Chapter 9 - No Sick No Cure!

"It was only a matter of time before we could come to loose hope... The Professor was working on John, but I know something's not right! I wanted to talk to the Professor myself knowing there might be something he knows that we don't... I also think of a possibility where John may never wake up.

I want to confirm what needs to be done so I can take action myself! These survivors may not believe in me as much as I do in John, But I just have to show them who I am... John You may wonder as you sleep who's gonna take over, but I'll tell you this... My Name is Bill Hudson and I will be the last Hope!"

4 Months After Mutation... (09:41 AM)

"It's been a whole day since John collapsed and it doesn't seem like something minor, what do we do?" Jane asked.

Everyone gather at the cafeteria again to breakfast again.

"Have anyone seen the Professor...?" Milla asked.

"Sleeping in the lab, he's been working all night, god knows what..." Bill said.

"By the way... I need to talk to him about what needs to be done, there's a chance John might not wake up... We have to do this ourselves!" Bill Suggested to everyone.

"There's no way I'm going out there without Him!" Grace replied.

"Yeah... he's the only one I trust with my life!" Stacy said.

"The girls are right... we need a leader for better chance of survival... Besides we need someone who knows how to deal with any kind of crisis..." Jane said looking at Bill.

"Bill is right... What if John never wakes up? we don't have a choice but to do this ourselves... ever think for the fact that we also need to run out for medication for John?" Milla said with a stressed voice.

"I'll do my best to keep everyone safe, and even if you think that I'm unfit for the job, Jane definitely is... She's got weapons and also military experience, We can do it if we work together on this..." Bill said as he tries to encourage everyone.

"It might be too risky... When John wakes up and we're out there dying... All hope is lost!" Jane shouted.

"If we do nothing and John doesn't ever wake up, then there's no Hope to begin with!" Milla shouted back.

"How the fuck did you even survived? your Story we have to hear... If it is well enough I might consider your silly little plan..." Jane said with an angry face expression.

"I don't really have a story, just that I didn't have much family before this shit, and I lost whatever family I had left... I don't know this John Mother fucking guy well, but it was just as hard for us as it was for him... Even before we met him we all had to survived at this point... I was back in the hood at my sister's house... she was busy preparing a meal while her boyfriend watched TV... I was in the backyard hanging up the laundry.

Everything seemed fine and normal until I heard a window break and Elly screamed... when I got inside, I watched the only family I had get eaten right in front of me... Her boyfriend Luke helped me survived for a few days... I ended up having Sex with him and two days before I met Bill over here, He died protecting me from two infected... I made a run for it without turning back.

I still have nightmares of what happened that day... Anyway in the two days I was walking and hiding to stay alive... The thought I had about not knowing anything had me crazy for hours... I finally got to a place I knew, then I saw the cafe shop I used to work in and took shelter there... on the third day, Bill and a kid came in breaking the door... I never knew there were still one of the infected inside since I never made a fuss... I pretty much ran out of food and options, but meeting Bill that afternoon kept me going... He told me about John and the plan made to find a lab and we got here first... If there's a way to stop this, we need to act now before it gets worse!" Milla said wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"Okay... Bill you go see the Professor Stacy and Grace... You girls go propare! Milla... You know how to use a gun?" Jane asked Milla after instructed everyone else.

"Bitch you playing? I'm from the hood... I grew up with that shit...!" Milla answered with confidence.

"Great... you now my wing man, We do this my way! We get the details from Bill and then we head out..." Jane explained to Milla.

Jane move to the room she slept last night to prepare for a fight with the undead.

Bill arrives at the lab and Professor Ivan opens the door.

"Professor... We're about to head out to find a walking freak for you, I'm also here to discuss everything you might need us to do out there..." Bill said.

"Are you sure you want to do this, I just learned a lot about this Virus... Also I won't just need any Walking Corpse... I'm going to need one of the bodies that swallowed OMEGA187... I don't even think you'll be able to find anyone of them really soon..." The Professor said with a serious face.

"Tell me where I can find them and how do we tell them apart?" Bill asked.

