The Infected: A Post Apocalyptic Thriller Read Online Free
through circular wire-rimmed glasses with light blue lenses. They made his fat face appear even meatier and Sam grimaced at the sight of him. He trundled to the center of the stage and then smiled.
"Attention, citizens of New Hope," he said. The man talked through his nose and caused Sam's skin to erupt into gooseflesh. "It's my greatest honor to introduce our wonderful leader. Please give a warm welcome to Prime Minister Carson Troy." He smiled a crooked, yellowed smile and clapped his chubby hands together. Most of the audience members followed suit and applauded. Sam, Jordan and Abigail did not join in.
A thin man emerged from behind the curtain and slithered across the stage. He paused for a moment to sneer at the six prisoners and then addressed the microphone. Cyrus offered an exaggerated bow and Troy waved a dismissive hand at him. Without hesitation, the fat, little man waddled back offstage.
The Prime Minister wore a long, black coat with deep purple trim. Except for his age, he was the polar opposite of Cyrus. Troy was tall and gaunt with a long face and hollow eyes. His salt-and-pepper hair matched the pencil-thin mustache and goatee. He stroked the goatee, delivered a devilish smile to the crowd, cleared his throat and spoke into the microphone.
"Citizens of New Hope," his deep voice boomed from the speakers, "we have traitors amongst us."
A clamorous rumble overtook the crowd and Troy lifted his hand to silence it. The crowd fell silent at once. He stared out into the ocean of onlookers. The population of New Hope was around 8,000 citizens and Sam guessed most were in attendance. The sick and the pregnant would be at home and they'd be forced to watch on their televisions.
"A little over ten years ago, a biological weapon detonated in our nation's capital…on our nation's soil. The government considered the weapon's contents, the RIZ-4 virus, the ultimate global threat, and within two weeks of the detonation, it had spread throughout the world with a 99.9% infection rate. We lost friends and neighbors. Family and co-workers."
His words grew soft as he recounted the horrible story of their past. An image of the burning city flashed in Sam's brain and she shuddered. Jordan grabbed her hand and this time she didn't pull away. The crowd was packed too tightly for anyone to notice.
"Over five-billion people died within the first 48 hours," Troy said. Each word grew more somber and Sam's anger intensified. "We lost more during the quarantines and you, the fine citizens of New Hope, became all that is left of the United States of America," he paused, waiting for his words to sink in and then continued, "us and the infected." Another low murmuring swept through the crowd and this time Troy did not try to stop it. Instead, he waited for the citizens to silence themselves.
His voice intensified. "The Ministry has done its best to protect the great citizens of New Hope from the monstrosities roaming the wastelands. We have committed ourselves to guard the freedoms that this great city holds so dear."
"This is such bullshit," Jordan said in a whisper.
Sam nodded.
"An estimated 10 million of those monstrosities roam what's left of the United States." Troy lowered his voice again. "Ten million. An army of abominations waiting to rip the flesh from your bones."
Sam sighed, her heart heavy in her chest. That part wasn't bullshit and the idea of a childhood friend, or worse a family member, as an infected caused another swell of tears to return to her eyes. This time she blinked them away.
"We have worked so hard to keep you safe," Troy said, now sounding disappointed in the audience. "We have worked so hard, and how do you repay us?" He removed the microphone from its stand and hurried across the stage to where the prisoners knelt.
"You repay us with treachery." He reached the first prisoner and yanked the black hood from the man's head. Donald Robbins, an old-timer that worked in Maintenance alongside Jordan and
"Attention, citizens of New Hope," he said. The man talked through his nose and caused Sam's skin to erupt into gooseflesh. "It's my greatest honor to introduce our wonderful leader. Please give a warm welcome to Prime Minister Carson Troy." He smiled a crooked, yellowed smile and clapped his chubby hands together. Most of the audience members followed suit and applauded. Sam, Jordan and Abigail did not join in.
A thin man emerged from behind the curtain and slithered across the stage. He paused for a moment to sneer at the six prisoners and then addressed the microphone. Cyrus offered an exaggerated bow and Troy waved a dismissive hand at him. Without hesitation, the fat, little man waddled back offstage.
The Prime Minister wore a long, black coat with deep purple trim. Except for his age, he was the polar opposite of Cyrus. Troy was tall and gaunt with a long face and hollow eyes. His salt-and-pepper hair matched the pencil-thin mustache and goatee. He stroked the goatee, delivered a devilish smile to the crowd, cleared his throat and spoke into the microphone.
"Citizens of New Hope," his deep voice boomed from the speakers, "we have traitors amongst us."
A clamorous rumble overtook the crowd and Troy lifted his hand to silence it. The crowd fell silent at once. He stared out into the ocean of onlookers. The population of New Hope was around 8,000 citizens and Sam guessed most were in attendance. The sick and the pregnant would be at home and they'd be forced to watch on their televisions.
"A little over ten years ago, a biological weapon detonated in our nation's capital…on our nation's soil. The government considered the weapon's contents, the RIZ-4 virus, the ultimate global threat, and within two weeks of the detonation, it had spread throughout the world with a 99.9% infection rate. We lost friends and neighbors. Family and co-workers."
His words grew soft as he recounted the horrible story of their past. An image of the burning city flashed in Sam's brain and she shuddered. Jordan grabbed her hand and this time she didn't pull away. The crowd was packed too tightly for anyone to notice.
"Over five-billion people died within the first 48 hours," Troy said. Each word grew more somber and Sam's anger intensified. "We lost more during the quarantines and you, the fine citizens of New Hope, became all that is left of the United States of America," he paused, waiting for his words to sink in and then continued, "us and the infected." Another low murmuring swept through the crowd and this time Troy did not try to stop it. Instead, he waited for the citizens to silence themselves.
His voice intensified. "The Ministry has done its best to protect the great citizens of New Hope from the monstrosities roaming the wastelands. We have committed ourselves to guard the freedoms that this great city holds so dear."
"This is such bullshit," Jordan said in a whisper.
Sam nodded.
"An estimated 10 million of those monstrosities roam what's left of the United States." Troy lowered his voice again. "Ten million. An army of abominations waiting to rip the flesh from your bones."
Sam sighed, her heart heavy in her chest. That part wasn't bullshit and the idea of a childhood friend, or worse a family member, as an infected caused another swell of tears to return to her eyes. This time she blinked them away.
"We have worked so hard to keep you safe," Troy said, now sounding disappointed in the audience. "We have worked so hard, and how do you repay us?" He removed the microphone from its stand and hurried across the stage to where the prisoners knelt.
"You repay us with treachery." He reached the first prisoner and yanked the black hood from the man's head. Donald Robbins, an old-timer that worked in Maintenance alongside Jordan and
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