[Cure] Return to the Zone
#7 of Cure
It was a hot and muggy May afternoon in Atlanta and Annie King was sweating like crazy in her suit as she took the steps of the CDC two at a time. The last five months had been a roller coaster of fame and infamy for the plucky Asian reporter. As the journalist who was on scene when the Cure Outbreak began, she was one of the most well known voices in the history of news. Rivaling Orsen Wells, despite his report being faux. However, her near fanatical level of investigation into both the events leading up to the accident and the actions of the government afterwords had gotten her shunned from every mainstream news outlet across the nation.
That didn't stop her though and while everything she put out on the internet was eventually censored, vandalized, or taken down Annie refused to let the issue lie. Which was why she was even now walking towards a meeting that very well might get her banned from any government building.
The young man working the desk didn't look up when she came to a stop. Clearing her throat, it was apparent he knew her identity by his reaction when they made eye contact.
"Yes, I am that Annie King. I've got a meeting with Dr. Leowhutz at two-thirty, which floor is his office on?
"Um-he's-uh...fifth floor." The no doubt intern med student said after fumbling around for a few minutes.
Annie smiled at him and walked past towards the elevators to head up to the fifth floor. The ride up was slow and the music dull but, soon enough the doors opened with a soft ding. Checking the directional signs she headed left and soon knocked on door 506, the placard on the window proclaiming it to be Albert Leowhutz's office.
"Come in!" came a jovial voice, one that she recognized from the phone conversations earlier that week. As she opened the door, Annie was met by a man in a flaming orange lab coat and crazy red hair. It looked like he was some mad scientist that had escaped from a b-grade SCI-FI movie.
"Ah~ Miss King. So glad you could make it. Now I understand you had some questions for me concerning the upcoming six month evaluation on the Cure virus. Well, hit me with 'em, I spent all morning practicing my "lines". Aha
Catching the joke Annie laughed along with the rather off kilter scientist. Taking a seat on the other side of the man's desk she pulled out her tablet and flipped the little device on. She waited for it to boot up before starting her line of questions and then flicked the voice recorder program open once it had.
"Alright then." she began. "Today is May 15th and I'm here talking with Dr. A. Leowhutz of the Centers for Disease Control about their findings after a six month study on the Cure. Now, Doctor, the first thing I think is foremost on everyone's mind is this: can the virus be cured?"
"It's entirely likely in the future. Using documentation retrieved from the lab in what was Colorado, we've been able to isolate the component of the virus that allows it to imprint on a type of cell or chemical. Initial tests of an anti-virus designed to deployed as a vaccine to create antibodies capable of eliminating the Cure have proven to be very favorable. However at this point we don't have the means to stop, much less reverse, the alterations being made to those infected by it."
"So right now, there's no hope for the thousands or more living in the quarantine zone?"
"Not really no. See, the virus was designed to eliminate a specific illness and as Subject Zero's strain of the Cure imprinted on testosterone the virus attempted to "cure" his bodies "lack" of it. Which caused an increase in masculinity and as we saw, when left unchecked lead to vastly oversized sexual organs and other such effects. Which is why the strain has been dubbed 'M-Hyper'. To alleviate that, the only solution would be to do exactly what the virus is already doing: replacing normal cells with one's laced in testosterone."
"Then, if that's the case why not create use the "blank" Cure, imprinted with the specific strain?" Annie said innocently.
"Well that concludes my time then. I'll walk you down." The scientist said curtly as he got up from behind his desk and walked to the door, pushing it closed. Turning he mouthed 'Can you turn that thing off for a second?'
Annie raised an eye brow.
Rolling his eyes, Leowhutz walked to the white board and wrote out 'I'll give you the scoop, but I can't have it leaving this room' before erasing it.
Annie nodded, a sparkle in her eye. "Thanks for your time Doctor. I'm sorry if I've caused you too terribly much heartburn." Then, with a slide and an audible click she switched her tablet off and set it back in her bag.
"Damn you're smart..." Leowhutz admitted.
Annie smiled. "Have to be, only thing I've got anymore is my wits. So, this scoop then?"
"Well, to be honest you hit the nail on the head. The best solution to the virus is to make a new virus. However that has some far reaching consequences that we can't predict right now." He walked back to his computer and motioned for Annie to step around his desk. "As you can see here, these models represent the evolution of the twelve currently known strains of the Cure virus. From this we've concluded that even if we could eliminate most of these strains, other, stronger versions would grow up from the ones that weren't eliminated. In short, the rate at which the virus is changing is simply still far too rapid to try and completely eradicate it."
"All of these viruses stemmed from the M-Hyper?"
