13. Sleeper
Nov. 2nd, 2010 10:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rossi"Here she is. The cause of this whole damn thing. Patient zero."
"She's just a child. How old is she?"
"Just turned sixteen. It was her birthday when..."
"When she presented. And we're sure she was the first?"
"Positive. It took a while to track her down, but the dates are conclusive. She was the first case."
"That bandage on her hand. What happened?"
"She cut herself. It isn't more than a pinprick, but it's how the virus spread. At first we thought it was blood-borne, but when cases appeared after she was brought to the ER, we checked. Everyone in the ER that day was a victim. Even the ones nowhere in range of physical contact."
"So she was a carrier. Once her blood was exposed to air, the virus became active."
"But viruses don't work like that. As a carrier, she should have been immune. Look at her. Sleeping like the rest of the city."
"Normal viruses don't work that way, no."
"Wait. Are you saying..."
"A virus that spreads over a city of several million in only a few days. No cure or treatment. Hidden in the cells of a pretty young girl until the right moment. I'm saying what everyone is thinking."
"But why just put everyone to sleep? Wouldn't killing them... us be more effective?"
"If you wanted to wipe your enemies out, certainly. If you wanted to conquer them, it makes far more sense to infect them with a virus to which you hold the cure and which can be used to control the population. Why fill the city with rotting corpses, attracting disease and scavengers, when you could have a captive workforce available at any moment you chose? No chance of rebellion either, with this virus in their blood; they would have to serve if they wished to remain awake."
"That's... diabolical. Surely no-one would consider such a thing?"
"You think like a doctor. I can assure you, not only would someone do such a thing, they would ensure it was appropriately tested. Even if the test subjects had to be our own people."
"Our own... Wait, what are you doing? My suit!"
"My apologies, doctor. I am only doing what I must, for the good of the nation. We may not be at war yet, but it is inevitable. This virus will in fact save billions."
"..."
"Sweet dreams, doctor."
"She's just a child. How old is she?"
"Just turned sixteen. It was her birthday when..."
"When she presented. And we're sure she was the first?"
"Positive. It took a while to track her down, but the dates are conclusive. She was the first case."
"That bandage on her hand. What happened?"
"She cut herself. It isn't more than a pinprick, but it's how the virus spread. At first we thought it was blood-borne, but when cases appeared after she was brought to the ER, we checked. Everyone in the ER that day was a victim. Even the ones nowhere in range of physical contact."
"So she was a carrier. Once her blood was exposed to air, the virus became active."
"But viruses don't work like that. As a carrier, she should have been immune. Look at her. Sleeping like the rest of the city."
"Normal viruses don't work that way, no."
"Wait. Are you saying..."
"A virus that spreads over a city of several million in only a few days. No cure or treatment. Hidden in the cells of a pretty young girl until the right moment. I'm saying what everyone is thinking."
"But why just put everyone to sleep? Wouldn't killing them... us be more effective?"
"If you wanted to wipe your enemies out, certainly. If you wanted to conquer them, it makes far more sense to infect them with a virus to which you hold the cure and which can be used to control the population. Why fill the city with rotting corpses, attracting disease and scavengers, when you could have a captive workforce available at any moment you chose? No chance of rebellion either, with this virus in their blood; they would have to serve if they wished to remain awake."
"That's... diabolical. Surely no-one would consider such a thing?"
"You think like a doctor. I can assure you, not only would someone do such a thing, they would ensure it was appropriately tested. Even if the test subjects had to be our own people."
"Our own... Wait, what are you doing? My suit!"
"My apologies, doctor. I am only doing what I must, for the good of the nation. We may not be at war yet, but it is inevitable. This virus will in fact save billions."
"..."
"Sweet dreams, doctor."
