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You load your custom software for connecting to protected servers and begin a series of searches for any information on the outbreak. First, you search the major US and global health agencies. Deep within secure archives lies classified reports to the National Institutes of Health from Dr. Giovanni D'Angelo on a virus called Zeta, which invades the body through fluid transfer, either blood or mucous, heading through the central nervous system, and living in the host's brain. The virus has an accelerated incubation period, eventually taking over basic functions of thought. The infected loses higher brain functions such as speech, cognition, and even pain recognition. Once the virus has filled the brain, the host turns into a hyper-aggressive machine with the sole purpose of passing on the virus, typically by biting other non-infected humans or tearing the flesh and transmitting through blood or saliva. Early tests on a treatment for the infection proved unsuccessful, and only destroying the infected area of the brain caused cessation of bodily functions.

Next, you search various American military and United Nations servers for recent articles, memos, and classified documents on the outbreak. Most of the servers are highly trafficked, and the only information you find relates to military orders for civilian defense and mobilizing personnel to support highly populated cities. But then you get the idea to search these servers with the name Giovanni D'Angelo. A series of document titles pop up on the screen. It becomes clear that Dr. D'Angelo had a civilian contract with the Army, and his work with the Zeta virus goes back to almost a year ago. He ran a team in Japan working on highly contagious viruses as early as June 2010, though most of the articles have stricken content or missing files.

Your mind reels at the idea that this virus was being studied a year ago. The government sponsored a team to research the virus, yet our country seems so ill-prepared for the outbreak. You log out of the server and stare at the blank screen. Could this all have been prevented?