On the fourth day of the outbreak, Bell felt sore all over his body, and a persistent cough had set in. Lisa and her medical team worked tirelessly on damage control, utilizing every known antiviral medication at their disposal. However, only a select few drugs proved effective in managing the symptoms, primarily the anti-retroviral ones. The sole source of good news came from The Facility.
Amelia, Harris, and her engineering personnel had been evacuated, and a fresh team of medical staff, summoned from the system, took their place to research the newly discovered virus. Though there was no cure yet, they managed to develop a lateral flow rapid-test for diagnosing the virus itself, which they designated as Luciferase Immuno-Hemorrhagic Virus (LIHV). Bell had indeed contracted the virus, and nearly every demon in the base had fallen victim as well.
The RAA personnel had avoided infection, primarily because they were newly summoned, and Sylva and her team had only returned briefly to report to their new boss. Tomas and his hunter team also tested negative for the virus, as they rarely, if ever, returned to the base. The demonic elves patrolling the elven villages tested positive but exhibited milder symptoms compared to regular demons.
The base remained under total lockdown, with no one allowed to enter or leave without permits, except for medical personnel and RAA members.
Sitting in his office, Bell couldn't help but contemplate what would happen next. The death toll from the previous day had already appeared on his laptop's monitor, with thirty newborns succumbing to hemorrhagic stroke and fifty children perishing from secondary pneumonia and effusion. It was only six in the morning, and Bell could only dread that the situation would deteriorate further.
"Sometimes, I wish I were a cyborg so I don’t have to deal with this kind of thing," Lisa expressed as she sat down in a chair in front of Bell's desk. "Bell, in your mind, how did this get spread?"
"I don't know, and I'm not pointing fingers either," Bell replied. "Could it have been in our food?"
"Impossible. Most of our food comes from the commissary terminal, and only the elves ate wild animals," Lisa explained. "And no, I don't think it's from their food either. For all I care, this virus must be airborne."
"Airborne? We're in the middle of nowhere. I find that hard to believe. Even if it's possible, it's difficult to imagine the virus blowing in from the south into our region," Bell added, skeptical of the idea.
"Well, it's definitely airborne, sir, but as far as I know, the virus originated from this base, not from outside," Lisa added, shedding more light on the situation.
"That statement doesn't make things any better," Bell remarked. "Anyway, have you found anything unusual about the virus?"
"It's consistent with the blood plague symptomatically. It belongs to a family of retroviruses, and it has delayed symptoms. Somehow, in pediatric patients, it can penetrate the blood-brain barrier and tends to cause effusion. It only becomes symptomatic after around fourteen days and yet can spread through the air after just two days of incubation."
"Interesting," Bell mused, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "That's a peculiar behavior for a virus, especially the delayed symptoms combined with rapid spread."
Lisa nodded in agreement. "Exactly. It's as if it has evolved to maximize transmission before symptoms appear. This gives it a significant advantage in spreading unnoticed."
"But how did it originate here?" Bell pondered aloud. "I mean, if it didn't come from outside, then..." He trailed off, a hint of suspicion in his voice. "But it doesn't make sense. Our health protocols have always been strict, even before the outbreak. It's hard to see how the Southern Coalition could have spread it without leaving a trace."
Lisa leaned forward, her brow furrowed in thought. "I agree, it seems unlikely. This virus is incredibly sophisticated. If it was a bioweapon, it's unlike anything we've ever seen. The way it spreads, its latency period, the specific targeting of certain age and race groups – it's all very advanced."
Bell sighed, running a hand through his hair. "So, what's the latest from The Facility? Any progress on a treatment?"
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Lisa's expression was a mix of hope and frustration. "They're doing their best. They've managed to engineer existing antiretrovirals to delay the symptoms, but that's just buying time. It's not stopping the virus. It's a virus; there's a reason why there aren't many antivirals yet, even in the modern era."
Bell looked at the screen again, the death toll numbers a stark reminder of their situation. "So, we're in a race against time. We need to find a way to slow down its spread while searching for a cure."
"Exactly," Lisa agreed. "Our best bet right now is containment and symptom management. We need to keep researching, keep testing. There might be a breakthrough at any moment. Don't worry, Bell, I'm positive we won't be wiped out by a single virus alone."
