Free Brent Acuff - Undead Nation 02 by Rescue

Donovan, and really, I'm just waiting for my turn. Shut up and let the man talk."
    Marshal fumed at having been reprimanded for the second time tonight, but in no way felt like enduring the embarrassment that Donovan had forced on him.  
    Dr. Cahn spoke up, trying to break some of the tension. "There had to be more to the plan than just containment and extermination."
    "There was," Alex continued. "Once the city-states were at least somewhat secured by the military, expeditionary forces would then head out into the countryside to secure sources of food. Farms, ranches, orchards...all were fair game and of vital importance to the survival of the country."
    "Wait a minute," Donovan said. "Phase two was to take over farms and ranches? Alex, are you sure that this plan of yours was trashed? It sounds to me like what happened at New Hope is exactly along those lines, doesn't it?"
    Alex nodded his head in agreement. "I think you might be right. But for sure, the plan wasn't instituted immediately or even in its full measure. Securing the farms and ranches was slated to begin within two to three weeks after the initial outbreak was determined. We were at New Hope, what...between two and three months before the military arrived? No, I'd say that, while it looks like at least some of the plan has been put into action, it was done quite a while after the initial outbreak, and possibly changed quite a bit before it was used."
    "How can you be sure that it was changed?" Marshal asked. Alex turned to him with a look that seemed he had forgotten the man was even there. "Because, the major cities haven't been firebombed yet."
    "What?!" It wasn't clear who made the exclamation, but it came from numerous voices at the same time.  
    "Why would you do something like that?" Marshal cried.
    "Again, it's simple." Alex stated as a matter of fact. "Where are you biggest concentrations of infected going to be?"
    The question hung in the air and not one person wanted to answer it.
    "The biggest concentrations of infected individuals are going to be where there are large numbers of people in a small area. Mainly large, heavily populated areas. Especially in areas where there are large hospitals. People get sick, or think they are sick, and they rush the emergency rooms. The virus spreads like mad." Alex shook his head again. "The hard choices, remember? The smaller city-states were ferreting out the infections and exterminating them. You have to do the same with the large cities, but on a much larger scale. Target the areas of highest concentration -- hospitals, government buildings, schools -- and you drop a fire bomb, effectively burning away those areas of infections."
    "Schools? Schools?! You would fire bomb little kids?" This time it was Liam who sounded shocked.
    "It's horrific, but unfortunately..." Dr. Cahn was coming to Alex's aid this time. "He's right. Many communities use schools and town halls, gathering places, and emergency shelters. They are going to draw as many infected as the hospitals, if not more." Dr. Cahn looked hard at Alex. "And if I'm following your thought, the city centers would be next."
    Alex nodded. "Correct. People will already be scared when the hospitals and schools go up. You add the city centers with their government offices, and you can almost guarantee that most of the people will shut themselves inside until everything dies down. If they are inside, they are contained, effectively containing any infections that they may be carrying. All you can pray for now is that any family members inside with the infected don't let them out. That's going to happen and there is nothing you can do about it. High estimates say that you can effectively contain fifteen percent of the infected this way. Fifteen is better than zero."
    "But a long way from one hundred," Liam broke in.
    "Fifteen percent is pretty good considering what we are faced with. Here in the States we have open cities with many roads leading in and out. England