Case:Black - 13. Chapter 13

Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center

FEMA/Homeland Security Operations Center

Bluemount, VA

July 16, 2016 10:00EST/9:00CST

Director of Homeland Security Francis Kirkwood glared at the technicians as they hastily arranged the teleconference. Half of the Federal bureaucracy was connected now in addition to an alphabet soup of military and law enforcement brass.

On the hour he began the conference. If anyone was late they could read the brief.

"I am Frances Kirkwood, Director of FEMA. This morning we believe that a number of our largest metropolitan centers were attacked with an unknown biological agent. Samples of this agent have been taken in DC and we have confirmation that the same type drones hit Boston, Baltimore, Cleveland, Atlanta, Miami, Memphis, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, well hell guys... pretty much any city big enough to have an NFL or NBA franchise."

"This is General Armstrong of USAMARIID, what do we know about the agent?"

Kirkwood said, "We have only had time to make a preliminary analysis. Special Agent Chase, what have your lab guys told you?"

"Special Agent Chase- Secret Service, White House Detail. The report from our lab guys does not look good. We shot the drone down before it hosed the White House and were able to get a fair sized sample of the liquid it was spraying. The labbies say it is mostly water suspending billions of nano-tech particles."

There was a gasp but Chase continued, "Most viruses are quite fragile. The UV rays in sunlight destroy them. It is one of the reasons that viruses are so hard to weaponize. This nano-tech is quite sophisticated. It's hard to do. I'm not even sure anyone in the United States even has this capability but it's something the bio-warfare guys have been thinking about for some time."

"Rather than release pure virus, they release nano-bots that contain virus particles. When they are in favorable conditions, the nano-bot releases the viral payload."

One of the people connected to the teleconference asked, "Like what kind of favorable conditions?"

Chase answered, "The particle was inhaled or landed on the skin."

The President said, "This sounds like a very sophisticated attack."

Chase replied, "It is Mr. President. It took some very serious technology to make these nano-bot delivery systems and we aren't even sure what is inside of them. We've got samples heading to BL4 labs across the country."

The President said, "I've heard enough gentlemen. As of this moment, I am declaring Case Black."