11 The outbreak

In the blink of an eye, ten days had passed since the talk of violent attacks and bloodied people on the streets of Atlanta began. With the oppression of what was going on in the world, many places began to put up circular walls around virus-free counties. 

Now the authority of the streets belonged to the military, they were making the rules and they were unceremoniously eliminating the infected. 

During this period, some people have packed their luggage and are ready to enter the quarantine area at any time. Some people have already found a hiding place and moved all supplies early, waiting for the army to enter the quarantine area. 

Feeling extremely worried, many opted to leave everything at home, and leave the city with their families and whatever supplies they could find. 

It was 12:39 a.m. on July 18, at Rick's home in King County, Atlanta. 

Lori was standing in the doorway at this time, talking to Shane in a low voice and turning her head from time to time to look at Carl, who was reading comics in his room. 

"Shane, what do you mean by leaving here?" Lori couldn't understand Shane's words, under no circumstances could she leave her home and abandon her husband who was now prostrate in a hospital bed. 

"Lori, calm down and listen to me clearly, the city is in total chaos now, the bastards at the police station have pulled their families out to take refuge elsewhere." 

After saying that, Shane held his head and pointed out, "This morning we received a transmission from Atlanta, it said that a temporary shelter had been set up in Atlanta, the people on the streets are infected with some kind of virus that makes them act strange, haven't you seen those people? They...they eat people, those crazy people aren't human anymore." 　 

Shane told Lori what he had seen and heard in a slightly nervous tone, all he could think about now was taking his good friend's family and hiding somewhere safe. 

"What do you mean, viral infection? Cannibalism?" Lori looked at Shane with a pale face, covering her mouth in disbelief.　　

"Yeah, you think I'm lying to you? Trust me, we can't stay in this place any longer, we have to get to Atlanta as soon as possible!" 

Shane put his hands on Lori's shoulders and looked straight at her. 

"What about Rick, my husband is still in the hospital!" 

"I'm going to the hospital again tomorrow, I'll bring Rick back, pack your bags tonight, get some food and water ready." 

"Hey! Lori! Hey, I'll keep you safe! Trust me! Okay?" 

"Okay..." 

... 

"Bam!" 

"Fucking bitch, who told you to bring this crap? We need food! Why the fuck are you bringing these fucking pictures?" 

"Sorry... Ed, I'm going to fix more food..." Carol covered her face, got up quietly and went to the kitchen again. 

"Sophia, go get me a beer!" 

While half lying on the couch, Ed yelled to his daughter, whose face was only half exposed outside the room. 

Sophia cringed and said submissively, "Okay, Dad." 

After taking the beer his daughter brought him, Ed shouted back at the kitchen door. 

"Carol, hurry up and get ready, we're leaving tomorrow morning, I can't stay in this damn place, damn it!" 

Sophia shuddered and ran back to her room. 

Similar scenes played out in countless families, some consoling each other and some blaming each other, but they all happened to pack their bags and set out for the nearest municipal institution. 

... 

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!" 

"Ahh... Help!" 

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" 

The first ray of sunshine the next morning is accompanied by gunfire and shouting in the streets of King County. If anyone looks down from a great height at this time, they will find that the city is completely chaotic, with messy streets, thugs everywhere, panicked civilians and numerous soldiers on the road. 

Shane drove early to the hospital where Rick was, but found that the front of the hospital was already protected by many soldiers. Whenever there was a "conflict" in the surrounding crowd, the soldiers' bullets would get them immediately. The order received should be to clean up even all the "infected people", and those who have been in contact with them. The hospital is the first choice for the vast majority of injured people. 

This should also be the reason why after Rick woke up, there were so many body bags in the hospital yard, and there were also traces of a large amount of military forces stationed near the hospital. Having said that, Shane didn't know this at the moment, in his eyes, the current soldiers were slaughtering civilians. 

"God, the world is crazy." 

On the other hand, Airon during all this time had gathered plenty of supplies and all that was left was to gather test subjects. 

