Ch 5: Mr president -2

A few hours earlier…

At the Red House

The President was holding a meeting, his face etched with tension. Nearly twenty key members were present in the meeting room, all critical figures who ran TARCIA from the Red House.

Among them were the Air Force Head Officer, top scientists, leading doctors, the Defense Head, and other essential personnel. Every face in the room reflected deep concern.

"Mr. Carter?"

The President asked, glancing at Carter's empty chair.

"Mr. President, I called him. He might be running late," the Air Attack Force Head responded.

"Hmm…"

The President didn't press further about Carter and turned to his right.

"Dr. Shelby, tell us about this international threat."

At that, all the officers and members turned their attention to Dr. Shelby.

"Mr. President, do you remember last month when I told you about the new virus?" Dr. Shelby's voice carried clear fear and urgency.

"I remember. Mr. Carter had those virus patients executed a month ago," the President confirmed, recalling the event.

"Yes… but the virus wasn't completely eradicated. Last night, twenty patients were admitted to the city hospital, and when we investigated, we found the same virus. My research team began studying it, and we discovered that the virus is evolving—and it's evolving rapidly," Dr. Shelby said.

"Virus evolving?" Defense Head Mr. Morris interrupted, shocked.

Dr. Shelby looked at Mr. Morris and continued, "Yes, it's evolving. In my entire career, I've never seen a virus evolve like this until now. When I saw it, I was shocked. This virus exhibits extremely aggressive behavior. A month ago, when we tested patients with this same virus, we didn't see any signs of evolution." Dr. Shelby paused, wiping sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief as he spoke.

"Can you explain, Dr. Shelby, why the virus didn't show signs of evolving before?" the President asked in a serious tone.

"Perhaps the cold environment prevented it from evolving. That's just my hypothesis based on the situation. Now that summer has started and temperatures are rising rapidly, it's likely triggering the virus's evolution," Dr. Shelby replied.

"So, Dr. Shelby, you're declaring an international threat based on your hypothesis?"

A heavyset man, Mr. Dock, spoke with no trace of seriousness on his face, clearly trying to undermine Dr. Shelby with his words.

All eyes turned to Mr. Dock. Some glared at him angrily, while others nodded in agreement with his skepticism.

Dr. Shelby looked at Mr. Dock, his tone tinged with irritation. "Mr. Dock, let me make this clear: this Z-Virus has been dormant in a cold environment for millions of years. We're certain it originated from the ICENTRICA continent. When the warm weather began, the Z-Virus became active.

It's beyond our current knowledge and technology. We haven't found a way to neutralize it. Every test we've conducted—when we exposed the Z-Virus to other viruses—it consumed them in mere moments. Every virus we pitted against it was destroyed, as if it were food for the Z-Virus. From these tests, we've concluded that this Z-Virus is extremely dangerous. It poses a threat to humanity. Any more doubts?"

"Tch."

Mr. Dock made a face, clearly displeased by Dr. Shelby's reasoned explanation.

"So, Dr. Shelby, can you tell us more? Like how this Z-Virus spreads?" asked a member sitting next to Dr. Shelby.

"We haven't been able to determine how it spreads or what it transmits through, but we're trying to find out," Dr. Shelby replied.

"How long does it take for the Z-Virus to evolve?" Another member asked, as the group began firing questions one by one.

"We're not certain, but the Z-Virus evolves very quickly—perhaps in a matter of hours or days," Dr. Shelby answered, addressing each question as the room grew increasingly tense.

The President engaged in discussions with everyone and began issuing orders to the twenty key members one by one.

"Mr. Morris, mobilize your forces immediately. Find everyone who has recently returned from the ICENTRICA continent and quarantine them," the President ordered, grasping the severity of the situation.

"Yes, Mr. President," Mr. Morris replied, moving to leave with urgency in his actions.

"And order all military forces to immediately build safe shelters. Those who aren't infected must stay quarantined there for days or even months. Stock the shelters with every necessity. We don't know if this apocalypse is coming, but we must be fully prepared," the President continued.

"Alright, everyone, start issuing orders from your posts immediately. And remember, none of us can afford to get infected, because we are the ones who can save TARCIA," the President emphasized.

"And....Dr. Shelby, find a solution to this Z-Virus as quickly as possible," the President said sternly to Dr. Shelby in closing.

"Yes, Mr. President, my team is already working on it," Dr. Shelby replied.

"Alright, this meeting is over," the President concluded.With that, the meeting ended, and everyone began leaving the meeting room.

