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Lucky was helping Gadget and Thug with the repair work at ATS when the call came through. After the Red Dragon raid, they had put up a metal grille to protect the front of the shop. Putting down their tools and leaving Thug on guard duty with Seeker, Lucky and Gadget hurried to the back. Artemis gestured to a nearby laptop and Lucky noted that the special encrypted comms channel was active. Already on the call were Buck and Pai of the Peacemakers and Cyborg of the Creators.

"Hey, guys," said Lucky. "I’m here with Gadget and Artemis. We’re guessing you heard back from the scientists, too?"

The message had arrived that morning; a reply to what the three groups had reported about the situation at the 8th Street camp and the existence of the "halfies."

"Sure did," said Buck. "So, they think the Purge Script has only been partially successful because the virus is mutating?"

"Looks that way," answered Cyborg, his youthful voice a contrast to the experienced Buck. "And it makes sense. What worries me more is that they think it’s somehow jumped the tech-bio boundary and become a true biological virus. This is unheard of." 

"It’s all a bit above my head, to be honest," said Buck. "But these guys clearly know what they’re doing and they need our help again. Why do you think they want one of the original infected CyMS?"

Cyborg answered: "My guess would be that they want to compare how the virus mutated early on — in an isolated environment — with the most recent version."

"The aim being what?" asked Lucky.

"Probably to produce an improved version of the Purge Script," said Cyborg.

"I wish we knew exactly who we’re dealing with," said Pai.

"Me, too," added Gadget. "Though I’m sure we all agree that our collaboration has done some good — at 8th Street, anyway."

"Look," said Artemis, pointing at another part of the laptop screen. "It’s them again." 

Lucky sat down and opened the message. As the others had gone quiet, he assumed they were reading it, too.

To: Interested Parties

From: Friends

Having also analyzed your reports on events at the 10th Street and 13th Street camps, we believe that the criminal group known as the Red Dragons has somehow exploited the virus code to control the "virtual reality" inhabited by the CyMS.

The Great Wall program created by Cynfo Tech should be an effective cure, but it includes a back door (presumably designed for Cynfo Tech’s needs) that reduces effectiveness. 

Our key focus now is to create a Purge Script v2.0 with improved resistance to these vulnerabilities.

Fortunately, we have located some CyMS captured in the very early stages of the outbreak. They were imprisoned in a secret government facility in the Financial District below the First National Bank Headquarters. We cannot be sure of conditions there, but, hopefully, some of the CyMS have survived. As previously mentioned, we would like you to find one of these subjects, scan them and transmit the data. Such a subject will be extremely valuable for us. We will refer to them as Patient Zero.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Gadget turned to Lucky as they read. "Cyborg was right. Hey, have you guys finished the message?"

"Yes," answered Cyborg. "At least we have a location now. A secret facility below a bank, though — won’t be easy."

Buck spoke up: "Then we better get organized." 

————— 

H3x had just opened a Carba-Cola when the latest update from the ATS tap came in. Within seconds, she realized that the two messages from the "friends" had provided yet more valuable insight. She instantly called Lady Rose.

"Hi, boss. The group behind the Purge Script has contacted those morons over at the auto shop. They want the Peacemakers, the Survivalists and the Creators to scan one of the first CyMS — what they call Patient Zero. That information could be useful to us, too — we can improve the Puppet-Master program. Sound interesting?"

H3x had been amazed by the effectiveness of her creation — the ability to control so many others was almost like a superpower.

Hearing Lady Rose’s reply, she grinned. "I thought you’d say that."

—————  

Ryder Arcadia woke suddenly. Sitting bolt upright, he recalled the dream and began muttering to himself. Goddess didn’t seem to want to stay with him these days, so he was alone in the bedroom.

"Below the bank … more of them … must save them … must save them all!"

Next Story: 71. Patient Zero - Part 2