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

simply used his nanites to speed up the process.
    Reply: Twister gives you access to our implants? That’s how you killed him? With his nanites?
    “At this point in time, the GDCO is recommending that all citizens within ten kilometers of the affected cities shelter-in-place, and avoid contact with anyone,” Doctor Mesnard continued.
    From; Unknown: Ask the question.
    Reply: Or what? Are you going to kill me next?
    From; Unknown: Why not? There are fifty other reporters in this room. I suspect I could get any one of them to ask the question. But I choose you.
    Reply: Why me?
    From; Unknown: Because I like you, Hanna.
    Hanna felt another chill go down her spine. Images of documents began appearing in Hanna’s personal visual space. The documents came and went so quickly that Hanna couldn’t make out what they were. She could, however, see photographs of faces, perhaps the faces of the individuals referred to in the documents.
    From; Graham: They’re medical records, Graham explained as the records continue to flash.
    Constance, Hanna thought, recognizing her photograph on one of the records as it flashed in and out of her visual space. Reply; Graham: It’s for the people in this room, Hanna messaged. They all had to be submitted before any of us were allowed to attend. He’s hacked into the GDCO.
    The medical records suddenly stopped flashing, with one last record showing. Hanna saw her own image on the medical record.
    From; Unknown: Does your head hurt?
    Hanna felt a dull ache forming in the front of her head.
    From; Unknown: How about your abdomen? A touch of nausea, perhaps?
    Hanna’s intestines felt like they suddenly shifted, and nausea swept over her like a tidal wave.
    From; Unknown: It would be awfully embarrassing if you were to evacuate your bowels right about now.
    Reply: Why are you doing this? Hanna asked, holding her gut with both arms as she bent forward to try and relieve the pain in her abdomen.
    From; Unknown: Ask the question.
    From; Graham: Do it, Hanna, or he’s going to kill you!
    The dull ache in her head became worse, as two more medical records appeared in her personal visual space. The records belonged to her parents. He’s into the entire health system, she realized.
    From; Arielle: For God’s sake, Hanna, ask the question!
    Reply: Ari?
    From; Unknown: You should listen to your friends, Hanna.
    From; Graham: Sorry, kid, I had to tell her. She’s linked in as well.
    From; Arielle: Do it, Hanna! Do it!
    Hanna struggled to her feet, one hand still on her gut, and the other one in the air like all the other reporters in the room.
    From; Unknown: I’m not going to ask you again, Hanna.
    Reply: I’m trying! The pain in Hanna’s head disappeared, and her nausea subsided. Hanna managed to stand up straight again, and began waving and shouting in a vain attempt to attract the attention of Doctor Mesnard over all the other reporters in the room.
    From; Unknown: Good. Let me help you.
    One by one, the other reporters stopped shouting. Several of them brought their hands down as well, while several more quickly sat down as they were overcome with various discomforts of their own.
    Hanna noticed the sudden change in the number of voices vying for attention, and redoubled her efforts. Finally, Doctor Mesnard pointed at her.
    “Hanna Bohl, Quebec News. Is it possible that the Twister virus and the Klaria virus are connected?”
    Doctor Mesnard appeared surprised by Hanna’s question. “There are multiple safeguards in place to prevent unauthorized access to the global health monitoring and control network. These safeguards were put into place decades ago, when the monitoring program was removed from the physicians’ office to the network, for the benefit of all humanity. I believe that the vastly improved health the human race has experienced since then is proof enough.”
    From; Unknown: He did not answer the question.
    “You didn’t answer the question,” Hanna said.
    “I believe we