Story 1204: Patient Zero

INT. ABANDONED SUBWAY PLATFORM – EARLY MORNING

A low hum filled the air—pipes groaned, water dripped, and far-off echoes whispered like dying breaths. Jason, Lena, and Dr. Rho had wandered the undercity tunnels for hours. Hunger gnawed at their insides, but what waited above terrified them more.

They approached a sealed metro terminal lit only by flickering backup lights. On the wall: a faded biohazard symbol and a broken keypad.

DR. RHO (inspecting it):

“This was a Virologic Operations Unit. Level 3 containment. If records are still intact, they’ll be in here.”

JASON (flatly):

“And what are we looking for? A miracle?”

DR. RHO:

“No. We’re looking for him.”

Jason raised an eyebrow. Lena sat down, exhausted.

LENA:

“Who?”

DR. RHO:

“Patient Zero. The first confirmed infected subject. I believe he was brought here before the outbreak breached containment.”

A pause.

JASON:

“You think he’s still alive?”

DR. RHO (quietly):