At this time, a bus with the CDC logo had parked outside the King County hospital. Airon , inside the bus, put on a mask and held his assault rifle and looked at the people watching him, "You know the plan, we will take some subjects who have not yet lost their minds and bring them to the center." 

"If you see a person acting strange and violating your security open fire, the virus is deadly and once they are infected there is no turning back. shoot in the head and follow me closely!" 

"Understood!" Five of the six people responded righteously. Being former soldiers, they knew how important it was to follow orders. 

The first time they saw Airon  they felt that authority in his words that urged them to obey, they had seen demons on the front lines and Arion was one who remained asleep. 

"Tyler and Geroge, you two will keep watch around." Airon said, "We will keep open communication, if a problem arises don't forget to report it." 

"Don't worry boss, me and Tyler will take care of the transport." Geroge Burcea said with a carefree smile. 

"Right, let's get going." 

Airon  had reinforced communication with the group he managed to put together before joining the CDC, at first he had lied saying he was from a secret group that would be carrying a secret mission to guard a research facility. 

He also shared the problem that would later be released into the world, once he joined the CDC the doubts that remained in his mind were erased. This was serious, they discovered much more than was being talked about and they knew that the CDC center was the place where the hope of humanity hung in the balance. 

Equipped with black tactical uniforms, seals and IDs that proved they belonged to the CDC, Airon would have no problem moving wherever he wanted. It was known that the CDC around the world was fighting against time and their authority was far above any governmental organization. 

Five people including Airon got off the bus on high alert, this place was in chaos and a lot of gunfire could be heard everywhere. Outside control had been placed under the authority of the military in a desperate attempt to contain the outbreak. 

"Stay alert and shoot in the head anyone showing the symptoms you know." Airon  walked naturally forward, not feeling nervous about what was happening. 

"Bang!" 

Some time after exiting the bus, Jon behind Airon killed an infected person with a shot to the head and demure a woman who was about to be murdered. Then they entered through the hospital door through many corpses lying on the ground. 

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" 

Airon  and the others continued to shoot and deal with the infected people scattered along the way, and the group of them quickly approached the stairs leading to the second floor. 

But before they climbed to the second floor, a group of footsteps were heard off to the side and heavily armed soldiers pointed in their direction. 

"Stop, stand still, and lower your weapons!"

At the thought that this could happen, Airon  was prepared and took steps forward, when the soldier leading the group walked forward, he was pleasantly surprised by the equipment of Airon's group. 

"We are under Martial Law, what is the CDC doing in this remote part of Atlanta? Downtown is a long way from this place." 

Looking at the soldiers with masks on their faces, Airon  pulled a document from his chest and said, "I come for test subjects, it was mentioned that there might be optimal experimental subjects at this location." 

"I am Captain Airon  of the CDC, I have new information about the outbreak." Airon  removed his mask and said, "The Wildfire virus is a latent virus spread by airborne, and possibly by direct contact, with a 99.9% infection rate." 

"It spreads through the host's blood and concentrates in the central nervous system. Wildfire virus becomes active when the host ceases all vital functions, or when an active agent of the virus enters the bloodstream." 

The soldier was stunned when he received that information, looking at the report in the document, he looked back at the CDC credential and said, "What's the quickest way to eliminate the infected?" 

"Head shots, with a shot or hit that damages their brain is more than enough, body shots don't work." 

The soldier nodded and gave a military salute, "Thank you for the direct report, I will report directly to my battalion commander." 

"Do you need reinforcements to carry the experimental subjects?" 

"No, we'll make it quick and pull out of this place." Airon  looked coldly at the surroundings and said, "Advise all soldiers of this information, it will be vital for a quicker cleanup." 

"Understood sir!" 

"Sir, please help me." 

Just as Airon and the others were talking, and the soldiers were planning to consult their superiors by radio, a figure suddenly stepped out of the shadows. 

"Stand still and don't move, or I'll shoot you." 

