,I was under police custody .When I got well ,I thought it was time for me to go home but contrary to that ,I was arraigned in court for the explosion at MASNEK Lab.I was sentenced for twenty three years at the ICEBOX.I was still in shock for how my life had quickly turned the tables on me.I didn't know what life now held in store for me, was I going to die in prison or how would things turn out for me.One thing escaped my mind ,where did the T virus go ?The virus was airborne and since nothing was recovered after the explosion, the virus had probably escaped and was being blown by the wind and everyone it got in contact with was inhaling it.This was a catastrophe. My mind had a crazy idea that this would lead to a zombie apocalypse and be like the walking dead but I quickly brushed that thought away. In prison I went by the name inmate 723.Well that's what the other prisoners called me.My cell mate Zango, who at first I thought was a psycho turned out to be a really fun guy.He had been imprisoned four months ago for illegal smuggling of immigrants into the country from Sudan and other countries. He was a real chip off the old block.(Meanwhile in the outside world)It was after two months that the effects of the virus started showing .It was all over the news, it started with a small rash, then a cough and before you know it people had started dying. Initially scientists thought it was HIV but its effects were much severe than that. Panic started to rise among the people, even among the inmates. Things were getting out of hand. I had to escape from prison so that I could go and rectify my mess. Thousands of deaths were too big of a burden for me to carry.

I told Zango my plans to escape and he was in on the plan. Life in prison was not a walk in the park. It had its share of bullies who often beat me up until Zango intervened and rescued my butt. Zango was accorded with respect .In here he was a boss, respected by everybody. I had to say I was lucky for having to be bunk mates with him.

"Ok since you have been here what have you noticed about the surveillance by the prison guards?" I asked Zango

"The guards shift every day at around 6:30 PM and the hall way is left unguarded for thirty minutes. That's when we make our move. 'Said Zango.

"But where do we get the keys to open the cell?" I asked

"Leave that to me I will take care of that." Zango replied.

Just like that a plan had been hatched and we would soon be out of here.Four months had passed by when the prison was struck by the virus. Prisoners started getting infected one by one and eventually dying. Panic rose and riots started in the prison. This was the perfect time to escape, when everybody was distracted and even the guards were under stress. It was around 6:10 PM when we were eating our boring supper of undercooked ugali and some cabbages which looked as if they had been chopped by an axe, when a fight ensued between two prisoners. The guards tried to intervene but they were overpowered.

"Prison break, "someone shouted and everybody started making a run for the exit. Zango was in the lead running towards the prison gates. Everybody was distracted and no one would know we were gone. The guards at the gate had run into the hall so that they could help return the prisoners to their cells. At the gate we had a change of clothes. We wouldn't want civilians to identify us as prisoners. Out we went through the gates with no one suspecting.

"Can you smell that air it's called freedom," said Zango.

"It's more like contagious T virus air." I thought

"We better get going before the guards' notice we are missing. I know a guy who knows a guy that can help us. "Said Zango

So went underground into the sewers .We had to stay underground until everything cooled down but when would things get to cool down when the world was ending, nations were fighting and governments were collapsing.