"The City of Washington has today released a warrant for the urgent capture of one Doctor Robert Hyde, who was last seen yesterday around 3 o'clock in the afternoon. It is believed that, although Dr Hyde has been working for the CDC on cures for some of the world's deadliest diseases, he has been undertaking unauthorised work in biochemical weaponry, research which went missing around the time Mr Hyde was last seen. If anyone has seen this man or has any idea as to his whereabouts, citizens are asked to call the number on screen now."

"The City of Washington are still looking for Doctor Robert Hyde, with an increased level of warning, after a statement released by the CDC confirmed the work Dr Hyde has stolen was in fact based around a fungus called "Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis" - otherwise known as the Zombie Virus. Police are requesting if you do see this man in public, do not engage in interaction with him as he could possibly be armed and dangerous. Any sightings of Dr Hyde are to be reported into emergency services immediately for Dr Hyde's arrest."

"John F. Kennedy International Airport came under scrutiny today after it was discovered Doctor Robert Hyde boarded a plane without alarm being raised. Video footage here shows Dr Hyde handing over illegally forged documentation and identification allowing him to board the plane and leave the country. The hunt for Doctor Hyde has now been raised to World Wide as United States government call for his arrest, not only in connection to the missing research on Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis, but also for illegal forgery of documentation and fraudulent activity. Although it is confirmed the work he stole is highly dangerous, no-one really knows what he plans to do with the information and so as a precaution, you are requested to stay away from this man once again and if you see him please contact your emergency service department."

"Panic struck Las Vegas, Nevada, last night as an unauthorised weapons test was carried out in the desert outside the city. No-one knows where the explosion came from and luckily there have been no reports of people injured as of yet. Nevada Police are requesting people to stay within the city limits and to not try entering the outskirts until the source of the explosion has been confirmed and secured."

"Pripyat, in Northern Ukraine has seen no activity since the disaster in 1986 rendered it a ghost town - that is until yesterday when an explosion similar to the one seen on the outskirts of Las Vegas 2 days ago. Over the last week, blasts have been confirmed in Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan, Mururoa Atoll, in the territory of French Polynesia as well as a number of other nuclear weapons testing areas. So far, no casualties or deaths have been caused, but all sites hit have said they are not currently testing any weapons and all report rockets from outside sources as the cause of the explosions. Meanwhile, Police in Sydney, Australia have issued a warning as they now believe the still missing Doctor Robert Hyde may be hiding somewhere within the city."

"The CDC and WHO have issued a warning for anyone experiencing the following symptoms: High fever, vomiting, migraines, muscle spasms or bleeding from the eyes, ears or nose. People presenting with these symptoms are asked to report to A&E, quoting "OU suspect". If this option is not immediately available, members of the public are requested to please find a way of keeping isolated to try and stop the spread of the virus."

Leaning on the counter at her grandmother's diner, Ruby Lucas showed no shame in cracking the occasional giant pink bubble from the bubblegum she was chewing. Legs crossed behind her to hide a little of her modesty in the micro-length skirt she was wearing, she grabbed hold of the remote control for the tiny, ancient, television that was mounted to the wall in the corner of the diner and turned the volume up to see what new catastrophe the news was reporting on this time.

"Since when did you pay attention to the news, Ruby Red?" Tink grinned as she deposited a stack of dirty plates into the window separating the main dining space from the kitchen.
"Since she blew your mom, now hurry up, Christina, order up!" Dorothy commanded through the window, swapping the dirty plates for two fresh orders of fried breakfast. Ruby absent-mindedly scoffed at the two as she continued watching the horrors unfolding on the screen before her.
"Pretty gruesome, don't you think?" Ruby's Granny mumbled by Ruby's side, her face falling from the smile she had shot her girls at their good-natured bickering to one of sympathy for the people on screen.
"Got that right." Ruby replied, wincing, as she watched someone in the background of the news report lose a large chunk of flesh to a man with white, sickly-looking eyes and veins that seemed to glow black in an ethereal sort of way.
"Any of you girls get a fever or any of them other symptoms, you tell me." Granny told her, picking up a bottle of disinfectant and spraying a clean cloth to within an inch of its life. "They say it takes a couple of days for that thing to kill you, but it's gonna take these old bones that long to dig your grave in our garden so I'd like a head start."

Anyone who didn't know Granny would have been offended by her comment, but Ruby snorted at the joke, cracking one more pink bubble before turning round with her own wash cloth to get the coffee machine back to the sparkling perfection Granny liked.