The soldiers did not expect that suddenly other people would run out after this person, and did not bother to contact their superiors, they raised the assault rifles in their hands and warned them not to continue approaching. 

Airon  had more watchful eyes and looked at many more figures behind the infected person and ordered, "Valdez, open fire." 

Under Airon's order, Sam Valdez stepped forward and opened fire without mercy. 

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" 

Under the wave of gunfire, Airon  looked at the soldier and said, "The CDC center is still investigating a cure, so you guys need to contain the spread of the outbreak." 

"Got it, let's go!" 

Arion turned to his people and signaled for them to continue walking, this was one of his reasons for visiting this place. Reaching the second floor, several soldiers were shooting many infected mercilessly. 

Looking at the people in the corridor, Airon  entered a room and looked at a person lying on this stretcher. Looking at the nurse who was about to run out, Airon stopped her and asked, "Is he infected?" 

"What?" 

"Is he infected?" Pointing to the person on the gurney, Airon asked. 

"He was bitten, for now he only has a fever..." 

"Get him ready to move him, as long as you help me with that I can ensure your safety." Airon  looked back and said, "Secure the subject." 

"Yes sir." 

In another room, Shane's heart began to pound as a soldier opened the door, just as he was about to draw his weapon he heard a voice. 

"This place is fine, we'll take it from here." 

"We got it." 　 

As the voice stopped speaking, footsteps could be heard coming through the door and the voice rang out again, "Hello, Officer Shane! I'm Airon, remember me?" 

This person was Airon . Dressed in a black tactical suit and no mask, he entered the room and looked at Rick on the gurney. 

"Airon? Yes, I remember you. I met you a few months ago, what are you doing here?" Shane looked at Airon quizzically, from his attire he appeared to be someone in authority.　 

At that moment, a group of civilians were arguing with the soldiers at the end of the hallway, but the soldiers suddenly raised their machine guns. 

"Bang bang bang bang bang!" 

All the civilians were soon down, Shane's face changed drastically when he heard that. He looked at Airon and asked, "Do you know what's going on?" 

"Officer Shane, we don't have time. You need to get out of this place and evacuate with the others immediately." Airon  said in a serious voice. 

"Mr. Darcy, the test subjects have been selected." Gonzalez said outside the room. 

"Airon, are you a soldier?" 

Airon  nodded slightly and explained, "Sort of, I work for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. I went back today to pick up some subjects that could serve as evidence, what happened to Rick, is he infected?" 

"No, no, he was shot and is now in a coma." Shane corrected Airon's confusion. 

"Nurse, give me a status report on this person." 

At that moment, the nurse who was helping Airon with the test subjects entered the room and walked over to the hospital bed, did a simple exam and reported. 

"Rick's injury is severe and the site where he was shot is relatively fragile, so it should have caused some damage to nearby internal organs. Judging by the current situation, he shouldn't be able to wake up anytime soon." 

Hearing this, Shane grabbed his hair with both hands, he looked very irritated and muttered in his mouth. 

"What should I do now?" 

Then he suddenly reached out and grabbed Rick's arm, he shouted in a worried voice, "Rick, brother, wake up! We must leave at once!" 

Airon quickly grabbed Shane's hand and stopped his behavior. 

"Hey, calm down! He needs to rest now, and even if you wake him up, what are you going to do with him?" 

"Right, what should I do then, Lori and Carl are still at home waiting to take refuge in Atlanta!" 

"I have an idea." 

"Do you have a solution?" 

Airon paused and then replied, "I have some authority at the CDC, I can get Rick to an ambulance and move him, so you can go back and evacuate to a shelter in Atlanta with the people you just mentioned now. 

"In Rick's current condition he should not move casually, but we have enough medical conditions to cure him. I'll get back to you when Rick wakes up, what do you think?" 

Shane's eyes sparkled when he heard those words, this method was feasible, but then he asked, "Then why can't we go to the CDC with you?"