The Becoming: Ground Zero by Permuted Press, Jessica Meigs

into the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta and get whatever information I can find about the Michaluk Virus. They studied the virus there, and I want to know everything they knew. Everything about where it came from, how it got out, and if they ever began development on a cure.”
    “There is no cure!” Ethan snapped before he could stop himself. He stepped closer to Avi and snarled, “How can there be a cure? You can’t even make a vaccine from the virus, because it will only change you into one of those things! ” Ethan jabbed his hand at the front door emphatically. “If there was a cure—” Ethan broke off and turned away, emotion welling up in his throat. To his utter disgust, he realized he was shaking slightly, and he drew in a slow, deep breath in a poor attempt to steady his nerves. Remy’s hand rested gently on his forearm, squeezing it reassuringly. The gesture didn’t do much for his mood, but he was grateful for it.
    “I know that,” Avi said, moving her eyes away from Ethan. Ethan clenched his jaw. He’d been dismissed. Again. “But all we really know is what the government deigned to tell us at the time. I know for sure the story was embargoed for the media. There’s no way to know if what they told us was the truth, the whole truth, unless we go in and find out for ourselves.”
    Avi Geller was all pretty words, but Ethan knew, he just knew that she didn’t understand how horrible it actually was out there. This was a woman who didn’t live in reality, who had obviously not faced up to the fact that what remained of humanity was now at war. She was deluded on a massive level. The thought that she’d managed to survive despite being so ignorant of the circumstances in which they lived astounded Ethan.
    Ethan looked at Remy again. To his shock, she nodded slowly, as if she agreed with Avi. Ethan gritted his teeth and jerked his arm from her grip. He glared at her, eyes narrowed. “Remy,” he hissed. Anger flooded into his veins. He couldn’t believe this.
    “No, Ethan, she’s right,” Remy said. She started to unbutton her bloodied shirt, stripping down to the white tank top underneath, revealing her tattooed olive-toned shoulders. The dragon wrapped around her left bicep contrasted sharply with her complexion. Ethan averted his eyes. “People need to know,” Remy continued. She stuffed the shirt into the trash bag. “They deserve to know what happened.”
    Ethan turned on Remy and took a step closer to her. He was aware that his anger was making him irrational, but the knowledge didn’t stop him from leaning into Remy’s face. “Not at the expense of our fucking lives!” he barked.
    “I’m with Ethan on this,” Theo announced. He stripped off his gloves, careful not to touch the outsides of them with his bare skin, and dropped them into the trash bag. Ethan spared Theo a grateful look, but Theo didn’t notice; instead, he turned away to retrieve a fresh, clean pair of jeans for Remy. The young woman ducked into the kitchen with the jeans and closed the door between them.
    With Remy gone, Ethan shifted his eyes to Gray and Nikola as he schooled his features into a neutral expression. The teenage girl still hovered on the stairs, watching them all warily. Gray stood at the bottom, a few steps away from Avi. “What about you two?” Ethan asked, watching them both attentively. He tried to read the decisions in their eyes like Remy always did. It was a frustrating practice, and while Remy had it to an art form, Ethan never managed to succeed at it.
    “I’m not … I don’t know,” Nikola said, her voice trembling. Her eyes swung like a pendulum back and forth between Ethan and Avi, visibly bewildered.
    “Gray?” Ethan asked pointedly. His eyes darted to Gray’s face, watching the younger man for his response and sizing him up. Ethan was certain that Gray would intentionally oppose him. He always did, regardless of the topic.
    “I’m with Remy,” Gray