"Hey Red, turn the channel over would you? I'm trying to eat without imagining rotten flesh flavoured bacon and eggs thanks!" Shouted one of the patrons from the booths, earning himself a sneer from Ruby before she grabbed the remote and turned the channel over to some kids programme, causing most of the diner to groan as the cheerful tinkling music filled the space and a child half way down the room squealed in delight, clapping his hands along with the beat.

"Those images they keep showing really are gross." Milah Gold stated, twisting her head round so she could view the screen on the chest of drawers at the other end of the room.
"You know," Killian Jones replied to her, lifting himself off her a little so he could both speak with her and wrap a hand around her breast, pinching the nipple a little in annoyance, "any other man would be put off by a woman paying more attention to the news than to the God above her working her to mind-blowing orgasm. But me? I love a challenge."

Milah giggled. "Please," she replied, looking back at him and quirking an eyebrow, ignoring the way he managed to hit the exact spot inside her she needed him to and biting down the gasp so she could carry on teasing him. "Any other woman would think it's not so much a God as my husband attempting to make me feel something right now."

With a roar, he hoisted her up and flipped her round so her back was pressed against him, her hand flung back so she could cling to the fine hairs at the nape of his neck behind her while his one hand moved up to anchor her by her breast and the other slid down, down to her pink folds and began to rub harsh circles around the nub of nerves, causing her to keen and gasp at the new angle and his added attentions.

"Don't you ever," Killian growled in her ear, "Compare me to that wet weed of a man. He could never," He punctuated the sentence with a jerk up of his hips and a nip to both her clit and nipple, "Pleasure you the way I could. Now, on your knees, woman. Enough zombie infestation and more screaming." He demanded her, pushing her forward so she was on all fours, gripping her long hair in the way he knew she liked it and pounding into her so hard; her mewling and cries were heard way above the volume of the news anchor talking about the spread of the infection and how millions of people were now showing the symptoms. Neither paid attention though as the waves of their combined climax crashed over them, the crescendo making them both see nothing but white.

_

Mary Margaret Nolan pushed her trolley to park it in front of the nurse's station, nothing left on there but a few lonely petals that had fallen from the flowers she had been distributing to the people in the ward she volunteered at. She had been about to greet her friends there, until she noticed all the nurses watching a television screen avidly behind the desk.

"What's going on?" She asked, nervously, seeing the looks of shock and horror on their faces. Only Mother Superior looked up, her face pale and eyes wide.
"Come take a look." She told Mary Margaret, shuffling closer to the other sisters so Mary Margaret could get a better view of the screen, her gasp the only sound in the ward as her hand flew to her mouth.
"It's getting worse." Choked one of the other sisters, a stray tear dripping down her cheek.
"It's alright, it's a ways away yet. It probably won't even reach this far." Another sister told her, a gentle hand placed on the first sister's arm to try and give some semblance of comfort.
"That's not the point though, is it? I wish there was something we could do." Groaned the first nurse, scrubbing at her eyes to try and dry some of the moisture there.

Mary Margaret schooled her face into the best comforting, kindly smile she could. "Well, all we can do for the time being is offer our prayers for these people and as soon as a charity becomes available for us to donate to, we will do just that." She declared to the visible relief of a few o the nurses and a few "Right!"'s and "Absolutely!"'s.
"At this rate, there won't be anyone left to create a charity for us to send to." Mumbled the same sister, pointedly ignoring the lash of warning Mary Margaret shot to her, before she turned her seat and walked away, picking up a patient's chart as she did.
"That's enough television for one day, I think, Sisters." Mother Superior told them, clapping her hands and looking round. "When did anyone last check bed 14 to make sure he is fine for pain relief? And has anyone been to give bed 2 their next antibiotic dose? Does bed 20 still have fluid in their IV or is it getting close to empty? Come along, Sisters, back to it please." With that, the station was filled with the noise of nurses chattering to one another, comparing notes and rustling paper, loud, bright voices began to filter in from various patient's rooms as the nurses checked on the patients in their care.

Mother Superior turned to Mary Margaret with a warm, caring smile on her face.
"Mary Margaret, I don't know what we would do without you. The flowers today are beautiful and always help to brighten the spirits of those you deliver to."
"I always do whatever I can, Mother Superior, you know that." Mary Margaret replied with a large smile of her own. The two women embraced tightly, before holding one another at arm's length once again.
"You're absolutely right, though, those people need our love and prayers, they will certainly be in mine this coming Sunday." The older lady told her friend.
"Mine too. But your Sister was also right. If I hear anything about charities asking for donations of money, blankets or whatever else, shall I call you and let you know the details?"
"Oh please do! We would be honoured to provide any assistance we can, of course. Now, be off with you! It's time you were home with your husband, getting rest. It's a school night you know?"
"Don't I know it!" Mary Margaret laughed back, remembering the class she had to teach again tomorrow.

