A World Reborn: The First Outbreak

by Chris Thompson

  “It’s not over.” Melissa said through gritted teeth, directing her words to the Ancillary, even though there was no way she could hear her.

  “Melissa? Are you there?” Roy’s anxious voice came over the radio. After a minute or two, Melissa unclipped it from her belt and answered it.

  “I’m here.” She issued despondently.

  “What happened?” Roy solicited, and because Melissa hated to admit that the Ancillary had escaped, she simply released a long, drawn out sigh, which told him everything he needed to know.

  Chapter Eleven

  Melissa wasn’t involved in what happened as the morning light swept over Las Vegas, but she was kept up to date by Roy over the radio. Suspiciously, not long after the Ancillary had escaped, and despite Melissa’s desperate pleas to Roy to get the police to pursue her, pleas that apparently fell on deaf ears by those in authority, the Las Vegas Police Department, backed up by the FBI, assaulted the Seraph Hotel and Casino. Roy was able to open the security gates for them, and the police did what they were trained to do. They tried to force the infected to stop, to cease their forward surge towards the police, and only when there seemed to be no other choice, they opened fire. The initial barrage was ineffective and some officers were bitten, turning instantly. Though they were reluctant at first, they eventually followed Roy’s suggestion to shoot them in the head; adjusting their tactics and executing the infected who were attacking them, including their fallen comrades who rose up to fight against them. The gunfire attracted the attention of the main infected horde on the ground floor, and as the thousands strong force began to press towards the main entrance, Roy was instructed to lower the security gate once more, which he did.

  Melissa had watched what she could from the rooftop, resting against the railing around it, hearing the sound of gunfire rising up from below on the wind. Part of her wondered if they would even be able to defeat the infected without levelling the building. The National Guard arrived a little while later, bringing their heavier weapons and vehicles. They had managed to capture a few living, if you could call it that, infected, which satisfied the doctors from the CDC. Eventually, Melissa retreated down to the executive suites in search of food and water. She was starving, in pain and realized that rescue wasn’t going to magically happen as it would have in the movies. There was going to be a real battle to secure the survivors. She managed to find a first aid kit, and although it pained her to do so, she used the antiseptic to clean her wounds before she bound them. The bleeding had stopped, and although she felt weakened, Melissa felt she would be okay.

  Roy and Melissa remained in almost constant contact. She informed him that she’d locked down the top floor as best she could, just in case some of the infected made their way up. And then, all either of them could do was wait. Melissa turned on one of the televisions and watched the news. Although the reporters had been pushed back and a much wider cordon had been established around the hotel, they were still able to record live video. Reinforced by the National Guard, the security gates were raised again. The infected surged out of the front doors, and were met by an unceasing, explosive salvo of gunfire. The infected were cut down in reams and rows, dozens dying every few seconds, and yet they kept pushing forward. They pushed and surged, some even managing to reach the newly erected barricades and riot shield wielding men and women on the front line, but no more deaths were caused by them. It took some time, but eventually the infected were defeated in what was being called by the media the Massacre at the Seraph Hotel and Casino. Officials from the CDC reassured as often as they could that the infection was so volatile, so violent and so absolute that containment was impossible, but none the less, Melissa believed today would end a few political careers. However, she knew they were doing the right thing. Having seen what she’d seen, Melissa believed that the infected were better off being killed than kept alive to be experimented on. They had died once and had their dignity taken from them. Melissa saw it more as putting them out of their misery than an execution.

