So here is the next chapter as promised, since the one before was way too short. I have two or three more chapters in store (just not looked over yet), and I already see the weekend coming. :-D
Tomorrow I will update on of my other stories, maybe I find the time to post another chapter here too. Need to see how long the appointment at the vet takes.
Have fun everyone.
Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood. ~Marie Curie
"Before I show you and tell you what I found out, let me explain one or two things. It was not easy. I got an answer from one of my former hacker friends in Paris. She said the governments were trying to hide it – all around the world. I don't know how they do it, normally you can't hide anything on the web. They must use a new program or something else, I don't know, never saw or heard anything about something like that. But that's not important, not right now. What I saw, I didn't believe it. At first. I went deep down in the dark net. I hacked."
The others except for Emily all let out a loud groan. They knew what that meant. Penelope was risking her head. "But I am glad that I did. You will not believe it either. Because it is something you can't explain, not even our genius there. So, let me show you."
Penelope clicked on a few things on her laptop and then the video started to show on the large television.
They saw a hospital, a patient lying in a bed, bleeding from a wound on his arm, looking like it was a bite wound. The quality was not the best, but it was clear enough. And they all saw their share of bite wounds through the years. It then showed that the patient died and that the doctors were confused. Such a wound would hurt, yes, but it was not life threatening at all. The video was now playing faster, on the side they saw the time move forward for about 10 minutes.
Then the video was again at normal speed. The monitors still showed no life signs from the patient. But nevertheless he began to move again. First really slow, as if he was drunk or confused. On of the doctors got closer, to examine him. That's when the patient suddenly grabbed the doctor and pulled him to his face. The patient then bit the doctors in his cheek. It was horrifying to watch, there was no sound but everyone could see the pain and the shock on the doctors face. The rest of the hospital stuff ran out of the room, fleeing in panic or calling for the security. They only could guess.
Meanwhile the patient attacked the doctor again, he was trying to pull away, but he couldn't do it. If he was too weak or the patient too strong, they didn't know. But the next bite the patient took was the throat of the doctor. There was now very much blood. They all knew that the doctor was going to die. His throat was ripped into pieces, the patient still gnawed at the doctor. A few seconds later the doctor stopped to move and the patient stopped to eat. It sounded crazy, but he really ate the flesh. The patient stumbled to his feet and went out of sight from the camera, moving slowly and unsteady.
The video began to run faster again. This time only for 5 minutes. But what the team saw next was even more unbelievable then what they watched before. The doctor began to move again. First only one hand, then his head. A few moments later he began to move his entire body, trying to get up from the floor. The doctor was standing close to the camera, they all could see his open throat, they could see his eyes. And that was what scared them the most The eyes were dead. Completely dead of human emotions, only a rage and a hunger in them, but nothing they ever saw from a human being ever. The video ended as the former doctor walked out of the sight from the camera.
The whole team stood there in silent for a minute or two. Trying to realize what they just saw.
"Are you kidding me? Is that a video from a Zombie movie? Penelope, this isn't funny at all." JJ was the first finally able to speak again, her voice trembling.
"It would be a Zombie movie I never saw. And I saw all of them." Luke said, all of the others looking at him with big eyes. "What? I like Zombie movies." Luke declared with a shrug of his shoulders.
"No, JJ. Honey, this is no joke. I found some other videos as well, all showing the same thing. Different locations, different attacks. But in the end, all the same. Dead people living again. More or less. I found videos like this from Europe and Asia. Nothing from Africa though. And these videos, they were only to be found on the dark net. And once they were posted, it usually only took a few minutes for them to disappear. To vanish. There are hackers out there, trying to post them on the web, the dark net, YouTube, Facebook and so on, but it doesn't matter how hard they are trying to spread them, they are vanishing as fast as they can upload it. I only have some of the videos, because I downloaded them. I show you some more."
Penelope started to push buttons again on her laptop. The others where talking all at once. Not realizing what they just saw, they couldn't believe it. Reid had a look on his face as if the world made no more sense at all. The only person who looked a little bit less shaken was Luke. His face showed shock too, but also something that looked like he was thinking, what all of this could mean for them and the near future.
Penelope started another video, and then another. All showing the same thing. When the last video ended, she said something that startled them all over again.
"That's not the worst. The worst is, that this last video you saw, was here. In the US. In Atlanta."
They all stood silence for a minute. Penelope let her words sunk in. Before the others could talk again she raised a hand.