Bidding farewell, she stepped into the nearest elevator and made her way downstairs and towards the car park. Heading out of the front door, she waved at another one of the Sisters as they entered the hospital, a frown pinching her brow a little as she took in the flush sitting high on the Sister's cheeks and the thin sheen of sweat that shone under the fluorescent lights of the hospital. She was about to stop and say something, but then the moment had passed, the Sister entering the elevator Mary Margaret had just left and she herself being on the other side of the door. Shrugging, she turned back to the car park to find her own car, knowing that if something were really wrong with the Sister, Mother Superior would pick on it fairly quickly and send the Sister back to their convent for rest.

_

Marian Locksley sighed heavily once again. Looking down at her slightly rounded mid-section, she lovingly ran a hand over it, allowing a flicker of a smile tug the corner of her lips as the child within caused a flutter to stir deep within. In the background, her 4 year old son hummed a tune to himself, colouring well outside the lines in his favourite colouring book, but not seeming to care in the least. So long as he was entertained, happy and staying quiet, that is all Marian really asked.

The metallic scrape of a key in the door pulled her from her thoughts as her husband stumbled in, arms full of bags of all shapes and sizes.
"The store is absolute chaos at the moment. Anyone would think it was the end of the world!" Robin told his wife with a grin, depositing the bags on the table in their dining space.
"Darling, it is the end of the world." She contradicted him, gesturing outside. "Have you not seen it out there? It' not just the stores that are in chaos."
"Darling, I've been out there." He countered, coming over to press a kiss to the top of her head. "It's honestly not as bad as the media make it out to be. Of course everything is over dramatic on TV, they wouldn't sell stories if they didn't ham it up a bit."
"You're not fooling me." She retorted back, pulling herself off the window seat and striding over to the table to rifle through the bags. "I don't want to stay here, Robin, I want to move away from all this. If not for my own peace of mind then for the safety of Roland and the baby."
"Low blow, my dear, using the children for your argument." He chided her, softly, reaching into one of the bags to pass her the bag of carrots he knew she was seeking - a craving of hers since about the 10th week of her pregnancy. "Besides, I am thinking of the baby. We came out here for relaxation and rest, away from home and work. Don't you wish to stay somewhere you can relax, especially while growing our next little bundle of joy?"
"But we're not in a place we can relax, Robin. This virus started in Las Vegas, that's only a couple of hours down the road and you said it yourself this place is in chaos now." She told him, allowing a little of her fear and anger to seep into her tone. "We are so close to what they are calling the "danger zone", I don't feel safe. I just want to be home. If we want to get home, we'll have to set off soon, Las Vegas airport has already shut down, I don't suppose it'll be long before they all are and we'll be stranded here."

Robin looked into his wife's fear filled eyes. The moisture there and her voice were enough to put a shard through his heart and break down what little resolve he had. Truth was, he had been trying to convince himself that these arguments were unfounded since the beginning, but hearing them from Marian's mouth sealed the deal for him.
"Alright, love. Pack your bags, let's get home." Robin told her with a soft smile, anything to see the relief that swept across his wife's features at his words.

Marian was quick on the uptake, immediately rushing over to Roland and asking him to stand with her, grabbing bits on the way to the bedroom so she could pack their bags.
Robin huffed a laugh as he dug his cell phone out of his pocket, dialling the number for the Lake Havasu City Airport to reschedule their flight. But after a stressful 30 minute conversation with the ticket desk on the other end, he was informed that this airport too had also closed down, stating the OU virus as the reason. Marian's face fell as he explained what had happened, Roland on her hip silent and snuggling closer into his mother as the tension in the air grew.

"What about Los Angeles? Have they closed the airport there?" Marian asked him, hoisting Roland a little higher.
"Love, that's a 4, maybe even 5 hour car journey from here." Robin told her, his instinct to run warring with his instinct to keep his pregnant wife exactly where she was and in the least stressful position he could, especially this early on in the pregnancy.
"I don't care." She told him, bluntly, stepping forward in determination. "Robin, I want to be home."
"Alright, fine!" He told her, holding his hands up in an appeasing manner, as he began punching in the numbers he had found on the internet for Los Angeles airport.

Within the hour, they were booked onto a flight back to Boston leaving in 8 hours. Watching Marian walk out of the room with Roland on her hip and a rolling case being dragged behind her, he pinched the bridge of his nose and held his breath for a few moments, praying to the powers above his wife would be able to handle both the long car journey and the flight without miscarrying.