It was a typical day in the city of Christine. Temperatures were steady at the usual 97.4 Fahrenheit, traffic was at a good pressure, and immunity was having a good day, with little to no disturbances. Immunity officer Aria Fission was in a good mood as she walked outside to meet her partner, wiping her mouth clean of her recently finished breakfast. Her partner, the rookie Jesse Gram, waited for her in the squad car, his arm draped out through the open window, a grin on his face.

"Hey Aria. Lookin' good this morning," he said smoothly.

"Don't start this mornin', Jesse," she retorted, but she smiled anyway as she buckled up. "We don't have time to be fooling around. Got a shot coming in this morning, and we need to make sure we get our new shot picked up and taken to the precent for a debriefing."

Jesse rolled his eyes and grinned before pulling the car out and heading out into traffic.

"Don't worry, hon, we'll get there in time," he said, turning the stereo on, blaring it. Aria folded her arms over her chest, smiling wryly, turning the music down a tad. She ignored his protests and gave him a Look.

"Why are you so worried, Aria? It's a shot. The virus will be attenuated, and harmless. Just a sneak to watch out for the unaltered thing. You worry over nothing, babe," he said, reaching for the volume knob again. Aria pushed his hand away.

"Sometimes the viruses aren't attenuated, Jesse, and you know that. This is also a new vaccine the military came out with. With our girl Christine being sent to Brazil for six months, she had to get vaccinated against the Brazilian Hemorrhaging Fever. There's only been a few cases, and we're not sure this vaccine will be effective or not. That aside, we don't know if our virus would haul cytoplasm if immunity isn't there to pick him up," she lectured. Jesse snorted and gave up his efforts to turn up the music further.

"I know, I know. I got enough of the lecture from the Chief," he said, leaning against the door, one arm hanging out the window, steering with one hand as he wove through traffic. Aria scowled.

"Why are you treating this like it's not a big deal? We need to be careful, Jesse."

"I just don't think picking up shots is exciting. I never get to handle the good stuff, Aria. The boys get to handle the things like the staph infection we had last year, or the bout of swine flu that snuck past before the shot arrived. Instead of getting to handle the bad boys, we get stuck with the dumbed down shots," he said, scowling like a spoiled child.

Aria sighed. She'd heard this whining before. Jesse didn't get that he was still a rookie. He'd only been in the force a few years and didn't have the second nature of a cop like she did. She missed the chase, too, but someone had to be his mentor, and she was patient enough to put up with his whining about wanting action, and his boasting about how he could whoop ass and take names.

"I know you want action, Jess, but everyone has to start somewhere. I was a rookie like you, too. I wanted action. I thought I was untouchable. I just needed a chance," she said gently. Jesse looked at her before flicking his gaze back to the vein traffic.

"You obviously got your chance, seeing as you're my mentor now," he said morosely. "No one will give me my chance."

Aria sighed. She thought about telling him how she blew her first chance, but she knew it would only sound patronizing to him right now, so she thought of something else. She knew he was slightly demoralized that he'd be showing up to pick up a deadly virus with a female cop as his superior. The thought of that slightly irked her, as she figured she deserved her spot as the superior, but she decided to let him take some initiative.

"Tell you what, Jess. How about I just watch, and you take control of our boy," she said. Jesse looked at her incredulously.

"Really? Really Aria? You're going to let me handle this one?" He asked in excitement. Aria smiled and nodded.

"Yes, but I'm warning you, Jess. If it gets out of hand, I will step in. We can't use excessive force on shots- they're under the Virus Protection Program and we can't HURT them without due cause- but I will help if he gets too wily," she said carefully. Jesse nodded, excited.

"Don't you worry, Aria. You won't regret this! I promise!"

o0o0o

Christine fidgeted on the examining table. It was odd being the one on the table when she was usually the nurse tending to the patient. Commander Hobb tapped the syringe, squirting the excessive fluid out to ensure no air bubbles. Christine held out her arm, the upper left shoulder already bared and wiped clean with alcohol.

