With all civilian internet shut down by the government, television and radio had become the only sources of information for American citizens.
The female news anchor on screen wore a grim expression as she delivered the day’s major stories.
“According to inside sources at the World Health Organization, the latest vaccine trial has officially failed.” “The bureaucratic government has lost control over the infected zones.
They have dug mass graves on the outskirts of major cities.
In an act of unimaginable cruelty, they are disposing of living infected patients alongside the dead.” After delivering several more breaking stories, the anchor held up a stack of documents.
Her face twisted with grief and rage as she addressed the camera directly.
“Citizens of America.
What you are about to see was captured by our reporters at great personal risk.
These are real events happening inside the quarantine zones right now.” The screen shifted to grainy footage.
Soldiers opened fire on a wave of charging infected.
After the threat was eliminated, a dozen survivors emerged from a nearby building.
Though the footage was blurry, their relief was unmistakable—hands waving, bodies shaking with emotion.
A soldier approached them and confiscated their weapons.
Everyone expected they’d be escorted to safety.
Then the soldier walked away.
The remaining soldiers raised their rifles without hesitation and opened fire on the unarmed survivors.
Seconds later, they were all dead.
Women.
Children.
Elderly.
It didn’t matter.
More footage followed.
Soldiers executing survivors in different locations.
Interviews with escapees who described the horrors they’d witnessed.
Every story was the same.
The government had betrayed them.
Brian spotted the lake house in one of the clips.
He saw Angela and Barton lying dead on the ground.
His stomach turned.
“Monsters!
What are they doing?!” The crowd erupted in fury.
Curses and shouts filled the air.
The screen cut back to the anchor.
She held up her documents and screamed into the camera.
“Everything you’ve seen was ordered by our government!
They secretly authorized a mass purge order—’neutralize all’—meaning every person inside the infected zones, whether infected or not, is to be executed!
They think they can control this disaster through murder!” “My fellow Americans, this infection has spiraled completely out of control!
They’ve been lying to us all along!
We cannot wait for a vaccine that will never come!
There is no time left!
We cannot allow these corrupt officials to continue running this country!
We need real leaders—people capable of guiding us through this crisis.
Only then can we hope to survive…” BANG!
The door flew open.
The camera tilted wildly, crashing to the floor.
Soldiers stormed into the room and grabbed the anchor.
One of them stepped up to her, face hard.
“Ma’am, you’re under arrest for spreading false information and inciting panic.
You’ll be coming with us.” The screen went dead.
Silence.
For a long moment, no one moved.
Then Dallas erupted like a pot boiling over.
Until today, everyone—city residents and refugees alike—had believed this was just another outbreak.
Bad, yes.
But temporary.
Something that would eventually be conquered.
Now the truth was laid bare.
The vaccine had failed.
The government was murdering its own people.
And the end was coming whether they were ready or not.
This was a conspiracy.
A very naked one.
Sarah sobbed into Brian’s shoulder, devastated by what she’d seen.
Angela and Barton were dead.
Their killer had been recorded for the whole world to see.
Brian held her, letting her cry.
His mind raced.
He understood now.
Back in Austin, when they’d broken through the checkpoint, the soldiers hadn’t pursued.
Not because they couldn’t.
Because someone had let them go.
The anchor’s constant emphasis on “the bureaucracy.” The mountain of execution footage.
The testimonies from escapees.
The arrest—perfectly timed, ending the broadcast just as the message was complete.
Stepping back and looking at the whole picture, it was obvious.
This was a carefully staged coup.
Someone wanted to weaponize public outrage, use it to justify removing the current administration and seizing power.
But Brian knew from his past life that public outrage alone rarely toppled a government.
Unless the military was already on board.
Unless the coup had already been planned long before the broadcast aired.
He shook his head.
“Why am I even thinking about this?
It doesn’t concern me.” He sighed and rubbed Sarah’s back, scanning the crowd.
People were whispering, sobbing, staring blankly into space.
Even the children had gone quiet, hiding in their parents’ arms.
He turned to Osborne and Kelly, who wore matching expressions of dread.
Brian lowered his voice.
“Now’s not the time to panic.
The next few days are going to be ugly.
Keep our supplies hidden.
Don’t let anyone see what we have.
Desperate people will do desperate things.” Osborne nodded grimly.
He was grateful he hadn’t reached his military contact yet.
If the broadcast had come out after he’d reported the purge, he’d be in military custody right now.
They’d barely been in Dallas a day, and already the city was collapsing.
He took Kelly inside the RV to hide their supplies in the most inconspicuous places.
Antoine, the old drunk next door, wasn’t stupid either.
The moment the signal died, he’d retreated into his RV and locked the door.
The rest of the afternoon was a flurry of frantic activity.
Brian watched as people scavenged materials—metal pipes, wooden planks, broken glass—and fashioned them into crude weapons.
Then he noticed something strange.
Black-clad figures were moving from tent to tent, speaking in hushed tones with the occupants.
Recruiting.
He ducked back into the RV and told Osborne what he’d seen.
Minutes later, a bald man in black approached their RV.
He spotted Brian outside and scratched his bald head, forcing a friendly smile.
“Hey, kid.
Are your parents home?” Before Brian could answer, Osborne opened the door, wiping sweat from his forehead.
“Can I help you?” Brian stepped back, letting the adult handle the conversation.
The bald man cut straight to the point.
“You saw the news.
Those bureaucrats don’t give a damn about us.
We can’t wait around anymore.
We need to look out for ourselves.
Look around—folks are already arming up.
Tomorrow, we’re going to hit the supply depots.
Stock up.
Get what we need to survive.
If you’re in, get ready tonight.” He didn’t wait for a response.
He just turned and walked to the next RV, delivering the same message.
Osborne watched him go, then looked at Brian.
“You were right.
Things are about to get ugly.” Brian shrugged.
“Let them do what they want.
I’m waiting to see what the government does next.
That’s what really matters.” Because whatever came next—military crackdown, civilian uprising, or something worse—would decide how humanity survived the days ahead.
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