Free Infected (Book 2): The Flight by Caleb Cleek Page A

hadn’t slept last night, or if he had, he had slept in his cloths and hadn’t gotten much rest.
    “Good morning.” he said, as he placed a sheet of notes on the podium. “My name is Dr. Clark, and I work with the Centers for Disease Control.  As you all know, we are faced with an unprecedented situation.  A devastating virus is currently sweeping across the nation.  The death toll is rising at an exponential rate. There are many things about the virus that are unknown. What we do know is the virus is airborne and is extremely virulent.  Current figures are showing that the virus is fatal within six hours of exposure.  As many of you have seen in news reports, those who die from the disease are coming back to life approximately thirty minutes after death occurs. 
    “There are some precautions we are recommending that people take.  First of all, stay where you are.  If you are at home, do not leave your house.  If you happen to be at work, stay there.  The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from the virus is to prevent exposure to it in the first place.  We are asking people to remain calm.  Panic will not help the situation. 
    “If you come in contact with someone who is infected, we ask that you notify the nearest hospital and quarantine yourself for at least six hours.   Do not go to the hospital because, as of right now, there is nothing they can do for you and you are going to risk exposing large numbers of people. 
    “People who succumb to the illness and come back from the dead are easy to recognize.  They move very erratically.  They are unable to speak and their cognitive abilities are decreased to an instinctual level.  If you see such a person, notify the police and stay away from the individual.  They are extremely aggressive and, as you have probably already seen, will attack without any provocation.
    “We don’t know a lot about the revived dead, but we do know that they undergo drastic metabolic changes.  The only certain way to stop them is to destroy their brain.  We are not advocating that people begin hunting the revived dead, but if you encounter one and are forced to defend yourself, injuries that would kill a normal human being have no effect.  The infected are able to function indefinitely without their lungs.  We believe they need their heart, but even destroying the heart does not produce immediate death.  It is believed that they can live for upwards of twenty minutes without a beating heart.
    “I am not going to take questions at this time.  We will be making regular statements when more information is available.  At this point, all I can say is stay where you are.”
    As Dr. Clark folded his notes and placed them in his pocket, the reporters in the room exploded in a raucous uproar of questions that prevented any one individual from being heard. 
    Dr. Clark raised his hand and the room quieted.  “I will make another statement as soon as there is more to tell.” 
    As he turned to walk away, a booming voice erupted before it could be covered by the others.  “Doctor, how bad is it?” the man asked.
    Dr. Clark stopped mid-stride and turned back to the sea of reporters.  “It is the worst case scenario we could have imagined.  It is imperative that you shelter in place.  Stay where you are.” And he walked off the stage, disappearing behind the curtain, chased by the din of questions reverberating through the room.

Chapte r 12
    The broadcast on the television returned to the commentator.  Apparently, Dr. Clark’s speech had the same effect on her as it had on the viewers in the break room.  She sat silent for several seconds before she started. “We have just heard Dr. Clark at the CDC shed some light on what is happening.  We learned the infection is caused by a virus.  Dr. Clark has advised everyone to take shelter wherever they are.  It is your best hope to avoid contact with what we are learning is a highly contagious