"You're a pro at this," Commander Hobb laughed. Christine gave a wry grin.

"Well, I did get poked and prodded with needles for almost two years before my fibromyalgia was diagnosed, so I'm used to it," she said playfully.

A sudden commotion was heard in the hallway, and Commander Hobb looked alarmed. He set the syringe down on the surgical tray and gave Christine a meaningful look.

"I'll be right back. Sit tight."

Christine opened her mouth to mention he should put a cap on the needle, but shrugged. He'd set it down on a sterile surgical tray; it would be fine. She'd just remind him to swab her arm with alcohol one more time before the injection. Hobb came back into the room, his face pale, and she looked up in alarm.

"What happened?" she asked.

"A man was brought in with a fever. Burning up at 106.5 and showed no sign of his fever dropping. Had them go pack him in ice to stabilize him," he said, picking the syringe back up, tapping it one more time then making his way over to her side. Christine stiffened, opening her mouth again to protest, but in one swift motion, he stuck the needle into her shoulder, pushing down the plunger. Christine winced as the vaccination burned its way through the muscle. Hobb looked at her, lifting a brow as he withdrew the needle.

"You alright, Evans?" He asked in concern.

"You...should have wiped my arm with alcohol again, Commander," she said, holding down the gauze he put on the injection site. He shrugged as he stuck a bandage on top of the gauze.

"I didn't come in direct contact with the sick patient. You should be fine. If any symptoms DO show up, come back to the clinic at once. This IS an experimental vaccination, so be mindful of any changes in your temperament, temperature, systemic regularity. You're a nurse; you know what to watch for," he said sternly. Christine nodded.

"Gotcha, Commander," she said, giving a half assed salute. He smirked.

"Just be glad you're a contracted civi, Evans, otherwise I'd scold you for being impertinent," he teased.

She laughed and picked up her purse, tossing it over her good shoulder, rubbing the injection site tenderly. She made a note to keep an eye on the injection site carefully. She was worried about the injection, as it was experimental, but no one else had been willing to take it, and since she was going to Brazil anyway, and with the threat of the virus being used as a bioweapon, she volunteered.

She just hoped she didn't end up regretting it.

o0o0o

Aria and Jesse approached the injection site warily, their eyes peeled. Aria glanced over at Jesse, who was practically bouncing in excitement. She gave him a look.

"Be on your guard, Jesse. We don't know what we're dealing with here," she said, eyeing the pool of vaccination fluid where their virus would be emerging from. Jesse rolled his eyes and took off his jacket, slinging it over one shoulder, leaving his gun- strapped in its holster- in plain sight. He sauntered over to the edge of the pool, eyeing it carefully.

"Jess, be-" Aria started, but trailed off as movement stirred in the pool. The virus was coming out. A lithe figure rose from the fluid, bright pink irises set in rhodamine sclera glinting at them, full violet lips spreading into a small smile as the sharp gaze fell on the two white blood cells. Jesse gaped, and Aria rolled her shoulder. She'd been expecting a male virus. Their shot was a she-virus.

She stood short for a virus, her capsid white, with dark blood red markings around her eyes, the flagella on her head a maroon red. She wore a black jacket that came short of her waist, left open to show her midsection and a strapless black top underneath, with matching pants. Two chains encircled her hips, and matching chains wrapped around each wrist. Occasionally, each chain would glint with a red flicker. Her hands had cruel claws, the index of the right longer than the rest. Each claw was dark red as though she'd sliced through flesh and bloodied them up, the longer index claw a brighter red, almost orange and yellow. Her feet ended in dark fuchsia claws, and she had a long supple tail with five spikes in a similar fuchsia color on the end.

Jesse cleared his throat and made his way over to the virus as she stopped on the edge of the pool, waiting expectantly, her tail swishing, arms folded over her generous chest. Her shrewd eyes weren't watching Jesse; they were watching Aria. She knew Aria was the one in charge and therefore was the one not to piss off.

"Christine Police Department," Jesse said, flashing his badge. "You must be the vaccination."

