Okay hello there people, sorry for the delay. Lots of tests and homework lately. Anyway, let's get back to it. Since this virus is different from the typical virus Alex has had, his powers can be different. Also, with the long time Jerran has had to mutate himself, any ideas on possible powers (please nothing like overpowered God like abilities please) would be appreciated.
By the time the flight arrives, Alex Mercer has just released the virus in Penn Station.
In the morning I was packed up and ready to go for my hastily booked flight to New York City. As I began to drive down there, I thought of the terrible consequences that could befall everyone if the infection took over New York City. Sighing to myself, I had no choice but to call the Eldest among the Chroniclers who I know wouldn't be happy about what I had to tell her.
I called her number and heard an ageless voice answer me, "Well well, if it isn't my little troublemaker? I was beginning to wonder if you would call?"
I sighed, and begin to tell her, "Why hello there Agatha, doing well I hope? If you thought I have been trouble the last few days, well you are not going to like me now. I need you to evacuate all Chroniclers and their associates from New York City."
The silence I heard was like a smothering pillow over me. I could feel her collect herself, then she began to berate me, "JOSEPH! First you put us at alert level 3, and now you want us to evacuate New York city, which I may remind you, has quite a few of us there. You fucking idiot, you can't just go to demand this stuff based on pure hunch, and let me remind you shithead of…"
I stopped her, coldly saying, "Agatha, they have my virus for certain, somehow gaining it from the blackened bones of the dead. It was bad enough in Hope, Idaho after they modified a small amount of the virus that was on the warlord who tasked himself with quarantine back then. Now, with a person directly infected, things can get a lot worse Gentek and Blackwatch have some of their biggest laboratories in New York City, specifically Manhattan Island. They have had their sample for weeks now I am afraid, and even partially, it will allow them to make this infection much more deadly. That which I faced in Hope, Idaho would look pale compared to what will happen now. I don't know what mutations could happen if even a few of the Chroniclers were taken by that, but I know it wouldn't be good. I am heading to New York now, in order to find it and destroy it. You need to enact the override protocol immediately and put us at alert level 1 in the western hemisphere, or at the very least the U.S."
She sighed, replying, "Well then, you are right this time. We do have a problem. If it does get out of control, this virus could undo the many millennias of humanity I have witnessed. I will make all the arrangements necessary, and I will call all our contacts who have even a scrap of information on Gentek."
I nodded saying, "Thank you very much ma'am. Anything else?"
Her voice turned cold as arctic snow as she said, "In addition, you are released from the Chronicler protocol. Destroy who you must, and use whatever means necessary to eradicate this threat. Consume all in your path. If this virus overwhelms you though, and makes you one of them, I will not hesitate to destroy you utterly." She softened her tone as she added, "However, I would like to avoid such a thing, you have been a good friend, and a good chronicler for centuries now. I would be loathe to cut thou down with Liberan. God speed you Jerran."
I smiled, pleased to hear my true name for once, and said, "Thank you. May God help us all, Arina."
The plane ride was too long, especially without the children to play with as usual. As I landed in New York, I got a confirmation text from Agatha saying everyone had cleared out of New York City. I smiled, hoping that she didn't wound anyone too much with her lectures that seemed to sting like a whip once she got in gear. However, I felt uneasy as I got out of the airport. I took up residence in a Hilton hotel, put my stuff down, and opened my laptop doing a general search on Gentek. Finding the address of their public facilities I also looked for any mysterious shutdowns. To my dread, I found one, in Penn station. "Great," I muttered, "If the virus has been unleashed then this is a problem."