"That's impossible... Only Kevin would know of people he gave the drugs to and only he and his friends would know their faces in order to know which are the pure infected... All the other infected and the ones who changed are copies of the original virus... Which means compared to the pure infected the others have many more side effects missing... Remember not all viruses remain the same when reaching from one blood to another, meaning some of them that is pure tends to change a lot in the first blood contamination and by being passed on to the next blood, it becomes slightly different meaning that only the first contaminated are the pure infected, those bitten or inhale of gas are mere copies..." Professor Ivan explained.

"Wait Professor... Do you mean that we need to find the first people who died from a drug and then bring back here?"

"That's correct... Maybe one of his friends took some and is now out there as one of them..." He said.

"John knew one of them... Damn it! Now we really do need him on this plan... How's he holding up Professor?" Bill asked looking at John's body through the glass chamber.

"Because of him I learned a lot, maybe before heading out I can study him a bit more to see if there is something missing..." Professor said while rubbing his chin.

"How long do you really need just to check what's wrong with him? Professor Ivan! I know you're hiding something... I need you to tell me right now..." Bill said with anger.

"even if I did... You wouldn't believe me..." Professor said.

"Listen to me... With all the shit that's been going on out there nothing is impossible anymore, now can you think that I would Fucking believe any Shit you say right now!?" Bill shouted.

"Okay... I will tell you, but you shouldn't tell the others... I kept this a secret from all of you because you might end up to be a thread to John..." Professor Ivan said.

"What do you mean thread?" Bill asked confused.

"Listen to me... John's infected!" Professor Ivan whisper loudly.

"What? Oh God no... Is he turning?" Bill asked with a sad voice and holding his head.

"No... I don't think so... When I first checked for any cut wounds I saw something on his left leg... I believe it was a bite wound, but only it happened to be at least 4 Months old.

I wanted to figure out why he hasn't changed yet, so I managed to buy me some time... I had no idea what was happening and so I started to examine John's body to find some answers... It's amazing how much data I found! But it wasn't enough... I wanted to learn what makes him different from all the other people out there... I don't think you even understand how important this man is right here... with him, I only need more time to examine... As it is He might be the only one Imune to OMEGA187!

You see I needed to know how he could cope 4 Months with the virus while others couldn't even exceed 7 minutes... Other than the police code for 'Dead' The 187 serum also had a code sequence... Before I can explain further I need to tell you what the drug is...

I was working on a serum to help reduce the effect of Alzeimers... It was a serum for people 60 years and older... In some way it wasn't complete, I had to filter it up to 40% to make it safe to use... The best option was to transform the liquid to a inhale gas, but the results I already knew would still be fatal... So I needed more time and more equipment and the General had me move to this facility... Professor Diana Smith was quite smart, I left some of the data with her as a backup, should I fail... I thought she could find something I couldn't.

She called me to show result into a gas, but to reduce effects from the serum was to mix it with something similar to p53... specific cells that mutated into DNA cells that can sense damage into the body... Because OMEGA is more like a symbiotic Cells that requires a host to function correctly... She also said that in order to maintain the proliferation of the body cells, OMEGA requires a cell strong enough to resist signals and break the Symbiosis into a smaller substance within the brain tissue... By breaking the substance into smaller groups, you can finally reduce the risk of using OMEGA as a stimulation drug... This would be the only way to get the serum to work, but after the Mutation of the drug and the cells are made, using a gas method would no longer work... she sent the data back to me with results so I can further study the best way to recreate OMEGA into a safe usable drug with no side effects... So I checked what kind of cells the body needed to bind with OMEGA in the DNA system and I realize that you would need something similar to Cancer cells, but normal ones would result in early death... So It was clear I needed to completely copy the genetic sequence of a cancer cell in a controlled environment... But this could cause fracture in the DNA Sequence reducing the maintained form to less than 10% The host then is likely to Mutate painfully!" The Professor said to Bill showing him data on the computer.

"Okay Doc... Keep it simple! We don't all wear glasses... I understood nothing you just said find a easier way, Because I don't even know should I panic or be relieved... So Stop Calculating shit and Tell me in my own language what the fuck is really happening...!" Bill shouted confusingly.

