(Note: This information represents everything you, as U.S. citizens watching the news but not actively in the military, would know.)
The date is May 3rd, 2013.
Six months ago, a deadly flu hit areas of India and Pakistan. A team of doctors assembled by the United Nations was dispatched to treat and vaccinate the populace. Within a month, their efforts seemed to do their work: The plague ended as rapidly as it started. An unusually high number of the locals showed symptoms of the common cold, along with many of the United Nations relief force. However, repeated testing did not find any serious ailments, so the relief force members returned to their homes to receive international acclaim.
Five months ago, the governments of India and Pakistan were alarmed to discover that nearly eighty percent of the population had symptoms matching the common cold. Unlike a normal cold, however, this new disease did not go away after a few weeks; it lingered and lingered for months. Medical testing began while the rest of the world began watching their borders.
Four months and two weeks ago, most countries in Southeast Asia and the eastern part of the Middle East had similar outbreaks within their borders. China shut down its borders and imposed martial law at the first sign of outbreak while other countries kept calm. Smaller outbreaks started all around the Old World. A study by a U.N. appointed team revealed that most of these outbreaks were centered around cities where the earlier relief force members resided. At the same time, all contact with the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan, home of the original flu outbreak, ceased. India and Pakistan, both dealing with nearly 100% infection rates, requested international aid in the form of a U.N. Peacekeeping Force investigation.
Four months ago, nearly all of Asia suffered from 50% infection rates or greater. Massive riots broke out in Pakistan and India, both of whom instituted martial law. Nearly every country in the world had its own outbreaks now; many more followed China’s example and shut their borders. The Chinese government issued a statement saying that the disease was defeated within their own borders, and that a vaccine would be ready within two weeks.
Three months and two weeks ago, the Indian government lost all control of the country. Riots and rebels spread like wildfire, and in a shocking turn of event India detonated three nuclear weapons within its own cities to combat insurgents. In the chaos, a group of military officers who did not know about the plan to self nuke assumed that Pakistan attacked its long-standing enemy, and attacked Pakistan in return. After a short nuclear exchange, both countries were devastated. Meanwhile, in Europe, massive riots broke out in multiple countries. A small riot broke out in Sydney, Australia, but the government there managed to contain it and declared Australia’s sea and air ports to be closed. Communications with China ceased.
Three months ago, outbreaks of the disease showed up in South America. Europe was ravaged by both the plague and seemingly connected riots. England, whose geographic isolation had kept it relatively safe thus far, sank a Spanish ship filled with refugees. The British government issued a statement saying that this was a terrible, tragic accident, but Spain saw it as a deceleration of war. While Spain was too hurt by riots and disease to mount a full scale assault, they did retaliate by launching a number of conventional missiles along with a strategic air strike. The British armed forces successfully defended against this attack, and declared a State of Emergency and Martial Law. They warned that any attempt to land on British soil by any nation would be seen as a deceleration of war. The United States, like many other governments, declared a State of Emergency. The only news broadcasts were government controlled bulletins. The government announced that preparations for the plague’s spread into the U.S. were being made.
Two months ago and two weeks, nearly all countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa had collapsed. Very little was known about the disease in the safe areas of the United States, Canada, Australia, and Britain. The plague had spread relatively quickly through South America, although those countries managed to hold off against the riots and disease for a longer time, thanks to advanced warning. Riots ravaged the Australian coastline, and the government relocated to the center of the continent, building massively fortified refugee camps. The British Army began shooting infected individuals on sight. British soldiers in gas masks backed up by officials in hazmat suits became a common sight in most cities.
Two months ago, all communications with Australia suddenly ceased. The United States and Canada signed a formal alliance, allowing each to act within the borders of the other and enforcing cooperation between the two governments. All over the new alliance, refugee camps were being built: Massive fortifications, seemingly designed to keep an entire city’s population out. The American Center for Disease Control (CDC) began a massive campaign in both countries to ensure that the plague would not take its full toll. Soldiers in gas masks and officials in hazmat suits began frequenting both countries’ cities as well.
One month ago and three weeks, the South American governments began to collapse. All contact with Britain was lost. A massive concrete and barbed wire wall was unveiled on the border with Mexico; aircraft carriers and fleets of other ships began patrolling all along both coasts. The president and vice president, along with other government officials from both the U.S. and Canada, were evacuated to Hawaii, which became the capitol of the American Alliance.
One month and two weeks ago, the American Alliance lost touch with any outside government. A rioting mob of South American victims of the infection stormed the southern wall. A government leak told of the launching of nearly two hundred nuclear warheads on South American soil to “Destroy the Infected Population”. Said leak was executed for treason.
One month and one week ago, the A.A. government announced that the last “Infected Invaders” from South America were eliminated. Soldiers from that line returned to their homes. Too late, it was discovered that many of them had become infected. Their strain of the virus spread quicker than reported from the rest of the world.
Twenty eight days ago, dealing with 60% infection rates, the A.A. enforced mandatory evacuation for all non-infected individuals. Strike teams all over North America went from house, tested each individual for the infection using a new procedure involving the mixing of infected saliva with the test subject’s blood sample, evacuated the healthy, and killed the immune. They weren’t fast enough.
Twenty one days ago, massive riots broke out in various cities all over America. Those lucky enough to be evacuated to the containment facilities had no idea what was going on outside. Among the last to be evacuated from the city of Los Angeles were three people: Jordan Scott, Alvin Coolnax, and Maxwell Wright.
Fifteen days ago, the population of the Los Angeles City Containment Facility was informed that they were being transferred to a more permanent facility, a larger and safer fortified city in Alaska. Men and women would be tested for the infection and then loaded on to long-range helicopters, which were going to go from one containment facility to the next, refueling and restocking on the way, until they reached Alaska.
Ten days ago, the evacuation was nearly complete. Maxwell Wright, Alvin Coolnax, and Jordan Scott, along with Maxwell Wright’s family, were scheduled to depart on the last helicopter to leave Los Angeles before the facility was shut down. However, the test results were unexpected. The three of them, along with a fourth man, were taken away from their friends and family and brought underground, to a laboratory. They were put in a row of electronically locked glass cubicle cells, along with a few others who had been pulled away from their own flights.
Nine days ago, testing had begun. Blood, urine, and saliva samples were taken from the group; every so often a man in a hazmat suit brought them food. No one would talk to them, no matter what they did. Occasionally, one of the prisoners would be taken away. They never returned.
Eight days ago, this pattern continued.
Seven days ago, this pattern continued.
Six days ago, the fourth man suddenly began beating violently on the glass window of his cell. He beat on it with his fists, his feet, even his head. Blood splattered the bulletproof glass, but he did not relent. Finally, three men in gas masks carrying assault rifles opened the door and fired away. The man took almost twenty bullets before he stopped moving.
Five days ago, the pattern continued.
Four days ago, the pattern continued.
Three days ago, every worker in the facility disappeared.
Two days ago, no one showed up.
One day ago, all three people were hungry and thirsty from their long fast.
An hour ago, a woman in a neighboring cell managed to commit suicide.
Two minutes ago, the lights suddenly went out.
One minute ago, you realized that if the doors of your cells were electronically sealed, they might have clicked open when the power went out.
Ten seconds ago, you finally stumbled to the door in the dark and checked this theory.
Five seconds ago, you slid the glass door open.
Now, you are standing in a dark hallway, deep underground in the Los Angeles Containment Facility. Except for each other, there doesn’t seem to be anyone else around.