  A few hours later, they had completely secured the ground floor and had rescued Roy and the other survivors in the security room. Roy demanded he be allowed to remain in radio contact with Melissa until she was rescued too, and perhaps due to his former position within the police force, they allowed it. Melissa was reached by elevator fifteen minutes later, and was escorted down and out of the hotel to the medical check up area that had been established behind the cordon. Melissa overheard snippets of conversation and fragments of radio communications and by the sound of it, they were going floor by floor, ensuring all the guests and staff were all accounted for by checking the rooms, just in case survivors had somehow managed to remain on the guest floors, or there were infected that had not been detected. Melissa and Roy were reunited in the medical tent that had been set up and embraced tightly. Their bond had been forged in an unexpected way. Although Roy insisted he’d done nothing, Melissa knew she wouldn’t have been able to fight through and keep her sanity intact if she hadn’t had Roy there to talk to. The darkness, the evil she’d seen there was worse than anything else Melissa had experienced, even worse than the battle in Galgambwe. Everything was going well and Melissa felt safe for the first time in what felt like an eternity. Until the doctors discovered her bite wound. She’d barely known what was happening. Men with guns appeared around her and she was whisked away to isolation; Roy’s voice bellowing that she was immune loud and persistent as Melissa was bound to a gurney and placed in an ambulance. She’d tried to resist, but it was pointless. They assured her they weren’t going to hurt her, that it was for her own protection, but Melissa knew it was more for everyone else’s protection.

  Melissa had been given something to help her to sleep and woken up an unknown time later in a hospital room. She had been changed into a hospital gown, her clothes presumably having been taken for examination or possibly incineration. The door was secured by a special keypad lock and the mirrored glass led her to believe it was some kind of observation room. They’d removed one of the arm bindings so that she could use one hand, but kept the ones around her ankles and her other arm. She was provided with a few creature comforts: a television, some pretty good food on a tray, and there was a call button for a nurse. Although inside she felt like a trapped animal, her mind insisting she needed to get out of her current situation, her instincts told her she was actually relatively safe. If they’d considered her a significant threat, then the odds were good she’d never have woken up and they’d have kept her sedated indefinitely. So, while she couldn’t say she was happy about her situation, she also couldn’t say she didn’t understand why they were treating her with such extreme caution.

  Eventually, after several hours, a doctor came to talk with Melissa. He explained, slowly, that after careful examination of her blood stream, they could confirm she was completely clear of infection, and while they didn’t fully understand what the infection was, they were certain she was immune to its effects. He released her bindings, apologised, then told he wanted her help. He wanted her to stay in the hospital and allow them to run further tests using her blood to try and ascertain why she was immune to the virus. Melissa agreed. In total, she was in the hospital for about a month. Roy came to visit every now and then, on crutches while his leg was healing after some surgery. It was taking time to heal and then he would need more time for physiotherapy. When he came to visit, Melissa would ask what news he had of the Ancillary, and he would reply each time that there was no news. No one had seen or heard from the Ancillary, or any of the Reborn, since the Seraph Incident, as the news agencies were now calling it. As details about the infection were leaked and circulated amongst the press, the level of hostility towards the police and the National Guard for the way they had dealt with the infected was decreasing, but there was a clamouring for answers; a demand to know how the infection could be treated. Some outlets had rightly or wrongly labelled it as the Zombie virus. Rightly because they genuinely believed that was what it a
ppeared to be. Wrongly, because the motivation behind some of the labelling was simply to sell more papers or for higher viewing ratings with a scandalous, exciting title.

  Melissa wasn’t surprised by the way the world was reacting to the infection. It was pretty unbelievable stuff, and when she woke up in a cold sweat, the nightmares still haunted her waking world. Melissa wanted to believe she’d simply gone crazy and made the whole thing up. But she wasn’t crazy. It was real. After being subjected to almost every test imaginable, Melissa was about to be released when two FBI agents appeared, one carrying a duffle bag containing clean clothes. They informed her she needed to get dressed and accompany them. Where, they wouldn’t say. Why, they wouldn’t say either, but it was clearly an order and not something she could refuse to comply with. She was escorted to a private jet directly from the hospital; aboard it she met up with Roy, who had also been collected by the FBI with no explanation. They managed to learn they were going to Washington, and that something significant had happened. What it was, Melissa had no idea, and neither did Roy. There hadn’t been news of an attack or any Reborn statements on the news that morning, which Melissa was sure would’ve been a ‘breaking news’ story. Once they arrived in Washington, they were whisked away to the main FBI building, still without being told why they were there. They were led through a series of corridors, up several floors via elevators, and then towards some interrogation rooms. Melissa felt a faint trickle of fear run down her spine. Did they think Roy and she had something to do with the incident? She’d been questioned a number of times while in the hospital, and they gave no indication they thought she was guilty of something.

