Washington was silent now. It had been twelve terrible weeks since the tragedy at Arctic One, and much had happened since. The very fabric of society had been torn asunder by the firepox virus, but some had been luckier than others.

When the sunlight woke him up at last, Doctor Proctor yawned rather loudly. For a moment, he could not quite figure out where he was. Then he glanced around at the deserted candy shop.

“Another hellish day.”

He climbed from the sleeping bag he had freed and rolled it up before tucking it away in his backpack. He ignored the confectionary and stepped into the bright glare.

His eyes at once fell upon the deserted cars that littered the streets. They were not quite empty though. The rotten remains of the victims lay within.

As he passed a school bus, he glanced away. Even his medical curiosity lay dormant now. He had seen far too much since escaping the hospital.

As each patient and staff member had perished, he had finally locked himself in the morgue. After a week of famine, he had stepped out to find a sea of rotting corpses.

Even the military blockade had gone. Only bits of flesh and black ash blowing in the gentle breeze. He had called out but there was no response.

Now he shook his head and walked toward the southern edge of that once great city.

“What the hell do I do now?”

A sudden gunshot forced him to dive behind an old Buick.

“Could be remnants of the military I suppose.”

He peeked out at the street and waited. Then a second shot rang out.

“Sounds as though it’s coming from that YMCA place. Better check this out.”

He dashed across the street and hurtled into the foyer. It was empty. Even the stairs to the upper floor were silent.

“Who’s there?”

He waited with thumping heart for a human reply. In his fevered mind, any voice would do.

“I heard the two shots.”

A pleasant female voice shouted down.

“Come up here where I can see you.”

He took a breath before climbing the steps. As he reached the open door, a handgun was shoved in his face.

He relaxed as he saw the police uniform.

“I’m unarmed. Thought you lot had copped it.”

She shook her head.

“There is still a few of us around. I’m Cheryl by the way.”

The doctor introduced himself and told his sad story.

“So what you doing here?” he asked.

“Just clearing up that’s all.”

He glanced around at the doss house, the silent beds.

“Shooting rats?”

She shook her head.

“Last two blokes here had the illness. I was just delivering mercy.”

He understood of course but had a bigger question.

“Have you heard anything concerning the CDC?”

“Not a peep doc. Even the White House went quiet.”

“Damn shame. I was counting on those guys to come up with a solution.”

The cop laughed.

“To stop this you mean? The whole ruddy world went under. A couple of docs working in bio labs would not have helped.”

“They must have been trying.”

“Yeah...Like they tried in to eliminate H5N1...The birds still died.”

“So where will you go now?”

Cheryl looked him over.

“I have this crackpot idea of heading to Cuba via the Florida panhandle.”

He smiled.

“Sounds perfectly sane to me. Mind if I tag along?”

She put the weapon safely inside her holster and muttered, “Please yourself.”

When they got outside, she walked over to a food store and collected just enough tins to keep them going. At the medicine counter, she took painkillers that the doc recommended.

“Getting a car should be no problem,” he commented.

She smiled.

“My station ain’t that far. We can borrow one of theirs. Technically
I’m still on duty.”

The station was only three blocks down and finding the keys proved easy enough. As the engine revved he glanced at the full tank.

“At least we can get there.”

The car pulled out and headed south towards Richmond, Virginia.
...
Deep within the CDC, two virologists entered the bio level six containment area dressed in regulation space suits. A long cord provided a safe supply of air as they walked toward the specimen cage.

“This is the latest batch of the super toxin,” Jenkins said calmly. “It should work within seconds.”

His gloved hands removed the needle, and his colleague opened the mouse cage.

“Now just stay still,” Jenkins muttered as the injection was made.

They placed the animal back inside its cage, and closed it quickly. As they watched, the white mouse started gasping before keeling over. Red blotches rapidly appeared before the white fur turned black. Moments later the animal lay still.

Jenkins prodded with his glass tube and the body disintegrated completely.

“Turned to ash I see.”

His colleague Ned was rightly impressed.

“Let’s hope this version does not escape from here then.”

Jenkins smiled.

“No chance of that mate. By creating this super version, we could yet defeat this thing. Then the problems really start.”

“How to deliver it?”

“Quite right. The medical profession has been smashed. Don’t worry though, we will find a way.”

They stepped outside before disengaging the cord. Returning to a washer, their suits were thoroughly cleaned before they reached the changing room.

It took twenty minutes, but they were soon back in their everyday clothes. Above this level, everyone else was dead. Only these two forgotten virologists stood between man, and the jaws of extinction.

A heavy rain descended as sunset arrived.

“Richmond is less than a mile,” Cheryl said happily.

“Did you notice the quiet around here? There should be some survivors at least.”

“You are too much of an optimist doc. This thing is a cold killer.”

Proctor shook his head.

“I was locked inside a wretched hospital and I walked out.”