The virus smiled a bit more, the top of her upper teeth flashing ever so slightly, but it didn't reach those cold cruel eyes.

"Yes," she said in a low crooning voice. "That I am, officer. Sabia Arenaviridae reporting for...duty."

"Good to have you here working for the city. I'll need to see your mark of certification," Jesse said, referring to the band of "scar tissue" branded on the capsid of vaccinations from the amino acids that attenuated them, making them harmless.

She sighed, smiling wearily and turned her back to them. She removed her jacket and brushed back her hair, revealing the dark red scar that ran from the underside of her jaw, down her back and ended somewhere underneath her pants below the hips. Jesse nodded, and she replaced her jacket, turning back to face them.

"Where to, officers?" she asked lightly, flicking her tail and shifting her weight to one hip. Aria motioned to the squad car.

"We'll be taking you to the station to let you know where you'll be working and to register you as a vaccination under the Virus Protection Program. After that, we'll take you to the housing for individuals under the VPP," she said.

Jesse glanced at her claws again and coughed.

"Come on then. We ain't got all day, Miss Arenaviridae."

She laughed, a low and throaty sound, flashing her teeth fully- sharp glinting fangs.

"Please, officer," she said, her face sliding back into an unnerving, impassive expression. "Call me Sabia."

Jesse nodded, unnerved, and opened to door to let her in the backseat before getting into the squad car. He looked at her and gave her a smile.

"Do you mind if I roll the separator up? We need to make a call to the station letting em know we have you picked up," he asked. Sabia nodded and stretched out on the backseat, putting her arms behind her head and crossing her legs at the ankles.

"Sure thing, baby. If you don't mind, I'll get a little nap. Shot lag and all," she said sweetly.

Aria nodded and rolled up the divider, then immediately fixed Jesse with a look.

"What? We have her, she's legit, and we're headed back. Everything's fine!" Jesse said indignantly.

"She gives me the creeps. We need to have the Chief look her over. I don't know that she's entirely attenuated," Aria said, glancing at the virus already snoozing on the backseat. Jesse waved his hand dismissively and pulled out onto the freeway, headed to the station.

"You worry too much, Ari."

"You don't worry enough," came Aria's stressed reply.

o0o0o

Something else stirred in the pool that was slowly being absorbed by the body. A tall figure emerged from the fluid and slicked back the greyed purple flagella on his head, his yellow eyes narrowed eagerly in his long crimson face. He straightened his black trench coat and began sauntering off, twirling a chain around his wrist, singing idly to himself in a low seductively purring voice.

"Fever... til you sizzle...what a lovely way to burn...what a lovely way to burn..."

o0o0o

Sabia flumped on the bed of her small apartment, scowling to show off all her fangs.

"What a fucking day," she hissed, rolling onto her side, facing the door, propping her head up on her hand, resting her weight on her elbow. Her long claws curled into her hair, her eyes narrowed in annoyance. She'd been loaded into a syringe, shot into a new body, poked and prodded by Immunity, given a long spiel on how she was there to protect the city of Christine, then shipped over to an apartment complex made specifically for viruses under the VPP.

"At least they gave me a car and my own place, I guess," she muttered, tapping her temple with the oversized index claw, draping her free arm over her cocked hip. They'd given her a loaner car until she made enough to get one of her own. She'd already been offered a spot as a bartender in one of the clubs of the Scar Strip- a bad area of the city under a long strip of scar tissue in the upper arm where viruses and bacteria went to congregate.

"Could be a worse job," she said aloud to herself. "At least it'll be fun and I can get rough with the ones that get smart."

A knock on the door had her sighing and getting up, her tail swishing angrily. Not even an hour after moving in, she had someone at the door to annoy her.

"Yes?" she said testily, looking at the short virus at her door. He gave her a sly grin.

"Hey new neighbor. Just wanted to welcome you to the VPP complex." he said, winking one of his three eyes. She leaned against the doorframe, folding her arms over her chest.

"And there you have it. I've been welcomed. Anything else?" She asked dryly, smacking the doorknob with her tail spikes to let him know she wanted to be left alone. The virus eyed her claws, then coughed.