"Not every smart person wears glasses you know, But okay... Oh! how should I put this? Okay The drug is a bacteria that takes over your brain... it was supposed to increase the regeneration of brain cells allowing old people to remember thing and young people to get smarter, but due to the drug being in the wrong form, The side effects were too strong and instead of building cell, it started breaking them down meaning people got stupid below function and after the gas, they regained some knowledge learning how to run again see and hear better and also learn more basic things... this increased the brain rate, but OMEGA is still in control. Now to prevent the brain from being taken over, you need to cell that can break anything into smaller pieces without the brain's signals able to stop the damage... Cancer cells are the most effective cells to weaken the drug so it's unable to take control... But then the side effects are dying early because the cancer cells don't work with the body either... So what's the point of being smart when you don't get to live long anyway? Now I believe you understand that much... So let's move on to John's case.

I did some research about John tying to find out what was different about him and I came across his medical record and found something unexpected... Did John ever mentioned family members?" Professor Ivan asked.

"No... I just heard him say he lived alone, didn't even had a girlfriend the poor bustard..." Bill answered and looked at John.

"Check this out... John dropped from university because of illness!

Then I saw a document showing that John developed a tumour in the centre of his brain with the size of a golf ball... He ended up losing his memory not even knowing his parents.

Sad as it is, they were ordered to stay away from him for 5 years as he was put on a new project allowing him to live a different life and see how maybe he can recover some of the memories naturally... By this He was given the name John Richard and a job to relive as someone else... This project was supposed to be given to me as a living test subject for OMEGA - After the data was in... we coded the serum '187' to remind us that the side effects results remain death... Now for what I know is that John was supposed to be Stupid 5 months ago... because The government monitored him till the point he was supposed to go crazy because of the brain tumour... So I did a cat scan to check it out and I found that the tumour was taken over by OMEGA but not his brain... The tumour links the left side of the brain with the right side allowing more brain function... this reaction is unpredictable and we can never tell what would be the outcome of this... As we speak, John is going through some major changes but he remains unconscious making it impossible to think that he would wake up..." Professor Ivan said and walked back from the Computer.

"Wait... does it mean that he would have gotten smarter because of the drug stopping the effect of the tumour?" Bill asked.

"Yes that's correct... He should have been able to analyse possibilities much faster than the normal brain limit... Why do you ask?" Professor Ivan asked surprisingly.

Bill stands up and walk towards the Professor and clap his hands quickly one time.

"I understand now... John told me the moment he had to shoot some boy's father in the head, he couldn't do it so he gave the gun back to the man and he shot himself... But with the look on his face I knew that wasn't the truth, as my mind could tell the man changed and bit him on the ankle forcing him to shoot... But that was at least 6 months ago... a hell lot longer than 7 minutes!

Maybe because he didn't have cancer..." Bill said calmly.

"That right there is what I missed! follow me..." Professor Ivan said with a smile on his face and rushed over to the computer.

"He collapsed because it's close to 7 months... days were converted to months this also means his aging climate has changed! He's aging slower... His cells react minutes into months... This mean having cancer that could kill a person in about 2 months might take years to work... but He's not waking up because the mind and the brain isn't synchronising! I've got it... You see Bill I'm going to need live animals to inject them with John's blood, And then I'm going to recreate cancer cells and inject it afterwards... Checking the results might take months to clear the right one, but If I'm right about this, The animal shouldn't die from any disease! So I'll recreate OMEGA as a pathogen this time and inject the animals with it after 1 day... This will give results within days... only the animal that dies from OMEGA without changing will have the right cells injected... Don't tell the others about this, Just tell them I've realised that I need live hosts to study OMEGA more... Get me that animals fast, While you guys head out, I'll also start creating cells into different groups and start injecting them once the animals are here, try to get me rats and also some Chimps... If I'm right about this... he may be the only hope to stop everything if I can get him to wake up... He'll also wake up at least 10 times smarter than me... But the results will be unknown!" Professor Ivan explained.

"Wow! Professor... Just what are you trying to accomplish?" Bill ask the Professor and look at the computer screen.

"We're Going to create a new blood type... The hardest part will be to keep John from Mutating into something other than human... Now Go hurry we don't have much time!" Professor Ivan said to Bill focusing on the computer.

"Professor please tell me... Will this any how produce a possibility for a cure?" Bill asked the Professor gazing at the computer screen.

The Professor turn around to face Bill.

