Apocalypse Fighter

Chapter 22 Activation Potion

“I will be there too! I think we all have a duty to go. Richard here has invited us so kindly.” Lily chimed in. 

While the conversation rose to a steady flow again, nobody noticed the ominous, cold look in Richard’s eyes. 

With them, when doomsday arrived, Richard could rest easy. He would not need to watch out for attacks from mutant creatures while he used the activation potion to set up his defenses. The rate of becoming a super mutant could be increased by 50%. Richard had faith that his enhanced strength would help him come out on top. 

After Richard’s invitation, the people in the room started to chat with each other peacefully again. When the ordered dishes were all served, they all laughed.

The scene was so pleasing that even Mary drank a glass of wine after Janet and Lily’s persuaded her. Richard also knew that Janet was working in a community group now. When she chatted with other classmates, she mentioned the activation potion which Richard was looking for.

“Well, you have to listen to this. Be careful about what you eat. My co-workers told me that they’re exhausted from dealing with people’s health problems. There’s a new virus going around. It is super contagious! And there is no cure for it yet. Anyone who eats raw meat from chicken or ducks could get it. And once you get it, you only get about two or three days before the virus totally wipes you out. Just like that.” Janet said and snapped her fingers dramatically. 

“Stop terrifying us, Janet. I don’t believe it. If it is so dangerous, why hasn’t the government warned us of it?” Lily didn’t believe Janet’s words. But she couldn’t help but feel worried about it. In recent years, there were so many viruses breaking out. And many people had suffered and died. 

“Would I lie to you? We…” Janet stopped and looked around. She lowered her voice and added in a serious look, “We have got the notice yesterday. We’ve been told that the government will release a formal statement in the next couple of days, and we’re supposed to try out this new vaccine. There’s going to be thousands of vaccines distributed to combat the virus.”

“So, everyone can get one? Really?”

 “Yes! And we have to make sure everyone gets it. They have to sign their names! Damn it! They must be crazy. There are so few doctors and nurses… How can we deliver all the vaccines in just three days?” Janet complained and downed her glass of wine.

“Janet, is the vaccine safe? What if someone refuses to get injected?” Henry asked. He had heard the vaccine had only been tried on bovine animals, so it was hard to say if the vaccine was harmless to human beings or not.

“I don’t know.. I don’t think people have an option. But many people in the city are homeless. No one can make sure that everyone in the city can be injected. If you worry about the safety of the vaccine, you can buy a plane ticket and leave now, Henry. I heard that they’re only delivering these vaccines to Washington D.C. for now.” Janet filled her glass up with more wine and was about to drink it when she was interrupted by Richard.

“Janet, the vaccine you mentioned, do you know where they are going to be stored? If I want more than one… Can you acquire them for me?”

“More than one? What are you planning? I get it. Are you thinking about hoarding them, and making money by reselling them?” Janet pointed at Richard and laughed, “Stop thinking about it. These vaccines are free. And they are supposed to stay that way. The vaccine can be produced at any time, and people can always get it for free. If you are planning some wild scheme to make money of these vaccines, you should just quit now.”

“Janet is right. Richard, you mustn’t do such dangerous things. Even if you can make money from it, it is illegal. When the police come to you, you won’t be able to get away.” Lily uttered. She started to worry about Marry and Steven. What if Henry was right? Richard even planned to do illegal things to get money. If he really did something illegal and then got caught, what would Mary do?

“Relax, I am not going to hoard vaccines. I just want to get several for my relatives and friends. Janet, you haven’t told me where those vaccines are stored yet.” Richard smiled gently. But he was rather excited now.

Vaccine? No! That was the activation potion every survivor needed. To make it through doomsday, the activation portion was necessary. 

Three days later, a planet about one fifth the size of the earth would move around the earth. A dangerous ray, Radiation D, would be discovered by scientists. Later, this ray would be ominously termed “the wave of death”. It wouldn’t cause damage to any buildings on earth. But all creatures would be affected, and their genes would mutate. 

People would find that the only way to stop their genes from mutating was to inject themselves with the vaccine. The vaccine, better known as the activation potion, would be impossible to find, and lead to the creation of a black market where no commodity was more valuable. Even a house worth millions of dollars could not be exchanged for the potion. 

And now Richard had a chance to know where the activation potion would be stored. Well, as long as Janet told him. 

“No. If I sell them to you secretly, I will lose my job…” Though Janet had been drinking, her moral compass did not falter. She knew what she could and couldn’t do. She wouldn’t risk getting into trouble.