Ulterior Motives

Disclaimer: The events discussed in the following chapter (and references made throughout the story) may mirror those which have occured in reality. However, this takes place in an alternate universe created by a major turning point that deviates into pure fiction. Obscure references will have an asterisk (*) attached with an explanation at the bottom of each chapter. If you have any further questions, please feel free to send them to sinfulaffinity@g*******m. Prologue I can't believe it's been 10 years since this all began.  One minute I'm dropping my son off at his middle school and the next it was hell in a hand basket.  Scientists discovered a virus unlike anything they'd ever seen.  It began to spread pretty rapidly, first throughout the city and country they think was ground zero and then globally.  Nobody knows when it really started because the government running the investigation allegedly kept information on the virus from reaching the public or media outlets.  There were even rumors that a scientist in that country was killed because he released a video on TT (TrueTube) with what he knew.  I wonder if  the video hadn't been removed, would things be different now?  Different doesn't always mean better I suppose.  Either way, this world was not prepared to deal with the monstrosity humanity created. In just two years time the pandemic had claimed a third of the planet's population with no sign of slowing down.  Several companies produced rushed vaccinations with "promising" results and governments were eager to push them through the legislative process and into being administered to themselves and the public.  I guess they didn't think about all the problems these "miracle" vaccinations could come with, like the fact the virus had already mutated into multiple strains that spread easier and hit the body harder.  My son was the first adolescent case of the latest variation in Arizona.  At first we thought it was his asthma and gave him a breathing treatment.  Things calmed down for about a week before he was complaining about different symptoms on top of trouble breathing.  I knew it was serious because he had never been so insistent about how the things he was feeling were out of the ordinary.  We went to the emergency room that night and got admitted pretty soon after.  Days felt like weeks as I watched my baby wither away, not only in body but in spirit too. During his second week in the hospital his right lung collapsed from damage done by the virus.  They said it would be a higher risk surgery because of the infection but it would ultimately be his best chance.  My ex husband Raul and I consented to have it done. Recovery started off very rough and it felt like he struggled through every complication in the book but there were signs he was improving.  The respite was brief and I often wonder if I held on to a false sense of hope too tightly.  I will never forget the sight of his poor, frail, plague ravaged little body covered in a maze of tubes and surrounded by machines.  I was returning from grabbing a coffee when his doctor pulled me aside to discuss. . .options.  The pandemic was in full swing and ventilators were in very short supply.  Due to hospital restrictions during a crisis they couldn't continue to provide a machine for a patient showing no improvement in lung function after a certain period of time and ours was almost up.  I'm grateful to the people who risked their own lives to care for Ricky and I regret not taking their advice when it came to his final hours.  The nurses knew this type of scenario well and one went so far as to challenge my decision to stay at his side.  I thought I knew best. For a long time I resented her for even broaching the topic but I realize now that she simply wished for me to have a happier memory of him to hold onto.  And now the emaciated, ragged visage haunts me, especially this time of year.  The officers I work with are no strangers to sorrow, each with a tale equally as tragic.  Survival can feel more like a burden when your reasons to strive are gone.  That's why I'm proud of my co-workers.  We are akin to family and help support one another in our own ways. Carrying on is so difficult when the cons outweigh the pros but I know Ricky would have wanted me to keep saving people.  The day to day has become more manageable since I started therapy but the bigger picture is an entirely different story. Being in the police force I was one of the first to get vaccinated, along with military personnel and some government officials.  Of course there was also a huge movement against the vaccinations and mask mandates being discussed for civilians.  Our President refused to acknowledge the pandemic for more than six months, leaving the country very ill prepared for all of the incoming devastation.  The vaccination and mask requirements were implemented on the local level, causing friction between city mayors and state Governers who disagreed on the best safety measures.  Disinformation in the media only fanned the flames and by the time the President got involved it was too late for many families.  With the mind blowing height of unemployment looming over them, they were on the verge of falling into poverty which a large portion of the country was already experiencing.  Problems were multiplying and solutions were evaporating.  Companies who had the ability pushed a work from home platform that took some pressure off the job market but mostly for the top ten percent.  Then the unthinkable happened. Ironically the Cataclysm, as we call it, happened on the second anniversary of the virus' debut.  I remember it so vividly but then again, who could really forget witnessing the birth of a new phenomenon?  I'd taken an overnight shift off of my ex partner's shoulders so he could be at his kids birthday celebration.  I was slaying paperwork when a bright red glow beamed in through the window and curiosity got the best of me.  