[i][b]…reports indicate that the virus is spreading from China to its neighboring countries—

…symptoms include bloodshot eyes, unusual changes in behavior, and—

…are now being spotted in the Philippines, Thailand, Brazil—[/b][/i]

“Jesus,” Rowen muttered to herself, shutting off the car radio. “Can’t they talk about anything else? I swear, this disease is the only thing on every station.” Her bitter remark, while intended to make light of the situation, only made her shudder in apprehension. The new virus really had become a hot topic within the last twenty-four hours. And to already be spreading to other countries, even one as far away as Brazil? It was more than slightly concerning. She hoped scientists would find a cure before there were any outbreaks in America. It was already hard enough to get through the day without having to worry about turning into a rabid freak.

Rowen spent the rest of her drive to the gas station imagining the ‘what if’s’ of the virus appearing in New York. Who would it affect? As a criminologist, would she have to deal with the insane victims that were captured? What would they do with them if there was no cure? What would she do if someone she knew caught it? What would she do if she caught it? The entire situation in her mind was unpleasant, so she abandoned it for more relaxing thoughts about her plans for the evening. She hoped to meet up with her friends after work and catch a movie at the theater or perhaps hit a local bar. Either way, she was grateful for the time to hang out and take a mental holiday from her work.

Pulling up to a self-service pump at the gas station, Rowen checked the time on her dashboard. It was one minute ‘til eight, so there was no chance that she would be on time for her shift. She just hoped the chief wouldn’t be too upset. She shut off her car engine and got out of the vehicle, entering her debit card information into the pump so she could fill her empty tank. Once it was ready and working, she leaned against the side of her and watched the numbers increase on the meter as her car was injected with gasoline. Fortunately, she had a fuel-efficient little Toyota and gas prices were currently low, so she wouldn’t be spending too much money.

After a few minutes, Rowen heard the soft [i]click[/i] signaling that the pump had turned off. She removed the nozzle from her car and placed it back in its slot at the machine. She was about to get back in the driver’s seat and head to work when she was startled by a loud crash. Spinning around in surprise, she saw two cars in the gas station parking lot collide.

“What the hell?” Rowen exclaimed when the initial shock of what just happened subsided. She quickly reached for her phone and dialed 911, but paused when she saw a figure running towards the accident. It took her a moment to recognize him, but when she did, she realized she had seen him at the police station before. He was one of the patrol officers, Jason… something. She blinked in confusion. Either the police were responding to calls faster than ever or coincidence was very much on her side today.

[i]911. What is your emergency?[/i]

Rowan jumped as the voice sounded over the phone. She shook her head. Right. She still had to call for an ambulance. The driver in the front car looked like she was unconscious, so she would need help. “Hi, there was an accident involving two cars at the Shell gas station on Main Street and Watterson. One of the drivers isn’t moving… I think she passed out. The other driver is still here too, but he’s still awake.”

[i]Thank you for letting us know. We’ll send help right away.[/i]

Rowen put her phone away, halfheartedly thinking about how odd it felt to call the police station when she worked there. She didn’t recognize the voice on the other end of the line, but she still wondered if the woman recognized her. [i]Oh God,[/i] she blanched. [i]What if she tells the chief? I’m supposed to be at work right now![/i] She hoped Chief Wilson might be little more understanding since there was an emergency at the gas station, but she didn’t count on it. She was a criminologist after all, not an officer. This wasn’t exactly her field of expertise.

Unsure of what to do, Rowen hesitated by her car, watching the events unfold. The woman in the first car was still out cold, but the driver in the second car was acting strangely. He was shouting what she could only guess were words in a foreign language because she didn’t understand any of them. She then noticed that he was Chinese and gave an involuntary shiver, remembering Casey’s video of the rabid man from that morning. [i]Stop that,[/i] she mentally chided herself. [i]You’re being paranoid.[/i]

The police officer she recognized as Jason approached the angry man and told him to get out of the vehicle. At first, the man didn’t seem to understand or care that he was being ordered by authority, but after a few minutes, he flung the door open. Rowen gasped when she got a better look at him. The Chinese man was shaking violently with pent-up energy and had bloodshot eyes… just like the man in the video. She still didn’t know if he was sick or somehow insane, but she did know he wasn’t safe to be around. And Jason was trying to apprehend him on his own.

Without a second thought, Rowen hurried towards the crashed vehicles, reaching them just as the man leaped out of his car to grab the officer by the throat. “Hey!” she shouted, drawing the Taser she kept at her waistband—she might not be a policewoman, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t armed—and firing it at the man. He seized up and fell to the ground, convulsing and screeching in an inhuman manner.

“What a way to start the morning, huh?” Rowen muttered as she put her Taser away. She glanced back at the young officer she had just assisted. “Jason, right? I don’t think we’ve ever formally met. I’m Rowen.” She paused as the sound of sirens rang through the air. “And there’s our backup.”