Chapter 208
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During her training Eve heard many rumors about how the plague got out. The most prevelant theory was the guard who fled with his wife and baby. He thought he had enough time, but they just spread the virus further. Not that Eve could blame them, not if he felt he could save his family. Eve remembered when she and Amy were on the road a family with a baby driving in the opposite direction. Was it the legendary guard from the stories, or one of thousands of families who fled the plague? It didn't seem to matter how it was released, certainly not to the infected, it was here. Both sides were using their resources to keep it contained, effectively shutting down civilian operations. The world had been given 1262 days until impact. Apperently people chose to wipe themselves out before then. The human race didn't need ELE to destroy them, they were doing just fine on their own.
December 19th, 579 days until impact. While on guard duty Eve heard people talking about Mason's press secretary, Erica. She'd met her a couple times, although Eve would've been suprised if Erica remembered her. Erica had been a teenage runaway, possibly even involved in prostitution briefly. Later she worked at a carnival, both Saturday night bawdy shows, and Sunday morning tent revivals. Rumor was that reverand Walker got his start there alongside Erica. Eventually she got involved in show business, everything from comic books to soap operas. At some point Erica began working for politicians, helping George Mason appeal to the masses and get elected president twice. Erica was hot, but Eve wasn't sure why collectivist soldiers were talking about her. After her shift Eve learned why. Erica had been murdered by a secret service agent. Perhaps worse, this rogue agent had kidnapped president Mason's daughter Mimi. Eve soon found a group of soldiers watching news coverage of Mimi Mason's abduction. Her secret service agent kidnapped Mimi and Erica. When Mason initially refused his demands he planned to kill one of them. Erica volunteered to be executed to protect Mimi. As far as anyone could tell the agent wasn't allied to any rogue group, he was trying to get himself and his family on an Ark, using the first daughter as leverage. Eve became worried about this abduction. As much as Eve hated George Mason she didn't want harm to come to his innocent daughter, mother of a five year old child. She also feared how the war might escalate if the president's daughter were murdered. Eve feared whatever could possibly be worse than the plague.
The news networks covered news of Mimi Mason's abduction. They mostly covered Mimi's life thus far. 26 years old, good grades through school, no disciplinary problems. Eve remembered seeing Mimi on the campaign, "Get out the vote" events. In 2029, shortly after her father became president, the story broke that she was pregnant, gave birth to Rebecca in late 2029. Eve also remembered the press saying some very nasty things about her for being a young single mother in the public light. But, even with a daughter, Mimi still graduated from college and became a teacher at a D.C. elementary school. The more Eve heard about Mimi, the more she prayed for her safety. Innocents should never be murdered, even if this was World War III.