"The name's Ruben. Rubella Virus. Just wanted to let you know who to watch out for here," he said, holding out one of his four hands. Sabia took it and shook carefully.

"Sabia. Brazilian Hemorrhaging Fever," she said. The three eyes blinked at her.

"So YOU'RE the one the city's been waitin' for. Nice to meet ya," he said, releasing her hand quickly, and she smirked.

"No worries, baby. I'm attenuated," she said dryly. He blinked again.

"Attenuated? That's rough, babe. Sorry to hear that. I'm attenuated myself. Tough break for viruses like us."

Sabia tried not to smirk. Rubella was nothing compared to the havoc she had caused before she'd been caught, but she said nothing, nodding. Ruben leaned back on his two hind legs.

"Be careful of Rob- rabies vaccination- one HELLUVA temper," he said, rubbing his pointed chin. Also watch out for Flint- influenza- he likes running gambling rings and it'll suck you in hard. Lastly, the head honcho, though no one admits it, is Thracy. She's a bacterial vaccination, but she causes anthrax, and can cause hell for you."

Sabia snorted, flicking her tail and cocking her head.

"Baby, I've met an Anthrax bacteria, and I killed him before he could take my turf. I'm not afraid of a vaccination version," she said snidely.

Ruben eyed her.

"Not like any of us can do ANYTHING, but politically, she could eat you alive," he said. Sabia grinned wolfishly, flashing her sharp teeth.

"Baby, the game has changed since I got here. Just watch. I thank you for your concern, but I have shot lag. I'm gonna take a nap."

Ruben nodded, suspicion in his eyes.

"Sleep well, then."

Sabia shut the door and growled in her throat.

"Me. Afraid of Anthrax? They don't know who they're dealing with. Anthrax takes four days to kill. I only take 48 hours, baby. I'll own this city in no time flat."

She grinned and slid her index claw underneath the mark on her neck, pulling it away from her capsid, revealing a colorless scar that made the band blend seamlessly with her capsid. She laughed loudly, deep in her throat, shoulder shaking as she let the false band slide back into place.

"Baby, this city is MINE. And they let me just waltz right in," she cackled, falling back onto her bed. She continued to laugh.

"I just waltzed right in. I'll waltz right out and watch it bleed."

o0o0o

Aria adjusted the collar of her jacket as she entered the bar. Though the bar wasn't technically a hot spot for crime, there were still some less than savory characters there, and she didn't want to alert them to her presence. She glanced around casually and saw Sabia behind the bar, chatting it up animatedly with a staphylococcus bacterium. Her bright pink eyes flicked in her direction and her fanged grin spread wider, and she pushed the staph's drink at him, indicating he should cut it short. He turned and saw Aria, and nearly dropped his drink.

"I ain't causin' trouble," he said. Aria shook her head.

"I know you can't do much here, and it's not uncommon to see you here. I'm not here for you. Just mind yourself," she replied, pushing past him to the bar.

He grunted and hid his face in his drink, moving away quickly. Sabia smiled slyly, wiping the counter before leaning against the bar, putting a hand on her cocked hip, tail swishing playfully. Her eyes were searching, and the chains around her wrists and hips glinted with sparks of red. She gestured to the bar.

"Can I get you anything, Officer Fission?" She asked. "I know you white blood cells don't like the same fare as bacteria and viruses, but we do have shots of Adenosine Triphosphate if you like; a good pick me up," she said conversationally.

"Just here to see how you're faring with this new job," Aria replied, standing next to a stool, but not taking a seat. Sabia smiled and waved at a few figures sitting in some slightly shadowy booths. As some friendly cries, and some flirtatious hoots, hollers and whistles sounded, she grinned wickedly at Aria.

"Doing well, I should think. Making friends already," she said sweetly, grinning, her sharp teeth flashing in the low light. Aria nodded uncertainly.

"That's good. It's good to have friends in this business," she said quietly. Sabia's smile faded, her face going neutral.

