your survival bag. And I think at the very least we’ve been in stasis long enough to be forgotten. My hair is white. I didn’t have gray hair. It didn’t grow, but it lost all color.”
Nora asked. “So you think we’ve been in stasis for a while and everything is fine.”
“Depends on fine. I’m going to be the pessimist here. The virus failed. Knowing the state of the world, I’m willing to bet war broke out as well. We need a plan for when we leave here and one that doesn’t involve heading home to our families and returning to normal. Because that’s not going to happen.”
“Ladies,” Malcolm spoke rushed as he stepped into storage. “I cracked the code. I found the rest of the video.”
With no more being said, they hurriedly followed Malcolm.
Malcolm excitedly, positioned himself in front of the computer while the others circled around. “We all got to see the whole wake up video. The one that said that after forty-eight hours we’d get more info? Right? Well, the forty-eight hour mark came and went, no video. The reason was, the first video was timed with the wake up setting for each unit.” Malcolm looked at Jason. “Your unit and Nora’s were first, then after a half hour, the others were timed to play every five minutes to coincide with the units. Understand?”
Jason nodded.
“Well, the second video wasn’t on automatic. It was in there, but my guess … someone from outside the doors was supposed to play it. No one pressed play so the video didn’t roll.”
Nora gasped. “No one is out there.”
Malcolm held up a hand in defense. “I’m not saying that. I’m just saying someone didn’t press play. There are cameras. Four of them.” From the far side of the computer he pulled forward a small ball shaped object. “This is my invention. My cam. They were here. I actually found the uplink to these first. The signal for the camera was sent when the units released us all.”
Nora asked. “We don’t know if anyone saw the images the camera sent.”
Malcolm shook his head. “No.”
“Have you watched the video?” Jason asked.
“Some.” Malcolm answered.
“Play it,” urged John. “What are you waiting for?”
Malcolm turned toward the computer. He clicked the video.
The same man from the previous videos appeared.
“Good morning. My name is Dr. Raymond Harrison. By now, you are oriented and remember who you are and where you were. If by chance, you are having problems, I am sure Dr. Rosewood has talked to you about the side effects.”
Everyone looked at Nora.
She cringed with an apologetic look.
Dr. Harrison’s video continued. “ On September 17, all of you were in New York City and in the same hotel. This is not by coincidence. Each of you were carefully selected because of your skills and knowledge. Each of you represents many aspects of humanity. Law, music, mechanical, agriculture and so forth. I could go on, however I am sure you know by now what each other represents. You were chosen because in the event that the human race or civilization needs to be rebuilt, each of you possess a part of a whole system that would work together to do such a task.”
John turned to Grant. “Considering there are only eight of us, there goes that theory.”
“This is a plan that has been in motion for many years. At the hotel a diversion was set so that each of you could be retrieved. You were placed in what is called the Genesis unit, they were designed by Rosewood Institute for cryogenic studies. Not even Dr. Rosewood knew the date that the project would be implemented. She was released from the unit at the same time as Reverend Rudolph. She was to explain and he was to be the spiritual guidance.”
Again, all eyes shifted for a moment to Nora.
“On September 24, in an extreme attempt to save humanity from extinction by way of mass culling, a virus was released. A hybrid measles based virus that would infect fifty percent of the population and kill
Ralph Peters
COE 3.1.
Caridad Piñeiro
Jim Dawson
Kris Kennedy
Kelly Hall
Nancy Gideon
Sabrina Garie
J. A. Jance
Kym Grosso