Ravages Of Hell (19?)

"Hello," he didn't bother with a smile, it seemed so trite today, after all that had happened today, "I'm Trevor MacDonald and this is the ITV Evening News on 24th May 2005. Today, Britain was hit by a wave of freak earthquakes, the cities of London,. Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle, Liverpool, Cardiff, and Leeds all suffered tremors measuring between 4 and 7 on the Richter Scale, causing widespread damage. Seismologists are at a loss to explain this rash of quakes." He paused for a second. "The prime minister will be making a statement later and the government has set up a help line for those worried about loved ones-."

"Hello, I'm Bob Schieffer and this is the CBS Evening New on the 24th May 2005," he smiled into the camera before assuming a sombre expression. "The governors of Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee have all declared states of emergency and called out the National Guard after widespread rioting between black and white youths in many of the four states' major cities." He paused to glance at his note before looking back into the camera. "And now for a report from our correspondent on the ground, Allen Pizzey. Allen, any news on what exactly caused the violence?"

"No," the reporter's strained face appeared on camera. "Usually with such widespread rioting, an event such as a miscarriage of justice or a speech from a prominent figure from either side of the race hate groups would be required to spark such mayhem, but nothing significant appears to have happened. Authorities are at a loss as to a cause."

"And how are the authorities coping with the rioting?" Bob asked.

"Official statements say the police and national guard have the situation under control," the reporter grimaced. "But our sources tell us they're barely hanging on."

"Hello, I'm Akiro Hase, and this is G60 Minutes on the 24th May 2005." He struggled to keep his calm for the sake of the millions watching Japan's highest rated nightly news program. "From the hours of 3:00 to 7:00 AM, Osaka was hit by a storm of perhaps as many as fifty meteorites causing widespread damage. The hard-pressed emergency services have estimated loss of lives exceeding 50,000. Later in the program we'll have a report from our man on the scene, but first, to help us perhaps understand how and why this is happening, here's one of Japan's most renowned weather experts, Rikki Inoki. Hello, Rikki."

The greying scientist forced a smile. "Hello. The truth is, the scientific community are at a loss. Nobody has no idea what caused this. Some have suggested that the destruction of the ozone layer has caused this, but I find that unlikely."

"Could it be the military perhaps?" he suggested.

The scientist shook his head. "It's highly unlikely that ours or any government have the means or technology to create the havoc we've experienced today."

"Hello, I'm Bruno Masure and this is 20 Heures Le Journal on 24th May 2005." He paused for a second. "Today, our country descended into chaos when a messianic figure predicting the end of the world galvanised our country's youth into rioting. Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Nice, Strasbourg, Bordeaux, and Nantes have all been affected and the police have been called in to subdue rioters, in some cases using CS-gas and water canons. In a moment, we'll get on the spot reports from Paris and Lyon, but first a report from Phillipe La Breton from the police on just who this 'prophet' is, Phillipe?"

"Hello, Bruno," his colleague greeted him, a grave look on his face. "An hour ago and the police released a statement about the head trouble-causer. This information was apparently gleaned from the Direction de la Surveillance du Territoire. It identified the rioters' leader as an Andre Paul, a forty-six year old pipe-fitter with a history of religious fanaticism and mental illness dating back to the early 80s. The police are however baffled as to how such a man, described as a nonentity, has gained such influence so quickly."

"Today has been a shocking day the world over," Maria Miel forced a smile into the camera. "Hello I'm Maria Miel and this La 2 Noticias de TVE on the 24th May 2005. And it has been no exception here, in Madrid. Today, the capital city has been bombarded by a rain of frogs, thousands of the amphibious creatures have somehow fallen from the skies." She shook her head before turning to the man sat beside her. "With me I have Jose Guerrero, our science correspondent." She paused to look at her notes. "Jose, does the science community have any idea what has caused this?"

"No," the scientist's smile was as forced as her earlier one. "They have no idea."

"Hello, I'm Avi Rosenthal, and this is Isarel Today on 24th May 2005." Avi glanced down at his hastily prepared script before continuing. "Today the skies over Jerusalem were filled with unidentified shooting lights." He paused as film with commentary of the lights burning across the sky was shown. Once the film had ended he continued. "I have with me, Jacob Cohen, a Mossad officer. Jacob, hello."