*flashback*
Weakly, I saw smoke on the horizon. Though I was too sick to realize it then, Baranok was burning. Many, including my mother, had just died from the disease. We were keeping all away for fear of the disease. However, the worst was yet to come. My father saw my mother moving slightly under her shroud, and called to me, "Jerron, Jerron, come quick, your mother is alive, she is…." *CRUNCH*
*Father's Bloodcurdling yell*
I moved as quickly as I could and saw my mother in a frenzy attacking my father. I got the wooden staff my father loved so much and shoved my mother against it, but her strength was enormous and she threw me off. In an act of desperation, I threw my favorite dagger the village blacksmith gave me, hoping to hit her shoulder, but my aim was off and it snapped right into her school and she died. My father had lost so much blood due to the throat wound she had given him and I knew there was no hope for him. My mother's eyes were clouded and as I sat down trying to gain my bearings, I heard similar calls happen. The dead rising to me was one of sheer horror, so I ran out of the house, trying to get away. I was tackled by my friend Alandre, now turned to one of…them. He slashed my throat with his nails and beat me to a pulp. However, he then saw another person not yet turned apparently and ran after them, leaving me there to die. As my eyes glazed over…
*end flashback*
I shook myself from my reprieve. Now was not the time to go into memories. It was time to work. I decided to head on the rooftops to search for someone who could get me into Penn station. Running on the rooftops was a great way to go in New York in my opinion. Avoiding all that traffic saved me so much time, even with hiding from helicopters and other surveillance. Soon I was near Penn station, and saw them carting out what seemed to be bodies. My skin began itching as I felt my own infection stir. It was then I knew, that the virus had gotten out. Focusing back on the task at hand, I saw one of the coroner's alone for a moment. I jumped into the alley behind him and taking advantage of nobody near us for the moment or even looking our way, I stealthily consumed him. His memories entered mine, and he revealed to me that some fellow named Alex Mercer had been killed in Penn Station. I was tempted to leave, but doing so right now would have broken my cover easily, so I decided to play along as we got the bodies out of there. As I approached the area of the station where apparently Mercer had been killed, the itch in my bones became quite strong. I could feel the virus itself, so similar to my own, yet fundamentally altered. However, I didn't have time to investigate this feeling as the Blackwatch troopers were hurrying us along as they were trying to contain the outbreak. "Foolish soldiers," I thought, "even with all those you have quarantined, it's a freaking train station. There is no way you could have caught everyone. The infection will spread and I will have to take out your mistake." I silently hummed to myself a tune forgotten long ago from the mists of time, a tune my mother used to hum me to sleep with.
*Later that night*
I headed out of the coroner's office. Luckily the fellow I consumed lived alone so no one would be missing him for some time, not until I didn't show up for work. Finding a secluded place I transformed back to myself and ran into the night. I had learned some interesting things about the virus. There were two versions now, Redlight, the one I faced in Hope, Idaho, and now a new one had been made, known as Blacklight. I chuckled to myself, as now there were three strains of the virus, two little children of mine, born from blood and fire. I saw a military chopper then fly and try to what it seemed to me, chase something. However, a car was thrown and destroyed it. I was stunned. No chroniclers could be left in New York to do such a thing, and I had found no evidence of Greene, so that left someone like me, who could bond with the virus. I ran back quickly, but by the time I got there, only destruction remained. I needed more information, and the easiest way to get that was to consume more. I headed back to the hotel to plan out my next move, wondering who the new addition was.
*Mercer has now saved his sister and is trying to go to his apartment*
The next day, I was up with the dawn. I had to find someone new to consume though, as the coroner's were pretty low level. Sifting through the memories of the man, I found a minor research assistant he was friends with. It wasn't much, but it was a start in the right direction. Even better, today was my day to carpool with him to Gentek. I smiled and ran to his house. Transforming to the coroner I greeted him, "Hey Mike. Fine day isn't it?"
Mike nodded and replied, "Yeah another glorious day of work. Well let me grab my wallet and phone, I left them on the dresser."
It was perfect for me, and I asked, "Sure that sounds fine. Mind if I use the bathroom?"
Offhandedly, already turning his back to me to get his stuff, he stated, "Yeah of course, you know where it is already." In my own opinion it never hurts to be civil to a person, especially when they are about to die. Shutting the door behind me, I silently snuck up behind Mike and consumed him. I did a slow consumption, as I was trying for detailed memories, and I didn't have time to sift through his life later. It was quite painful for him, but there was no help for that, I needed information. I found out he had been helping to do baseline genetic comparisons between my virus and the new Blacklight one, without even realizing it.
"Poor sap," I muttered as I took his badge and everything else I needed. Entering Gentek wasn't hard, and I made my way to the assigned station. I knew I couldn't consume anyone with so much security watching, so I tried to glean all the information I could from the head of the research in my department, Glenn Stein. A close mouthed fellow, he didn't offer me too much.
However, I did learn a little from him. My hearing is quite exceptional so I was able to glean him muttering as he whispered, "Shit shit shit…we need to hurry…time is of the essence…infection already spreading…research assistant so damn lazy…" I kept working, but at the same time, it was hard to concentrate. I felt a buzzing in my mind that I just couldn't get out. It was quite an annoying and curious reaction, but I sifted it over to just some noise of a machine somewhere. Shaking it off, I decided that today was fruitless, and made it so I could come back later at night. With many centuries come many skills, and friends who can teach those skills. I was able to write a little program that would accept the pass from Mike, the guy who I consumed, even after hours. I made my little patch, and left for the day. However, the night was when things got interesting to say the least.