The Survivalist (Frontier Justice)

Foreword

Like every novel, the work herein is the stuff of fiction; adventure and escapism are its underlying elements. With that said, the story is not as far-fetched as many would think. While it is highly unlikely that the world will suddenly end tomorrow as the result of a pandemic, it is not impossible. There are numerous viruses that are mutations away from decimating the human race, including SARS, Ebola, and the avian flu. Even as this book is going to print, there are reports of both a new strain of avian flu, as well as a deadly "SARS-like" virus that may be transmitted from person to person.

Viruses are quite diverse with over 100 million different types known to exist. In fact, there are more viruses on this planet than all other life combined. They can remain viable even under the worst possible conditions and have been found under the polar ice caps, in hydrothermal vents, and even in salt lakes. Consider that a single liter of sea water contains over ten billion viruses. There is simply no escaping these cell-destroying, self-replicating particles.

The list of illnesses caused by viruses is long and varied, including the common cold, influenza, measles, cholera, smallpox, HIV, and hepatitis. Throughout history, mankind's existence has been repeatedly threatened by viruses. Many don't realize that smallpox, which has thankfully now been eradicated, killed about 300 million people in the twentieth century alone. Another 75 million people have been infected with HIV, of which roughly 35 million have died from AIDS.

Modern medicine has developed vaccinations against many viruses, but new mutations are discovered every year. If an untreatable virus was to mutate such that it could be passed through airborne transmission, the number of dead could reach into the billions before a treatment could be developed and administered. Consider yourself warned that the world is not as safe as we would all like to believe.