  Melissa and Roy were led into an observation room. Inside, Melissa saw the Ancillary, sitting calmly in the same, or similar, white robes as she had worn in Las Vegas. Melissa’s blood boiled. She wanted to tear into the room and beat the Ancillary until she begged for mercy for the pain and misery she’d helped to inflict on thousands of families. She was stopped by a tall,, handsome looking FBI agent.

  “Please, Miss Jones, calm yourself. You’re here because we have reason to believe another attack is imminent.” He explained in a softly spoken voice. “I’m Special Agent James DeWitt, part of the Reborn task force.”

  Melissa looked into his face and took several deep, calming breaths.

  “Why are we here, Agent DeWitt?” Roy quizzed.

  “This woman walked in here about six hours ago. She informed us there will be another attack sometime today and assured us she will give us every detail we need to react in time, but she will only give those details to both of you. She demanded you by name. We wouldn’t normally respond to the demands of a criminal, but after seeing what their virus can do and knowing we may not have much time...” DeWitt trailed off.

  “I understand, Agent.” Roy responded, looking at Melissa who was still fuming. She’d turned to glare at the Ancillary through the glass.

  “What do you want us to do?” Melissa asked.

  “Accompany me in there, get all the details of the next attack that you can out of her, and then you’re free to go. She’s been checked for weapons and she’s clean. She doesn’t have one of those heart-rate injection devices either. Neither does she have one of the collars the Reborn soldiers wear. She’s completely harmless.”

  “Yeah, that’s what she wants you to think.” Melissa answered harshly. “Let’s get this over with.”

  DeWitt led the way out of the room, with Melissa right behind and Roy following more slowly; moving along with a walking stick instead of full crutches now. DeWitt opened the door and let Melissa and Roy into the room before he entered and shut it behind him.

  “Witness! I’m so glad you could join us. I’d stand, but I’m manacled in a rather inconvenient fashion, so do forgive me.” The Ancillary greeted pleasantly.

  “Bitch.” Melissa responded, taking a seat straight across from her and fighting back the urge to reach across the desk and smack the Ancillary’s face.

  “Roy, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’ll be honest, you weren’t supposed to survive. However, I’m so pleased you did; you’ve proven yourself worthy of the coming world.” The Ancillary said, smiling at Roy as she did so. Roy said nothing and took another seat across from her.

  “All right, they’re both here. Now give us the details of coming attack.” DeWitt demanded.

  “Patience.” The Ancillary replied without looking at him. “I’m sorry I unleashed Kimberly on you on the roof, Melissa. I was... emotional... after I learned about Sebastian’s passing. The Teacher punished me and showed me the error of my ways. That’s one of the reasons I’m here, instead of with him on this day of days.”

  “What’s going to happen today?” Melissa asked.

  “Well, today we’re going to start the great work to reshape society; to rebuild the world into a place where the strong and the worthy can thrive.”

  “Where? Where are you going to unleash your virus?” Melissa demanded.

  The Ancillary smiled. “What time is it, Agent DeWitt?”

  DeWitt checked his watch before answering her. “A little after three.”

  The Ancillary nodded. “Then, I am allowed to tell you.”

  “So, tell us; tell us where you crazy bastards are going to attack next!” Melissa yelled.

  “We have groups of ten in every major city across the United States, as well as in the United Kingdom, France and Germany. These will be the first dominos in our worldwide plan. We have coordinated ourselves so that at three in the afternoon, Eastern Time in the United States, they will inject themselves and begin the uprising. As we sit here, my brothers and sisters are spreading the Teacher’s great work across the world.” The Ancillary said with a look of glee on her face. “And I’m afraid, Witness, Roy, and my dear Agent DeWitt, there is absolutely nothing you can do to stop it. The virus will be spreading right now. Go, talk to your people, talk to your fellow agents, and you’ll know I’m telling the truth.”

  Melissa stared at the Ancillary with hate burning in her eyes. However, she managed to tear her gaze away to look at DeWitt. He had pulled out his cell phone and was talking quietly in the corner of the room. The Ancillary was silent. Melissa waited, sharing concerned looks with Roy until DeWitt finished on the phone. He opened the door and looked at Melissa and Roy.

  “We need to go.” He said simply.