Z-Day Chronicles: Genesis

Chapter 6

Commander David Miller led Jake, Dylan, and Cassandra to the Norfolk Naval Base, which has now been set up as a refugee camp. There were hundreds of survivors that had taken sanctuary there. Lines of blood soaked body bags laid outside of the gate. Only a handful of the remaining men, which consisted of different military branches as well as law enforcement, kept watch at the borders.

"Go ahead," Miller said to Jake. "Make yourself at home. Not much, but I know you've been in much worse overseas."

"It was about the same," Jake replied. "Except there were more men."

"Yeah, we lost quite a few. Walk with me."

Jake told Cassandra and Dylan to get comfortable in one of the barracks that others were sleeping in. He then proceeded to walk alongside Miller. As he did, he saw quite a few men, women, and children mourning as if their loved ones have perished in this attack. Volunteers worked in the soup kitchen as other people were being fed with paper plates. The remaining, who were injured and sick, rested in an isolated tent, surrounded by guards and medics away from others.

"What's all that about, sir?" Jake asked, referring to the isolation tents.

"Containment," Miller answered. "If this outbreak spreads, everyone can be safe in case they're infected."

"Outbreak, sir?"

"Surely you would've guessed by now that this isn't your normal riot."

Jake and Miller proceeded to walk through the medical center, where doctors were removing more dead bodies from the facility.

"There are a lot of bodies outside the gate," Jake continued. "Any of them military?"

"Yeah," Miller answered. "Military, law enforcement, and first responders. We've lost a lot of good people. Most of the remaining are just rookies fresh out of boot."

As the two continued onward into the medical center, they went through what looked like a cell dorm. The rooms were protected by thick glass walls, and the residents were rioters, all bloodied and enraged, tightly strapped to the beds they laid upon.

"Remember when the WHO and the CDC were trying to prevent the spread of Vermors Disease?" Miller asked.

"I do," Jake answered. "That bacteria recently discovered over in India. Decaying flesh, fever, chills, dementia, coma, then death. A couple guys were talking about it at Christopher Newport. But I thought that was contained."

"It was, until some of the doctors decided to bring a sample of it to the states for further testing. One of them got in contact with the bacteria, then more after that. Since the bacteria was in a secluded area in Virginia, it didn't hit the news. Scientists finally created a cure to stop it in its tracks. Animal testing was perfect, but not the human trials. Nobody knew the side effects until it was too late. The cure sped up the symptoms and made it more lethal. Turned it into a mutagen. Those that were tested attacked members of the WHO and the CDC, and it soon escalated from there."

"They were given a biological weapon and didn't even know it."

"That's only the tip of the iceberg. The CDC Director found out that the untested cure, as well as samples of the Vermors bacteria were already sent to different labs in the US, as well as different parts of the globe, including India, before the lethal side effects kicked in. All against his orders. You can thank Genesis Pharmaceuticals for that."

"Has the FBI pressed charges on that company?" Jake asked.

"They could, but even the director concluded that it would be of no use. This thing has already spread too far, and it could take years to contain."