After Impact: After Impact Trilogy, Book 1 by Nicole Stark Read Free Book Online Page B

space?”
    “Now you are asking the right questions.”
    Avalon sat and pondered. “Sounds deliberate.”
    Ilium nodded his head in agreement. “Indeed.”
    Avalon rose up with balled fists to her side. “Who would do such a thing?”
    “I don’t know,” Ilium replied.
    “Why aren’t all of the Compatios sick at once?” Avalon asked.
    “I don’t know. It could be, like the common cold, everyone who has exposure doesn’t necessarily develop signs or symptoms.”
    Avalon chewed on a strand of her hair which had fallen loose from her ponytail. “Have you notified the President or the Council of any of this?”
    “Yes. The President says to just keep him informed, as though there is nothing to worry about. However, he also told me not to tell anyone about the quarantine.”
    “Something doesn’t sound right about that. For example, how do we find out who patient zero is? Or if we should quarantine them?”
    “Who would deliberately infect the Compatios? And why?” Ilium asked.
    Avalon wanted some more information on Dexter. And while they were sharing, she decided to share what she found out about Dexter going outside.
    “No one ever mentioned someone going outside before,” Ilium said as he struggled to take in everything.
    “It was marked confidential. I am pretty sure no one was supposed to find out,” Avalon said.
    Ilium ran his hands through his hair.
    “This is all just so crazy,” Ilium said.
    “Tell me about it,” Avalon said.
    Avalon looked down at her watch to read an incoming message.
    “I am sorry, but I have to go. Maybe we can meet tomorrow?” he asked.
    Avalon nodded and she headed to the President’s office.
     

    Viggo spoke to someone on a secure and private line. His feet were propped up on his metal desk, but he quickly placed them down when he received the phone call.
    “I don’t know if I can do that, sir,” Viggo said, spinning around on his lab chair.
    After listening to the other party speak, Viggo nodded his head, straightened his back, and said, “Yes, yes. I understand exactly what is at stake.”
    After a pause Viggo spoke again, “The results are less than stellar thus far.” He lowered his gaze to his chart. “I know about the timeline,” he said with a sigh.
    “Yes, I am making progress. Although not as quickly as you liked.”
    Nodding his head, Viggo added, “I am being careful. No one—”
    “Ok. I will be more careful next time.”
    Hanging up the phone, Viggo let out the breath he was holding on to as he scrutinized a large algorithm displayed on his wallscreen. A Rubik’s cube sat on his metal lab desk, half solved.
    Viggo closed his eyes and reflected upon his days conducting genetic experiments with food. Those were the days. Most of the developed nations stopped consuming genetically modified food, known colloquially as GMOs, decades ago. However, America still consumed them, and the corporations made record profits year after year. Some of which were used to line Viggo’s pockets as well.
    As a result of his prestigious accomplishments with GMOs and other genetic related fields, Viggo had been cherry picked for his position in the HOPE habitat after Mr. Adams could not board.
    Viggo opened his eyes and held the Rubiks cube in his hand. As he tinkered with it, his mind continued to reflect back on that fateful day when the asteroid hit.
    On that day, the day the asteroid struck, Viggo had placed all of the other members into their cryochambers.
    Safe inside the HOPE habitat, the President warned him against viewing the destruction of the world on the televised broadcasts. But Viggo insisted on seeing it live.
    He figured he had a front row ticket to the end of the world.
    He ordered the wallscreen to tune to WNN and WOLF news so he could receive coverage from both sides of the aisle.
    WNN operated on a skeleton crew as most of the people were long gone to whatever meager shelter they had prepared for themselves. The cameraman included. Only one or