Read Online Netcast: Zero by Ryk Brown - Free Book Online Page A

messages, unless you tag ones not directed at me as ‘private.’
    Message; Graham: Will I see your messages? Hanna wondered. Although she had often shared private chat streams with Arielle, she had never shared her inbox with anyone before, and certainly not with someone that she had only known for a short time.
    Reply: Only my messages to you.
    Message; Graham: Why? You got something to hide?
    Reply: Plenty. But that’s not why. I get status data from the vid-kit through my text messages. A lot of them. I’m used to it, but it would distract the hell out of you.
    “As of an hour ago, the Klaria outbreak in Sorel has claimed a total of seven hundred and four lives. In addition, another fifty-seven new cases have been reported in Sorel, although they have yet to be confirmed as Klaria. Furthermore, we are now getting reports of Klaria cases popping up in Joliette to the west, and Trois-Rivières to the north.”
    Again, hands shot up and reporters started yelling out questions. Again, Doctor Mesnard started with Constance.
    “Constance Gerard, Netcast News World. How many cases have been reported in Joliette and Trois-Rivières, and does this mean that the outbreak is widening?”
    Message; Arielle: What the hell? Is she sleeping with him, or something?
    Reply: Focus.
    “Early reports from Joliette are twenty-seven cases in the last two hours, and Trois-Rivières reports eleven cases. Neither cities are reporting any fatalities as of yet. However, at this time, we are widening the Sorel outbreak zone to include those cities as well.”
    “Is it headed for Montreal?” Constance asked.
    “We have no idea where the Klaria virus is heading,” Doctor Mesnard admitted. “At this point, we still haven’t confirmed how this particular outbreak is being transmitted. Thus far, we have evidence of transmission by both air and bodily fluids, but we also have numerous cases where neither transmission method could be attributed. We have cases that are simply popping up for no reason… at least none that have yet been determined.”
    From; Unknown: They know, they’re just not saying.
    Oh, God, Hanna thought.
    “Mike Monroe, Euro News, if you don’t know how it’s being transmitted, how are you going to prevent it from spreading?”
    From; Unknown: They can’t, not without admitting that it’s their own fault.
    “The city of Sorel is now under full quarantine,” Doctor Mesnard said.
    Reply: What do you mean? Who’s fault? Hanna quickly switched message targets. Message; Graham: Tell me you’re seeing all this!
    “…No one leaves or enters the city, until the outbreak is concluded,” Doctor Mesnard continued.
    From Graham: I am. Keep him talking. Get as much information as you can from him.
    “…We expect to be doing the same in Joliette and Trois-Rivières before the end of the day, just as a precaution. Montreal is quite close to Joliette, and a quarantine around Montreal and the surrounding area would be a difficult proposition, at best.”
    From; Unknown: Mercer Industries, the GDCO, the AMA, EMA, every last one of them knew, but they still went ahead with the implant upgrades, all in the name of increasing the general health and welfare of the public… Bullshit! All they did when they gave control of the health nanites to our neuro-digital implants, instead of our physicians, was increase their profit margins. That’s all they ever really cared about.
    Reply: Maybe they didn’t realize it? Hanna suggested, trying to draw out the conversation while Doctor Mesnard continued to answer questions.
    From; Unknown: They knew. They were warned, yet they choose to ignore the truth.
    Reply: Why should I believe you? You killed an innocent man a few hours ago, just to prove a point.
    From; Unknown: I didn’t kill him, his life-style killed him. His diet killed him. His lack of physical exercise killed him. The very technology that is supposed to keep us all healthy, happy, and dumb… that’s what killed him. I