"Yes, incredible isn't it? My theory as to why hinges on Subject One: Danielle Smith. She was infected two separate times by the M-Hyper strain. Which, in theory, allowed two radically different new strains to develop inside of her based on the tissue the M-Hyper was exposed to which forced the virus into a spiral of cross evolution that is almost impossible. I believe you were on hand for the result when he body was radically altered by the virus' effect."
"Yeah. I still have nightmares about that day."
"Well, as I'm sure you remember, the level of the infection's effect was very high. Leading to a rapid burst of mutation in the people immediately affected. After that the infection spread less and less rapidly. It's even possible that there are people who are infected but may be perfectly fine, the virus only marginally affecting their system before it runs out of steam as it were."
"That doesn't explain the hybrid strains, though."
"They're simple really, the three main strains mingled quite a bit at first, usually to the detriment of the host's unfortunate enough to be hit with two strains simultaneously. Slowly this mingling created new hybrid strains and eventually the new strains slowly became more adept. The most startling of these hybrids was the short lived 'Macro' strain. A remarkable little thing, it caused the host to become overall much larger that ever thought possible. However, the amount of effort needed to push a person's body that far meant that the transformation was typically fatal for both the host and eventually the strain. I have a hunch that a new strain has since come out of it that isn't quite nearly as explosive in it's results but, without field data I can't really be sure."
"What if someone could get you that field data?"
"Then I would be able to..." Leowhutz tailed off as he realized just what Annie was saying. "Are you crazy? Going into the Zone now is tantamount to suicide! You'll never return!"
"Worth it, besides at this point you were my last lead on this whole thing. Now the truth has moved back inside that wall. I have to-"
All of a sudden alarms went off and a voice came over the PA asking everyone to evacuate.
"Looks like we'll have to figure out the usefulness of you suicidal tendencies later."
"Guess so." Annie said wit a mock sigh.
The hallway outside was pretty much empty when the two stepped into it. Leowhutz said it was because many on this floor was off at a conference. Taking the stairs down, the pair eventually arrived at the lobby level. Pushing the door open, Annie came face to muzzle with a rather large gun. Holding it was a man in body armor and a SWAT uniform.
"Two more." He called over his shoulder. Waving Annie and Leowhutz towards the entrance, he and a few others stormed up the stairs.
"What's going on?" Leowhutz asked of the first normally dressed police officer the pair encountered.
The officer looked annoyed at first, but opened up after catching a glimpse of the scientist's badge. "I don't really have any specifics beyond some lunatic broke into the containment area for the level four infections. We think he might be trying to release the small pox you guys have on hand here."
"That's not all we have on hand!" Leowhutz said before rushing towards the elevator down to the bio-hazard labs. Annie followed, her gut telling her that something big was about to unfold. Swiping into the access panel for the elevator he made a number of key strokes before gasping. He turned to the nearest officer and grabbed her.
"GET EVERYONE OUT! There was a sample of the Cure here on site! It's a blank version so who knows what will happen if it gets released!"
The officer's eye went wide and she relayed that information over her radio before beating a hasty retreat from the area.
"You have a sample on hand here?!?" Annie said, her voice full of panic.
"Yeah. That's how we learned the blank virus could manage to eventually win if programmed to hunt and destroy other versions of itself." Leowhutz snapped back before beginning to type furiously. "Oh no...He's already coming back up. He must have the virus already!" Dashing towards the officers' retreating to a safe distance the scientist tried to get their attention.
Annie on the other hand, could only stand there as the scene from before grabbed hold of her. Falling to her knees, the reported grabbed her head and began screaming. It was then, that the elevator dinged. Stepping out from between the doors a man with a bomb strapped to him came into view. A seemingly empty vial in his left, a needle in his right.
"Everyone just back the fuck up or, swear to God, I'll inject myself and then spray infected blood over all of-"
BANG!
The tile above Annie's shoulder exploded and the flying pieces knocked her over as a sniper round hit the guy in the shoulder. Falling backwards the man dropped the vial. Horrified but slowly losing consciousness, Annie could only watch as it shattered on the ground next to her head. The world fading to black, she waited for the madness she had seen before to overtake her.
When she later opened her eyes the reporter was strapped to a gurney in the back of ambulance. Her head was pounding. Leowhutz's face floated into view.
"Am I going to change?" she said with tears forming in her eyes.
"No, I don't think so. Fortunately, it was the gas form of the virus that he stole, so none of the shards were dangerous and the vial broke too far from your head to have had any real chance of infecting you. Besides, do you think that you would have even woken up if you had been?"
"No, I guess not..." Annie sighed with relief.
"That makes two narrow escapes from the virus now." Leowhutz said as he sat back. The two of them laughed at the statement and soon after they arrived at the hospital. Walking close by, the scientist leaned in and spoke, his voice just above a whisper. "I'll get you into the Zone, that is if you're not too put off by it now. The truth needs to be uncovered if we're ever to figure out how to beat this thing."
