Feed
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Put down the syringe, Governor, I said, keeping the gun level. Let her go.
Shaun, the CDC is piggybacking our feed, said Mahir. Theyre not stopping the transmission, but theyre definitely listening in. Dave and Alaric are maintaining the integrity, but I dont know that we can stop it if they want to cut us off.
Oh, they wont cut us off, will you, Dr. Wynne? I asked. I was starting to feel a little light-headed. This was all moving so damn fast.
Keep it together, dummy, hissed George. You think I want to be an only child?
Ive got it, George, I muttered.
Whats that? asked Mahir.
Nothing. Dr. Wynne? You there? If it was him, the CDC was with us. If it was anybody else
There was a crackle as the CDC broke into our channel. Here, Shaun, said the familiar southern drawn of Dr. Joseph Wynne. Mahir was swearing in the background. Are you in any danger?
Well, Governor Tates holding a syringe on Senator Rymans wife, and since the last two syringes weve seen have been full of Kellis-Amberlee, Im not betting this ones any different, I said. Ive got a gun on him, but I dont think I can shoot before he sticks her.
Were on our way. Can you stall him?
Doing my best. I forced my attention back to Governor Tate, who was watching me impassively. Come on, Governor. You know this is over. Why not put that thing down and go out like a man instead of like a murderer? More of one than you already are, I mean.
Not exactly diplomatic, there, Shaun, said Dr. Wynne in my ear.
Doing the best I can, I said.
Shaun, who are you talking to? asked Senator Ryman. He looked edgy. Having a crazy dude holding a syringe of live virus on his wife probably had something to do with that.
Dr. Joseph Wynne from the CDC, I said. Theyre on the way.
Thank God, breathed the senator.
Want to put it down now, Governor? I asked. You know this is over.
Governor Tate hesitated, looking from me to the senator and finally to the horrified, receding crowd. Suddenly weary, he shook his head, and said, Youre fools, all of you. You could have saved this country. You could have brought moral fiber back to America. His grip on Emily slackened. She pulled herself free, diving into her husbands embrace. Senator Ryman closed his arms around her and rose, backing away. Governor Tate ignored them. Your sister was a hack and a whore who would have f**ked Kellis himself if she thought it would get her a story. Shell be forgotten in a week, when your fickle little audience of bottom-feeders moves on to something more recent. But theyre going to remember me, Mason. They always remember the martyrs.
Well see, I said.
No, he said. We wont. In one fluid motion, he drove the syringe into his thigh and pressed the plunger home.
Emily Ryman screamed. Senator Ryman was shouting at the top of his lungs, ordering people to get back, to get to the elevators, behind secure doors, anything that would get them away from the man whod just turned himself into a living outbreak. Still looking at me, Governor Tate started to laugh.
Hey, George, I said, taking a few seconds to adjust my aim. There was no wind inside; that was a nice change. Less to compensate for. Check this out.
The sound of her .40 going off was almost drowned out by the screams of the crowd. Governor Tate stopped laughing and looked, for an instant, almost comically surprised before he slumped onto the table, revealing the ruined mess that had replaced the back of his head. I kept the gun trained on him, waiting for signs of further movement. After several moments had passed without any, I shot him three more times anyway, just to be sure. It never hurts to be sure.
People were still screaming, pushing past each other as they rushed for the doors. Mahir and Dr. Wynne were trying to shout over each other on our open channel, both demanding status reports, demanding to know whether I was all right, whether the outbreak had been contained. They were giving me a headache. I reached up and removed my ear cuff, putting it on the table. Let them shout. I was done listening. I didnt need to listen anymore.
See, George? I whispered. When did I start crying? It didnt matter. Tates blood looked just like Georges. It was red and bright now, but it would start to dry soon, turning brown, turning old, turning into something the world could just forget. I got him. I got him for you.
Good, she said.
Senator Ryman was shouting my name, but he was too far away to matter. Steve and Emily would never let him this close to a hot corpse. Until the CDC showed up, I could be alone. I liked that idea. Alone.
Taking two steps backward, I pulled out a chair and sat down at a table that would let me keep an eye on Tate. Just in case. There was a basket of breadsticks at the center, abandoned by fickle diners when the trouble started. I picked one up with my free hand and munched idly as I kept Georges gun trained on Tate. He didnt move. Neither did I. When the CDC arrived to take command of the site fifteen minutes later, we were still waiting, Tate with his pool of slowly drying blood, me with my basket of breadsticks. They seized the site, sealed it, and ushered us all away to quarantine and testing. I kept my eye on him as long as I could, watching for some sign that it wasnt over, that the story wasnt done. He never moved, and George didnt say a word, leaving me alone in the echoing darkness of my mind.
Was it worth it, George? Well, was it? Tell me, if you can, because I swear to God, I just dont know.
I dont know anything anymore.
CODA:
Dying For You
The next person who says Im sorry is going to get punched in the nose. Because Im sorry doesnt do a damn thing except remind me that this cant be fixed. This is my world now. And I dont want it.