"I tried to get information where this," she pointed at the now black screen of the television, "is happening. We know Asia and Europe and also Africa. The larger cities. But what I found is way worse then I thought. It's not the large cities anymore, it's all over. There were reports from over 500 cities in Europe alone. And it's spreading. Before I drove here, I checked again, and there were reports from at least a thousand towns. I don't think they can hide this any longer, I am wondering how they have managed to hide this for so long. But," Penelope led out a loud shivery sigh, "I found reports from the US, Canada and South America. Here in the US, there have been outbreaks in almost all larger cities. New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami and so on. Nothing yet in D.C. However," Penelope looked at the time, "that was two hours ago. I guess, it's only a matter of time. We need to start making plans, now."
To say that the team was shocked would be an understatement. They all began to talk at the same time, no one understanding what the other ones were saying.
"Stop it, dammit." Emily raised her voice. "This mixed up talking isn't helping at all. Stop the panic, think rationally, focus."
The others stopped talking, everyone of them taking in a deep breath.
"Okay, I may sound a little crazy but I do think we have a Zombie outbreak happening, as stupid as it sounds." Luke was calmer then all of them.
"That is impossible. There is no way something like this could happen. Ever. It is against the laws of nature. Statistically someone who is dead stays dead. 100 percent." Reid's expression was so funny, they would all have laughed, if the situation was different.
"Statistically or not, it's happening. We all saw it. We all trust Penelope's judgment and her skills." Luke responded to Reid. "First, Emily have you heard from the bureau? New orders?"
Emily shook her head.
"Okay, it will be just a matter of time. Soon they will need all hands on deck. As soon as this is spreading to D.C., we all will be ordered in."
No one had a pleased expression on their face with Luke's statement. They thought about what they saw yesterday of the riots in the larger cities in Europe and Asia, combining the fact of what they just learned, the dead rising, it was not very pleasant to think they would be in the first row of action.
"Until we are ordered in, I don't think deserting is yet an option, we need to prepare. Rossi's house here is remote and a few miles away from D.C.. If it's okay with Dave, you should bring your families here." Luke looked at Rossi who only managed to nod in agreement.
"JJ, call Will. Matt call Kristy. They should start to pack and prepare the children to move here. Tell them they also should pack up all food and water you have stored home. Also everyone of us should drive home, to grab our things. But it is better to be in pairs. Tara and Matt, you live not far from each other. Emily and JJ too. Reid, Penelope and me." Luke looked at each of them. When he looked at Rossi, who had his eyebrows up, because he wasn't mentioned, Luke nodded at him.
"Since Dave does not need to pack things up, he should go shopping and preparing here everything. Buy as much water as you can. Also canned food, every food that will not spoil so fast. And ammunition. Lots of it. We don't have riots and lootings here right now, but it is only a matter of time. If I am wrong, no harm done, except for having a lot of stuff. But if I am right, there will soon be chaos all over. And soon there will be also hamster purchases. We need to have everything in order, before we get called in. Or at least as much as possible for the short time we probably have left."
They all looked stunned at Luke. Not only have they never heard him talking so much in such a short time. But he sounded like he knew what he was talking about.
"Are you fucking serious? How'd you know all that, how could you be so calm and making plans like that?" Matt asked him. He could not believe how Luke came up with all of this in this short amount of time.
"Well, you heard me saying I love Zombie movies", Luke shrugged, "it's not just Zombie movies. I read a lot of Zombie books and dystopia literature. You can learn a lot of useful stuff in this books. And, though I am a little bit ashamed to admit, but deep inside, I have the soul of a prepper." He said that with a little grin, but everyone could see he was serious and embarrassed at the same time.
"Newbie, who would have guessed, you are even a bigger nerd then I am." Penelope laughed. Soon all of the others joined in. The laughing helped to ease the tension.
After a moment of laughing, Emily ordered them to start heading out and prepare as much as they could. She was relieved that Luke was keeping his head and made plans that made sense. She wouldn't have thought about the half of it, never figured to be in a situation like this.
They were going to their cars, when Luke started to speak up once again.
"I forgot something. Everyone should take their own car, but the pairs should drive one behind the other. So you all have more space for luggage. When you got everything at your homes, go shopping on the way back here. As much as you can manage to jam in your cars." They all looked and nodded at each other.
"Okay, see y'all soon. Stay safe."
Everyone said short goodbyes and got in their cars.
By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail. ~ Ben Franklin
I hope it was infectous to read and that you all liked it. Soon more. :-)