"I hope so. Our military readiness is at an all-time low now," Bell added.
Currently, even the barracks had been turned into a makeshift treatment room due to the high number of symptomatic individuals requiring bed rest. The personnel patrolling the base had been reduced to its bare minimum, making any sudden surge of undeads not only deadly but also potentially devastating, especially if the hospital were to be damaged, given the high-value equipment it housed. The newly purchased armored vehicles, particularly the Strykers used for patrols, were also facing problems. Fortunately, most of them were deployed across the elven villages to provide security, as the main base already had a sustainable defense infrastructure for both air and ground threats.
"Anyway, that concludes it. I need to go to the hospital now," Lisa announced.
"Be safe," Bell replied, his attention back on his computer. As Lisa opened the door to leave, he gave her a quick glance and said, "And don't die, please?"
"C'mon, I won't. What's the worst that could happen? The only way I think it can go is up," Lisa joked. She had a point; so far, they had only been at the bottom of the barrel, and if something happened, they might end up at the top again. "See you later, Bell."
Lisa closed the door to his office, concluding their brief morning meeting about the outbreak. Bell then began to read the reports on his table, finding no signs of increased enemy activities or large numbers of undead approaching the base. So far, the virus remained their primary concern.
===Six Hours later===
As Bell sat in his office, deeply engrossed in thoughts about the viral crisis, a sudden commotion outside his door abruptly snapped him back to the present. The usually calm atmosphere of the base had transformed into a chaotic whirlwind of activity. He stood up, a growing unease gnawing at him. Suddenly, the blaring of sirens reverberated throughout the command center.
Military officers hurried past, their faces marked with concern, while technicians spoke urgently into their headsets, relaying critical messages. Bell swiftly returned to his office, grabbing his protective gear and assault rifle before rejoining the other officers in the hallway.
Approaching one of the officers, he inquired, "What's happening? Has there been a change in the outbreak, or is there something more urgent?"
The officer, recognizing Bell, came to an abrupt halt and saluted promptly. "No, sir. It's something different. We're detecting unusual energy signatures approaching the base. Command is trying to figure it out. You should head to the control room."
Energy signatures? Bell pondered. This was a shift from the medical crisis to a potential security threat. He expressed gratitude to the officer and quickly made his way to the control room. His mind raced with a multitude of possibilities. Were they under attack? Was it a new threat or an escalation of an existing one?
As he traversed the corridors, the base's alarm system blared to life, its piercing wail heightening the sense of urgency. Announcements reverberated through the halls, instructing all personnel to prepare for a potential emergency situation. This was unusual; not even an undead attack would typically warrant such a response.
Upon arriving at the control room, Bell was met with a scene of controlled chaos. Officers and analysts were huddled over screens. His entrance drew immediate attention, and a technician hurried over to him, a sense of urgency in his voice.
"Sir, we've got an anomaly," the technician reported, his voice tinged with urgency.
"What kind of anomaly?" Bell inquired, his gaze fixated on the radar screen. Multiple blips were approaching their location at an astonishing speed, faster than any dragon or wyvern they had ever encountered. The radar, an AN/TPS-77 Sentinel, displayed approximately 100 objects hurtling directly toward them at a blistering speed of 800 km/h, with their numbers steadily increasing. "What in the world are those?"
"I'm not sure, sir. Air defense is on high alert, with every MANPADS and SAMs we have assembled outside to repel them. But I'm afraid it may not be enough; the aether readings on these objects are off the charts. The VADSs are standing by, but catching them all may be a challenge. What's our plan?"
"30 MINUTES UNTIL IMPACT!" another technician urgently relayed.
"Damn it! Evacuate all civilians from the base immediately! Air defense, focus your efforts on protecting yourselves and the hospital. What are the odds of this building surviving a hit from those objects?" Bell inquired.
"I'm afraid, sir, I have no idea, but I agree, we shouldn't take any chances. Sir, head to the Blackhawk helicopter; it's the safest place for you. We'll clear this base soon, and your safety is our top priority," the technician added.
"Order Moore and the other platoon lieutenants to gather all available Anti-Aircraft assets at this location. Our air defense won't be sufficient; if one of those things hits, we'll be in deep trouble!" Bell shouted as he swiftly exited the control room.
"On it, sir! Stay safe!"