Shaun, the CDC is piggybacking our feed, said Mahir. Theyre not stopping the transmission, but theyre definitely listening in. Dave and Alaric are maintaining the integrity, but I dont know that we can stop it if they want to cut us off.
Oh, they wont cut us off, will you, Dr. Wynne? I asked. I was starting to feel a little light-headed. This was all moving so damn fast.
Keep it together, dummy, hissed George. You think I want to be an only child?
Ive got it, George, I muttered.
Whats that? asked Mahir.
Nothing. Dr. Wynne? You there? If it was him, the CDC was with us. If it was anybody else
There was a crackle as the CDC broke into our channel. Here, Shaun, said the familiar southern drawn of Dr. Joseph Wynne. Mahir was swearing in the background. Are you in any danger?
Well, Governor Tates holding a syringe on Senator Rymans wife, and since the last two syringes weve seen have been full of Kellis-Amberlee, Im not betting this ones any different, I said. Ive got a gun on him, but I dont think I can shoot before he sticks her.
Were on our way. Can you stall him?
Doing my best. I forced my attention back to Governor Tate, who was watching me impassively. Come on, Governor. You know this is over. Why not put that thing down and go out like a man instead of like a murderer? More of one than you already are, I mean.
Not exactly diplomatic, there, Shaun, said Dr. Wynne in my ear.
Doing the best I can, I said.
Shaun, who are you talking to? asked Senator Ryman. He looked edgy. Having a crazy dude holding a syringe of live virus on his wife probably had something to do with that.
Dr. Joseph Wynne from the CDC, I said. Theyre on the way.
Thank God, breathed the senator.
Want to put it down now, Governor? I asked. You know this is over.
Governor Tate hesitated, looking from me to the senator and finally to the horrified, receding crowd. Suddenly weary, he shook his head, and said, Youre fools, all of you. You could have saved this country. You could have brought moral fiber back to America. His grip on Emily slackened. She pulled herself free, diving into her husbands embrace. Senator Ryman closed his arms around her and rose, backing away. Governor Tate ignored them. Your sister was a hack and a whore who would have f**ked Kellis himself if she thought it would get her a story. Shell be forgotten in a week, when your fickle little audience of bottom-feeders moves on to something more recent. But theyre going to remember me, Mason. They always remember the martyrs.
Well see, I said.
No, he said. We wont. In one fluid motion, he drove the syringe into his thigh and pressed the plunger home.
Emily Ryman screamed. Senator Ryman was shouting at the top of his lungs, ordering people to get back, to get to the elevators, behind secure doors, anything that would get them away from the man whod just turned himself into a living outbreak. Still looking at me, Governor Tate started to laugh.
Hey, George, I said, taking a few seconds to adjust my aim. There was no wind inside; that was a nice change. Less to compensate for. Check this out.
The sound of her .40 going off was almost drowned out by the screams of the crowd. Governor Tate stopped laughing and looked, for an instant, almost comically surprised before he slumped onto the table, revealing the ruined mess that had replaced the back of his head. I kept the gun trained on him, waiting for signs of further movement. After several moments had passed without any, I shot him three more times anyway, just to be sure. It never hurts to be sure.
People were still screaming, pushing past each other as they rushed for the doors. Mahir and Dr. Wynne were trying to shout over each other on our open channel, both demanding status reports, demanding to know whether I was all right, whether the outbreak had been contained. They were giving me a headache. I reached up and removed my ear cuff, putting it on the table. Let them shout. I was done listening. I didnt need to listen anymore.
See, George? I whispered. When did I start crying? It didnt matter. Tates blood looked just like Georges. It was red and bright now, but it would start to dry soon, turning brown, turning old, turning into something the world could just forget. I got him. I got him for you.
Good, she said.
Senator Ryman was shouting my name, but he was too far away to matter. Steve and Emily would never let him this close to a hot corpse. Until the CDC showed up, I could be alone. I liked that idea. Alone.
Taking two steps backward, I pulled out a chair and sat down at a table that would let me keep an eye on Tate. Just in case. There was a basket of breadsticks at the center, abandoned by fickle diners when the trouble started. I picked one up with my free hand and munched idly as I kept Georges gun trained on Tate. He didnt move. Neither did I. When the CDC arrived to take command of the site fifteen minutes later, we were still waiting, Tate with his pool of slowly drying blood, me with my basket of breadsticks. They seized the site, sealed it, and ushered us all away to quarantine and testing. I kept my eye on him as long as I could, watching for some sign that it wasnt over, that the story wasnt done. He never moved, and George didnt say a word, leaving me alone in the echoing darkness of my mind.
Was it worth it, George? Well, was it? Tell me, if you can, because I swear to God, I just dont know.
I dont know anything anymore.
CODA:
Dying For You
The next person who says Im sorry is going to get punched in the nose. Because Im sorry doesnt do a damn thing except remind me that this cant be fixed. This is my world now. And I dont want it.
