The Last Outbreak (Book 1): Awakening by Jeff Olah Page A

today. Today at exactly nine-fifteen the second floor, and more importantly her desk, sat vacant.
     
    David shoved Ethan forward at the top of the stairs and moved to the office in the corner. “So? Where’s your girl?”
     
    “My girl?”
     
    “Yeah,” David said. “There is no way you can tell me you don’t have a thing for that woman. I’ve known you way too long and have seen the way you look at her.”
     
    “You need to get your eyes checked then, she has no interest in the opposite sex. And she especially has no interest in me, anyone can see that.”
     
    David moved to the desk that sat ten feet from the floor-to-ceiling, plate-glass windows overlooking the majority of the city. “I didn’t say she was into you, she would have to be out of her mind to have anything to do with a bum like you. But you’re pretty transparent. I don’t think I’ve seen you go more than five minutes without staring at her.”
     
    “Yeah, she’s an attractive woman, but I’m not really looking for—”
     
    Now seated at the computer, David finished logging their run. “Hey, were you able to get to your email last night before we left?”
     
    “Yeah, just a few from Emma. She was in New York meeting with you know who. She was originally going to come through this weekend, but wanted to avoid those insane chili cook-off fanatics.”
     
    “You know what’s weird, I didn’t see any of them out this morning. I know a few of them had the same kind of night we did, but usually they’re out setting up by now. You remember last year don’t you?”
     
    Ethan moved away from the desk and over to the window overlooking Second Street. “Yeah, I remember not being able to leave my apartment for two days. Those chili-heads were everywhere. I walked more that weekend than in my entire life. It was hell.”
     
    “Okay,” David said. “Then where the hell is everyone? The streets are empty and the fact that Shannon’s not here is a bit disturbing.”
     
    Ethan laughed. “I love that you seem just as put off by Shannon not being here as you are by the entire city looking like a ghost town. You are too good for words.”
     
    “Let me ask you this,” David said. “Has she ever been one minute late? Has she ever called in sick? Has that women ever even taken one day off since we started?”
     
    “I don’t really—”
     
    “We’re back up, the Wi-Fi seems to be working, and you have three emails from Emma, all before six this morning. And all of them marked urgent.”
     
    “Oh boy, what’s it this time? Another double-run today?”
     
    “Not quite. It’s the same three messages. Just worded differently. It looks like she just really needs to talk to you. She wants you to call her ASAP.”
     
    “Hey,” Ethan said. “Don’t we have her on speed dial on the house phone?”
     
    David slid the phone across the desk, closed his email, and opened a browser window, first checking the local forecast. “We’re gonna get some snow today. Should be fine. You able to get Emma on the phone?”
     
    Shaking his head, Ethan said, “Nope, lines are dead. Let’s just get this run out of the way and I’ll call her from my phone later.”
     
    “You sure? Sounds like she really needs to talk to you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her send an email marked urgent.”
     
    “Yeah, I’m sure she’s just looking to give me crap about being late. And by the time I call her, hopefully she will have calmed down, so it’s a win-win. Let’s go.”
     
    David couldn’t erase what he’d seen earlier at Ethan’s apartment and even if it was on the other side of the country, he wanted more information. Heading to the various news sites he frequented, the images along the front page were alarming. “Ethan, you need to see this.”
     
    Ethan moved from the opposite side of the desk and slid in beside his friend. “See what?”
     
    “That stuff from the news, it’s everywhere.”
     
    People, who otherwise appeared