been reported. The doctor is conducting an abbreviated field autopsy and we’re setting up a perimeter in case more of those things try to attack us.”
“What are you talking about? I want to know why your men opened fire and who shot that man. We need to start gathering information for the investigation into the shooting of an American citizen. Oh, and take the shooter’s weapon, we need to get the MPs to arrest him. Sergeant…” he attempted to hail the MP, “Sergeant Owens, what is that MP’s name?”
“Sir, you’ve been out of the loop for a little while, this wasn’t a normal man that our guys shot, there’s something about this guy, and others down there apparently, that the doctor is trying to determine. The men were attacked and they responded with appropriate force.”
“Sergeant Owens, need I remind you that I am your commanding officer and I said we will conduct an investigation into this murder?”
“Actually colonel,” Doctor Collins stood up from the body and wiped his gloves on the pants of his suit, “I am now in charge of the situation. You can contact General Reeves and he’ll tell you that my agency has been given control of this site and all personnel exposed to those infected with this disease.”
“Who the fuck do you think you are, doctor?”
“Sir, I’m the Army’s chief scientist for biological infections, and now, I’m in charge of this site. As such, I have a couple questions for you. First, why did you enter the building?”
“I don’t have to answer to you, captain. These are my men and this is my site.”
“Sir, this will go a lot easier if you just contact your commanding officer then.”
The colonel started to say something, but instead turned to Specialist Givens and snatched the hand mike from him and turned off the speakers attached to the radio. The small crowd around him could hear him talking lowly, but not what he was saying. When he turned around, the answer was written on his face. “I went into the building to use the latrine, I had to shit and didn’t want to crap out here in the courtyard.”
“Thank you sir. Who is this you have with you?”
The injured man, who up until this point had been lying back tiredly in the chair, leaned forward, “Name’s Lieutenant Colonel Bryce Colton. I work in the Air Force Personnel Directorate here at the Pentagon.”
Doctor Collins gestured for his men with the camera and notebook, “Alright sir. As you’ve recently heard, I’m in charge of this investigation,” he stuck out a gloved hand, “Jeremy Collins. You are the first survivor we’ve found. Please tell me everything you can remember about the attack and what’s happened over the past two days.”
“Two days?” Bryce shook his head, “No way, I passed out only a few hours ago.”
“I can assure you sir, that it has been two days since the attack. The details are sketchy about the events in the auditorium; do you have any knowledge of that?”
“Hell yeah, I was there, killed one of those bastards in a knife fight too. Um, guess I should start at the beginning. I was down at the retirement ceremony for the Chief of Naval Operations and things had just kicked off. Right as his aide-de-camp started his introduction speech all hell broke loose. First there was an announcement that a chemical attack had taken place and everyone needed to put on their masks. So everyone started to stampede out the door because they didn’t bring their mask. Then the guys who had been setting up the cakes and doughnuts started attacking people with knives. I don’t know how many people ended up getting killed or injured before the police came in and shot them. Oh, and they were speaking Arabic or some Middle East dialect, I’ve been there a few times, so I recognized the sound of it.
“Then, I talked to a detective for a couple hours and went back to my cubicle. I called my daughter, oh my God, my
“What are you talking about? I want to know why your men opened fire and who shot that man. We need to start gathering information for the investigation into the shooting of an American citizen. Oh, and take the shooter’s weapon, we need to get the MPs to arrest him. Sergeant…” he attempted to hail the MP, “Sergeant Owens, what is that MP’s name?”
“Sir, you’ve been out of the loop for a little while, this wasn’t a normal man that our guys shot, there’s something about this guy, and others down there apparently, that the doctor is trying to determine. The men were attacked and they responded with appropriate force.”
“Sergeant Owens, need I remind you that I am your commanding officer and I said we will conduct an investigation into this murder?”
“Actually colonel,” Doctor Collins stood up from the body and wiped his gloves on the pants of his suit, “I am now in charge of the situation. You can contact General Reeves and he’ll tell you that my agency has been given control of this site and all personnel exposed to those infected with this disease.”
“Who the fuck do you think you are, doctor?”
“Sir, I’m the Army’s chief scientist for biological infections, and now, I’m in charge of this site. As such, I have a couple questions for you. First, why did you enter the building?”
“I don’t have to answer to you, captain. These are my men and this is my site.”
“Sir, this will go a lot easier if you just contact your commanding officer then.”
The colonel started to say something, but instead turned to Specialist Givens and snatched the hand mike from him and turned off the speakers attached to the radio. The small crowd around him could hear him talking lowly, but not what he was saying. When he turned around, the answer was written on his face. “I went into the building to use the latrine, I had to shit and didn’t want to crap out here in the courtyard.”
“Thank you sir. Who is this you have with you?”
The injured man, who up until this point had been lying back tiredly in the chair, leaned forward, “Name’s Lieutenant Colonel Bryce Colton. I work in the Air Force Personnel Directorate here at the Pentagon.”
Doctor Collins gestured for his men with the camera and notebook, “Alright sir. As you’ve recently heard, I’m in charge of this investigation,” he stuck out a gloved hand, “Jeremy Collins. You are the first survivor we’ve found. Please tell me everything you can remember about the attack and what’s happened over the past two days.”
“Two days?” Bryce shook his head, “No way, I passed out only a few hours ago.”
“I can assure you sir, that it has been two days since the attack. The details are sketchy about the events in the auditorium; do you have any knowledge of that?”
“Hell yeah, I was there, killed one of those bastards in a knife fight too. Um, guess I should start at the beginning. I was down at the retirement ceremony for the Chief of Naval Operations and things had just kicked off. Right as his aide-de-camp started his introduction speech all hell broke loose. First there was an announcement that a chemical attack had taken place and everyone needed to put on their masks. So everyone started to stampede out the door because they didn’t bring their mask. Then the guys who had been setting up the cakes and doughnuts started attacking people with knives. I don’t know how many people ended up getting killed or injured before the police came in and shot them. Oh, and they were speaking Arabic or some Middle East dialect, I’ve been there a few times, so I recognized the sound of it.
“Then, I talked to a detective for a couple hours and went back to my cubicle. I called my daughter, oh my God, my
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