Going outside for a smoke, I was stunned  the moment my boots hit pavement and my eyes raised.  The moon was covered in a bloody hue, the air thick with a new. . .sensation I didn't recognize.  It felt. . .alive, exciting, terrifying and mysterious. It lasted until sunrise for us but was later reported to have stayed eclipsing the moon for the southern hemisphere's night hours too.  Scientists were excited to learn more about the subject but they could only get so far.  I had a feeling in my bones that this was a precursor to a much larger shift in the world and for once I hated being right.  The Blood Moon fell into a pattern of appearing every three months and I noticed the station getting three times as many emergency calls.  Strange became an everyday thing and governments were straining to fathom what exactly was happening to society. The second Blood Moon revealed a chilling medical discovery.  The leading global infectious disease team confirmed a new strain, theorized to have emerged upon the first Blood Moon, that was capable of causing permanent brain damage to the prefrontal cortex*.  The infected that survived incubation became extremely violent toward everyone and everything in their path.  I refused to believe it until I saw one in action and had to fire my gun for the first time in my career.  Such a surreal experience.  Honestly, I feel sorry for them.  It's not like they have a choice in the matter.  At least the way things are now they don't hurt innocent people.  Not that s*****y is ethically any better. Sigh.  Of the Parasite race the (bottom)Feeders were a rough draft.  The Blood Moon is the apex of magical energy.  Not only does it cause ailments to continue evolving but it exposes portals, enhances enchantments and amplifies the efficacy of modern and holistic medicine.  I'm sure there's more but I don't have high enough clearance. Chuckle. Everything I know is because of Raul.  He's a very high ranking military official and we still talk shop over wine now and again.  I miss him sometimes but I know he hasn't changed much.  Like me, work comes first because we need distractions or we lose the tight grip we've got on self control and it gets ugly.  That's why when we divorced he took a promotion on base and I moved closer to downtown for my new position. The entire world is trying to cope with all of the changes being made by their own officials.  Here in the states, cities were handed the responsibility of protecting its people and I like to think we've done that, considering the constraints imposed by the President.  Most major cities have outer perimeter gates in place from early safety measures placed by the Governors.  Tucson has taken it a step farther, building a two barrier wall around downtown and some surrounding areas.  There is a scrub station checkpoint at each of the four entrances and a barrier dome over the top of the city for extra protection.  Living downtown is a blessing.  I can't imagine having to go through all that hassle to get to work on a daily basis. The station has changed in the last few years too.  In almost all major cities and smaller areas with higher magical occurrences, a specialized department was put into effect on a national level.  I'm the Chief of Tucson's Supernatural Defense department where we handle enforcing the law equally between humans and all of the new races popping up due to magical happenings.  It's not always easy and sometimes it's completely out of our hands.  Even the government is undergoing structural changes that were voted into effect around six years ago and are scheduled to complete this year.  The way I understand it in regards to my job is:  Major laws only apply to registered cities, common laws apply nationally, and exception laws are applied on outskirts or tribal land.  Which means in most cases I can't help people outside the city walls and it's bullshit! The only saving grace is the Saviors act which has empowered folks to create the Mercenaries Guild of America who protect the savage lands, for a price.  The government donates to the guilds which gives them a percentage of "free" situations a month they can cover pro bono and everyone else has to pony up or deal with it themselves.  I don't know too much about Tucson's guild, other than they are pretty damn good at their jobs.  I don't see much of it spill onto my turf unless it's getting really hairy and they know we will cooperate if something that large comes to town.  Still, I wish I could do more.  People don't live out there by choice but it comes down to risk I guess.  Sigh. Since anyone can get sick, we have a solid plan for how things need to work and what to do in an emergent situation.  The virus is still responsible for 75% of the yearly death toll and we are fighting it the best we can.  Our vaccinations have made the non-magical strains treatable but the damage it does in the long term can just as easily be fatal.  Thank goodness the government finally got their heads out of their asses and implemented universal healthcare.  Not soon enough but what can you do? Ah, there's Caesar! I was wondering if he'd be in tonight.  It's a pretty rough time for him too considering the tragedy that befell his family. Maybe I'll treat him to breakfast after our shift.  It must take forever for him to get home from downtown during rush hour.  He's a grown man who can certainly take care of himself but I still worry.  Reminds me a lot of Ricky and that darn maternal instinct shows my soft spot for him.  Wish the other officers treated him with greater respect but they all seem to think "picking on'' somebody is a sport or cure for boredom.  I could smack them all upside the head but it would take too darn long.  Welp, guess the time has come.  Everyone is rounding up for the night shift meeting I always lead.  Time to switch gears into work mode. - References prefrontal cortex - The section of the brain which controls impulse, emotional regulation, judgment, aggression, planning, reasoning and social skills