“Just damn lucky that’s all. Everyone in my station died. Those other cops I mentioned were just passing through to the north. Heading for Canada I think.”

“Look out!”

She swung the wheel as two kids ran into view.

“What the hell are you doing?” she demanded stepping onto the wet road.

The two kids were around eleven and twelve and wore crazy clothes for their age.

“We need your help,” Mundy said.

Proctor knelt and asked, “What’s the matter?”

Leslie pointed to a nearby caravan.

“Mummy and daddy went to sleep and we cannot wake them.”

He stood slowly.

“You watch the kids whilst I check this out.”

He walked over to the van and stepped inside.

Just before the cab, he saw the two adults lying inside the folded down bed.

“You two okay?”

When they did not respond, he gingerly moved closer. Only then did he notice the empty pill tubes.

He shook them both violently before the cold, clammy skin told him to stop.

“Damn stupid.”

He left and rejoined the party.

“No use I’m afraid. Suicide. We’ll have to take them along.”

Cheryl nodded.

“Would you like to visit Cuba?”

The two kids glanced at each other before nodding.

When the car set off once more, Proctor opened the glove box and pulled out a roadmap.

“You won’t need that,” the cop sniggered.

“I want to see how we get to the CDC Cheryl.”

She shrugged her shoulders.

“It’s on our way if you really want to have a look.”

“I’m a doctor. I have to see for myself.”

“See what?” the kids asked.

Proctor turned around and said, “If we have any chance.”

“I need to take a nap,” Cheryl admitted.

The doctor scanned the map and smiled.

“We should head for Raleigh, Carolina, and stay there for a day. There is really no rush. By the way, if you really want to reach Cuba, we will definitely need a boat.”

She glanced at him.

“I hope you can pilot it then, cause I’ve no idea how to.”

The doctor pulled a face.

“Now you tell me.”
...
High above the blue planet, the ISS continued its orbit unaware that its creator was in deep mire. When the crisis erupted, the three Americans had been ordered home.

When the Russians made the same suggestion to Moscow, the answer had been firm.

“Stay on and we’ll supply you.”

Now the weeks had passed and the food was long gone.

Gorgi was much weaker now. His two patriots had died days before of malnutrition, and now he sat at the controls scanning for a signal.
Any signal.

“Nothing as usual. Even the Americans have gone quiet.”

He shook his head and noted the bright light.

“At least the damn power still works.”

He floated through to the rear area where the escape capsule sat waiting. Designed for three, he would be the only passenger.

“It’s a calculated risk,” he muttered. “Either I perish here for sure, or splash down and drown in the Pacific.”

He thought it over carefully. His weak frame told him that it was already too late.

“Oh damn it!”

He floated inside the capsule and sealed the hatch firmly.

“Now try to remember Gorgi. First, set guidance system. Check.”

He drew a breath.

“Check auto release mechanism. Check.”

He felt himself becoming giddy.

“Check the parachute deployment pyrotechnics...Check.”

He tried to focus as he settled back and pressed release.

A short bang was followed by a sickly falling sensation, as the escape capsule plummeted toward Earth.

“So far so good.”

As it hit the upper atmosphere, the heat shield began to redden. As he glanced through the small porthole, he saw that he was surrounded by super heated gases.

“So far normal. Peak heating phase...”

A red light suddenly flashed and he tried to focus upon the problem.

“The attitude control seems to have malfunctioned. Pitch is on negative gain...”

He grabbed the manual control lever and tried to correct.

“The damn thing is tumbling. Pull back and left...”

He tried his very best but only seconds remained.

“Oh crikey!”

His capsule became a small fireball that night. It streaked high above the ground until nothing remained of the brave Gorgi.
...
The police car finally reached Raleigh and the kids pointed to a small, but dark hotel.

“Think that it’s safe?” the doctor asked.

“Only one way to find out eh?”

She drew into the deserted car park and stepped out. The doctor took the kids hands as she checked the main door.

“It’s open.”

“We’ll wait here then.”

She drew the weapon and gingerly entered. Moments later, her head peeked through.

“It’s safe. Not even charred remains.”

Proctor sighed deeply as the kids ran inside.

“Hey you two,” Cheryl said. “If you want grub don’t stray.”

The kids rushed back as she removed the backpack. When the tinned meat was opened, they all tucked into a welcome meal.

The good doctor stared at the empty bar.

“Fancy a night cap?”

Cheryl smiled.

“I could really do with one thanks.”

Proctor went behind the bar and poured two generous brandies. He even opened a pop for the kids.

“We move on Saturday,” he said. “A good day’s rest will cheer us up.”

She slowly drank as the kids slurped away.

“What do you expect to find at the CDC, apart from the miracle cure?”

The doctor winced.

“I need to find out if anyone is left alive there. It’ll decide our fate after all.”

She was about to reply when a dark voice shouted, “Just hold it right there.”...Continues Frid...