Saturday Matinee - The Spread

 

"Report Captain!!!"

"Sir, there was a breach at Lab 127 at approximately 13:05 on Wednesday 17-2-2021...we have confirmed this through witness accounts and security camera footage...Technician Adam King was inadvertently infected through a mistake he made in the isolation chamber...and before a complete lockdown could become effective he escaped the base in his personal vehicle....we have been searching for him using all our assets, including some local law enforcement....but so far we haven't been able to find him."

"I can't believe that security on this base was so sloppy that something like this could happen!!!"   

"Under General Collins orders we...."

"General Collins is no longer in command here!!! General Collins is in isolation in the prison ward pending a decision on his status!!!"

"Yes Sir....I understand...."

"These local law people....do they understand what's happened....how much do they know?"

"We've kept it on a need-to-know basis Sir....all they know is that he's infectious and if they locate him they should not approach until we are on the scene...."

"So it's been four days now....what's the best case scenario..."

"The best case would be that King has gone to ground and is hiding from everyone in an isolated spot.....by now the likelihood is that the virus has been 100% effective..."

"And the worst case..."

"The worst possible case is that King has tried to lose himself in the crowd somewhere....if the virus is as effective as we think it is....it is already beyond any possibility of containment..."

"Which do you think is more likely?"

"I think the latter is far more likely....The nearest city would be Springfield....it's only 37 miles from here and it would be an ideal place to disappear....there are a lot of homeless encampments and short stay hotels....we have our people checking them as we speak but many of these people are reluctant to talk to us...."

"God Damn it!!!"

"Sir?"

"Keep looking....I want updates on the hour....expand the search radius....get troops from other bases....we have to get control over this....Move!!!"

His subordinate snapped a salute and left the room...

The general sat back and pondered his next move very carefully....the President was waiting back in DC for his report and he had nothing good to tell him....

He was reaching for the secure phone when his aide burst back through the door....

"General!!!! We think we've got him....the virus has already been 100% effective but DNA reports that it's him!!!!"

"Excellent work!!!! Excellent.....where was he?"

"That's the problem Sir....it's worse than we thought...."

"Spill it god damn it!!!"

"He went immediately to Springfield and he's had numerous contacts....he ditched his car and took the interstate bus there...."

"My god...."

"He's had dozens....if not hundreds of contacts....the computer guys are gaming it out now in the lab and with the contagion rate being nearly 87%....the likely number of people exposed is potentially in the hundreds of thousands and is expanding exponentially..."

"Leave....I have to speak to the President...."

As the door shut behind his aide the General picked up the secure line and placed the call the President was waiting for...."

The call was answered on the first ring....

"This is General Buck Turgeson calling....put me through to the President..."

"Stand by Sir...."

In a moment he heard the Presidents voice....

"What's the news Buck....do we have control of this thing yet?"

"I'm sorry to report Sir....that we have a Wildfire situation...."

"Are you certain Buck...."

"I'm certain Mr. President....."

"But that would mean that we become incredibly vulnerable as it spreads....borders will close around the world and our enemies would certainly see this as a golden opportunity....we could see the breakdown of our society and economy....are you sure this is a Wildfire, Buck? We have to be certain...."

"Yes Mr. President....it's spreading as we talk...."

"Then I think we'll have to implement Option Omega....god help us all...."

"I agree Mr. President.....it's our only option.....we can't afford to be the only country affected by this virus...."

"Are the assets in place Buck?"

"Yes Mr. President....in every embassy around the world we have previously infected assets in stasis....if you issue the go code they will be released into the populations of almost every nation in the world.....in a week no one will care where it started...."

"I'll issue the go codes in a moment Buck....what about us....is there a possibility we might be immune?"

"A slight chance, but the feminization virus is very good at what it does...."

"I see....I always wondered who would be the first woman to be the President of these United States.....but I never dreamed it would be me...."

"And you're just the man to do it Mr. President!!!!"

They hung up....and the "football" was brought to the his desk in the Oval office...he sent the code to activate Option Omega and in embassies all over the world the infected men were awakened....they were all now beautiful women as the virus had done it's work on them already....and they were given their orders....and as they moved out into the streets the world began to change....maybe for the better.....