"I not even sure if I should answer that now or never, but either way the news will never be good... What I'm working to achieve is far beyond the hope of a possible cure... I have given up on a cure long ago, searching to find one is pointless Bill... I really don't want to take away the hope that keeps you going right now..." The Professor said and sighed afterwards.

"I don't understand, what do you mean give up?" Bill asked throwing his hands in the air.

"Actually Cure is impossible..."The Professor said to Bill taking off his glasses and put them on the table.

"Why? because you gave up on trying? Stop fucking around man, get your head out of your ass and figure something out! We can't afford to give up - This is life we're talking about-" Bill said halfway.

"This is death! Wake up... those things out there are not alive anymore, These walking corpses are dead not ill... You expect me to bring a rotten Corpse back to life? Grow up! My name is not Jesus... I thought I already told you OMEGA 187 cause certain death, those things out there are no longer human... We may have hope for humanity but let's focus on the people still alive and keep them away from OMEGA 187! It's not that I chose to give up on a cure... I just realised that these people died the first time the drug was released in public - Dead people don't get sick! Illness are for the living in which we can heal, but these things you have hope for are not sick, everyone is dead... You can't heal a healthy person just as no dead person can become sick... So you wanna here the truth in easy words Bill? No Sick No Cure!" The Professor explained with anger.

Shortly after Bill heard the Professor explained, He walked slowly towards the glass chamber where John was laying and wiped his tears.

"Professor what about this project? Can we maybe stop the spread by making every survivor Imune to OMEGA drug?"

"I don't even think that's possible... This project is highly sufficient and also fragile enough to make this research unrepeatable! To put it simple... You need a tumour at the exact same spot in your brain with the exact same size... then we have to infect you with OMEGA with a bite mark at the exact same spot, than you need to elevate your brain through the same experiences in order to link your brain completely to a stronger bond and to prove everything was done perfectly, you have to collapse at the same time John did... If I happen to create the right cells and the sync works, Only then will you be able to make a person Imune to OMEGA 187... This all needs to happen in the exact same way otherwise the results may not end the same... This project isn't just nearly impossible, but is also very dangerous... As Of now, John's body is highly decontaminated in which just drinking from the same bottle can kill you... The difficulties of having a blood type change and DNA pattern change without Mutation is almost impossible... If John should wake up, he will never be the same again, in fact we might not even be able to call him human again... so please for the last time Bill, head out to find me those animals, we're running out of time!" Professor Ivan said with a paranoid voice.

"Why should I risk my life for a project that doesn't even benefit me anyway?" Bill asked.

"It might be impossible for me, but if you wish to remain with hope, You're going to have to put your bet on John... He might be able to do something!

I'm sorry... even guys like me have limits, going beyond them aren't just something we can do... it is all up to you to decide what's about to happen..." Professor Ivan said with a soft voice.

Bill take another at John and slap his hand on the table.

"I'll get you the animals, start working! I'll convince the others somehow... You better make this work Professor, Get ready to open the main gate soon..." Bill said with a serious face expression.

He looks a John one more time and walk out of the lab.

Bill gether everyone at the cafeteria again to layout the mission.

" Listen everyone I was with the Professor for a while and I learned a few things there... I'll keep it simple... The Professor needs guys he calls the pure infected, those who changed into savage freaks using the the drug.

We don't know who they are or even where to find them, so we go to plan B..." Bill Suggested out loud.

"What's plan B?" Stacy asked.

"That's plan Bill baby... We're gonna find animals that are alive and well we need to get rats and Chimps... This will not be easy, so Jane - You are in command and will guide us through this fight... our lives are in your hands, we'll follow your every order.

Milla you back her up... Let's start this by analysing our routes where we should go and dangers we should avoid... Any questions?" Bill asked after explaining.

Stacy swiftly pick up her hand and asked Bill "How's John doing?" And looks Bill in the eyes.

"Resting... He'll be fine, the Professor is helping him out right now, So we should head out and risk our lives for this... We'll manage a cure! Let's start the process." Bill said with confidence.

meanwhile back at the lab.

The Professor started with the first data to recreate the first copied cells and start to fill the first vile with blood.

"This is gonna be hard to process successfully, But as far as I can tell... there are those who may not know who I am, so I'll say; My name is Professor Ivan Muller And I'm about to bring John Richard Back!"

To Be Continued...