"S'why I'd prefer if you not contact me here at work. Folks know I'm attenuated, but it...slips their mind because they get too preoccupied with staring at my claws...and my curves. If you and your partner keep showing up, my regulars won't come back. Cops make em nervous, y'know," she said in a low voice, leaning forward and flicking her tail, making it look to observers that she was flirting with the officer. Appreciative hoots sounded in the bar, and Aria flushed, tugging at her coat. Sabia laughed and trailed the tip of a claw down Aria's sleeve.

"Just...you know...meet me anywhere but at work. I know you're doing your job, baby, but I'm trying to do mine, and you're not making it easy on me," she crooned.

Aria pulled back a bit and tugged at her sleeve, trying to shake off the feeling that something bad had almost happened to her. Sabia was attenuated, this was true, but that oversized index claw running down her arm made her lyzosomes churn in fear. She knew what that claw had done before it was rendered almost useless- causing bleeding, delirium and coma by shredding cell walls with a single touch. It could still rip and tear, but the hemorrhaging ability it had once had was gone. Still, as she glanced at it again, she knew she didn't want it touching her ever again. She couldn't tell Sabia that, lest she let her think she was weak and afraid of her- even though being afraid of her was the truth.

"Right. It's a mistake a rookie would make, and I'm sorry, Sabia. I won't come back here when you're working," she said, and after a second thought, she added, "I won't come back period unless I am ordered to, or you need me. Jesse won't come here, either."

Sabia made a purring croon and pulled out a shot glass, filling it with a clear bright yellow fluid from a tap. She then shoved it across the counter, smiling genuinely, and filled a shot glass of her own, lifting it to Aria.

"ATP shot, on the house," she said, smirking. "A toast to an interesting partnership."

Aria smiled uncertainly, but lifted the shot and drank it quickly, enjoying the jolt of energy that went straight through her. She blinked and set the glass down. Sabia's eyes laughed over the rim of her glass as she downed the shot, then she laughed out loud, setting her own shot glass down.

"Good. Glad to see we're on the right foot," she said warmly, her face glowing from the shot of ATP in her system. She winked at Aria and grinned.

"Now if you'll excuse me, hon, I have some fan service that needs doing."

She slid out of her jacket and tossed it to the back counter, leaving her in a tightly laced black strapless top that showed off her lean midsection, the low cut of her pants showing off the top of her hips. A few hoots and hollers sounded through the bar, and Aria marveled at how Sabia was right- they ignored the dark red scar that ran down her back like a battle wound. Sabia swished her tail and she loaded a tray with a few bottles of varying delights for the patrons in the booths.

"Alright, boys! This stuff is vintage! Biggest tips get the best bottles!" She called out, grinning and sauntering about with a sway in her hips, her tail swishing in time with each swaggering step. She examined the bottles on her tray and picked one up and shoved it in her cleavage.

"This one here's the best we have at the moment. Biggest tip gets to pull it out, and I'll open it with my teeth, boys," she called.

Aria turned and exited the bar, not wanting to see anymore. Sabia knew how to get favor with the patrons of the bar, and no doubt they wouldn't hesitate to give her information later if she asked. She just didn't want to watch her methods. It was better she left anyway- the noise and comfort level of the bar intensified after she shut the door behind her and headed to her car. She blinked as her radio came on.

"Officer Fission. Aria, you there?" She picked it up, frowning.

"Yes, Chief, what is it?" She replied.

"Get down to the bank- there's been a break in. The culprit got away, but there is quite the crime scene. Get your nucleus down there."

"Roger, Chief. Going now."

Sabia grinned as the cop left. Such a sandy stroma, really. She felt better once she left. She snickered as tips were waved at her for the cold bottle of adrenaline pressed in her cleavage. Aria didn't know some of these bottles were illegal substances, and she didn't need to know. The less she knew the better, but these things made her customers willing to talk- talk about things going on in the underground.