The middle-aged but still powerfully-built bowed his slightly greying head. "Hello, Avi."

"Is it true here is speculation in some quarters that the lights are the precursor to some sort of terrorist atrocity?"

"No, that's unfounded," the crumpled intelligence officer shook his head. "Whatever technology caused the light is far too advanced to be the work of Hamas. Or of any of the neighbouring nations unfriendly to the State Of Isarel."

"That's a relief," Avi was careful to smile into the camera. "Then what are they?"

His guest's fixed smile slipped slightly. "At the moment we're still running tests."

"Hello, I'm Oleg Breznevh, and this is Vremya News on 24th May 2005. Today Moscow, St. Petersburg, and a number of other cities have been hit by acts of co-ordinated violence. Government buildings, power stations, and media outlets, including our own offices, came under attack from groups of heavily armed men." He paused to glance at his notes. "And now to our security correspondent in Moscow, Boris Drezeh. Boris, has any motive been uncovered for the violence?"

"It appears a group of disaffected oligarchs attempting to overthrow our beloved president were behind these attacks, Oleg."

"And these men were extremely well-trained?"

"Yes," the reporter nodded. "Most of those captured have admitted to formerly being members of the world's special forces."

"Any further information on just how many attacks and how many men were involved?" he queried.

"Yes," the security correspondent nodded. "According to a statement issued by the government, there were thirty-seven attacks in ten cities by groups ranging from twenty to fifty in size on government buildings, media outlets, and power stations. In addition," the reporter's face paled, "there were sixteen assassination attempts on high-ranking political figures, including President Putin himself. These attempts have ranged from car bombs, road minings, and sniper attacks, and have left five men dead and another two critical."

"And what measures have the government ordered to counteract these attacks?" he queried.

"Aside from foiling the sabotage attempts and taking the mercenaries into custody, there is a rumour the government has placed bounties on the heads of no less than fourteen Russian billionaires currently living aboard."

"Really?" Oleg's jaw dropped. That he hadn't known. "Any information on which specific oligarchs?"

The reporter shook his head, his face grim. "Not as yet."

"Hello, I'm Manuel Ruido, and this is Jornal Nacional on 24th May 2005. Today, the authorities are struggling to contain an outbreak of water poisoning in Sao Paulo, which has resulted in dozens of deaths and several thousand people being rushed into hospital. And now to our reporter on the scene, Fia Lindo. Fia," he turned his attention to the striking beauty on a satellite link, "any news on a death toll?"

"Yes," the reporter recently voted one of Brazil's top ten most beautiful women looked anything but glamorous right now, haggard and drawn, appearing decades older than her twenty-seven, "the health ministry released a statement thirty minutes ago – the death toll now stands at eighty-five. Our sources predict it will top a hundred before the end of the day."

"I see," Manuel nodded gravely. "I understand that the majority of deaths have occurred in the very young, very old, and infirm?"

"That's correct," Fia nodded, "healthy adults affected suffer from vomiting, stomach cramps, and muscle spasms. We have no idea how long these symptoms will last in those affected."

"And does anyone know what caused this pollution?"

"Some sources have speculated it was caused by some sort of terrorist attack," the female reporter replied, "but in truth they had no-." Manuel instinctively pulled back when the reporter's face contorted in pain and a stream of milky grey liquid spewing from her mouth, splattering the camera lens. A half-second later, the reporter hit the ground, her normally graceful body rolled up into a wildly convulsing ball.

"Hello, I'm Genji Chen. This is China Today on 24th May 2005." Genji smiled into the camera. "Today the Qinghai Province was subjected to an unprecedented rainfall, resulting in mass flooding of theYantgze River and the loss of thousands of lives."

"Hello, I'm Omar Khan. This is Star Of India News on 24th May 2005." He took a breath before continuing. "Today, forces of the warlike Pakistani people moved closer to the border of our part of Kashmir. Our brave forces likewise responded by advancing on the borders. A spokesman for the government said 'we will not give up an inch of our land'."