"No, I'm not put off. Even if I was, I can't stop now that you've given me a chance to find out. What're the details going to be?"
"I'll call you and let you know. It'll take me about a month to get everything worked out."
Annie nodded and closed her eyes again. A sudden, more intense, pain blossoming in her head that went as quickly as it came. Shaking it off as an after effect from being hit on the head with flying tile she drifted off into sleep.
-*-
A month later Annie was riding in a military convoy heading through the Zone as an embedded journalist. Leowhutz had vouched for her and she was now working for the CDC as their field agent. The night they crossed into the Zone, she was sitting in the back of the second to last truck, making sure her camera as all set to go when she suddenly had a bad feeling.
"Infected!" came a call over the radios of the men and women around her. The sounds of gun fire soon followed and Annie flipped her camera on to start recording. Through the gap in the canvas stretched over the bed she watched the rather gruesome scene as wave after wave of perverse humanoids rushed the convoy and were just as quickly cut down. After only a few seconds she turned away, feeling horribly nauseous.
The convoy presses on, occasionally fending off other such encounters, each equally unsettling for Annie until they come to a stop. Peeking out Annie realizes that they'd arrived in Las Vegas. Confused as to why the military would risk so many to come here, Annie attempts to leave the truck.
"I'm sorry, Ms King but, no unauthorized civilians are allowed in the Zone." said the Sargent in charge of their vehicle.
"I AM in the Zone." Annie insisted.
"Geographically, yes. However, this truck is still uninfected US soil. As such, one step outside is like traveling to another country. A country we're at war with. So please, just stay in the truck." After that he was called outside and she was left alone. Outside she could hear soldiers setting up camp, but as the Sargent said, they might as well be in a different country.
Resigned to her confinement the reporter lay back on the bench seat and tried to get reception on her tablet. When it turned up nothing she flipped it off and put it back in her bag. As she sat up the feeling from the first time they had been ambushed came over her. Fearing the worst she made to yell out of the truck but it was too late. By time she had gotten to the flap over the tailgate the camp was already swarmed under by all manner of twisted anatomy. She pressed her eyes closed and fell backwards into the truck as she tried to keep the rising fear at bay.
Something tore the cloth roof off of the truck and paralyzed with fear Annie could only watch as as a man covered in muscles that bulged so large the fibers could be seen through his skin, climbed into the truck with her. Flashes of that girl sprouting her pair of huge cocks super imposed themselves over the scene as the literal giant leaned over her, his own monster member beginning to throb in anticipation. She knew that was the end. There was no way she'd get to escape a third time.
Just when everything seemed lost, a flash bang went off and the whole area was bathed in an intense light. The sounds of whining engines could be heard circling the camp site. Taking advantage of the situation, Annie grabbed her bag and jumped over the wall of the truck's bed. Rushing away from the doomed soldiers she remembered how it had been those first few days and almost like she had ever left, the instincts came back. She jumped forward as something akin to a dune buggy almost crashed into her and rolled back to her feet. The buggy slid to a stop and turned to face her, its red headlights casting just enough light to see.
"I'm not infected!" she shouted.
"Get on then!" yelled a male voice. Running full tilt towards the stopped buggy she saw something with huge breasts emerge from the shadows. Before she could even shout, the buggy took off, spinning around in a tornado of dust before driving right at her.
"Grab my hand!" the same voice yelled.
Throwing out her arm Annie felt the clap of someone's hand grabbing hers. On instinct she crouched as the buggy sped by and jumped at the last second, the vehicles inertia swinging her around to land in the back.
"Nice moves, lady." her rescuer said with a whistle as the buggy sped away from the skirmish. After a few minutes the driver turned and smiled at her. He wore his hair in a lime green Mohawk that had fallen to one side. "Call me Club."
"King, Annie King." she responded, panting from the sudden burst of exertion.
"Wow, the famous reporter? Hack is going to be so stoked. She's like...your biggest fan ever!"
"Great..."
After that the two drove in silence until another pair of red headlights pulled up along side. A girl with short neon blue hair was driving and in back was a kid who had to be no older than fifteen wielding an over-under hunting shotgun.
"Hey Hack! Guess what I picked up?"
"What!?"
"Annie King!"
"ARE YOU SERIOUS!?!"
"Save it you two!" The kid snapped.
"Yes Boomer. Race you back Club!" and then Hack took off, her tires spraying sand all over Club and Annie.
"I've certainly gotten myself involved in an odd group..." the reporter said mostly to herself.
"You can say that again." Club agreed as he pushed the throttle to catch up to Hack.
Afterthoughts:
Somewhat of a filler chapter, it was necessary to cover these events. Please bear with my need to tell a story, the smut will return shortly.