"Come here, Sabia, brother Cess has a nice wad of cash for that bottle," slurred a drunk bacteria. Sabia eyed the two bills in his hand and laughed, patting his head. Another waved a slightly thicker wad of cash, but Sabia's sharp eyes counted only fifty.

"Come here, baby. Big daddy Thrax has enough cash to claim that prize, darlin'," crooned a low voice.

Sabia turned around to see a slender figure reclining in a shadowed booth, his long legs crossed at the ankles. One arm was flung behind his head, the other on the table, long claws resting on the tabletop. Yellow eyes glittered at her from under his quirked brow, a smirk on his long thin face. His smirk turned to a grin as she looked at him, and he pulled a thick wad of cash from his long trench coat.

"Well, baby? How 'bout it?" He asked, his voice smooth and dark. Sabia recovered herself and made her way over to him, putting a sway in her hips and a flick in her tail. She smiled coyly at him, setting the tray of bottles on the table and bending forward a bit to offer him the cold bottle, .

"I believe you are the highest bidder, darlin'," she purred, shimmying ever so slightly to wave the bottle in front of him.

His expression didn't change, giving her no warning as his arms shot out, one snaking around her waist, pulling her close, the other sliding around the neck of the bottle, his long claws snaking between her breasts. She made a small squeak as she was pulled into his lap and against his chest. A few of the patrons got up, looking to defend their favorite bartender, but her captor laughed playfully, and she waved her defenders off.

"Chill boys. Chill," she said, rearranging herself more comfortably on his lap, her rump resting comfortably between his thighs, her tail flicking to move around his waist. She was trying to ignore the fact that his hand was still in between her breasts, and that he was probably enjoying the feel of her.

His eyes flicked to her teasing tail, the spikes faced away from him, but the tip flicking his side. His gaze moved back to her face then trailed back to her cleavage and back to her face. She leaned back slightly against the hand on her waist, watching as he pulled the bottle from her top. He shoved the huge wad of cash in her cleavage and snickered as he lifted the bottle to the level of her mouth .

"I believe you offered to open this, baby," he purred.

She leaned forward and took the top of the bottle in her mouth, hooking her strong sharp teeth around the cap and pulling back, the top popping off with a loud clink. She parted her lips and grinned around the cap clenched in her fangs before leaning forward, her breasts pressing against his chest, dropping it on his shoulder. His claws tightened around her waist, the longer index claw digging into her hip slightly. His eyes roved over her as he tilted the bottle back and drank the entirety of it in one long swig. His gaze stopped on the mark that started on the underside of her jaw and trailed over her shoulder, disappearing as it ran down her back. His eyes narrowed as he finished the illegal drink, setting the empty bottle on the table.

"How does a pretty thing like you get attenuated, baby?" he asked, his voice low.

Sabia looked around, but her patrons had gone back to drinking, disappointed the sport of buying her company for the night was over. She turned her pink eyes back to him.

"Same as any fool who was dumb enough to get caught, Mr Tall Dark and Dangerous," she replied. She thought about trailing her index claw down his chest- she wanted to feel how firm he was under the coat- but she figured he may not like that, so she kept her claw to herself. He pulled her close to whisper to her.

"So you're working for the cops now, huh, baby?" He asked in a low growling tone, his other hand moving to clench her waist almost painfully. She squirmed a bit, but he crushed her against his chest. She huffed.

"Honey, you shouldn't draw conclusions before you know the whole story," she hissed, fighting his hold.

"How can I trust a shot, baby? You know just as well as I do that someone like me doesn't come with cash- especially enough to buy a treat like this," he retorted. Sabia put her face close to his and darted her tongue out to lick a bead of adrenaline off the corner of his mouth.

"Because I ain't a shot, sugar," she hissed under her breath. He eyed her suspiciously.

"What are you talking about?"

She slid from his lap, taking advantage of his disbelief slackening his grasp. She blew him a kiss for the benefit of her charade as a flirtatious bartender. He glared at her, watching her.

"Hang around til close and we'll talk," she whispered, then made her way back to the bar, feeling his eyes on her hips. She smirked to herself and put extra sway into her hips for his benefit.