....

President Jameson's Home..

After a grueling six-hour meeting filled with tension, President Jameson returned home at 17:30 p.m. His house was a half-hour drive from the Red House. His elite bodyguards followed closely behind and took positions outside his home, holding fully loaded guns.

Jameson hurried into the house, an eerie fear etched on his face. On the way, he had called his wife multiple times, but no one answered, which made him increasingly afraid. He knew what that fear was.

During the meeting, when Dr. Shelby mentioned the ICENTRICA continent, Jameson had been struck with dread. His son, Maxson, had visited ICENTRICA in November. Since returning, his condition had been deteriorating steadily, and by March, he had become gravely ill.

He couldn't eat or drink, lying in bed and making strange, pained noises. Only a few top doctors knew about this, as Jameson had kept it hidden. If word had gotten out, Mr. Carter would have taken Maxson and executed him.

Despite Jameson's efforts to help his son recover, the doctors were baffled by the unknown illness and its bizarre symptoms.

"Is the Z-Virus Dr. Shelby described evolving in my son?" Jameson thought, consumed with worry as he entered the house. The atmosphere inside felt strange—eerily silent.

He rushed to Maxson's room and found his wife, Jane, sobbing, with three top doctors standing with their heads bowed. Jameson instantly knew something was terribly wrong with his son. He hurried to the bedside and saw that Maxson's heartbeat had stopped.

He waited a moment, then turned to the doctors and asked, "Dr. Tom, what happened? Why isn't his heartbeat coming back?" Jamson know this virus symptoms

"Mr. President, please forgive us. We've tried multiple shocks, but it hasn't returned. We're completely baffled by this disease," Dr. Tom admitted, expressing their helplessness.

"There must be something else you can try…" Jameson began, but his wife interrupted from behind.

"D-Darling… look, Maxson's opened his eyes!"Jameson turned quickly and saw Maxson, a brief flicker of joy crossing his face. But that joy lasted only a moment.

When he looked closely at Maxson, he felt something dangerous. Maxson's eyes were blood-red, and a creepy, guttural sound began emanating from his mouth.

"Grrr… gtrrrr… rarrrrr…"

"Jane, get away from Maxson now!"

Jameson shouted, realizing that this wasn't his son anymore but something dangerous—a terrifying creature.

"W-What… w-why…?"

Jane asked, confused, turning to look at Maxson. In that instant, he attacked her throat.

"Argghghh…!"

The sudden attack left the three doctors and President Jameson stunned, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

Before their eyes, Maxson tore out Jane's throat. She collapsed to the floor, writhing in pain, her vocal cords severed.

"Graarrrraaaaa…"

Maxson—or whatever the Z-Virus had turned him into—charged toward the doctors with unnatural speed. His movements were eerie, and the three doctors screamed in terror.

"W-What… is this…? H-Help…!"

They scrambled toward the door, but before Dr. Tom and the other two could open it, Maxson attacked them, targeting their throats just as he had Jane's.

"N-No…! Argghhhh!"

Dr. Tom, terrified, tried to save himself by pushing his remaining colleague toward Maxson.

"Y-You bastard… Tom…!

Urghhhaaaa… argghah!"

Maxson attacked the second doctor's throat.

"H...help…! Help!!..."

Dr. Tom bolted toward the door, slamming it shut behind him and running to the elite bodyguards outside for help.

With the door closed, Maxson turned back, his mouth and entire front drenched in blood. He began moving toward President .

Jameson, in shock from his wife's death, didn't notice the doctors' screams. He sat beside Jane, tears welling in his eyes, holding her throat to stem the bleeding, but it was no use—her breathing stopped.

"Ahhh… my love…" he whispered.

Then, the body lying before him began to move. Before Jameson could process it, Jane's eyes opened, and she bit his right hand, which was still on her throat.

"Ahhhhh!" Jameson screamed in pain.

At that moment—

BAM!

The door burst open.

"Mr. President!"

The elite bodyguards rushed in, scanning the room. To their left, they saw the bodies of two doctors. In front of them, a figure—Maxson—making strange noises and advancing toward Jameson.

The bodyguards recognized him as the President's son but quickly realized he must have been the attacker. Without hesitation, they opened fire on Maxson.

BANG~BANG~BANG~BANG~BANG...

Five gunshots rang out.Maxson's body collapsed to the floor, but he wasn't dead.

"Grrrraa… arrrrr…"

Immediately, four elite bodyguards surrounded the President, shielding him, while two kept watch on Maxson's writhing body.