Chapter 3

Bianca continues her search for the samples

23 May 2009

0900

Diepsloot, South Africa 

Bianca and another Agent of IDNA, Alexander Kellogg, arrived at Diepsloot early in the morning to investigate the claims an outbreak. Wearing Bio-suits, they were escorted to the large brick building, the quarantine area, by soldiers carrying AK-47's.

As they approached the building, they put their masks on, and turned on their oxygen supply.

Using Air-Quality meters, they came up to an internal room. The walls looked like prison walls, made of riveted steel plate. The door was chained shut. The door had a window, though. Bianca approached the door and looked through the window. 

What she saw made her blood turn cold. In the room, there were about 15 figures. They appeared to be in varying states of decomposition, but yet, impossibly, were standing and shuffling around the room. 

"Holy F**k....what happened to them?" 

The armed guard spoke, and another translated.

"They are infected."

"Infected with what?" Bianca responded.

"We're not sure. We thought they were dead...they had no pulse...They weren't breathing...so we put the bodies in here. We went to put another body in there an hour later...and they were like this..."

"How long have they been in here?" Alex asked.

"It's been about 3 weeks now."

"S**t…this is everyone who was infected?" Bianca asked

"This is all that we know of."

"Are you sure?" Bianca asked.

"Yes."

"So do you know what caused the infection?" asked Alex.

"Well...not exactly...it might have been caused by an animal bite...All but one had bite marks somewhere.."

"Did anyone get photographs?" Bianca asked

"Only of the first 5 or so."

"Can I see them?" asked Bianca

"Certainly. Follow us." 

The guards led the way to their station, a shack beside the large brick structure.

As they got close, a generator could be heard. 

As they entered, one of the guards sat down at the computer and pulled up the photos.

As Bianca looked at the photos, she saw the bite marks.

"What do you think bit them?" the guard asked, via the translator.

"F**k...." Bianca swore as she looked closer.

"What? Do you recognize the bit pattern?"

"Let me show you something. You. Bite your arm like this." she motioned an example.

The guard did as she asked.

They all looked at the bite mark that he left..

"You're saying..."

"I'm afraid so..."

"But..."

"Here's what we do next." 

She borrowed the gun from the guard on her left. She had them escort her into the room. Once the door was opened, she raised the gun, and aimed.

"No! You cannot kill them.." one guard said as he jumped in front of the gun.

As he did, one of the undead in the room grabbed him, and bit him on his arm. 

Bianca shot the biter in the head, and motioned for the others to do the same. When all of them were lying motionless on the floor, she had them put on bio-suits and drag the corpses outside, and put them in a pile. All but the one without bite marks. The pile was then doused with Diesel fuel, and lit. 

The guard who had been bitten, still on the floor, bleeding, was begging her to kill him.

He had lost too much blood to be saved. 

She lifted her gun, aimed at his head, and delivered the coup de grâce. 

Alexander had a camera out during all of this, and was documenting the whole thing. 

She explained to them what was going on, what they were doing, and how to deal with the problem, should it happen again. 

Bianca had them load up the corpse of "Patient Zero", in a body bag, into the bed of their pickup. 

As they drove away, Bianca looked at the guards, their faces now displaying utter fear. 

"F**k, I was hoping this wouldn't happen for a few years..." she said as she sat in the passenger seat.

"So now what?" Alex asked.

"We get this guy back to the lab. See what made him turn."

"You think there's anything left in his system?"

"We'll see." 

Once they got the corpse back to the Lab, Bianca made a phone call to a friend.

“Dex, it’s B.”

"I need to ask a favor."

"I need to know if there's been any movement of Virus samples in South Africa."

"Anything, though I'd look for potent diseases. Pandemic-causing s**t."

"Let me know what you find."

"Thanks." 

She hung up and went back inside. 

She spoke to the guys in the lab.

"Ok, so I need to know what we're dealing with as soon as possible. I want you to check for traces of a fungus called Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis." 

She and Alex left the lab and drove to Johannesburg. 

On the way..

"Alex...we need more people. This is far too much for two people to do."

"Where are we going to find more people? Who do you know who would want to deal with this s**t?"

"I know a few people. I need to get to a computer."

"What do you have in mind?"

"I've got contacts in America. I'm sure they'd be more than willing to help the cause."

"They're Americans...they won't work for free."

"They'll get paid."

"By who? Edwards?"

"No. Me."

"You..."

"You just let me worry about that. Just get me to the hotel." 

Later, after they got to the hotel, Bianca logged onto a Zombie-Survival / Prepper forum that she often perused on her free time, and created a new post. 

Subject: Wanted: persons trained in survival and defense. 

Body: “I'm with an organization dedicated to the protection of the human race. we are in dire need of team members. 

I'll keep this short.

I'm looking for:
-Anyone between the ages of 18 - 50 who are in good physical condition.

-Must be able to run at least a mile

-Weapons skills a must, all disciplines considered.

-Wilderness Survival skills are a must.

-Military experience preferred but not required.

-must be able to follow orders, take direction and communicate with a group.

-clean record not required. 

If you are interested, we're hiring right now.

PM me your qualifications, one or more photos, experience and contact information. 

This is not a joke. We are not crazy.” 

She posted it, and waited. 

within 4 hours, her inbox was full of responses.

She corresponded with most of them, and narrowed it down to 20 people.

She arranged a meet, 5 days from then, in the desert outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico.